Can we talk about the word “emerging” when describing writers at the beginning of their writing careers? When you hear “emerging writer”, what age are you imagining the writer to be? For too many of us, we’ve been led to believe that to be an emerging writer is to be young and usually fresh out […]
poetry
Going Out With A Bang: My Top 10 Final Lines in Poetry
We talk a lot about our favourite opening lines in literature, but for me there’s something quite laudable about the delivery of a killer final line when it comes to poetry. As poets, we must seek to ensure that every word is necessary. Every word and punctuation mark must have earned its place. Unlike fiction, […]
Poetry and Performance: Overcoming Stage Fright in Readings
When I first decided poetry was my chosen path with writing, I’d gone into it assuming poets were the reclusive ones. As far as I was concerned, it was the novelists who did the big readings and were thrust into the spotlight; poets were quiet creatures, letting the lines in their verse do the talking. […]
Top Tips to Keep ‘Writing’ When You’re Not Writing
In my last post, I talked about the importance of stepping back and being kind to yourself if you’re finding it hard to write during these difficult times. Staring at the same four walls, not interacting with new people, and not embracing new experiences as you normally would will doubtless take a hit on your […]
The Top 10 Books That Inspired Me as a Writer
As I highlighted in my previous post, writing is difficult right now for a lot of us. I want to thank everyone who responded with their own stories of how they’re struggling to write too; there’s a sense that we should just keep quiet and pretend we’ve got projects all simmering away when in fact, […]
Creativity in Crisis: Why It’s Okay Not To Make Art Right Now
The dry rustle of hands shoved into coat pockets is an act of protection, hugs are replaced by nervous nods, and to step out into the crisp sunshine more than once is to break the law. Social media is a flickering buzz of news articles, virus-related memes, and screenshots of Zoom meetings, a glass of […]
Can We Talk Frankly About Anxiety and Rejection in Writing?
This is a frank, honest one because there’s enough pretence in this era of social media and highlight reels. As I’m writing this, local areas are flooding, every news article announces a new update on pandemic, or murders, or hate crime, and my own anxiety is eating me away from the inside out. Rejections have […]
So You Want To Be A Poet? Top 5 Tips
I’m often sent messages from aspiring writers who want advice on the paths to publication, submissions, competitions and editing their work. I love being able to help people grow and develop as writers, so thought it’s about time I compiled this advice into a blog post for you to access at any time. Remember, I’m […]
Self-Doubt: Creativity’s Greatest Sabotage
“If you hear a voice within you say you cannot paint, then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.” – Vincent Van Gogh Ever feel like you’re being watched? Perhaps you’re trying to crack on with that novel. Or maybe you’re perched on a bench, trying to capture the landscape in front […]
Writers Who Run: Miles of Inspiration
“Most of what I know about fiction, I learned by running every day.” – Haruki Murakami It had been a long, self-defeating eighteen months of avoiding writing. During a particularly challenging 2017-18, poetry had stubbornly evaded and, unsurprisingly, angered me. “Read,” others had suggested. “Read until you feel inspired.” But reading did not make me […]
