A casual observer of this blog might have noticed a lack of activity here of late, seen mention in recent posts of nanowrimo and deduce that I am now sitting back recovering with a smile on my face and a 50,000 word first draft under my belt. Oh, I could flesh out that image and no-one would be any the wiser.....however.....
you can take the girl out of the confessional box but you can't ...etc etc.
I got off to an enthusiastic start with my novel-writing month and it was great to reconnect with my story. Then I turned my attention to my weekly homework from my poetry school class with Shamshad Khan and quickly realised that I had a Harry Hill type fight on my hands - poems versus the novel - if you get my drift. It didn't make sense to have signed up for Shamshad's class and then not have a poem to work on each week. I decided to come back to the novel between classes - which gives me five weeks when this course finishes and before I start my next one in the middle of January.
So what have I been up to? Well, my decision paid off and I've written several poems, one or two of which I'm very pleased with. I've also assembled a small collection for the Poetry Business pamphlet competition. That's now in the lap of the gods, well, Simon Armitage actually, so we'll see what happens.
Most exciting of all.....drum roll.....I've been asked to take part in a poetry reading in Liverpool next Wednesday! First gig! A poet I met a couple of years ago at a Poetry School class is setting up a new event and asked me to contribute a 15-minute spot. This weekend I'll be selecting a play list and weighing up my wardrobe.....
All in all, a firework-filled November!
(Now I must look at some of those Harry Hill fights I drew attention to earlier...)
Yay! Well done, and good luck with the gig and the Poetry Business!
ReplyDeleteI feel the Verse v. Prose FIGHT! is a bit of a must for Mr Harry.
Congrats on making some progress with your writing during NaNoWriMo, I confess what with the move I didn't even write a title:-) I did spend lot of time thinking about ideas, just nothing on paper. Mirinda started hers but likes to work in hard copy so I think maybe has a thousand words. The mere fact of being still sane after the last month seems success enough. Good luck with the poetry reading.
ReplyDeletemuch love
martine
thank you Martine and Titus, it's good to be back in the land of the blogging xx
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your poetry gig! It sounds like you made the right decision re novel vs poetry! No need for any penance!
ReplyDeleteWell done getting the gig! And good luck with it too! (15 mins? Phew!)
ReplyDeletethanks Niamh and TFE! No penance - woo hoo! and 15 minutes - I bet it'll fly by in a flash and then I'll be high as a kite!
ReplyDelete