Lisa Blower

Dr. Lisa Blower is a Lecturer in Creative Writing at Keele University's School of Humanities. Previously, she held positions at Bangor University (2009–2019) and Wolverhampton University (2019–2023), where she was Senior Lecturer and Programme Lead. She earned an MA (Novel Writing, University of Manchester, 1997) and a PhD (Creative and Critical Writing, Bangor, 2010). Her research focuses on working-class literature, regional voices, and autobiographical practices. She is a recipient of the Arnold Bennett Prize and Arts Council England grants, including the DYCP grant for her memoir project 'Class Half Full'. Blower is a Trustee for Writing West Midlands and frequently collaborates on initiatives promoting regional and working-class writing. Her teaching spans undergraduate and postgraduate creative writing programs.

Education:

• MA in Novel Writing (University of Manchester, 1997)
• PhD in Creative and Critical Writing (Bangor University, 2010)

Research Interests:

Blower champions working-class narratives and regional identities, particularly from The Potteries. Her scholarship explores autogeographical and psychogeographical practices in women’s self-narratives, short fiction, and creative non-fiction. She contributes to the European Network for Short Fiction Research.

Grants & Collaborations:

• Arts Council England Grants for the Arts (2016, 2022–2023)
• Collaborations with Dr. Nicola Wilson (Reading University) and Prof. Bas Groes (Wolverhampton University)
• Contributions to BBC Radio 4’s 'Where are all the Working-Class Writers?'

Labs & Teams: Active in Keele’s Creative Writing team and Writing West Midlands initiatives. Regular tutor for Arvon and Ty Newydd writing courses.