THE POUND PROJECT: SMALL CHANGE, ONE STORY AT A TIME
Small change, one story at a time…
“What really knocks me out is a book that, when you’re all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn’t happen much, though.” – J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye.
When I first heard about The Pound Project, I was travelling back to Birmingham on a train from Glasgow. I’d been staying in rural South Lanarkshire in the central Lowlands of Scotland, having spent a few days in the mountains with my partner and six-year-old son. A message on my phone popped up – ‘Is a good story worth something? We believe it is.’
This rhetorical question piqued my curiosity, so I opened the link.
The message was from JP Watson, founder of The Pound Project, an innovative independent publishing company, campaigning to get the nation thinking about the value of reading and writing for everyone, regardless of who you are.
Producing one short story, by one writer at a time, The Pound Project runs through Kickstarter, enabling backers to read the latest story for as little as a pound.
The play on ‘small change, one story at a time’ used in the branding is surprisingly effective, with ‘The Quid’, then moving up to ‘The Fiver’, where you can get your hands on a beautifully printed copy of the book, delivered straight to your front door.
Each element of the concept has been carefully crafted, and authors have their own unique stories, making the whole process even more spellbinding for readers.
“People are scared of projects asking for thousands of pounds on crowdfunders. That doubt gets in the way of the most important thing – creativity. So we’ve started this company to help people see that their money can make a difference in getting work out there”. Comments JP.
“We want to make people realise that good content and writers are worth something. Even if it is just a pound – it matters.”
JP founded the company earlier this year, writing the first story, King Harry; a mesmerising tale about a little girl who fosters an unlikely friendship with a goldfinch. I couldn’t put the book down until I had finished reading every last word. It was extremely compelling, and a rather melancholic ending left me yearning to find out what happened next. The power of the short story is that which can leave you wanting more. The second book I found equally captivating. Written by the late Paul Murphy, this coming of age story took me down memory lane, recalling similar encounters with narrow minds, and the effects that this can have on you.
If you’re a budding author, The Pound Project has got your back. Welcoming new talent, there are opportunities for budding writers to take part in writers workshops. If you are looking to take your writing to the next level, there’s even one-to-one feedback and support with top tips on how to take your writing to the next stage.
The Pound Project are passionate about representing Birmingham authors and as such are based out of studios in Digbeth. To find out more, or to back the latest campaign, visit poundproject.co.uk.
Alex Evans
