Hurray! Spring is on its way! Well, the days are lengthening at least….It’s been a busy start to the year although I don’t seem to have got any poetry written. I’ve actually mostly been reading and researching a story which might turn into (whisper it) a novel – I know, I know, and me alwaysRead more ⟶
Category: Rejections
Currently inspired by…
Writing inspiration comes in all shapes and sizes I suppose. I was recently at a Charleston Festival event (Sheila Hancock in conversation with Joan Bakewell – combined age 182 and a huge inspiration/advertisement for a good old age). But I digress. In the bookshop marquee I was casually browsing and came across a single copyRead more ⟶
So this is Christmas, and what have I done?
Oh no! I can see I haven’t posted for several weeks, has there really been nothing to talk about? Let me see… First of all, nothing to do with poetry but my Covid experience was pretty mild in the end. So as far I’m concerned the jabs were worth it. Plus we’ve made it toRead more ⟶
Trying to write the next poem
I’ve just been editing an interview I did with the wonderful Kim Addonizio recently, for Planet Poetry. I’m a huge fan of Kim’s and in my keenness not to sound like a goofy fangirl I’m slightly worried I wasn’t complimentary enough or warm enough. Which is probably silly. But there was something very reassuring aboutRead more ⟶
Meet-ups, currently reading & other distractions
Nothing wrong with distractions, and goodness I’m certainly welcoming them with open arms. But scroll down if you’re only here for the poetry stuff. Distraction #1: Singing A couple of weeks ago I was at Westminster Abbey with members of the Lewes Singers, for the fifth time, where we sang two evensongs in a spookilyRead more ⟶
– and + and so it goes
A teeny bit of a moan How’s things with you? Well, I hope. During the first lockdown I was happy to enjoy the garden and revel in the novelty of it all. I trusted (more or less) what we were being told. I admit I’m feeling a bit ground down by it all now. I’ve justRead more ⟶
Sun, secrets and submissions
OK, what I’ve been up to generally Greetings from the Sunshine Coast. I can’t remember the last time it rained here, but the water authorities are asking us to be frugal with the watering. I’m doing my best but those courgettes are mighty thirsty. I haven’t been writing these last few weeks, and reading other people’sRead more ⟶
Rejections, invitations, forthcoming events & what I’m reading
Despite feeling quite positive about what I’m writing at the moment, I’ve started the year with rejections from two magazines. As usual, when I checked what it was I sent out, I thought well OK I guess it wasn’t my best work. But that can’t be right, because I remember being happy with it beforeRead more ⟶
My 2019 submissions: successes & fails | poetry blog
One of the things about statistics is you can present them is whatever light you wish: draw attention to this rather than that, show a percentage of X rather than Y because it looks more impressive, leave stuff out willy-nilly because most of your audience won’t know what it is you’re not declaring. Pick upRead more ⟶
Let’s talk about failures…
There’s something that happens more and more on Twitter that makes me feel slightly queasy. But I also hesitate to say this, because it might not go down well. It’s the habit of (as soon as the results of a competition are out) dashing off a tweet to the effect of: ‘Congratulations to all theRead more ⟶