Lots to think about in this post from Todd Swift, in which he ponders on how to sell poetry, or rather poetry books … he says people only buy stuff that’s going to either inform/advise them about something, or provide entertainment/escapism, and that poetry does ‘neither exactly’. In the comments, someone points out “that’s whyRead more ⟶
Category: Angst
On Heavenly Bodies and feeling empowered
A few interesting things on the go at the moment. ‘Heavenly Bodies’ which I wrote about last week is gathering momentum, and there’s talk on Facebook of having a launch in Preston, or somewhere points North, which will mean I’ll have to miss it, alas. Anyway, at least I’ve written my ‘constellation’ poem, although IRead more ⟶
Where blogging fits into the writing week
How does your writing week look? Mine can typically include things like blog posts a client email newsletter a lot of emails (sent and replied to) poetry writing/redrafting/editing commenting on blogs client work: proposals, meeting reports, web or brochure copy, etc an email newsletter for one of my groups (poetry or singing) a guest piece forRead more ⟶
A literary lunch, a rejection and a Robert Frost mystery
Emerging from the fug of the common cold, what should greet me but a ‘no thanks’ notification from Ambit. It seemed like an automated/standard reply this time, so I think I have to give up on it for now. The last rejection I had from them felt more personal and encouraging. I think three orRead more ⟶
A reading, not much writing & feeling a bit humble
Last Thursday I had the pleasure of taking part in a reading at Tunbridge Wells library, organised by the wonderful Abegail Morley and featuring also Jo Hemmant, Emer Gillespie and Margaret Beston. A lovely variety of poetry and styles, and a good size audience – there must have been more than thirty people there. Margaret runsRead more ⟶
At Ty Newydd, part 2
Here’s the longer post I promised about my week at Ty Newydd. First of all, some of the advice and sayings I captured from the tutors during workshops. It’s not a long list, but we were mostly doing exercises, so I just wrote down phrases that resonated with me: Train yourself to remember details SometimesRead more ⟶
Aftermath
Back from Ty Newydd yesterday with a head full of I don’t know what. It wasn’t that I was sad to leave, far from it – I was so in need of my home, my bed, quiet time. I felt like I’d put my finger into an electric socket and then, only then did IRead more ⟶
At Ty Newydd, part 1
We’re halfway through the Ty Newydd poetry ‘masterclass’ with Carol Ann Duffy and Gillian Clarke, I’m writing this at 5am because my mind won’t relax, so here are my thoughts so far. Firstly, I have nothing but praise for the staff here – Awen in the office, Gavin the warden and chef and his mother-in-lawRead more ⟶
How many times do you send out a poem?
Since my last post I had a very welcome email from Jan Fortune at Envoi to say she would take for the next issue all five of the poems I’d sent her. Just the sort of thing you want in your inbox, and on National Poetry Day too, hurrah! I’m particularly pleased about one ofRead more ⟶
Waiting on, working on, poems stock-take
I’m sat here with a number of scribbled-on poems around me, trying to decide which one(s) to resume work on and which to re-file for now. They’ve all been workshopped at some point, some of them to the extent that I’ve fallen out of love with them and not looked at them since. But surelyRead more ⟶