Meet Helen Aitchison | Author and director of Write on the Tyne

We had the good fortune of connecting with Helen Aitchison and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Helen, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’ve spent my whole career working in health and social care. After completing my degree in Criminology and Sociology, I worked at a refuge for women and children fleeing domestic abuse and sexual violence. After a few years, I returned to university to study social work. My career then involved working with adults with life limiting conditions, working with the police to support high risk victims of abuse and then progressing to senior management for a national charity in the UK. I spent fifteen years in this role, overseeing service delivery in the North of England for homeless children and adults with multiple disadvantages, supporting veterans and people fleeing modern days slavery, exploitation and abuse. It’s all I had ever really known, career wise.

I began writing three years ago, as a stress release and after getting small pieces published, I had the confidence to write a book. This manuscript became my debut novel and The Dinner Club was released in March 2022, through UK based, Cahill Davis Publishing.

The Dinner Club became the catalyst to change my life. After taking a sabbatical, some much needed time out for the first time in my career, I knew I could no longer work in such a high-pressured job and continue to write.

I wanted to combine my new love of writing with what I knew I loved: working with marginalised people and groups. With my adult teaching qualification, my community group links and my writing experience, I set up a business in May 2022.
Write on the Tyne is a community interest company (not for profit) that has charitable aims. These aims include making creative writing and expression inclusive and available to all. I provide a range of creative writing training courses, 1-2-1 writing mentoring and commissions for community groups that help them create and publish work.

I left my job of fifteen years in August 2022 and I have been working as director at Write on the Tyne since. In a short time, I have been lucky enough to secure work with recovery groups, the local libraries, veteran services, services for neurodivergent adults and women’s groups. I have also secured funding for next year to support women’s wellbeing in the community through writing.

My first commissioned publication through Write on the Tyne is Veterans’ Voices. Released 4th November, this non-fictional book shares the accounts of twenty-two local service people, spanning over seventy years of conflict. Profits from sales go to Operation Veteran CIC and Write on the Tyne CIC, ensuring resources go back into the communities.

I never thought I would start my own business just like I never thought I would be an author, but I took a chance on both and hopefully they continue to thrive.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve been luckily in my career in that I have always felt job satisfaction. My drive for social justice has been around since I can remember and I have been able to develop, mobilise and manage services with a team that made a difference to vulnerable people every day. It’s ingrained in me to help people be heard and that’s why I feel Write on the Tyne is the perfect business for me. I still get to help people with their wellbeing, confidence, socialisation and community connections, whilst giving them a voice and sharing their narrative. As someone who has only been writing three years and with no formal qualifications in writing, I feel I can motivate others and inspire them to try. The only failing is never trying!
My author life is an advantage when teaching: people can see that I’ve done it and maybe they can also. My next book, The Life and Love (Attempts) of Kitty Cook, with Cahill Davis Publishing, is released next March and I continue to write.
I tell people to start small and experiment with genre and style. That’s what I did. It was a stress release and then I wrote The Dinner Club through grief, which was cathartic.
Leaving a well-paid job to set up alone wasn’t an easy decision. During a time of financial uncertainty in the UK, it was potentially the silliest thing I had ever done. But I believed in myself and my partner believed in me. I was prepared to give it a try and if it didn’t work out, I had a plan B, C, D and E.
We spend our lives wishing and hoping and wanting and not doing much about it. Sometimes we can’t change things, sometimes things are out of our control. But if we do have some control, some options and choices, I think we should at least try and give ourselves the encouragement, belief and determination we deserve and that we often give to others.
I think if I can do it, most people can and there is always help, support and a network of communities out there to be your cheerleaders.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

England is beautiful and there is so much history, culture and entertainment. We don’t have the great weather (but I guess we are never happy as my U.S friends say it gets too hot there, hurricanes etc).
I live in the North East of England, about an hour’s drive from the border into Scotland.
Many people visiting would go to London or Edinburgh but there is so much in between.

If someone came to my lovely town, Newcastle, for the weekend, they would have a blast. ‘Geordie’s’ (as we are known here) have been voted one of the friendliest people in the UK. We have good humour, bouncy voices and are very welcoming. Firstly, visitors would need a coat and possibly a hat. Being near the coast can make it a little cooler. We would see the sights of the city, Newcastle and explore the history, including our wonderful bridges and monuments, some of which have haunted tales surrounding them.

We would visit the coast, voted some of the best in the UK. Miles and miles of caramel sand and sea that goes on forever. We’d get some fish and chips then maybe go for a creamed tea (pot of English breakfast tea, fruit scone, jam and clotted cream). We could visit the lighthouse and stately homes around the area, surrounded in beautiful woodlands.

Heading further up North, we would visit the beautiful Northumberland. Alnwick Castle (where part of Harry Potter was filmed), beautiful old book shops and train stations, antique shops and quirky gift shops.

The nightlife in Newcastle is famous. With eclectic music venues, theatres, bars and nightclubs, there is something for everyone and guaranteed cheesy chips from the takeaway before the taxi home.

If you ever visit Newcastle, I can guarantee you will return. Just like I have to places in America including Vegas, New York and California.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

I’ve been blessed to have been supported by many people including some I have never met! My partner, Paul, is my number one fan and would support me in anything I wish to embark on. I couldn’t run my business without his input, kindness and love.
My family support my writing, always wanting to read my drafts, buy my work and tell everyone they know about my books. I know not everyone is luckily enough to have this and I never take it for granted.
My publisher, Cahill Davis Publishing started this journey for me by believing in the characters form The Dinner Club and helping bring them to life. The fact that the people who became part of my heart (especially the character based on my late grandmother) have been shared with the world, still feels like magic!
I’m grateful to my on-line community and all the friends, near and far that I have made through Instagram and Twitter. These include people in America, who I hope to meet one day as even with a painfully long flight, I visit America most years!

With regards to Write on the Tyne, I am super grateful to Toni from The Business Factory who helped me establish my dream and supports me to obtain work.

Website: www.helenaitchisonwrites.com / www.writeonthetyne.com

Instagram: helen.aitchison_writes / writeonthetyne

Linkedin: Helen Aitchison Write on the Tyne

Twitter: @aitchisonwrites

Facebook: Helen Aitchison Writes / Write on the Tyne