046
The 46th recipient of the Creatives Grant is Roy. With this being our final grant funded by Creative Debuts, we wanted to end the way we began, supporting a writer we believe everybody should be reading. Both of us massively enjoyed Roy’s Rough Trade Pamphlet ‘Algorithm Party.’ It was violent and existential, it was written with an accent, and it so well described the pure discomfort of being in your own skin and looking around at a world full of people who don’t seem so uncomfortable in theirs. We know he puts the time in, we know he has the talent, we know he cares about the scene. We also know that working class writers often disappear from that scene because they can’t afford to be there anymore – because a lack of funding and institutional support can make that skin itch even more. We hope that this grant helps his work continue and look forward to reading more of his work in the future.
BIO:
I’m Roy. It’s not my real name. My real name is PJ Smith but Roy seems to work. I make stuff up and write it down. Then I decide whether it’s a story, a play or more suited to the screen. I’ve got one short story collection out now, Algorithm Party with another on the way later this year. I read around the country, usually supporting bands. Have a look on my socials to see where I’m performing next. I am not a poet. All my writing comes from my experiences of dealing with insecure men. I am an insecure man aswell. We’re fucking everywhere. Unfortunately, a lack of awareness around being one, usually means that aggression, brutality and control are about to play out. I like to write about situations that may or may not give these insecure men an opportunity to bridge the gap between who they think they are, and who they really are. I also really fucking love those jarg buenos from The Aldi. RIP Kevin Campbell and Francoise Hardy.
LINKS:
You can follow Roy on Instagram
and also on Twitter
You can buy Algorithm Party from Rough Trade’s website
