Colin Burnett is a Scottish writer who shares his short stories and other writings online.

You can find them here: Ma Thoats

His stories depict the harsh realities of working class life and are written  in the east coast Edinburgh vernacular.

It’s a voice I am very familiar with having grown up there and Colin manages to blend drama with comedy in his stories.

Commenting on his work, Colin said:

“My writing style is influenced by the works of James Kelman and Irvine Welsh. And through my work I try to deliver an authentic voice to those who often go unheard in society, namely the working class.

“Through my stories I have addressed various issues such as poverty, mental health, crime, addiction, the welfare system, and the issue of social class in the arts.”

The short stories are easy to access on the website and one ‘A Working Class State of Mind‘ has an audio version.

This story features a wee spider and rather like Robert the Bruce who watched a spider in his  cave,  Christopher Mathews, narrates his own tale while the spider swings to and fro endeavouring to reach a shelf. 

“Jist gee up, ma wee pal. You’ll never make it. Take it fae someboady who hus the t-shirt and the mental health issues tae prove it.”

The narration all in the first person draws us into the life of missed chances and poverty, “an illness ae the mind, boady, and soul.”

I’ll not give away the ending or any more of the story because it’s there free to listen to.

All the stories and other writing, on Scottish politics and culture are free to read on Colin’s website and if you subscribe to it you will never miss one . Link: Ma Thoats

Reporter: Fiona Grahame