Creative Midwifery

‘Creative Midwifery’ by Ms Paige Turner
The inimitable Diarmaid Fitzpatrick came up with this term when we were talking during tracks last Friday 17th August on Marlow 97.5 FM Radio/Mid-Morning Matters at 10.30 am and you can get it on Listen Again. Apparently I might be one: a creative midwife that is. It’s someone who helps others bring their novel or painting or play or dance into the light; helping the creative product be born. I wished it had been mentioned on air. I do it. Even though I have let go of my regular Creative Ink for Writers’ workshops I’m still doing day and evening ones through the year, one to one consultations and editing. And I too, have a creative midwife for my own writing in the wonderful shape of Pat Sentinella who recently took a knife to my dead wood, cut away and beautifully signed off her email saying ‘done with love’. How that softened the slash.
So yes, I am a creative mid-wife but don’t confuse it with the other, for like Shakespeare’s Rosalind in ‘As You Like It’ I faint at the sight of blood. Rosalind spent ages in a wood educating her future husband. Why don’t they have creative mid-husbands? Doesn’t quite alliterate in the same way, does it?
‘I will be performing my ‘Red Lipstick & Revelations’ on Friday 12th October at High Wycombe Library from 11.00 am until midday for National Libraries Week.’ Free Entry.