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  • Winchester Poetry Festival Poets Feature in Forward Prize Lists

    Winchester Poetry Festival Poets Feature in Forward Prize Lists

    Two of the poets reading at this year’s Winchester Poetry Festival have been shortlisted for The Forward Prize for Best Collection 2016.  Choman Hardi has been shortlisted for her collection Considering the Women (Bloodaxe Books) and Ian Duhig has been shortlisted for his collection The Blind Roadmaker (Picador Poetry). Choman Hardi will read at the festival on Saturday 8th Read more

  • Are you making writing plans for the summer?

    Are you making writing plans for the summer?

    One of the interesting things about writing a blog is that you notice when certain posts are hitting the big time in the stats department.  Some posts are forever ignored by readers but, for the last month or so, a post I wrote last July ‘What are your writing plans for the summer?‘ has been Read more

  • My micropoem featured in Standard Issue

    My micropoem featured in Standard Issue

    ‘Picnic’ a tiny poem I wrote for Manchester Review‘s 2014 micropoem competition (it came second) has received a delicious write-up in Hazel Burke’s poetry column at Standard Issue magazine. The best treats come as surprises.  Do have a read of Hazel’s column and dive into Standard Issue. Read more

  • Do you blog from your phone?

    Do you blog from your phone?

    I learned so much from my previous post and not only about poetry pamphlets and poetry collections! First, I learned that it’s OK to quickly type a post and press publish: not every post requires hours of planning and drafting.   Second, it’s OK to ask you (yes, you, dear reader) questions and seek out your opinion – Read more

  • Pamphlet or full collection?

    Pamphlet or full collection?

    Can I sound you out about something? What do you prefer reading, pamphlets or full collections?  Do you buy either, both, or none? What about writing?  Have you published a pamphlet or a full collection or both?  Which came first? Why?  Have you published more than one pamphlet?  Have you NEVER published a pamphlet?  Did Read more

  • Finding a hand-built lathe on my daily walk

    Finding a hand-built lathe on my daily walk

    When I was on the Aldeburgh Eight Advanced Poetry Seminar at Bruisyard Hall last November with seven other poets, I was encouraged to go for a walk every morning at nine o’clock.  When I say ‘encouraged’ I mean that the eight of us, in pairs, whatever the weather, were turfed out of the house for a thirty Read more