Short Blogging Break

On account of a number of time pressures at the moment, I am going to be taking a little break from blogging for the next week or so.

I hope not to be away for too long and will pop back if I get a bit of space to do so, but for now I’ll leave you with this quote:

Time is the most valuable thing that a man can spend

Thanks Diogenes Laertius.  Who doesn’t love an ancient Greek philosopher when looking for a way to explain they are a bit busy!!

Happy writing,

EJ

🙂

Free Post Thursday – Painless Edits and a Visitor

I am keeping this short today as I am very tired!

We had writing group this evening and it went very well.  I took some poems for improvement and it was remarkably painless: a few lines to tidy was about it. I am planning to read Cicero at the open mic, which is a little political: I still think it needs improvement but none of us could decide what! So I will read it and see how it feels as a performed piece.

When I got home, I had a most unexpected visitor: a lizard on my doorstep.  How marvellous – it’s the first one I have seen since living here in the countryside, and I hope he made it home to a cosy corner somewhere.  I love seeing the wildlife here – from rabbits to foxes, badgers to bats, hedgehogs to bees and beyond, it’s an absolute pleasure.

I can see why so many writers make worlds for them, they positively demand a storyline!

Happy writing,

EJ

🙂

 

Challenge Tuesday – Unmotivated!

I am not motivated to read, right now.  I have put The Sucker’s Kiss on top of Calamity Physics, and realised I have read about the same amount of each book.

I haven’t given up on it yet, I just don’t feel the urge to pick it up.

So for this week, I am having a brain break – only my writing can fill my skull… I am trying to fit too much in again, so reading has to take a little bit of a back seat.

Hopefully if the writing group goes well on Thursday I will be back to the books, ready to explore another writer’s imagination. But until then, it’s all about (writing) me!

Happy reading,

EJ

🙂

The Right Words, At The Right Time

Firstly, this is where my mind went after I typed this week’s post title:

This song brings such a strong emotional response to me, that it’s actually a really good representation of my task for the next few weeks.

I am now in preparation for not one but two open mic nights.  I decided not to focus on new work for the next one, but to get some neglected work up to the necessary quality.

It’s all about getting the mood and the language in harmony, really – finding the right word at the right time in the poem.

I’ll give you an example I am trying to fix: I wrote a poem about walking in the countryside; it’s a painting-inspired and natural poem in which I used the word crepuscular. Not a good choice: too technical, a little unwieldy and unattractive, and put in to shorten a line rather than because it’s the right word.

In a long poem a single word might not stand out, but this one is so wrong it needs a precision removal and an artistic, fluid word to go in its place. Not sure what but I have a few weeks to find something!

Editing is the hardest part of writing but when I do find the right word it is immeasurably satisfying!

So here’s to being inspired by Tracy Chapman and to making my poems as good as they can be.

Happy writing, and listening!

EJ

🙂

Free Post Thursday – A Thought

Recently I decided to share more positive things on social media, so for today I decided to expand that idea to here.

So here’s a quote from the Dalai Lama, which I particularly like.

If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.

Isn’t that great? No judgement, no expectation; just an observation that we can have an impact over and above what we expect.  That’s positivity to me: no preaching, just explanation.

Happy writing,

EJ

🙂

Challenge Tuesday – Ongoing

I haven’t yet finished the book I talked about last week, in fact I am not very far into it considering I’ve had a week already!

What I can say so far is I found the first couple of pages painful to read but since them, it’s been much more enjoyable.  And so far it seems that the quote last week was not reflective of the book as a whole!

I will aim to finish by next Tuesday but that’s all I can share about it today. Let’s see where the rest of the story goes!

Happy reading,

EJ

🙂

The Unexpected Poet and the Next Event!

As you may remember, I cajoled a couple of people into performing at the open mic event last month because I was worried about the turnout.

I actually didn’t need them to perform, numbers-wise, but I am glad they did because one of them has developed an interest in poetry as a result.

Not only have they started writing a piece of their own but they have also borrowed a second book of poetry to read through.

Such is the magic of words!

I have also been spending a little time this month explaining why we’re not having an event in September – it’s great that people enjoyed it but from our point of view we need time to work on new poems and performances.

However, the advert is now out for October, the night has been double checked for emergency meetings! and we are building up some more support for the writing group.

Roll on next time – and here’s hoping another person gets struck by the wordy bug!

Happy writing,

EJ

🙂

 

Holding out until Tomorrow

This weekend has been rather chaotic and disorganised.  I have decided for the sake of sense not to try writing now, when I may fall asleep mid sentence, but to hold off until tomorrow.

Will be back then, with the tale of an unexpected poet!

Happy writing,

EJ

🙂

Free Post Thursday – Dealing with Disgruntlement

I have spent a lot of time this week talking to people who are unhappy in some way about their state of affairs.  Work, life, politics all figure and in many cases the solution is outside of their immediate control.

It’s a reminder that we rarely know exactly what is happening in someone’s life – sometimes people who seem extremely happy are hiding a deep sadness, or the life and soul of the party goes home to a lonely life.

So this week I need to give myself a mental shake and remember to be kind, to everyone, even – or maybe especially – when it’s hard.

There’s a quote by Mark Twain that I might just put on my wall at work to keep me focussed:

It is higher and nobler to be kind

Let’s be higher and nobler where we can.

Happy writing,

EJ

🙂

Challenge Tuesday – Pick a Line Time!

As I haven’t started another book since I gave up on the last one, it’s probably time to start another!

As my random selection proved a good indicator last time I am trying it again, with a book I borrowed from my mum about 4 years ago, called The Sucker’s Kiss, by Alan Parker.  So here goes:

After one particularly libidinous night with a girl called Romola in a whorehouse in Jefferson, Missouri, Soapy had an epiphany.  By chance – and don’t ask me how he found out – he discovered that Marmello could also improve your sex drive if you rubbed it on your private parts.

Ok.

Maybe that’s not a reflective selection.  I will be checking why it was recommended though 🙂

In all seriousness, I think this sounds like something I could read – but for something talking about sex with prostitutes and sex aids, it seems quite coy (‘private parts’, for example).  I will start, and hope it’s one I can see through to the end!

I will let you know…

Happy reading,

EJ

🙂