Research Poetry

A few years ago, I noticed that I was getting inspired to write by what I read.  This is not an uncommon experience for writers, of course, and if it is just copying then it is called plagiarism! Hoever, T.S. Eliot wrote that: “...we shall often find that not only the best, but the most …

How to Write (3)- Read a lot!

"He who would write must read"Samuel Johnson Samuel Johnson was writing in the 18th century, so forgive the male pronoun, but I am a great believer in this principle that good reading goes hand in hand with good writing. If we are going to write seriously, we need to have something to say. I find …

How to Write (2) – Deliberate practice

I work in education and I am a great believer in a theory called "deliberate practice". This highlights the insight that when we practise things in the right way, we get better at them. It's also true, though, that we can hit plateaus if we don't have good models to help us, or encouragement, or …

How to Write (1) – You’ve got to want to

Thank you for reading my blog. Wherever you are in the world, just the fact you are reading this post is a blessing to me. This short series is designed to share what I have learned about the mysterious and wonderful art of writing in the hope that it might be of some use to …