The Original Writer Organisers
Rupert Davies-Cooke
Growing up in the 60s, the experience of writing letters at boarding school taught me the art of the brave face. When I was thirteen, I began to write a diary, which became a refuge for raw honesty, sparking a lifelong love for the power of personal narrative.
As a teenager, I stayed with my grandmother, who lived at Owston Hall, an old rambling house in Yorkshire full of long dark corridors, ancient dusty furniture and family portraits. Among the oil portraits, drawings, sketches, and watercolours was a photograph of a cowboy leaning against a horse. My grandmother told me that this was her father. Five years on, that photograph inspired a BBC Radio4 documentary called Letters From A Cowboy. And the radio program inspired my book project, The Tenderfoot.
I’ve always loved telling stories. But I felt something was missing, and I wanted to connect with other writers. That’s why, in 2006, I founded The Original Writers Group at the Battersea Arts Centre in London. When Covid hit, we moved online and now have a thriving community of writers worldwide.
My blog: www.pdcooke.com
Gal Podjarny
I have always been fascinated with stories. I grew up in a close-knit farming community in Israel and quickly developed a passion for reading, devouring every book in the small community library.
I find that I think better when I write. English isn’t my first language, but I write in English because, nowadays, that’s how I experience life. I like how, in English, there is almost a word to describe every situation.
We all like a good story. That’s the basic human condition: stories and music. I am interested in stories that give a different take on the world, especially social justice and mental health issues.
That’s why, in 2018, I joined the Original Writers Group. It is a supportive community with great feedback. Writing is a solitary profession, so it is a pleasure to meet with writers, our fellow travellers who understand and share our journey.
My blog: www.galpod.com/blog
Jasmin Allenspach
I am a Swiss writer, educator, and award-winning theoretical physicist living between Zurich and London. As the youngest co-organiser of The Original Writers of London, I created and host the monthly Peerclass, a grassroots twist on the traditional writing masterclass.
Speaking seven languages, I write in English despite being a native Swiss German speaker. Ironically, my mother tongue is a traditionally spoken-only dialect, whereas I learnt my chosen literary language primarily through the written word. It, therefore, won’t come as a surprise that I am endlessly fascinated by the interplay of language and identity. My prose and poetry explore multilingualism, loss of roots, and grandmothers. In addition to my own writing, I apply my scientific precision and knack for languages as a freelance editor.
Being an exophonic writer is defined by a lack of opportunity and community. The Original Writers of London became my first writing family and a stepping stone to pursuing writing professionally. Since joining, I have gone on to be a London Library Emerging Writer, Tin House Scholar (USA), and Barbican Young Poet. Most recently, I was elected as a young trustee of The London Library.
When not dissecting sentences or equations, I train in classical ballet. I am fond of frosty weather and my far-from-frosty writing family.
The Original Writers Group 