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A few thoughts from Virginia Woolf on praise and fame

by Robin Houghton on August 20, 2019

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Virginia Woolf’s A Writer’s Diary is proving a rich source of inspiration. On the subject of a writer’s insecurity, it’s refreshing to find the same things bothered her that do…

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Look what I found! Virginia Woolf’s ‘A Writer’s Diary’

by Robin Houghton on June 18, 2019

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… Fourth Impression (1965) with a foreword by Leonard Woolf. Hogarth Press! Original dust jacket bearing Vanessa Bell’s design! I found it at Much Ado Books in Alfriston, well worth…

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On redrafting old material, and a welcome acceptance

by Robin Houghton on April 1, 2019

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During my mini-retreat in Cork I dug out a number of old as-yet-unfinished or unpublished poems to see what I could breathe new life into. Re-use & recycle! Nothing’s wasted!…

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To Cork!

by Robin Houghton on January 28, 2019

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Rather unlike me but I decided on the spur of the moment to go to the Cork Poetry Festival! Having followed a tweet about it, I looked to see how…

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What Mary Oliver said about distractions

by Robin Houghton on January 20, 2019

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One of the first books I bought and consumed (once I started thinking it possible I could write the odd semi-decent poem) was Mary Oliver’s A Poetry Handbook, along with…

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Catchup for a rainy day – news, upcoming etc

by Robin Houghton on August 26, 2018

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With a real sense of summer coming to an end, I just wanted to mention a few things before August is up, and that feeling of moving on to the…

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“Patience is the master key to every situation”

by Robin Houghton on June 26, 2018

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Another wonderful article from Brain Pickings, this time Rilke on ‘the lonely patience of creative work.’ Solitude and patience are essential to creative work, he says: “Leave to your opinions…

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Notes on a poetry residential at Garsdale

by Robin Houghton on June 21, 2018

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I’m back from an inspirational week at the Garsdale Retreat, on a poetry residential course that deserved to be full but wasn’t – if you’ve ever done an Arvon week…

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From Picasso to Garsdale: news roundup

by Robin Houghton on May 14, 2018

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Taking a leaf out of Peter Kenny’s book, here are seven items from the imaginary newsdesk at Kenny Houghton Towers (sorry Peter – but as Picasso said – possibly – ‘Good artists…

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Roundup | a good poetry week

by Robin Houghton on October 16, 2017

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Bit of a roundup post. Last Tuesday evening at West Greenwich Library I got to hear some super poems inspired by the Mary Evans Picture Library, by Sarah Westcott (who…

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