'andy 'ints for 'opeful 'omers

I put together a short piece on writing poetry. It was possibly going in the mag. Then I found someone else, far better known, had written something and was happy for me to use it. But, as I was brought up to 'waste not, want not', I couldn't just throw mine in the non-recyclables. Yet.

• Read it aloud and listen – you’ll hear the good, the bad and the ugly combinations of sounds. Choose the ones you want.
• If you’re aiming for a regular metre, clap, bounce a ball, or tap your feet. Or sing your poem to a tune with a definite beat.
• Use a rhyming dictionary if you’re really stuck – an unusual word could lead you to a new image or idea. It’s quicker than going through the alphabet in your head and trying out all possible rhymes.
• Remove words that don’t work for their living, especially in free verse.

OK, what have I missed? There must be plenty.

Skies and an accidental 'horse'

I thought it was time to break up the blocks of text.

Stocktaking again

I seem to have been bogged down elsewhere in cyberspace - mainly with Writers' Dock mag, but I've been doing more editing than creating anything of my own. I need to do a quick stock-take - especially since I'm approaching another birthday - not a big one this year.

I've written a few articles for the mag, on writing and editing poetry, on World Book Day and National Year of Reading - mainly cobbled together from online info. Then I've written a couple of poems, both rhyming - one narrative, and the other about writing poetry, from a practical point of view.

Last night, I did a couple of short almost stories, from prompts. The two were written in about half an hour, and it made a pleasant change just wandering along following my imagination, instead of trying to be clear and logical about facts. I shall keep them and edit if I feel they have any potential.

This afternoon while I was out walking, I remembered another. A villanelle for a challenge.

Well, I think my brain's getting a bit of exercise.

More baby steps

Moondreamer made the suggestion and now we've acted on it. We've started a new blog Towards 2011 - 100 Years of International Women's Day. (I'm not putting a link to the IWD home page because some script on it keeps crashing my AOL connection.)
We hope to include articles about gender differences, facts about women - our achievements, areas where inequality still reigns, along with areas where men and women are crossing the old boundaries. We're also looking for feminist humour and cartoons. I don't mean jokes about men.

On another tack, a friend from Writers' Dock has started a petition to the PM on an ecological and aid issue. Another baby step, but hell, you have to start somewhere.
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Covenant Foreign Aid where Ecological Resources exist, such as endangered rainforests, fisheries and reefs, so local populations are directly compensated for conservation. We urge the Prime Minister to acquire renewable leases on such areas for UK monitoring rights to ensure the money is spent effectively.
The aims of this petition are to advance anti-climate change measures, to ensure Aid is spent effectively and fairly, and report to the Public on its effectiveness.