Ever since I wrote my first story aged five - an illustrated tale about a boy’s adventures in space - I wanted to do nothing other than write. In my early years this was an ambition fulfilled merely in fits and starts, and even then only in a minor way. This changed at the turn … Continue reading My writing journey to the performance of “Crash”…
Category: Mentoring
Writing exercises #1
For me there are two main types of writing exercise: the first is where the exercise acts more as a prompt to write than anything else e.g. provides a theme which is more important than any constraint (e.g. useful in a perceived case of 'writer’s block'); the second is where the writer is challenged to … Continue reading Writing exercises #1
What is Poetry for?
As a sometime poet who has written and published hundreds of poems, I believe I am qualified to ask such a question. Indeed, I will go further and answer it: too many of my poems are - given certain criteria - largely irrelevant, inconsequential, and change nothing. As yours may be - if you write … Continue reading What is Poetry for?
Mentoring with arm-bands…
Last week I mentored at a private two-day retreat whose eleven attendees were all academics from a renowned UK university. Needless to say, I had been a little nervous in advance..! Firstly we were talking about hosting / steering / having 1-2-1s with proven intellectual heavyweights. Secondly, I knew very little about any of their … Continue reading Mentoring with arm-bands…
No such thing as bad press?
My Swanwick Summer School short story competition first prize has been picked up by a local news outlet and they have written a piece on me. You can read it here. Note: although the article says most of the US attendees to my monthly virtual poetry events come from California, for the anthologies contributors come … Continue reading No such thing as bad press?
Another great mentoring experience!
Last week I had the great privilege of mentoring at another Writers' Retreat. In addition to a couple of workshop sessions, at the core of my mentoring are 1-2-1 sessions with each of the attendees during which we discuss their current and future projects. Sometimes they arrived burdened with uncertainty over what to do next, … Continue reading Another great mentoring experience!
Ian Gouge - Writer 
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