I went to an event by Sam Lee where a nightingale's intricate courtship song was live-streamed to us while musicians joined in, playing with the song,teasing it, echoing it. Sometimes, he said, they go to the forest where the nightingales sing to play their instruments and what happens then is the nightingales start to echo them, humans and birds joined in a musical dance.
I'm here with the Hay Writers At Work, a wonderful scheme to support developing writers. Writers have been coming to talk to us, sharing their processes and experiences with generosity and honesty: Horatio Clare, Roddy Doyle, Ian McEwan, Simon Armitage, Tishani Doshi, Julia Green, Frances Harding, Cathy Rentzenbrink, Jon Gower, Owen Sheers – thank you all. And thanks to the other Writers At Work as well, for sharing their work, for offering support, for listening.
Peter Florence gave a talk to us at the start of the week. He said within the lonely, impecunious, wonderfully dazzlingly rich life of a writer we all need connections. And this is what these ten days are about – connections, conversations, sharing.
The Hay Festival is a place where, if you want to, you can talk with nightingales.
Catrin Kean is one of the 2018 Hay Festival Writers at Work. Find out more here.