A launch and a deadline

I haven't been able to make the last couple of New Bohemians evenings at deepspaceworks but I'm very much looking forward to tomorrow, when David Clarke is launching his new pamphlet "Scare Stories" there at 19.30. He'll be reading to a backdrop of film made by Helen Dewbery and Chaucer Cameron of "Elephant's Footprint" and it promises to be an interesting evening. David's poetry is certainly thought-provoking and his readings are always well worth attending. Do join us if you're free - tickets are £6.50 on the door and include wine, canapes and cake. The venue is an interesting one too if you haven't been, in Hamilton Street, Charlton Kings in Cheltenham; it has wide use by the local community and Su Billington does extraordinary work there on no external funding.

I'm busy at present collating entries for the annual Gloucestershire Writer's Network competition as the deadline rapidly approaches. If you're eligible to enter the poetry and prose competitions (by living or working in Gloucestershire) and you haven't done so yet - you only have four weeks to go! You can get all the information by e mailing me on gillgwn@gmail.com - we'd love to hear from you. The prize money has been increased this year to £200 each for the poetry and prose section winners, who, along with the runners-up, present their work at the prestigious Cheltenham Literature Festival in October, with hospitality in the Writers Room beforehand and publication afterwards. Definitely worth having a go at it! We are delighted to have as our judges this year the poet Roy McFarlane and writer Dr. Lania Knight, a lecturer in creative writing at the University of Gloucestershire and they too will be reading at the Festival.

National Writing Day

Do hope you didn't miss National Writing Day yesterday. There were events all over the country to encourage creative writing, especially among young people. The initiative was led by First Story, the organisation that works with teachers and pupils in secondary schools in low income communities to promote writing as a important and valid means of improving literacy and confidence. With the emphasis in schools these days so often put on non-creative, exam based subjects, I'm certain that it's more important than ever that young people have the opportunity to play with words, tell their stories through them, gain confidence in their ability to communicate in writing - with spelling and grammar appropriately learned but not squeezing the pleasure out of every written encounter!!!

If you haven't visited it already, do go to the National Writing Day website. Especially if you're a teacher or have children of your own you're hoping to interest in creative writing, there are loads of ideas there and some very useful downloadable resources.

A time apart

Radio silence for the past week. I was staying on Exmoor; whilst there I rarely had a phone signal and the internet connection was intermittent to put it mildly! And we are all so dependent on technology these days ...

But the positives definitely outweighed the negatives. From my window I looked out over the Bristol Channel to Wales and the evening skies and sunsets were stunning; the coastline with its steep cliffs and hidden bays is fantastic; Exmoor itself - so wild and empty - has a really haunting beauty. All very conducive to thinking and writing - no wonder so many poets and authors have found their inspiration there. I was delighted to get a poem together at last; I'd been carrying around some lines in a notebook and some ideas in my head for it for at least two years, so it had a lengthy gestation. But the time and the place were obviously right last week and then it almost wrote itself.

And simply having some space in my days gave me the opportunity to consider what's to be my next "big project" now that "Digging Up The Family" is with the publishers. Again, I'd had the kernel of an idea in my mind but it's now taking root - watch this space as they say!

"I must down to the sea again ..."

A stiff challenge!

This week I've got a family commitment that leaves only occasional short slots in the day free - certainly no opportunity for any concerted writing. I somewhat misguidedly thought it might be an opportunity to experiment with some short restrictive poetic forms, not usually my preferred approach. So the odd half hours have seen early attempts at cinquain, tanka etc. - with some salutary results! The form that has completely defeated me is the englyn, the Welsh tradition with its strict syllabic counts, set rhyme and half-rhyme patterns: an incredibly difficult challenge.

The experience has, however, served to prompt my interest in more formal styles. But I think I shall postpone any further attempts until I have the time and energy to give them the concentration that they undoubtedly require!