Four-and-a-half years ago I attended my first Writers' Retreat: best part of a week at the Garsdale Retreat in the Yorkshire Dales and on the edge of the Pennines. It proved to be a rewarding and productive experience, and one which - in many ways - succeeded in being something of a launchpad in terms … Continue reading To advance, Retreat..! – Part 2
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Imposter Syndrome – the worst possible thing for a Writer?
For as long as I can remember, when it comes to my writing I have always found myself desperate for positive endorsement - both my own and from others. In the first instance we're talking about self-esteem; in the second, about reviews, comments, feedback, sales. Actually in my case it's about more than just endorsement; … Continue reading Imposter Syndrome – the worst possible thing for a Writer?
Mid-June Writers’ Retreat
A small number of places remain on Writers' Retreat UK's June retreat in Lincolnshire. Having been on a number of retreats now, I know just how stimulating and rewarding - and productive! - such retreats can be. You can find details of the retreat here.
“In the Night Wood”
You know those TV programmes that are naturally about 45 minutes long but which, in order to fit them into a schedule, are padded out to fill an hour? Well, Dale Bailey's "In the Night Wood" struck me as a little bit like that: it would perhaps have benefitted from being a little shorter, losing … Continue reading “In the Night Wood”
New “Walking Thru Fire” Podcast Episode
I have just added a reading of the first chapter of my 2019 novel, At Maunston Quay, to my podcast "Walking Thru Fire". You can find the episode immediately on Buzzsprout, and it should find its way onto other podcast platforms - such as Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music etc. - in the next 24 hours … Continue reading New “Walking Thru Fire” Podcast Episode
Trying to build something…
I have been wondering how I would answer if someone asked me what I was up to - in a literary sense, of course! In the broadest sense I think I am trying to build something, firstly in relation to my own writing, and secondly with Coverstory books. In many respects the second is easier … Continue reading Trying to build something…
“The Dressing-Up Box”
David Constantine's collection of short stories, "The Dressing-Up Box", is, in many ways, unlike any other volume of short stories I have ever come across. Many of the narratives are slightly surreal, other-worldly, and in some cases the stories fail to follow the beginning-middle-end convention - not that there's any problem in that at all … Continue reading “The Dressing-Up Box”
The Allotment Project
Our first update of the year is here.
“Walking Thru’ Fire” Podcast update
I have now published six episodes to my Walking Thru' Fire podcast. Four of these comprise selected readings from some of my poetry collections: Walking Thru Fire (podcast introduction)Collected Poems, 1979-2016Human ArchaeologyPunctuations from History There are also two extracts from my non-fiction work Shrapnel from a Writing Life. I plan to add a new episode … Continue reading “Walking Thru’ Fire” Podcast update
“The Kids”
Well, I couldn't not read it... After all, a poetry book winning the Costa Book of the Year..! When did a poet last win?! (ans. '99 & '96 Seamus Heaney, '98 & '97 Ted Hughes) I needed to know what all the fuss was about. Well, there are some great poems in Hannah Lowe's "The … Continue reading “The Kids”
Ian Gouge - Writer 