Writers' Bloc - Creative Writing Off Topic Thread

writer_lady170

Das Kitty wrote: »

Woop!

Accepted for wordlegs!

yay! well done

echo beach

Das Kitty wrote: »

Woop!

Accepted for wordlegs!

Congratulations. When will we be able to read your successful submission?

Das Kitty

I'm not sure, but I'll let you know.

Al Monds

Congrats - jealous.

Brian Lighthouse

Das Kitty wrote: »

I'm not sure, but I'll let you know.

Please do.

Das Kitty

I signed up for a class last night. 5 person group with a tutor and 4 pages a week to be submitted. welp. Novel, I will finish you.

The Sean O'Faoláin story competition is closing tomorrow if anyone has anything lying about to send in:

http://www.munsterlit.ie/SOF%20Page.html

Insect Overlord

That kind of pressure to produce something every week is exactly what I need!

There's a poet in Limerick, Ed O'Dwyer, who just published his first book. He was asked at a reading last week how he got interested in writing poetry. A big part of it was the feeling that he needed to have something new nearly every week for the weekly White House poetry readings.

My own approach was always to wait for inspiration to strike, but there's a lot to be said for experimenting with different forms, doing writing exercises and setting minimum targets per week/fortnight/month.

Das Kitty

An File wrote: »

That kind of pressure to produce something every week is exactly what I need!

There's a poet in Limerick, Ed O'Dwyer, who just published his first book. He was asked at a reading last week how he got interested in writing poetry. A big part of it was the feeling that he needed to have something new nearly every week for the weekly White House poetry readings.

My own approach was always to wait for inspiration to strike, but there's a lot to be said for experimenting with different forms, doing writing exercises and setting minimum targets per week/fortnight/month.

I agree that having targets and doing workshops is a good thing. Ideas beget ideas. I've found having a target (journal and competition deadlines) very helpful. Having to sit down and produce sounds painful, but in my experience it's the opposite. You're giving yourself leave to take the time to sit and write.

Insect Overlord

In other news, tomorrow is kind of a big occasion for me. I'm one of two poets who will be reading in the last of the Mid Summer Lunch Time Poetry sessions @ The Hunt Museum in Limerick.

The full list of poets is as follows: John Liddy and Brian Blaney (Slattery); Michael Reeves and Patricia Ann Moore; Tim Cunningham and Richard Halperin; Bridget Wallace and Tommy Collins.

Most of the other poets have been writing, publishing and reading for years, so it's a little bit daunting to be amongst such respected company! I've never read more than two poems at a time before and tomorrow I'll be reading for twenty-odd minutes. It's exciting and scary and all kinds of other things.

Dave!

That's awesome, congrats, you'll be great!

Das Kitty

That's brilliant!

Agent Weebley

I'm sure you'll be great!

If I can offer a suggestion: make sure you have a glass of water nearby. I have a buddy that does a lot of training courses, and speaking for 6-8 hours is tiring. You don't want to get dry mouth. 20 min shouldn't be too bad, though. Take a sip during the clapping, even if you don't need one.

writer_lady170

that's awesome!:D congrats

Insect Overlord

Thank ye! I'm just about to grab a bottle of water and head in now.

Rubecula

Great stuff An File, ever thought of reading some of your poetry in the International Eistedfodd in Llangollen (Wales) ?

Sadly you have missed this year and the National Eistedfodd is only for Welsh poets I think. BUT next year and it is only a short trip across the water. Great craic there too.

Insect Overlord

Rubecula wrote: »

Great stuff An File, ever thought of reading some of your poetry in the International Eistedfodd in Llangollen (Wales) ?

Sadly you have missed this year and the National Eistedfodd is only for Welsh poets I think. BUT next year and it is only a short trip across the water. Great craic there too.

Now that I've survived today and I know I can do it, I'll definitely be looking for more opportunities to show off! I'll have a look into that for next year. Haven't been in Wales since I was 14 or 15 so it would be lovely to go back as an adult.

Rubecula

It is a very scenic country away from the cities. I am very lucky to live in a fabulous place. And only 90 mins from Dublin on the fast ferry.

Agent Weebley

Rubecula wrote: »

It is a very scenic country away from the cities. I am very lucky to live in a fabulous place. And only 90 mins from Dublin on the fast ferry.

How much, boyo?

Rubecula

Agent Weebley wrote: »

How much, boyo?

About £20 on foot. Just now about 60 with a car (Varies on season)

Agent Weebley

Rubecula wrote: »

About £20 on foot. Just now about 60 with a car (Varies on season)

Thanks! Thats a pretty good price. Right after I posted that message, I thought: I have become"Captain Obvious," so I looked it up and presume The Johnathon Livingston Swift is the fairy to fly on ... Thanks for the pricing - I never got that far into the site. It did say it was almost 2 hours to get to Dublin, though. Is that because it's downhill on the way back?

I'll be in Dublin for a week Aug 21-28, and would love to see liverpule and the Mersey from the top of Helsby Hill in Frodsham again. My Uncle Fergus and family lived on a street at the foot of that hill.

Omg. I could go to Leah's yard in Sheffield! Hey Rubecula, wanna go on a road trip? I'll call the sheffield council to get access into it and try to buy it for a quid. It was my grandfather's place, you know.

And how far away is Portmerion? And there's a burial mound near you, isn't there?

Doh! Did it again. Sorry.

Be seeing you.

Rubecula

Agent Weebley wrote: »

Thanks! Thats a pretty good price. Right after I posted that message, I thought: I have become"Captain Obvious," so I looked it up and presume The Johnathon Livingston Swift is the fairy to fly on ... Thanks for the pricing - I never got that far into the site. It did say it was almost 2 hours to get to Dublin, though. Is that because it's downhill on the way back?

I'll be in Dublin for a week Aug 21-28, and would love to see liverpule and the Mersey from the top of Helsby Hill in Frodsham again. My Uncle Fergus and family lived on a street at the foot of that hill.

Omg. I could go to Leah's yard in Sheffield! Hey Rubecula, wanna go on a road trip? I'll call the sheffield council to get access into it and try to buy it for a quid. It was my grandfather's place, you know.

And how far away is Portmerion? And there's a burial mound near you, isn't there?

Doh! Did it again. Sorry.

Be seeing you.

Just booked my trip to Ireland for next week

Had to book a train over there though, as I can not drive very far just yet as I am still recovering really. BUT Limerick here I come LOL

Not too sure on distance from Holyhead to Portmeirion to be honest I think it is about 90 mins drive or there abouts. BUT I may be wrong as it is a place I have never been to myself.

Burial mounds? Unsure of that but there are a lot of standing stones and the odd dolmen dotted about. (This was the Druid HQ back in the day you see. In fact they still parade about once or twice a year in skimpy dresses or whatever they call them. Men and women dress the same I believe)

Not been to Liverpool (my home town) for a couple of years, I know it is only just over an hour on the expressway, but the drive is too much just now. Hope you get to Helsby Hall though. Nice place. If I can help in any way please ask. I may not know the answer but I can try.

Agent Weebley

Rubecula wrote: »

Just booked my trip to Ireland for next week Had to book a train over there though, as I can not drive very far just yet as I am still recovering really. BUT Limerick here I come LOL Not too sure on distance from Holyhead to Portmeirion to be honest I think it is about 90 mins drive or there abouts. BUT I may be wrong as it is a place I have never been to myself. Burial mounds? Unsure of that but there are a lot of standing stones and the odd dolmen dotted about. (This was the Druid HQ back in the day you see. In fact they still parade about once or twice a year in skimpy dresses or whatever they call them. Men and women dress the same I believe) Not been to Liverpool (my home town) for a couple of years, I know it is only just over an hour on the expressway, but the drive is too much just now. Hope you get to Helsby Hall though. Nice place. If I can help in any way please ask. I may not know the answer but I can try.

Druids? Skimpy dresses? Men and women dress the same? Sweet!

The Mound I'm thinking of visiting is Bryn Celli Ddu.

I often think about how well you've recovered in the past year, but I guess sitting in a bumpy car is still too soon. I hope you enjoy your trip to Limerick. There's a Dundrum close by there . . .

Steve wrote a limerick for his wife, Jo-anns eulogy. Wanna hear it? OK. I inserted a bit of the back story as well:

When I decided to write a poem, my sister laughed and said I would probably be better off writing a limerick, so here it is:

I once met a girl from Vancouver
Who’s love I wanted to Hoover
She made me shake
Not unlike a Mandrake
She made me into a Mover

That reminds me. I have to finish off my little note to hcass about her "wellies and hammock" story.

I used my powers of persuasion to get Steve to book that flight to Dublin without nary a thought, other than for the trip to ostensibly be for visiting the Shamrokon Sci-fi convention. But for me, it's a recon trip. I hope to meet up with amanfromMars, whom I've never met in person, as well as meet all the movers and shakers in Clones. And also someone from Boards, who shall be, unfortunately . . . nameless.

Steve still hasn't rented a car. I want him to rent an Aston Martin Rapide, but he's a bit cheap - he's thinking of an Audi A4 at a 10th of the price. He also needs to rent a reum. What? A reum! Maybe I'll get Steve to rent a reum in Dublin . . . the Dundrum area, near the Stillorgan Industrial Triangle.

Ah, Ireland. It'll be good for him. Steve hasn't been there since 1969 (just before the troubles). . . 'Ards . . . The Mountains Of Mourne . . . Newcastle . . . Dundrum . . . and he has to go to Tara.

Rubecula

Bryn Celli Ddu is in the south east corner of the island about 15 mins drive from Holyhead Port

Das Kitty

wordlegs 19 is live.



Here's mine: http://wordlegs.com/magazine/viewitem.php?id=359

echo beach

Congratulations. A lovely piece. Simple but perfect.

Agent Weebley

Hi Das Kitty,

A very good story indeed! The way Jimmy objectifies Ali and dreams up a potential relationship in his head is classic - it makes me cringe just thinking about it.

I hope you win!

Ficheall

Das Kitty wrote: »

Here's mine: http://wordlegs.com/magazine/viewitem.php?id=359

I couldn't help thinking of this while reading of your man in After Hours' plight...

pickarooney

Das Kitty wrote: »

wordlegs 19 is live.



Here's mine: http://wordlegs.com/magazine/viewitem.php?id=359

That is well good.

GalwayGuy2

I liked your story

It was kind of like something I would write. Except, you know, actually good.

Agent Weebley

GalwayGuy2 wrote: »

I liked your story

It was kind of like something I would write. Except, you know, actually good.

Hi GalwayGuy2,

Although self deprecation always tickles my funny bone, I still can't get your vampire story out of my head. It was brilliant . . . and humourous to boot!

Your stuff is getting battier all the time! Keep it up . . .