Flintspark news

About Flintspark

Portrait of Kate Miller Kate Miller is a writer and journalist, based in Hertford. She started Flintspark to bring together her two passions: journalism and creative writing, in particular poetry and playwriting.

She believes that all communications can benefit from both the clarity and purpose of good journalism, and the imagination and depth of good creative writing.

Kate has extensive experience in helping young people and adults find their voice through creative writing – and she believes that these techniques can also be applied in the workplace. Anyone and everyone can learn to communicate better.

Journalism

Kate worked as an advertising copywriter for a small agency in Covent Garden and then trained as a sub-editor at Local Government Chronicle, the leading weekly news magazine for local authorities, where she went on to be finance correspondent and supplements editor. She helped launch, and subsequently worked for, LGC’s Internet news service LGCNet.

As a freelance journalist, she wrote features for The Times, The Guardian, The Stage, the TES and Retail Week. She has also researched and written publications for national housing charity Shelter and the local government Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA). Most recently, she was Managing Editor of a group of magazines published by the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation.

Kate also worked with Julian Richer, founder of Richer Sounds, top businessman and champion of good customer service, on his books: The Richer Way (a bestseller with average customer review five stars on Amazon) and Richer on Leadership.

Creative writing

Plays

2005 Another Fine Mess, a comedy directed by Ken Boyter, performed at Queen Mother Theatre, Hitchin, Herts.

2000 Shipton Blank, one of five winners in Equity/Writers’ Guild/ Directors’ Guild competition. Performed in showcase festival at Riverside Studios, London; director Amanda Hill.

1992 A Tin of Talcum Powder, a short radio play “A Tin of Talcum Powder” broadcast on LBC; director Tim Crook. One of a season of plays that won a Sony radio award.

1990 The Splintered Heart, produced at Pentameters Theatre, London by Tria Theatre Company; director Sarah-Jane Wren.

Kate runs a number of creative writing activities in her local area, including Write Club, an after-school group for young people aged 14-18. She is Secretary of Hertford Writers’ Circle, which in 2007 published an anthology of pieces by Writers’ Circle and Write Club members, entitled “Reflections…”, with a foreword by bestselling author Frederick Forsyth.

Qualifications