Just wanted to say what a deeply moving and uplifting experience it was to see Martin Figura's show, 'Whistle', based on his award-winning 2010 poetry collection of the same name which tells the story of the events leading up to and following the killing of Martin's mother, June, at the hands of his father. I saw… Continue reading ‘Whistle’ by Martin Figura
Author: Josephine Corcoran
Josephine Corcoran is a writer, originally from the north west of England and now based in the south west. Her professional credits include three poetry pamphlets and one full collection, a stage play, and two BBC Radio 4 credits (for a short story and afternoon play). She founded and edited the online poetry site And Other Poems until 2023.
Read/Write South West and the joy of libraries
I said I'd post again before the daffodils came out in my garden, I looked away for one moment and there they were, and looking pretty weary after two days of brutal March winds. We are experiencing a cold snap in the UK, no snow where I live, in the south west of England, but… Continue reading Read/Write South West and the joy of libraries
Keeping a reading journal, owning a poem, crocuses
I've got into the habit of keeping a pen and notebook handy when I'm reading a book or magazine. Sometimes I simply copy lines of poetry I like into my journal, other times I might have a go at trying to put into words what it is about a phrase or word that has hi-jacked… Continue reading Keeping a reading journal, owning a poem, crocuses
The gift of an empty room
Had a weird experience yesterday when I ran a writing workshop and only one person turned up - and she was 40 minutes late! I'm quite accomplished at promoting my own writing events and I usually manage to drum up enough interest to make my workshops viable but, in this instance, I wasn't responsible for… Continue reading The gift of an empty room
The Page as Open Field with Carrie Etter
A post about another enjoyable and interesting poetry workshop devised and delivered by Carrie Etter, made possible by Hilda Sheehan and Bluegate Poets, at The Richard Jeffries Musuem, near Swindon. In The Page as Open Field we read and discussed six poems which use the page in a non-linear, unconventional way, with text not necessarily… Continue reading The Page as Open Field with Carrie Etter
Writing Workshops and Events in and around Wiltshire (and beyond!)
2023/24 UPDATE New workshops in Bradford-on-Avon. Details here. ________________________________________________________________________ NEWSFLASH FREE WRITING WORKSHOPS (POETRY AND SHORT FICTION) SALISBURY LIBRARY You are invited to join writer Josephine Corcoran in these enjoyable workshops. In a supportive, friendly environment you will: • read and discuss a variety of poems and short stories to inspire your own work. •… Continue reading Writing Workshops and Events in and around Wiltshire (and beyond!)
Reading, Writing, Rejections, Acceptance
February already and what is everyone up to? I really enjoy Robin Houghton's blog so I thought I would follow her example and share some of what's been happening in my life. Robin reports regularly on what she's reading, where she's sending her poetry and where it's been accepted/rejected. She also shares information gleaned from… Continue reading Reading, Writing, Rejections, Acceptance
Smallstone poem for the last day of January
Smallstones As a boy I loved skimming grit. Now that I’m a man I spread my picnic rug by the smallstones so I won’t be overlooked when having sex. I am an elf, had a gallstone the size of half a pea the surgeon said, wincing in empathy. My sister is… Continue reading Smallstone poem for the last day of January
WordWeavers Session 4 – Writing Dialogue
Students began by reading their stories from last week when they'd placed one of their own fictional characters in a work setting they'd researched by interviewing other students. The writing was diverse and really interesting and included a man working in an all-female cleaning crew, a white Zimbabwean farmer advising on simulation exercises to a… Continue reading WordWeavers Session 4 – Writing Dialogue
Writing about Work – WordWeavers Session 3
A summary of what we did.... Last week, among other things, we talked about how a character's actions can reveal something, a mood or character trait, for example, to the reader. This week, continuing to think about what our characters do, we considered the world of work as a source of writing inspiration. The workplace… Continue reading Writing about Work – WordWeavers Session 3
Josephine Corcoran 
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