I have been on a writing residency in Costa Rica, and I’m still gathering my thoughts on my time there, so that’s a post that will follow soon. In the meantime, I wanted to share with you a gift from my husband.

I’ve toyed with the idea of a typewriter for many years, but I decided it was impractical. Too heavy, ribbons too difficult to find, too noisy, and also awkward to type on. And yet, having this typewriter feels like an old friend has returned.

You see, I learned to type on one of these. Not because of my age and the technology that was available, but because we were poor.

My original typewriter was gifted to me by my father, just after we met in my early teens. He picked it up from a car boot sale and it had three keys missing, so the letters S, R, and W stabbed you when you used them. I remember the pads of my fingertips being badly bruised. The typewriter also caused a lot of contention because it was so loud. But I learned to type on it, nevertheless.

It’s strange how things work out. I had no ambition of being a writer back then. I thought it was impossible, only for rich people, and so it didn’t enter my head. Even though books were my sanctuary and I spent every day writing and drawing, being a writer was something that seemed completely inaccessible. I knew I had to focus on getting an education if I was to have any kind of chance. And yet, I practiced day after day, to learn how to type.

I’m glad that I escaped the trappings of class and found a way to words and books. And I’m also glad that I can facilitate workshops for young people and help make writing accessible – I don’t want anyone to ever feel like anything is out of their reach because of the situation they were born into. It is a reality for many, but it can be beaten.

I have no idea what happened to the original typewriter, but I’m looking forward to some adventures* with this new one! I have a few project ideas brewing, but I’m also open to ideas (suggestions welcome in the comments below)! For now, I’m happy to reacquaint myself with the weight and sound of tapping keys.

(*Adventure number one: relearn how to thread the ribbon!)

My next workshop for young people is Words Allowed at West Cork Literary Festival, and I’m co-tutoring with Dave Lordan. It covers a wide range, including poetry, journalling, fiction, editing, drama, and it’s a lot of fun. If you have a teen you think would enjoy it, you can find more details here.