For as long as I can remember, I have enjoyed fiction. I read voraciously as a child, and continued to do so into adulthood. Poetry, on the other hand, was a bit different. I quite like the idea of poetry, but I never really got on with the ‘big’ works. Even as an English undergraduate I tended to find ‘worthy’ poetry just a little bit too much like hard work. Much like opera, ballet or some modern jazz, I could appreciate the technique and the skill, but remain largely unmoved, not at all engaged by the actual work.

Short poems, however, those I could relate to. Whether they captured a mood, an idea, or just a small piece of wit, I actually enjoyed and felt a connection with that form. Poems that were like short snacks, rather than three course meals, yet which often had a depth that would sustain for far longer than their word count implied; those I liked. Which tends to show in my own jottings.

Why this site?
This site is primarily about encouraging myself to actually do some creative writing again. All too often life intrudes, and good ideas come to naught. Over the years I’ve always wanted to write – fiction, poetry, lyrics – but have rarely found the time. It has been all too easy to hide behind the airy “One can only write when the muse strikes, and I have too much to do to moon about waiting for ‘the moment'”. So this is about grasping the nettle, imposing some self-discipline, and carving out a bit of time each week to work on something.

That doesn’t mean there will be something new every week. My standards may be low, but I do have some.

Dates
Posts are dated in accordance with when the piece was originally written, not necessarily when it was posted here.