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| Even though I am making some changes to this site I have decided to keep this picture of me on it. Ok, so it's six years old now, but I don't reckon I have changed that much (ahem) and I really am writing at the time the photo was taken. It is therefore not a "posed" picture. And anyway, I think it's must be "photographic licence" to choose which pictures of yourself you use on your own website ! I suppose I have always been a writer - from writing poetry at the age of five to be published on the pages of the local newspaper, to thumping out an adventur a plastic "Petite" typewriter at seven, and then later as a twelve year old writing profound thoughts in my school note book, usually in a Maths lesson when I was supposed to be doing other things. Throughout the rest of my growing up years, not much was written down, but it was all there in my head, waiting perhaps for the appropriate moment to be revealed. | |
| The opportunity for my thoughts to be revealed and to be read by others even, came when I went to University as a mature student to study and become a teacher. Part of the course was Creative Writing and I became hooked immediately to having an opinion on everything, an imaginative idea of the character of every person I met (often correct!) and a compulsion to write about anything. Poetry became something that was composed while standing at the sink washing up or walking the dogs in the countryside. Fiction about every day people and ordinary things fought to get themselves written. Every news item became an opportunity for more thoughts to be released. I revelled in the chance to talk with the children I taught about putting down thoughts and feelings in their own way. Unfortunately, the prescriptiveness of the curriculum left little opportunity for original ideas, creativity or personal style. I continued with my own writing, and whilst believing that not all writing needs to be read by others and can be a catharsis in itself, most writing needs a reader other than the author. And so I was fortunate to have published various articles in Times Educational Supplement and short stories in women's magazines, plus a few pieces here and there on the internet. Currently I have poetry collections, a completed book "Crossing Borders" (read about this on the Publications page) and as any writer should have, a novel in progress! My inspiration - when it comes - is from people and life in general. Please read the poetry and extracts that you will find on this site and on the blogspot. Please comment if you can - and share your own work with me. I will be happy to comment on yours if you wish. Perhaps we can inspire each other to even better writing. *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** | | Why Write ? There must be an almost infinite number of quotes from the famous and the not so famous, that can be found about writing, storytelling, and the process itself of writing. We could spend many hours reading and digesting these, and indeed we should, but it can also take us away from the words and sentences that are formed in our own minds and prevent us from ever putting down our own thoughts. I believe that to be able to transfer our own feelings, thinking and emotions to a form where others can connect with them, is not only a skill but a necessity. And what better way to do this than to read what others have written 
... and to discuss it. | |
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