I just had to tell you about a wonderfully entertaining, erudite and uplifting book I read this summer. The book is not just a story but an education as well. French in fifteen minutes, to be precise. That's after how not to cross the English Channel and what breed of dog you should definitely not take with you if you do.
Read my review here: http://www.morewriting.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=12618
Enjoy!
Roy
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Quickmuse - The Big Hitters
I know I keep mentioning this, but today's the day that Paul Muldoon takes on Andrew Motion.
I'm sure they'd play down the pugilistic element of the enterprise, but it should be a fascinating comparison even if it's not really a competition.
Log onto www.quickmuse.com to see what all the fuss is about!
I'm sure they'd play down the pugilistic element of the enterprise, but it should be a fascinating comparison even if it's not really a competition.
Log onto www.quickmuse.com to see what all the fuss is about!
Thursday, September 14, 2006
How I Do It! (And how the greats did it) and How You Can Do It Too
As you'll see from previous postings here, although I consider myself quite an all-rounder as a writer, it's poetry that I often find myself coming back to.
With that in mind, I think it's high time I told you about a beginners' guide to writing poetry that I have been busy putting together.
The Guide will be in electronic form (which makes it easy to distribute via email) that's taken me some time to write but will soon be ready for release to the public.
As a taster, meanwhile, I've prepared a smaller but still useful ebook, extracted from the full length course, with lots of useful tips to get you started, with examples from my own work and suggestions for further reading.
In the book I tell you a little about my favorite poets, and why I think you may like them, too.
I suggest ways of beating the dreaded writers' block (if it really exists) and how you can decide what kind of poet you are or want to be.
I give you ideas on how to choose themes and even how to write when you have 'nothing to say'.
I explain some of the terminology of poetry and some of the poem forms you might encounter and those you might attempt yourself.
Who knows, you may be the next Lord Byron, or maybe Simon Armitage or Wendy Cope.
If you would like a copy of the guide, completely free to help you get started, drop me an email, or leave a message here, and I'll send you yours as quickly as I can.
Writing poetry has been one of the most fulfilling and satisfying things I've done in my life. It's helped me to understand and express some of life's less tangible thoughts and feelings, and I love to share it with others.
Now I'd like to share my methods and techniques, and a few of my thoughts and ideas with a new group of people. People who are ready and keen to attempt poetry for themselves, maybe for the first time.
As it's completely free (did I mention that?), you've nothing to lose by emailing me now for your copy.
Roy
With that in mind, I think it's high time I told you about a beginners' guide to writing poetry that I have been busy putting together.
The Guide will be in electronic form (which makes it easy to distribute via email) that's taken me some time to write but will soon be ready for release to the public.
As a taster, meanwhile, I've prepared a smaller but still useful ebook, extracted from the full length course, with lots of useful tips to get you started, with examples from my own work and suggestions for further reading.
In the book I tell you a little about my favorite poets, and why I think you may like them, too.
I suggest ways of beating the dreaded writers' block (if it really exists) and how you can decide what kind of poet you are or want to be.
I give you ideas on how to choose themes and even how to write when you have 'nothing to say'.
I explain some of the terminology of poetry and some of the poem forms you might encounter and those you might attempt yourself.
Who knows, you may be the next Lord Byron, or maybe Simon Armitage or Wendy Cope.
If you would like a copy of the guide, completely free to help you get started, drop me an email, or leave a message here, and I'll send you yours as quickly as I can.
Writing poetry has been one of the most fulfilling and satisfying things I've done in my life. It's helped me to understand and express some of life's less tangible thoughts and feelings, and I love to share it with others.
Now I'd like to share my methods and techniques, and a few of my thoughts and ideas with a new group of people. People who are ready and keen to attempt poetry for themselves, maybe for the first time.
As it's completely free (did I mention that?), you've nothing to lose by emailing me now for your copy.
Roy
Monday, September 11, 2006
Flash Poetry
This one I wrote in response to the work of a fellow poet, Peter Dixon, on the website More Writing. I've edited it slightly here.
I find I'm feeling young, and yet...
the certainties of younger years
I'd preach to any willing ears
have slipped away without the least regret.
But yet our struggle must go on
for open minds and kindly hearts -
how easily the slippage starts.
We'd follow where the certainties have gone
and, grasping for a finger hold,
clutch all the old familiar things -
the prejudice, that crap that clings,
for fear we will know nothing once we're old.
While I'm here, and before I forget, another reminder about an amazingly useful and informative ebook, recently published, on the subject of writing for profit.
It's by a successful and very knowledgable professional writer, Jacqui Carrel, and she's packed it with tips, links and information gleaned from her own experiences and those of her colleagues and associates, backed-up by months of research. It's totally free, and what's more, she'll be following up with a series of newsletters giving yet more advice and up to date information.
Frankly, if you want to write and you'd like to be paid for doing so, you really won't want to miss it. I've read and re-read it, and still I'm learning things I didn't know I didn't know!
Roy
I find I'm feeling young, and yet...
the certainties of younger years
I'd preach to any willing ears
have slipped away without the least regret.
But yet our struggle must go on
for open minds and kindly hearts -
how easily the slippage starts.
We'd follow where the certainties have gone
and, grasping for a finger hold,
clutch all the old familiar things -
the prejudice, that crap that clings,
for fear we will know nothing once we're old.
While I'm here, and before I forget, another reminder about an amazingly useful and informative ebook, recently published, on the subject of writing for profit.
It's by a successful and very knowledgable professional writer, Jacqui Carrel, and she's packed it with tips, links and information gleaned from her own experiences and those of her colleagues and associates, backed-up by months of research. It's totally free, and what's more, she'll be following up with a series of newsletters giving yet more advice and up to date information.
Frankly, if you want to write and you'd like to be paid for doing so, you really won't want to miss it. I've read and re-read it, and still I'm learning things I didn't know I didn't know!
Roy
Friday, September 08, 2006
More Writing
Just a quick plug for a very welcoming and encouraging writers' community that has been a real boon to me and to many others.
You'll find my 'Einstein Via Bohr' poem (and a great many more), on my space on the writers' website More Writing , along with the writery efforts of lots of other poets and writers.
Take a look. Join even (it's free).
Also, I had another look at www.quickmuse.com the other day and caught up with the last few rounds. If you haven't had a look, I'd highly recommend it. It's easier for you to visit than for me to describe, but it's basically top poets writing 'live' against the clock.
The site is US-based, so not all the poets are household names in the UK, but next up is a major head-to head - Poet Laureate Andrew Motion will be appearing there on September 20th, paired with Pulitzer Prize winner Paul Muldoon.
Roy
You'll find my 'Einstein Via Bohr' poem (and a great many more), on my space on the writers' website More Writing , along with the writery efforts of lots of other poets and writers.
Take a look. Join even (it's free).
Also, I had another look at www.quickmuse.com the other day and caught up with the last few rounds. If you haven't had a look, I'd highly recommend it. It's easier for you to visit than for me to describe, but it's basically top poets writing 'live' against the clock.
The site is US-based, so not all the poets are household names in the UK, but next up is a major head-to head - Poet Laureate Andrew Motion will be appearing there on September 20th, paired with Pulitzer Prize winner Paul Muldoon.
Roy
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
In The Beginning...
...you should be writing. Almost anything: essays, articles, poems, letters, emails. Anything that keeps your creative juices flowing and exercises your writing muscles.
And you should be looking for likely outlets for your talent, investigating markets and writing for them. Seeing what you're good at and what interests you most. Sending proposals, drafts, outlines and completed items to the most likely publications.
In short, you cannot afford to be sitting there (or anywhere) gazing into space and waiting for inspiration or, for that matter, an agent or publisher to come knocking.
Send your stuff to specialist magazines, to free magazines and local directories. They're often strapped for cash and short of 'copy', so you're unlikely to be paid but you are likely to be published.
In the beginning, that's your aim. To be published, to build a portfolio of published work, and to improve your skills. You'll also expand your list of contacts, and 'real' work can come from the unlikeliest sources - you'd be surprised.
Writing is fun and satisfying and sometimes easy and often very difficult, but the world is full of the written word and someone has to create it. If you're a writer, then that's your role.
And mine.
So. Time to write.
Roy
And you should be looking for likely outlets for your talent, investigating markets and writing for them. Seeing what you're good at and what interests you most. Sending proposals, drafts, outlines and completed items to the most likely publications.
In short, you cannot afford to be sitting there (or anywhere) gazing into space and waiting for inspiration or, for that matter, an agent or publisher to come knocking.
Send your stuff to specialist magazines, to free magazines and local directories. They're often strapped for cash and short of 'copy', so you're unlikely to be paid but you are likely to be published.
In the beginning, that's your aim. To be published, to build a portfolio of published work, and to improve your skills. You'll also expand your list of contacts, and 'real' work can come from the unlikeliest sources - you'd be surprised.
Writing is fun and satisfying and sometimes easy and often very difficult, but the world is full of the written word and someone has to create it. If you're a writer, then that's your role.
And mine.
So. Time to write.
Roy
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