Fit Notes is a book of feminist stories, essays and poetry exploring the intersections of illness, bodies, gender and work.

Publication date: August 7 2025

ABOUT THE BOOK

In this illuminating and essential anthology, Ache brings together nineteen feminist writers to explore illness, pain, gender and work. Sickness is an unavoidable part of life, whether we live with chronic health conditions or are knocked by bouts of illness.

In Fit Notes, writers consider what it means to live in a society that prioritises productivity above all else, while living in a body that resists shift work, desk jobs and commutes. Our writers ask what it means to live, work and rest in a body that hurts.

An artist joins the dots between rest, love and survival. A waitress wonders if Shakespeare’s players ever skived from their acting jobs. A bartender sleeps in a pub toilet. A librarian removes forty-thousand books from a library and tends to her weeping fistula. A poet’s application for PIP is denied.

With writing from:

Vida Adamczewski
Hattie Atkins
Maroula Blades
Cat Casey
Rebecca Coxon
Laura Elliott
Susanna Fasciolo
T. Laundy
Susan L. Lin
Laura Mehers
Katrina Millar
Kirstie Millar
Naomi Morris
Hatty Nestor
Keev Ó Baoill
Tomilola Olumide
Rosalind Reynolds-Grey
Steph Roberts
Carrie Sear
Laura Stanley
Elspeth Walker

Cover art by Cecilia Reeve

Edited by Ache: Katrina Millar, Rosalind Reynolds-Grey, Laura Mehers and Kirstie Millar

BOOK DETAILS:
Publication date: August 7 2025
ISBN: 978-1-0682858-0-6
Paperback: 138 pages

PLEASE NOTE: All orders will be sent via Royal Mail. Our small team aims to process and ship your order within 7 days of your purchase, but often sooner. We thank you for your patience.

INTERNATIONAL ORDERS: Please be aware that any orders placed outside of the UK may be subject to customs fees, depending on the regulations of your country. As an indie press run by volunteers, Ache is unable to cover any fees or offer refunds.