Meet the Team!

Natalie Nera

Co-Founder | Prose Editor | Director

is a pen name of Natalie Dunn.  She is a Czech writer: author of two published novels, and editor of a poetry anthology in her mother tongue. She spent fifteen years in the UK with her British husband and children but has recently relocated to Prague. She writes in Czech, English, and occasionally translates.

Her writing has appeared in Czech, Russian, German, English, Bengali, Spanish and Romanian. Her work has been published in Mslexia, Eunoia Review, The Selkie, Litero Mania and Tvar. In 2020, she was Highly Commended for The International Proverse Poetry Prize in Hong Kong. In January 2021, she became a member of International Pen Club in Prague.

Natalie Crick

Co-Founder | Poetry Editor | Director

is currently a Creative-Practitioner-in-Residence at the Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, whilst studying for her MPhil in Creative Writing, at Newcastle University.

She has poems published in Stand, Poetry Salzburg Review, The Moth, Banshee, The Dark Horse, New Welsh Review, and elsewhere. Her poetry was shortlisted for The Anthony Cronin International Poetry Award 2018 & 2020, commended in the Verve Poetry Festival Competition 2020, and awarded second prize in the Newcastle Poetry Competition 2020.

Natalie’s poems also feature in a chapbook, ‘Co-Incidental 5’ (Black Light Engine Room Press, 2019).

Rue Collinge

Creative Editor | Director

is a performance poet and community artist, and is currently a semi-finalist in BBC Words First. She was awarded the Philip Larkin Poetry Prize last year. She has performed across the UK and on the radio, and has been published in numerous magazines and anthologies.

Rue has extensive editing experience, and is known for the artistry and expert curation she brings to every product – she is responsible for our Big Books! She has worked with the National Literacy Trust, New Writing North, The Lit & Phil, The NewBridge Project, and most recently The Rime, helping people to find their voice in an increasingly noisy world.

www.thewordtinker.co.uk