Q&A with Laura Wilson
Get to know the writers behind the commissions at Fresh Ink 2026 with our series of Q&As. First-up is Laura Wilson, whose monologue Meet You at the Corner is a hilarious look back over a life lived raising hell in Hull.
Laura Wilson. Photo by Sergej Komkov.
Why did you want to tell this story?
During my first year as a mature student studying creative writing at the University of Hull, I did a module called Facts into Art, about writing non-fiction. I produced an essay on mortality and my relationship with death so far, which included my friend being terminally ill. Sadly, Rebecca Davey passed away in 2024. Meet You at the Corner piece looks back over our life as young people, losing my grandparents and later my beloved dog; Bomber.
I actually sent this whole thing into Fresh Ink as part of my application. I wanted to write about that period as it’s now my memory alone and who would have thought that, when you’re young and having fun, you only had 30 more years on earth, when at least 60/70, more should have been promised.
How has this writing process been for you?
I started out writing as it was, then realised I needed to follow a story structure and it didn’t have to be a completely truthful account, it needed to be fun and interesting. This was easier and changing my character name to Hilda afforded me that distance to action my imagination and use story structuring skills. Rather than only working with emotive memories, it is still loosely based on real life.
When you're writing, tell us about your set up.
Imagination is like a muscle, you can train it to get stronger. I use many different tools.
First thing in a morning writing is useful. Half-asleep, train of thought, still-in-dreamland is great for angles and ideas. I use food and drink and dog walks as rewards: do an hour and I can get a coffee, or at 12 I can stop and eat lunch and watch my favourite off-grid YouTuber property do-oer upper until 1pm. Or, if I’m stuck, a nice long walk with the dog to brainstorm in my head: What would be said here? What’s the point? What’s the angle?
I get very frustrated by films or series that have weak story structures or pointless angles, so I am very strict with myself that every point made has to be worthy.
A great motto I like to remind myself of and use is: “Reading is inhaling. Writing is exhaling. You need both.”
Without giving major spoilers, what's your favourite line in your piece, and why?
“Aww...I love a relaxed religion.”
How can we not be influenced by world politics? It’s so difficult to hear of atrocities and cruelties throughout the world and in our own country, the riots and protests for one idea and against another. Interacting one-on-one with a human makes all the difference; it drowns out that noise of who we are told to like and dislike. Pick a side? I’m on the side of the human race. A relaxed religion for me is one that loves all. Is kind and loving (and fair) to all.
Were any of your characters influenced by real life people?
Yes, it is all based on real-life human beings. I don’t think I’ve ever written a character that isn’t. How can they not be? I have to imagine them to hear them in my head and give them dialogue. However not all my characters are based on characters I actually know; they could be characters in other stories or a mix of both. I also like to imagine an actor I admire or comedian I love, playing that character. That really makes it very enjoyable to write.
How do you feel about your characters?
I don’t like to think I hate anyone really. I know that sounds fluffy, but I’ve had years of therapy to get there lol! We did some exercises at university to create characters with dimensions of cruelty and ignorance. I know they exist, but I tend to write a lot of comedy so haven’t gone really dark yet. Maybe I will soon though. I write horror but that tends to be quite objective, so far. I love all the characters in this monologue.
Do your characters do or say anything that really resonates with you?
“Where is my pain, where are my worries?”
This line came directly from a book I recently read: The Five People You Meet After You Die. This is to comfort of course; we have lost those we love, but they are no longer in pain and at peace.
Who would play one of your characters in the film version?
I just adore Kathy Burke and Bob Mortimer. If I could have them on board with me, I’d be a very happy lassie.
If your play has had a life before now, how has it developed? And if not, how would you like to see it developed in the future?
Starting as an essay on mortality and me, it became a comedy monologue. It could be developed into a 20-year comedy drama on Channel 4, incorporating elderly Only Fans and nana reading groups dancing to urban pop gimmicks on TikTok.
What are you most looking forward to during rehearsals and performances?
I like to perform the monologue myself whilst on the laptop, complete with expressions and actions. I cannot wait to meet Elle Ideson, who is actually performing it at Fresh Ink, and see what she does with it. I envisage lots of laughs. Life is for laughing. Excited for rehearsals and tech, I have performed in community theatre and that's always an exciting build-up.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about applying for Fresh Ink 2026?
You should do it. I tend to put in work I have created for something else, but feels like it hits the brief. I struggle sometimes to hit briefs as I have demand avoidance tendencies. Write what you know, what you care about and what moves you. You can think about your audience for the development and editing of a specific product. This is my first professional commission and I splurged the cash on dog and cat treats as Coco and Willow are my Top Fans.
Laura’s monologue Meet You at the Corner will be performed on Saturday 19 July at 4.30pm and Sunday at 3.00pm, alongside Roll to React by Michelle Kelly and Everyone We Know Has Kids by Samuel Sims and Jay Grainger.