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Poetry in the Garden – 5 poetry workshops
Poetry workshops in a stunning garden setting
This will be the third year of the Poetry in the Garden workshops and each year more people come along. Poetry lovers and writers of all levels of experience are welcome. This is a relaxed summer event, designed to include strolls between the flower beds, lazy discussions on the terrace and tea, cake, maybe even strawberries and cream enjoyed in the shade of the cherry tree.
We will weave poetry amongst the flowers and trees – and if it rains we will shelter in the writing room. Five workshops are planned on Wednesday afternoons from 1.30 – 3.30 pm beginning on 31st July and finishing on 28th August. The perfect way to spend midsummer afternoons. To book your workshop place contact me here.
I am really looking forward to welcoming this year’s poetry lovers to the garden.
Posted in Chobham, garden, inspiration, poet, poetic forms, poetry, poetry appreciation, Poetry Course, poetry exercises, Poetry workshops, poetry writing group, poets, Surrey, Uncategorized, writer, writing
Tagged Chobham, Literature, poet, poetry, poetry appreciation, poetry in the garden, poetry workshops, poetry. writer, Poets, writer, Writers Resources, writing
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Winchester Round Up
As usual I booked a weekend of workshops at the Winchester Writers’ Conference, and as usual had a great time!
It was a bitter-sweet weekend in several ways.There was some sadness as the delegates said good-bye to the wonderful Barbara Large who, after founding and running the event for 33 years, has eventually retired. The plenary speakers, Lord and Lady Fellowes held us enthralled as they answered questions about their epic Downton Abbey and Lieutenant Thornton left barely a dry eye in the house as he spoke about the background to his recently published collection of diary entries written by (among others, himself included) his brother who later died in the conflict in Afghanistan.
After the plenary session I made my way directly to the Writing4theWounded table to gather leaflets about their current competition. If nothing else came of this conference I vowed to enter a piece of writing via the charity.
Regarding my own choice of study for the weekend I thought I was being very good and had planned a weekend of work and not play centred around learning how to publicise books and poetry via social media and learning how to e-publish. Alas, all did not go as planned. I decided midway through the first 2 hour session that this was not the best way to spend my time. Of course I need to assimilate the knowledge, but not this way.
I gave myself a mental shake and went off to see if I could re-organise my time. I wanted to be excited, motivated, jolted into action…I was at Winchester for goodness sake … if not here then where would I find this shot in my writing arm?
With a little juggling I found exactly what I was looking for – three workshops from the world of radio and film – perfect. I knew nothing about these genres and spent an amazing afternoon and evening being initiated into comedy in drama, making a crisis into a drama (literally) and pitching non-fiction articles for radio. I rounded the weekend off with a workshop on ten top tips for writing YA novels, presented by the amazing Sarah Mussi.
Winchester had once again provided tears and smiles, hope and despair, education and entertainment and as always I trundled home along the M3 tired but energised and determined to make my next year of writing really count.
The Next Big Thing
Selection of Poetry Year cover pages
I have spent some time considering what the next big thing is for me. Since I completed Deployed and it was published, I have diverted much of my attention elsewhere.
I set up a web based retail site at BehindtheHighStreet.com and that has diverted much of my energy away from my personal writing. I began leading the ‘Poetry Year’ course and every month have upwards of 15 great poets either in my Writing Room in Surrey, or on-line every month as we explore many aspects of writing poetry.
The Poetry Year involves writing and printing (or, rather, having printed for me) a 16 page booklet detailing the aspect of poetry we are studying, with examples and exercises so that we can attempt to integrate what we have studied into a poem of the month. Designing the cover has been fun too and has improved my photographic skills no end.
The writing that is emerging from the group is stunning in its breadth and quality… and that leads me to my next ‘big idea’. These books, the writing that is being generated all needs find an audience. It is too good to waste and so I will knock it into shape, tidy up the loose ends, ask for permission to use the poems whose beginnings lie in the course and have a go at publishing a poetry how-to book!
Watch this space.
Posted in Deployed - a collection of poems, poetry competition, Poetry Course, poetry exercises, Poetry workshops, poetry writing group, poets, Surrey, writer, writing, writing groups
Tagged Art, how to write poetry, Literature, Online Writing, poetry, poetry lessons, Poetry tutor, poetry workbooks, Showcases, Surrey, Surrey poetry group, Writers Resources
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Launch of 3rd Loose Muse anthology.
Good things go in threes and that is certainly true of the Loose Muse anthologies.
I was part of the editing group and so nothing that went in should have been a surprise and yet the magic of performance rendered each piece new and gave the words a sheen not always visible on the page.
The venue, Cottons, a Caribbean restaurant in Islington, was superb. Enough room for us all with our guests and yet a cosy atmosphere that brought out the best in even the most nervous ‘first time’ performer.
Agnes, as always was a larger than life host and her welcoming manner immediately set the tone for a great evening of poetry and prose.
Once again Agnes has steered an exciting group of poets. play-writes and writers of dynamic prose and has produced a must-read collection of contemporary women’s writing.
Well done Agnes and Loose Musers!
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