Learning from the experts

It's something about which I had to be very disciplined when writing Digging Up The Family too - reigning in material to make the project manageable and the book readable! Drawing up sensible parameters, and keeping within them, is so important in non-fiction, but it does mean that all sorts of fascinating avenues have to be bypassed and a lot of material "parked", shelved for future use. I'm hoping to start writing up my current project before Easter and a coherent structure is at last emerging from the plethora of research I've been working on. A day spent with the author Tiffany Murray at CreativeCardiff last week, looking at some of the issues she raised about writing her forthcoming memoir "My Family and Other Rock Stars", was certainly helpful.

Another interesting meeting last week was with the Welsh writer and broadcaster Ifor ap Glynn, who came to speak to the Uwch (higher level) learners at the Palmerston Centre in Barry. Ifor has won the Crown at the National Eisteddfod not once but twice and he's as inspirational to listen to as his work is to read. The closing date for entries for this year's Eisteddfod writing competitions is fast approaching and I think Ifor's presentation may well have prompted several of my learner colleagues to have a go! I certainly look back on my good fortune in succeeding in the Tregaron Eisteddfod two years ago with great satisfaction. And I find that writing creatively in a language that you're learning definitely helps you get to grips with the nuts and bolts of it!