Hi,
II'm assuming that this blog will be deleted once the module has finished, so I'm not using it. You can however access my personal blog by clicking on this link: https://sloughwriter.blogspot.com (opens in a new window)
Cheers,
Richard
Personal Blogs
Personal Blog
Friday, 20 Jan 2023, 14:00
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Edited by Richard Hill, Wednesday, 22 Mar 2023, 07:47
Attachments:
750 Word Piece for 'Innerverse' for 19th October
Wednesday, 5 Oct 2022, 16:56
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Edited by Richard Hill, Wednesday, 22 Mar 2023, 07:51
Hi,
At 'Innerverse' last night we were set a target to write a 750 word piece by the next group session (which is on 19th October).
I've been doing some brainstorming today and have provisionally decided to have a go at writing a piece about an elderly man who has dementia. I've found a photograph of an old man and have put it at the centre of a 'spidergram'. I'd scan it and attach it to this posting, but I'm not ready yet.
I'm wondering what happens to this blog when I've finished the course, so I'm going to set up a blog of my own and continue on that.
We'll see how it goes.
Cheers
Update. My personal blog is now at https://sloughwriter.blogspot.com/ (opens in a new window).
Local Writers Groups
Tuesday, 4 Oct 2022, 17:14
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Edited by Richard Hill, Friday, 20 Jan 2023, 14:03
A few months ago I joined Slough Writers Group. We meet every Monday evening between 7.30 - 9.30 pm. I really enjoy taking part. We meet roughly during term time and each 'term' the group runs a competition. We meet at Burnham Working Mens Club. It's on the opposite side of Slough to where I live (in Langley), but its not too far. We were told last night of a relatively new writing group in central Slough called 'The Hershel Writers Circle'. It meets in the 'Hershel Arms' from 7.30 - 10.00 pm. It was run by local poet Pete Cox (see also his facebook page here). I'm going along tonight to see what this group is like. I'll report back and tell you what it's like.
More on Sunday 2 Oct
Sunday, 2 Oct 2022, 15:42
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Edited by Richard Hill, Sunday, 2 Oct 2022, 15:43
Activity 10 - Make it your own
I'm feeling reasonably well today, so thought I'd crack on with Activity 10. Yesterday, I took notes in my local park, while walking my dog 'Lottie', but wasn't inspired by what I came up with. So I thought of a place I felt strongly about; the dentists when I was a young boy. It was a hateful experience and after much research on google and YouTube to find stuff I could relate to, here's what I came up with:
Activity 10 - Make it your own
1. Colour: Cream
2. Audio/video:
2a Childs guide to dentistry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNMqbL8B224
2b Dentists’ drill sound effects https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf1lJywmMY8
2c Child crying at dentist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbJqkmLb_ew
2d Boy at dentist (image) dentist01.jpg
2e Dentist circa 1960’s (image) dentist.jpg
3. Contrasting images and/or audio/video:
3a Waves on a pebble beach https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOZb2_oQZz0
3b Howling wind https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx5RZU7x1IE
4. Contrast to ‘tension’
REM. ‘Everybody Hurts’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rOiW_xY-kc
I hope it's okay to post such stuff on my personal blog but I don't have much else to write about. You might be interested in a couple of poems I wrote before starting this course:-
The old oak tree: http://richardhill.co.uk/theoldoaktree.pdf
Any spare change please?: http://richardhill.co.uk/sparechangeplease.pdf
Cheers, Richard
Sunday's Activity (7)
Sunday, 2 Oct 2022, 13:01
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Hi,
I've drawn a 'spidergram' that answer these questions. I couldn't get out, so decided to answer the questions about my nightmarish recollections of going to the dentist as a young boy. If later, I've called the exercise 'Deintydd Machynlleth' (which confuses my spellchecker!)
There's no-one else posting on the 'Introduction to Creative Writing' forum. Am I the only one here?!
Richard
Saturday.
Saturday, 1 Oct 2022, 18:33
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Edited by Richard Hill, Saturday, 1 Oct 2022, 18:38
Hi,
I'm going to be a smart arse by saying that I've almost completed Week 1 except Activity 10. Let me explain why - The study material for week one were online from a few days ago. As you may have seen from a previous posting of mine, I live with a range of health issues. Some days I'm quite unwell and wouldn't feel up to do any studying. So I want to get ahead of myself in advance of those 'bad' days. I don't want to get behind.
Tomorrow, (health permitting!) I'm going to repeat Activity 7 at somewhere more inspiring than the green where I walk the dog. And I didn't take a copy of the brief with me so missed some of the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and feels that I should have noted down.
I'll then be able to attempt Activity 10 - Make it your own.
If I can, I'll try to upload a photograph.
Richard
Hiraeth
Thursday, 29 Sept 2022, 20:53
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Edited by Richard Hill, Saturday, 1 Oct 2022, 18:18
I grew up, to English parents, in a small welsh village in Wales, Bontdolgadfan. I spoke english at home, but welsh at school. When I was at primary school, we would attend 'Eisteddfod's. A competitive festival of singing and recitation. I would recite welsh poetry, none of which I can remember. However, I found the one below called Hiraeth (A welsh word for a lost home that can never be returned to). The word Hiraeth means a lot to me in so much it describes (in a single word) how I feel when I think of my eleven years being brought up in that little welsh village. I'd love to be that young welsh/english boy again. Here's a poem I found:
Hiraeth
Hiraeth, he called me
Even when I did not know
I recognised Raeth, of the sands,
And believed, he thought of me as home
The earth from which his heart was made
Hiraeth, he murmured, longingly
Even though his fingers cupped my face
I was not what his eyes could see
I had dreamed, as had he
And the whole time, we were just searching
For a word neither understood
For a word we could not lose in loving
In the end I, was for him the meaning
In my folly, I’d believed to be
Like sand I slipped away from him
And he was Hiraeth
A lost home
To me
Malika Booker and Owen Sheers
Thursday, 29 Sept 2022, 13:21
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Hi,
Today, I've been 'brainstorming' for ideas for my next poem.
I've also been watching Owen Sheers in conversation and reading extracts of 'Pink Mist' (1:33:58) on YouTube. I hope that this will be useful for studying his work in Weeks 1 & 2 of the course. From the extracts he's read, I like this poem.
I've also watched Malika Booker, also in conversation and reading some of her work, but can't yet get into it. But I'm keeping an open mind.
I'm still excited but nervous about starting this course.
Health conditions and my poetry
Wednesday, 28 Sept 2022, 15:15
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Edited by Richard Hill, Thursday, 29 Sept 2022, 13:23
Hi,
Not feeling too well today, one of my health conditions playing up. I live with heart disease, atrial fibrillation, chronic kidney disease, diabetes type 2, depression and restless leg syndrome (I'm working my way through the medical dictionary - if I were a dog, I'd be put down!)
I spent part of the morning at my partners mothers home, trying to sort out the new smartphone we bought her for her birthday.
I also wrote a poem 'Got any change?'. You can see my poems on my website www.richardhill.co.uk/poetry.html I guess they'll improve after the first two weeks of this course.
I hope you like my website. I don't use any web building software or programs. I build it in raw HTML.
The Creative Writing Students Handbook
Tuesday, 27 Sept 2022, 15:37
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Edited by Richard Hill, Thursday, 29 Sept 2022, 13:39
Hi,
Last night I watched parts of presentations on poetry by Malika Booker and Owen Sheers in advance of starting the course. I'm glad such presentations are available on 'YouTube' as I find it easier to watch/listen than read off the page. My reservations about studying poetry in the first two weeks have become a little more relaxed. I'm going to research and bookmark additional resources in advance of the course starting.
Yesterday and today, I also read 'The Creative Writing Students Handbook' which was interesting and informative.
'The Positively Productive Writer'
Sunday, 25 Sept 2022, 14:15
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Edited by Richard Hill, Thursday, 29 Sept 2022, 13:33
Hi,
Today, I've been listening to 'The Positively Productive Writer' by Simon Whaley. Over 7 hours of listening, impressive, inspiring and interesting. Can thoroughly recommend this. I think it's also published in print format, but this is better and cheaper IMHO.
Also been organising my laptop (Folders etc) in preparation for the start of the course on Saturday.
Newbie!
Saturday, 24 Sept 2022, 17:05
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Edited by Richard Hill, Sunday, 25 Sept 2022, 14:16
Hi,
I'm a newbie here. I'm a 66 year old, gay disabled writer living and writing in Langley, Slough, Berkshire UK.
I'm starting the short course 'Introduction to Creative Writing' a week today (1st October). I'm both excited and apprehensive. Any tips from any students who've previously done this course would be greatly appreciated.
Wish me luck!
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