This week at writing group we were talking about feedback and critiques. As the person responsible for making sure we cover these things, I took along a poem I wrote a couple of years ago so people could practice giving feedback without worrying whether they were offending someone.
It’s a poem I’d forgotten about, to be honest; although I think it has a certain charm it’s not one I’ve revisited since June 2012 – and that was only the second draft!
Being able to listen to feedback and make it constructive for you is important, but that’s not the point of the post today. No, what really struck me is that I haven’t looked back at old work for a long time.
Working on the woods novel, which is now in stasis, I spent a lot of time working through its inherent issues, and writing new pieces to keep me going. What I didn’t do was revisit old folders of work.
I often work on old pieces, don’t get me wrong – but they’re the pieces I’ve finished and take to open mike nights or readings. I amend them based on hearing them read out loud. On the other hand, I haven’t looked back at my files of early, unfinished, drafts for a while. I think that without really noticing, I just closed my mind to them.
So after having that blast from the past, after having a look at my old folders full of random lines, or articles, or early attempts at expressing myself, I am determined to write a whole new set based on those bits – a whole new set to go out and read for an audience.
I don’t write drafts just to forget them, and I don’t want that to be their fate.
In other news – We’ve got to Book 19 of the Best Novels list – The Moonstone, by Wilkie Collins. I saw this come up and read it this week, I’ll give you my impressions on Thursday. I have come to the conclusion that I don’t really agree with this list though – or at least, if these books are really the best in the English language, then I don’t enjoy the best!
Also – as I was looking at the newspaper, I found this article about the deadly argument two friends had over the relative benefits of poetry and prose. I thought I’d share it to remind us all to keep things in perspective – and to say I think both poetry and prose are fabulous!
And finally – I was watching a programme about house-hunting in Wales, which discussed, briefly, Dylan Thomas’s love of the area. Subsequently I came across this article about places to visit in the area to celebrate the centenary of his birth. I’m taking it as a sign that Wales is a good writing destination, and that our trip to the retreat at the end of April will be a success.
We writers love to interpret signs, after all!
Happy writing
EJ
🙂
Becoming a writer 