Call for submission - prose and poetry

I am excited to announce that I will be editing the Blakenhall Writers Anthology with Cherry Doyle and Kuli Kohli.

This project is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

Since I have been helping to run Blakenhall Writers Group in Wolverhampton, we've had this idea of publishing an anthology showcasing the works of our members and the community. This year, Arts Council England will help us achieve that!

We will be having some workshops (the first one already happened in June) which will be open and free to non-members. The next workshop will be in September, more details to come.

Anyone who attends our free workshop will be able to submit to our anthology which will be published by early next year and launched at several venues. This will be exciting!


To read more about it, visit our main blog HERE

Editing Poetry

Guess what. I am sick again. With chest infection and asthma. Can't go out, can't do anything, can't do my Christmas shopping. I'm just at home, trying to drink plenty of fluids, lemon juice, and take my medications.
Poetry is what entertains me during times like this. So, I am editing my first draft of my poem, 'How to make sushi'

I am not expert in editing a poem. But below is what I have learnt so far:
1.)Words - every word in the poem must earn their spot. If there are words or lines that seem or sound staggering to you, then chance is, it will be staggering to your readers too.
2.)Form - Rhythm, structure, free verse or how the poem appears on the page - they all matter. Is there a near rhyme of a full rhyme? Assonance or alliteration? How the poem is read and how it is presented must be justified.
3.) Are any of my lines memorable or they are just a bunch of rumbling cliché? - It is very important for me to create vivid and memorable images. That is my soul as a writer. We all need to find our 'soul'.
4.) What is the topic of this poem? Can I summarize it? Does the ending suffice and make an impact?
5.) Take a break if you're really stuck. :-) Going back to it after a while may bring new ideas or a new way of looking at things.
6.) Enjoy the process - nothing is worth stressing really. I am still learning this now.



Llanymynech Rocks - Oswestry England

 Last week I travelled with two of my friends to Oswestry Shropshire for Offa's Press' full day writing workshop. The workshop's theme was 'work' and Simon Fletcher, owner and editor of OP, together with Marion Cockin, led the workshop.

 

I really enjoyed our road trip from West Midlands to Oswestry. Because of a road work, we had to detour and go to Wales for a while in order to get to Oswestry. One minute we were in England, the next we were in Wales! It felt surreal seeing that "Welcome to England" sign, and not even noticing that we have left the country at all!

 

In the morning, we did some writing workshop about previous/current works we have done. Then we went out for a walk by midday and visited the Llanymynech Rocks. We perched on the limestone rocks, had our lunch with a flock of ba-ba-black sheep before walking back to the main workshop hall where we did more writing.

 

Yes, keep smiling.

 

The trek

 

Magnificent view 

 

For the first time I saw alpacas in person!

 

Munching on my boiled eggs for lunch. lol 

 

Picnic with my friends and poets Kuli Kohli and Cherry Doyle