Is writer's block real? In this blog article, we explore the idea that writer's block may not be a real phenomenon, but rather a product of the pressure to constantly be productive in our society. We discuss the natural ups and downs of the creative process and offer tips for overcoming difficulties and finding motivation.
Read MoreA friend of mine who just started out her own lndie press showed me some cool designed slides that read ‘why we don’t publish our books on Amazon.’ It wasn't the first time I came across one of these. And with good reason. I will never ever deny Amazon is evil. It is. It's a destroyer of bookshops, of rainforests, of our ozone layer. I have written many a poem about its CEO Jeff Bezos, whom, together with Elon Musk, I regard as one of the horsemen of the Apocalypse.
But, and don't take out your pitchforks yet, (I would love to have a constructive discussion about this in the comments), isn't avoiding Amazon with your small press nothing more than an absolute fucking privilege not all of us have?
Read MoreWe often relate sadness to talent, the suffering and starving artists are those with the ability to create rather than consume. In art and literature, that which is small and diminutive is thought of as beautiful, and the death of a beautiful woman is thought to be poetic. Ophelia of Shakespeare and Joan of Arc, these women are thought to be virtuous and beautiful because they suffered.
Read MoreThe Instagram DM came in when I was getting ready for bed, mouth full of toothpaste and eyes gritty with fatigue. Is everything okay with you and hubbie? I blinked incredulously at the message. Um, what? Then it clicked. A friend had seen my latest Instagram post – something about heartbreak or relationships, I can’t remember now – and incorrectly assumed it was about me and my better half (let’s call him Bob, as he’s particular about his privacy).
Read MoreIn a world choking on social media cleanliness, Golden is a glance at the sordid underbelly which unites humanity - whether humanity likes it or not. It is a knot of painfully-raw honesty and bitter deceit, drenched in a vicious philosophy and hard to swallow half-truths. It oozes anti-poetry at a time when the art form is reduced to self-help and a ceaseless quest for innocence and purity.
Read MoreOur Sarah sent a New York Times article in our poetry group app a couple of days ago. It was a review on a pandemic poetry book. On the cover, it said, ‘America’s poets respond to a pandemic.’ The author of the review, Dwight Garner, complained about a lack of bite in the book. We all thought that was a bit of a no-brainer.
Read MorePeople can hate you just because your face reminds them of the sister they hate or the uncle that locked them in the cupboard as a kid. If the hate you receive isn’t personal, then the same goes for the love. It all comes down to taste and matching your work with the right readers.
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