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Showing posts from October, 2011

WRITING FOR YOUNG ADULTS...

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Once a year my writing group, The Lazy River Writers with help from the Victorian Writers Centre , hosts a writing workshop. This year we featured writing for young adults with author Penni Russon. Penni has over 9 novels published and teaches at Melbourne University (not to mention juggling the jobs of wife and mother to three young children). She had a wealth of experience to share, and share she did. It was a great afternoon. Penni offered not only good advice and some great ideas to use as jumping off points for our writing - but she gave us writing exercises. The one that most intrigued me was putting an experience - and for this exercise we used a 'first time' experience - into a haiku. Yes a haiku. There were no words to hide behind, no waffling, it had to be condensed and concise. A very interesting exercise and one I totally recommend. I think what I got most from this workshop was confidence. That yes there are mountains of books out there... -and ...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY .....

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to the blog. Yes it's one year since I began to ramble on this site. Hard to believe in so many ways. But heh before we go any further.... And looking back what on earth have I talked about? Some of the great venues I've been to, the poets I've heard. How they inspire and motivate, urge me to try things I never would have thought myself capable of. And how I've come to the realisation there is no WRONG way to write a poem. It is so subjective, so personal. I've talked about writing groups and how they can be a great motivator. How they can support and comfort (after too many rejections)- how they can encourage and force yourself onwards. I've talked about writing goals, books to read, books I've read, writing styles, genres, writing spaces, libraries, more books... but mostly it's been about words. Words are powerful. How many of us keep words thrown at us during an argument close to our chest? Words can hurt, they can empower, they can tea...

THE CHILD WITHIN....

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I'm the first to admit that I'm quite child like. I get excited by the idea of finger painting, the knowledge that colouring within the lines is purely optional and that penguins can be any colour I want. I bought some grape hyacinths last year. They reminded me of my Nan's tangled garden. At the moment I'm struggling not to place my fingers on the stem and run them up and down, pulling all the flowers off. It's what I used to do in Nan's garden. I'm trying to prove that I've grown up. Trying. Because in reality I can't go past one of these.... without having a go. I tend to skip along streets, hop over lines on the pavement and attempt to jump a lot of things. Even if someone is watching. I sing in the supermarket to that bad 80's pop music they have (is it meant to make us buy more?) and I talk to myself. A lot. My grandparents lived in northern NSW and they had the most amazing mulberry tree. Visiting them meant, among other thing...

POETRY AND TECHNOLOGY....

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I must admit to being a bit old fashioned in the poetry department. Not that I write in iambic meter or put together a pantoum or two - I so have trouble rhyming and my rhythm is all over the place - but my work is plain. There is no extra dimension. I'm always intrigued, amazed and wowed by what poets are doing with their work. How they are presenting it to an audience that, can at times we must admit be a tad jaded. So many poets are doing so many exciting, and to my eyes, new things. Some like Sean Whelan - who uses music as another expression of his work. He weaves it so effortlessly- it's not a 'poetry and some music' it becomes a whole. Becomes more than just poetry. Always great to experience. And it's not just music that is being incorporated. Koraly Dimitriades - has filmed some of her poetry. Allowing the audience to not only hear her work but see as well. Another dimension, offers more depth, perhaps more of an insight into her work. Magazines ...