Why You Should NEVER Go OFFLINE for the Christmas Holidays

Mr G has started to work away from home, so when he came back for his fortnight booked holiday to spend Christmas at home, I decided to stay offline, vowing to give him my full attention.

Christmas is a time to spend with family and friends (if you can). After spending a year touring around poeting, many events and opportunities were tied up in December and I have logged back online to find a backlog of emails and some performance events I could have attended in the last few weeks of the month.

I only spent an hour online to catch up but found it particularly stressful. In hindsight I should have popped online daily for a limited time to check emails.

If you work online and decide to spend some time offline be sure that you plug some time to play catch up.

Having said that I hope you all had a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2014 Review of the Year

 

 This is also the 1100 post rather excitingly!

It has been a roller coaster year and I have loved every minute. I am already busy working on projects for 2015 and plan to update you all early in January.

2014 has been an amazing year, my first full year in my poetry skin (returning to this form of writing after a 15 year gap), I performed at Literary Festivals (Wenlock, Worcester, Stratford & Birmingham), finally got to the Ledbury Festival, was published in poetry journals & print anthologies, entered a few poetry competitions, was part of a team of local writers who featured in the Restless Bones Anthology to raise funds for the Born Free Foundation. I continued to work for Writing West Midlands, was offered a one to one mentoring role from WWM and given the opportunity for some further training in Arts Mark awards, had my poetry display in the library, on the Wenlock Poetry Trail, at Acton Scott Farm, was commissioned to write poetry for a Festival performance, had several main sets (15mins+) performances, wrote lots and got as involved as much as time enabled in Jo Bell’s wonderful 52 project. What I also did in January was promote 52 to local poets, some of whom are now taking on major roles in the continuation of this project.

Here’s a summary of all the wondrous parts of my writing year;

PROJECTS

• Participated in the Mindful Stones project for a month,
• was invited to 52 by Jo Bell, a project lasting the whole of the year,
• The Fourth Wall (one of my original Dance poems) was displayed by the Arts Network in a local Library for a month.
• Nominated AWF as a blog following the NAPOWRIMO challenge and participated for my 2nd year running, although due to commitments performing on the road kept me away from managing the whole of National Poetry Writing Month.
• What’s the Agenda – A weekend Arts Festival at the MAC – Midlands Arts Centre – submitted work to Hayley Frances. My Haiku poetry became part of her installation on Hikikomori. A very powerful piece.
• I hoped to be involved in a Brainfruit production with Roy Hutchins as part of his Poetry Army, unfortunately due to a lack of sales this event was cancelled. I hope to work with Roy in the future.
• I was asked to perform on The Quiet Compere Tour next year, funded by the Arts Council this is a paid gig.

PERFORMANCES & EVENTS

106 performances including in late Spring some collaboration with Tim Scarborough on a set of poetry and music, opening events for galleries, sets at Festivals, performing on a narrow boat, Worcester Music Festival, 100,000 Poets for Change and my first ever Poetry Slam.

AWF hosted INKSPILL, an online writing retreat for the 2nd time, this year it was supported by guest writers; Charlie Jordan, William Gallagher & Heather Wastie.

 

WATCH & LEARN – SHOWS AND WORKSHOPS

Cat Weatherill Hungry Hearts

The Quiet Compere Tour Birmingham – Sarah Dixon

The Hive joint venture between Worcester LitFest and Ledbury Poetry Festival;

Angela France, Martin Malone

Wenlock Poetry Festival

Poetry Workshop with Jean Atkin at Acton Scott Farm

Carol Ann Duffy – National Poet Laureate in a joint venture between Ledbury Poetry festival & WLF

The Tea Project – Tara and Lynsey – MAC Arts Centre

Antony Owen & Joseph Horgan- Book Launch at the Inspire Bar, Coventry

Jo Bell and 52 – Picnic/ Performance Event Stratford-Upon-Avon Poetry Festival

Poetry Party – my first one

Benches – Jan Watts Book Launch / Off the Page Event

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Family – Ben Norris at the MAC.

Wolverley Village Tea Shop – Pop Up Poetry Event organised by Sue Wood and featuring Worcester Lit Fest poets and others.

Elvis McGonagall at The Hive, Worcester, an event organised by the Worcester Lit Fest.

Poetry Workshop – National Poetry Day – Remember – Jan Watts and Cathy Crossley

Birmingham Poet Laureate Announcement and other Birmingham Literature Festival events including; Radio 4 Poetry Please with Roger McGough, With Great Pleasure, also recorded for BBC Radio 4, Rich McMahon & Tell Me on a Sunday, with Cat Weatherill.

Writing West Midlands Writing Meeting

David Calcutt – Wild Fire – Writing Workshop in Community Gardens, 2nd workshop with a group poem that will become part of the Garden.

Angela France – Poetry Workshop

Workshop with Emma Purshouse, Bilston Art Gallery, Craft & Conflict

Book Launch – The Failed Idealist’s Guide to the Tatty Truth By Fergus McGonigal

Stanza meetings and writing for Hanbury Hall via the Arts Network

WWM – Writing West Midlands – Young Writing- where I started my first of three 1 to 1 Mentoring sessions.

 

WRITING LIFE

Joined the Arts Network and several online subscriptions.

Successful application for Assistant Writers Role with WWM Writing West Midlands, working with young writers and Ian MacLeod. I also covered as an assistant writer in Jean Atkin’s group.

Applied to be involved in a commission with Naked Lungs, I was later successfully picked for the final collaboration.

Celebrated ONE YEAR A POET a celebration of my first year back in the world of poetry

 

PUBLISHED

Kidderminster Creatives Website –

Poem on the Wenlock Poetry Trail (as part of the Poetry Festival) 1 of 23 poems displayed in local shops in the town.

Shops website published

Two poems accepted for Born Free Poetry Anthology – Restless Bones. Elaine Christie watched a performance f my 52 poems a few months later and asked for another two poems, I am delighted to have 4 poems in this wonderful collection.

Hayley Frances asked for Haikus for a new community project taking place as a weekend festival at the MAC (Midland Arts Centre) I sent quite a few and had them used in her Hikikomori installation at the end of the month, which I was lucky enough to see.

I sent some poetry to Acton Scott Farm, Jean Atkin was the poet in residence and had The Half and Half Pig chosen for the Poetry Fence.

Clench Published by Hark Magazine, July Issue.

I also worked on an epic submission for Offa’s Press, which was rejected, but I have the pleasure of knowing one of the new poets that was taken on.

Fallacy (a 52 poem) published in the GBWO – Great British Write Off.

The Cart – Published online – Poetry on The Farm Website

‘Falling into Line’, written especially for the Boy/Girl Issue Published by HCE

Picasso of Dance (a 52 poem) published in Remember Poetry Anthology by Paragram

 

LOOK OUT for exciting Daniel Sluman posts (he proposed over Christmas) so look forward to an excited Daniel Sluman too!

Poetry Wraps Up Christmas

This is another post I wish I had written before I banned myself from being online – most people give up things for Lent… I know, long story to be explained more fully in the post where I write about why people shouldn’t go offline at Christmas. Long story short (as this is a poetry wrap post) Mr G and I have just managed our 1st ever 2 week holiday together over Christmas and as I may have mentioned, come January we will be apart for the working week. I vowed to give him my full attention for a fortnight, the man has put up with my wild 2013/14 Poetry Tour without complaint! The only way fulfil this promise was to not be online.

My final poetry gig of 2014 *although I have since found out more were available, was at The Ort with Debbie Aldous, it was an amazing night and I wish I could have tapped vigorously away at the keys that night when I got in. It was the day Mr G arrived home from working away for the first time in our relationship, so I didn’t – having already made my no-internet vow. I hadn’t told Mr G about it, just decided to do it, he did notice, eventually.

It was a great night and my 1st event of the month, as I had been ill on antibiotics and missed all the other Christmas Poetry events, sadly.

It was a fantastic night and I thoroughly enjoyed spreading Christmas cheer amongst the creative community. My set of Pantomime & Christmas poetry went down well.

This was my final gig of 106 in 2014, I am not touring myself so much during 2015, my mission was to get myself known locally as a poet, objective met. I want (need) to spend more time writing in 2015, I will still manage some of the monthly events, just not 10-12 times a year. I will take it month by month and am always on the look out for commissions, usual performances and projects to become involved in.

My first gig of 2015 will be on Tuesday 6th January in Ludlow.

Caldmore Community Garden Workshop with Poet in Residence David Calcutt

I was lucky enough to make the final workshop at Caldmore Community Gardens on the 9th December, it was great to see Janet and Jimmy again and we had fun writing poetry about a particular area in the garden, we then worked together, playing with what we had written. It resulted in several promising group poems, it is now David Calcutt’s job to mesh our words together into a final poem.

Rather excitedly this poem will then be written into a path for the public to enjoy as they walk up to the wild garden.

I cannot wait to see the final product, work is planned for sometime in the New Year.

People Power – Reverse the Cutbacks: Library of Birmingham

https://www.change.org/p/birmingham-city-council-reverse-the-cuts-to-the-library-of-Birmingham

Please click this link and help us to petition against library cuts, feel free to re-blog and share across social media.

Petitioning Cllr Ian Ward Birmingham City Council

Reverse the cuts to the Library of Birmingham

Friends of the Library of Birmingham

United Kingdom

474

Supporters

We seek your help to defend the Library of Birmingham [ LoB ]. Birmingham City Council have proposed in their most recent budget proposals a massive cut to the LoB of at least £1.5 million for the next financial year. More damage is planned. In the succeeding year more than DOUBLE is planned at a huge £3.3 million per year cut.

The LoB is an award winning architecture designed state-of-the -art modern library. It is fit for the 21st century & the people of Birmingham.

Here in Birmingham we have invested £188 million in this library & the future of this great city.

This is a Library opened just over a year ago in a glorious fanfare of praise & loved by the million visitors who have enjoyed it’s breathtaking facilities & it’s views of Birmingham from the wonderful viewing platforms giving a panoramic take on the cityscape.

This library opened by a Nobel Laureate – Malala Yousafzai who lives in this city & whose memorable book is lodged inside will now be a shadow of its intended glory. This doesn’t have to be the case.

The effects of these proposed cuts will mean –

1. Slashing the hours of the library by 40%
2. Stoppng new books purchases
3. Restrictioning open access to the archives to scholars & researchers of all sorts
4. Reducing to nothing library outreach work & in-house exhibitions & displays.
5.sacking 100 staff posts.
6. Limiting the housebound & community library service of expert help.

Is this what we want? a death by a thousand cuts.

We paid in this city for this library. Come what may will pay for it whether it is reduced or not. This is a nonsense. We can not allow it to decline because of short termism & misguided cuts. This is not the way forward – it is backward looking & wrong. It makes no economic sense.

Support your Library ;

The LoB is an investment in out future, our children’s future & the future of this city’s prosperity.

So for the researchers, the students, the academics & all the public let’s Stand up for The LoB & say this will not happen. We can make the politicians change. We can register our concerns & our desire for protecting this service. Once it is gone it WILL be gone.

In a library you are free to wander, to study & to be strong & independent. Without this service we lose a little bit of what makes us civilised & lose the power of control. Time to take that power back.

We , the undersigned , call upon Birmingham City Council to REVERSE your proposed cuts to the Library of Birmingham & our Community Libraries. Invest in our city & out futures.

Copyright change.org

 Library of Birmingham

Contact us:

friendsoflibraryofbirmingham@gmail.com

Find us:

https://birminghamlibrariescampaigns.wordpress.com

https://www.facebook.com/friendsoftheLoB

@FoLoB_

 

 

 

Knocked Out – A Break in the Circuit

I have missed the last few weeks on the poetry circuit which is a great shame because I love Christmas Poetry Events and I also won’t see a lot of poets until 2015 now.

I have been on antibiotics for the past few weeks for something that could have become an abscess (I had a really nasty one a few years ago when I was still teaching full time – the antibiotics didn’t work and I ended up in minor surgery and several weeks off work), so I panicked when I woke up to find this.

Mr G and I have also had a house saga, 3 weeks without a working boiler or gas, no central heating or hot water! We have had engineers out several times but each time more faults, problems and parts were needed, eventually yesterday the roofers arrived – without scaffolding towers and basically I had men at work from 11 am until 6pm! The result was worth it HOT WATER and HEATING for the first time this month!

I have managed to get most of my Christmas shopping done, the decs are all up and the cards have been written (should have been posted 2 days ago), work has finished and I am celebrating with one last poetry event (final one before Christmas) tonight, which I am looking forward to. I will be performing at The Ort Spoken Word later on tonight.

I did manage the final Caldmore Workshop with David Calcutt. https://awritersfountain.wordpress.com/2014/12/19/caldmore-community-garden-workshop-with-poet-in-residence-david-calcutt/

I managed the last Writing West Midlands Writing Group of 2014, with a little slot of my own on writing poetry as well as my second mentoring session.

Here’s what was in my Writing Diary that I missed this month;

Mouth & Music – The Christmas one, Speakeasy – the Christmas party one and Bare Fiction Launch in Birmingham.

Yesterday I missed the final EVER Poetry For Lunch at the LoB (Library of Birmingham) because I had men here trying to mend our house all day. I am gutted that I missed this event as I was there at the very first one and have made as many as I was able to this year. Here are some pictures of the event.

Bernard Davies  Dave Barber

 Tessa Lowe

Birmingham City Council are facing some massive cut backs and aren’t able to continue this free poetry event that Jan Watts with the help of Charlie Jordan, Tessa Lowe and Andrea Smith has hosted this event weekly for a whole year. I have signed a petition against these cuts and will post a link here for you to do the same. The UK has suffered with many library closures and those that survive have faced massive cut backs.

https://awritersfountain.wordpress.com/2014/12/19/people-power-reverse-the-cutbacks-library-of-birmingham/

PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION

 Mr G has been away this week – this is the first time ever he has been the one to leave and not be around, it has been strange and a little hard, but it is a transition into a new period of our lives. He is today, coming home for Christmas – I am excited!

Plot Block – 6 TIPS to Reboot Your Writing

 Planning events in your plot and knowing your characters inside out is not always enough to keep writing block at bay. You know how it is, you have been working hard, the novel has behaved, the draft is going well and then… you get stuck, your characters need to help you out.

These suggestions may get your pen moving/ fingers tapping again. I would use them as a free writing exercise, rather than committing to it being a scene in your story – but if it fits and helps you drive your plot forward these are broad enough ideas to work or at least spark a similar idea which suits your novel better.

RULE 1: DO NOT BE AFRAID

Remember fear doesn’t exist and the worst that can happen is you throw another few hundred words in the bin.

RULE 2: JUMP

Choose one  – write.

Someone knocks on the door

A text message beep

There’s a power cut

A sensor / alarm goes off

 

RULE 3 YOU CAN MAKE ANYTHING HAPPEN

But be clear on what your character wants, what’s their drive? Aim?

RULE 4 PLOT GROWS FROM CHARACTER

Think about your main character, what do they want more than anything in the world?

RULE 5 EXAMINE GOALS AND HURDLES

Why can’t the character achieve this ambition? What stands in the way?

Can the other characters help? What are their goals?

These ideas should help you develop your story.

RULE 6: KEEP WRITING, IT WILL ALWAYS GET BETTER

 

December Review – Week 1 – Work, Stanza, Southcart Books & Reading Aloud

 This week there was a high proportion of time committed to earning extra Christmas money by spending more days doing the day job than anything else, which I have found exhausting. No surprise considering my tasks included; teaching 120 different children in a morning, creating modroc volcanoes, papier mache Greek masks, adjudicating and marking test papers and having two days at a school where every lesson was in a different classroom with different kids (unusual in the Primary setting). By Thursday I was asleep at 7pm and Friday wasn’t much better. Good job I have already committed to cutting back on the performance poetry scene. Although I have noticed this sudden lack of creativity and socialisation has taken a toll on the way I feel emotionally. I gain inner strength from this full diary of writing events and activities and there is something to be said for the adrenalin boost too. 2015 is going to be a year of learning ‘balance’.

 I had time to write – but found some projects impossible to research without internet access (how dependent we have become), our connection failed on Monday and has only just been rectified – some signalling problem they said. (Our central heating and hot water has also broken!) I did manage to complete my Wild Fire Poem for David Calcutt (from the workshop in October)! I took it to Stanza on Friday and received some editing advice which makes it even stronger. Workshop poetry doesn’t always work outside of the bubble it was created in and I think some people were finding the connections I made difficult to understand which made me worry, so I went back to the drawing board with it. I performed it yesterday at Southcart Books to an audience that included fellow workshop participants and David to a positive reception.

After a week at work I was looking forward to our festive Stanza meeting, my first poetry related gathering for a week. As always it was a fun evening, I love the spirit of our members, listening to high quality poetry, receiving advice from writers I trust and having time to talk, because there never is enough time to connect personally at events. Our festive Stanza Meeting included Mulled Wine, a bounty of nibbles, included gorgeous homemade cakes and a Poetry Society mug.

My only other nod to the former on-the-road-poet-life of 2013/14 was a trip out (and around many times) to Walsall – I must get my SATNAV fixed, trying to follow unsigned roads is a tad difficult for me on a Saturday (or any other day of the week for that matter)! I was dreading the Christmas traffic, but the roads and motorways were relatively clear, in fact I got home quicker than last time, however, getting there took an hour as I went wrong in the town centre five times, got snarled in the one way system and even had a police car follow me for a mile at one point. My poetry life would not be the same without an exciting road trip story to arrive with. My first collection should be called :LOST:

The Reading Aloud event ran from 11am – 4pm and I always knew I would never make it for the start. It was midday before I set off. I was hoping to make it in time to see the end of the morning, then I got lost.

It was worth every penny of extra petrol though. Southcart Books is a wonderful Independent Bookshop and if you are every in Walsall you should pop in for a browse, chat and buy a book or two. Scott and Amy are very enthusiastic about books and writers, there is a special warmth inside this haven.

 © Walsalladvertiser

20 Lower Hall Ln, Walsall, West Midlands WS1 1RL

Open 9.30 -4.30

Southcart Books are the only independent bookshop in Walsall helping get the word around for local writers and artists.

Situated in a grade 2 listed building, Southcart Books sells new, used and antique books. They hold community events such as book signings and book readings. 

Original source; http://creativewalsall.com/southcart-books/ © 2014 Creative Walsall

David Calcutt organised the Reading Aloud Event in support of Small Business Saturday (Nationwide) 6th December 2014. He hosted a pleasurable day of talented wordsmiths, who all took to the chair for their readings. I’ve never performed a set sitting down before, it was a new experience. I wasn’t sure what to do with my feet and I can’t say I was entirely comfortable. However, as an audience member it was like being invited into your own private Jackanory and I enjoyed the change.

I felt absorbed by this experience and was glad I made it in time for lunch and mingling, I met a few poets I didn’t know, had time to catch up with those I do know and managed a quick browse the shelves too. I ended up treating myself to three Poetry books (my own personal Christmas presents), I look forward to reading them in the New Year.

It was lovely to hear lengthy sets (15mins) as often you only get a snippet of poetry at Open Mics. I am finding it difficult to express how great the afternoon was so I am going to say it with synonyms; fascinating, inspiring, impressive, wonderful and marvellous and then let David say the rest – he said it so much better;

It felt a real privilege today to be host to such a diverse, talented and friendly group of writers today at Southcart Books – Martin Hughes, Ann Clarson, Janet Jenkins, Angela Nock, Jane James, Eileen Ward-Birch, Chris Fewings, Sammy Joe, Antony R Owen, Nina Lewis and Bert Flitcroft.

Thank you very much to Scott Carter and Amy for hosting this and providing a comfortable and atmospheric reading space. Southcart Books is such a strong, independent bookshop. Just the place you should visit. Thank you again to all the readers.

Here are a couple of photographs capturing the Reading Aloud event, © 2014 Stuart Williams

Chris Fewings

Antony R Owen

—————————————–

To round off the week I am typing up poems scribbled in my notebook over the past few weeks and if I have time (Mr G and I are also ‘tackling’ the house) I will be submitting some work too.

Small Business Saturday – Poetry Event at Southcart Books

 Today I have the pleasure of reading poetry in Walsall at Southcart Books. It is Small Business Saturday – encouraging the people of the UK to support businesses on the High Street, there has even been a National Television Advert.

This event ‘READING ALOUD’ has been organised by Scott Carter and David Calcutt, the room has been dressed and the poets start reading at 11 AM this morning – so if you around that area pop in and enjoy some FREE words. If you buy a book Scott will gift you a free canvas bag in support of Small Business Saturday.

MORNING: START AT 11AM

David Calcutt – Intro and brief reading
Martin Hughes
Ann Clarson
Janet Jenkins
Angela Knock
Jane James

LUNCHBREAK.

AFTERNOON: START 1.30/1.45

David – Intro and even briefer reading
Eileen Birch
Chris Fewings
Sam Hunt
Antony Owen
Nina Lewis
Bert Flitcroft

\Daily Post/ TOP 10 BLOG POSTS in 2014

We have spent a week without the internet, I wrote this post a while ago and have only just been able to post it! Enjoy the TOP 10 POSTS for 2014 in AWF.

Daily Post Challenge

December – the season for Countdowns, I love a list (who doesn’t), I have spent a year writing and recycling TO DO lists. In having a quick surf around the WP READER, I spotted this blog post over in the Daily Post (which I haven’t joined in with ages) so I thought I would treat you all to a TOP 10 of our most POPULAR posts this year!

TOP 10 – Most POPULAR Posts

10) Silf Gives Self – Margaret Silf Seminar

9) The Quiet Compere (21/3/14)

8) August is Hotting Up – Despite the Rain!

7) Goal Setting 2014 – Read This BEFORE You Set Any! (Advice)

6) Book Launch: The Year I Loved England By Antony Owens & Joseph Horgan

5) Diverse Dancers Exhibition – Najma Hush – Performance Event

4) 52 Meet and Perform for the Stratford Poetry Festival

3) The Early Bird May Catch a Worm but the Night Owl Finds Opportunities

2) Writing Short Stories – Tips on Narrative Structure & The Writing Process

1) Writing Short Stories – Tips on Planning and Structure