All Blogposts

  • First of the month, end of the year…almost

    Back in July I wrote a post about the first six months of the year and my resolutions for the second half of 2012 which were to: Read widely, read critically, read for pleasure. Continue to write daily and submit regularly to competitions and for publication. Continue to gain experience as a tutor and workshop Read more

  • Poetry Workshop with Martin Malone

    Poetry Workshop with Martin Malone

    Not another day must go by without me saying how much I enjoyed this recent workshop, another writing session organised by Hilda Sheehan who had recruited Martin Malone at the 11th hour to replace an unwell Carrie Etter (now, happily, recovered). Martin introduced himself by stating that what he wanted most when he signed up for a Read more

  • ModPo in the kitchen

    Finally caught up with ModPo by plugging in my netbook in the kitchen. Quite difficult to hear Al, Amarise, Emily, Molly, and the gang – they feel like old friends now – over the sizzling, splashing sounds of cooking dinner and washing up. Admittedly this isn’t model student behaviour but at least I’m up to Read more

  • The Poetics of Things workshop with Robert Vas Dias

    The Poetics of Things workshop with Robert Vas Dias

    A solo parent Monday to Friday, this all-day, Saturday workshop, part of the 2012 Swindon Festival of Poetry, fitted in with my plans perfectly. As with other workshops I’ve been to recently, The Poetics of Things was organised by the wonderful, Swindon-based poet, Hilda Sheehan, who does so much to bring poetry to Swindon and Read more

  • Publishing Your Poetry Seminar with Carrie Etter

    Publishing Your Poetry Seminar with Carrie Etter

    A few weeks ago I took part in this practical and informative seminar and workshop run by Carrie Etter. This was a really useful and productive morning crammed with advice about how, where and when to submit my work.  One particularly helpful exercise was for each participant to analyse a poetry magazine, answering set questions Read more

  • ModPo: Seven chapters in and flagging a bit

    Speeding through ModPo and I could do with a few 36 hour days and/or a better brain.  I seem to be spending more time watching discussions about poetry rather than reading poetry and I am starting to feel like a child at the fairground trying to catch up with the merry-go-round.  One of the disadvantages Read more