Julie Smith
Welcome to our new blog series: Meet the Writers of WILD: An Anthology of Dartmoor Writers and Artists
This year, Moor Imagination is proud to be publishing our very first anthology, “Wild” a vibrant, heartfelt collection of stories, poems and voices from our Okehampton writers group.
Each month, we’ll be introducing one of the brilliant contributors whose words appear in the book. You’ll get a glimpse into their creative process, what inspires them, and how their piece came to life. It’s a celebration of local voices, shared imagination, and the wild magic of storytelling.
We’re currently raising funds to help print and share WILD with our wider community, and every donation – big or small – helps bring this project to life. Donate to our GoFundMe here
Now, let’s meet this month’s featured writer…
Julie Smith
Author of Moorland Echoes and Under a Frozen Moon
Tell us a little about you – Where are you based, what do you write, and how did you find your way into the Moor Imagination community?
“I lived in North Devon, near Holsworthy, for over 7 years and loved every minute. I wanted to meet new people with similar interests to myself and found Moor Imagination. What a great find it was too! Not only did I learn lots of great information to improve my writing and meet lovely, new and interesting people – but I gained so much confidence in my ability because of the support and affirmation provided by Perdita and the other wonderful writers. Our big children started producing lots of little people, and so in April 2025 we moved to Powys so that we could visit them more often. I’m still joined at the hip to Moor Imagination and can’t wait to visit them soon.”
When and how did you get into writing?
Was there a moment, a story, or a spark that got you started?
“In my professional life, I wrote technical case studies and articles for my clients and their clients. Although I enjoyed this, I wondered if I could write fiction. I took myself off to a tutored writing retreat and fell in love with poetry and writing of any sort. One tutor (Jacob Sam La Rose) was particularly inspiring and kindled a genuine love of writing poetry.”
Tell us about your piece in the anthology.
What inspired it? What makes it special or unique to you?
“Dartmoor’s wonderful wildness and beauty inspired my poem Moorland Echoes. The Wild theme inspired the imagination, resulting in either a poem or a short story. A sleepless night and a wandering mind birthed Under a Frozen Moon.”
What’s the best – and the most challenging – thing about writing for you?
“The most challenging thing about writing for me is deciding when I have actually finished a poem. I am always tempted to make changes. Another challenge is that I have so many ideas, which leads to stories started but never actually completed. I need a deadline to snap me into action to complete a project, which I suspect stems from years of working to deadlines.”
Are there any themes, ideas or images you find yourself returning to in your writing?
“Looking back over my work I think I am inspired by themes of nature and mortality. Basically, anything that is everyday works for me. My stories simply come from my overactive imagination and don’t have a theme running through them. I have noticed that there is a sense of irony and humour in my work, well I think it’s funny, anyway!”
Do you have a writing routine, or are you more of a “when inspiration strikes” writer?
“I don’t have a writing routine. I write when I am inspired, which used to happen after every Writers Group meeting, but now it happens when the mood takes me as I have yet to find another group. I have a novel that I am writing at the moment, and so if anyone can give me a deadline, I will have a reason to finish it.”
What’s your favourite piece of writing advice, or something you’ve learned along the way?
“I took part in a course by Harlan Coben and one of his words of advice were:
‘Be observant and speculate. Observe the people and places you see around you as you go about your daily business. Then ask yourself: what can’t I see? What’s going on behind closed doors and closed faces? What are those hopes and dreams? What might they lead someone to do? What might be the consequences?’
‘Character is story and story is character. Story creates character. . Fiction is a form of memoir. Mine your own life for the details of character. . How will your character take cliché and stand it on its head? . The more you try to force things to fit a formula, the less authentic your book is going to sound.’
What’s your favourite thing about being part of the Moor Imagination community?
What’s it meant to you as a writer?
“Moor Imagination has been my inspiration, my safe place and my confidant. I have learned so much and gained even more. I feel part of a family of like-minded and caring people who are supportive and inspirational.”
Finally – is there a writer, book, or piece of writing you always come back to?
Something that comforts you, inspires you, or reminds you why you write?
“I have a few favourite authors that I love to read, but I come back time and again to ‘Pride and Prejudice’. It’s a story I grew up with and never tired of. A modern-day author who inspires me is Elif Shafak her books are amazing and if you ever want to read a book that fills you with awe then read any of her books, but I recommend ‘The Island of Missing Trees’, ‘10 Minutes and 38 seconds’ in this Strange World and ‘There are Rivers in the Sky’.”
Thank you to Julie Smith for sharing their words and wisdom with us! We’re so excited to include their work in WILD and to showcase the incredible creativity growing in and around Okehampton.
If you’d like to support our journey and help us get this anthology printed and published, we’d be so grateful for your help.
You can donate or share our GoFundMe page here
This anthology is a love letter to imagination, community, and the wild places, both outside and within us. We can’t wait to share the full collection with you later this year.
Stay tuned for next month’s featured writer and thank you for being part of the adventure!
Moor Imagination 