‘Do you miss it?’ the book says. ‘Miss what?’ I say. ‘Having cancer,’ the book says. ‘Is this a joke?’ … More
Category: Being a Writer
A book into which everything can go, by Thomas Merton
It is necessary to write a book in which there will be a little less of the first person singular, … More
Running a bath
‘What are you doing?’ the book says. ‘What’s it look like?’ I say. ‘Running a bath,’ the book says. ‘Genius,’ … More
What drives you?
‘What drives you?’ ‘I’ve only just woken up!’ I say to the book. ‘Don’t care. It’s morning. Work to be … More
Needing to be liked
‘You know what your main problem is,’ the book says. ‘Needing to be liked.’ ‘That’s a good thing, isn’t it?’ … More
Interview with the book
‘Aren’t you going get the phone?’ I say. ‘It won’t be for me.’ With a little groan the book … More
The vision thing
Here is how it happens. The vision is, sub specie aeternitatis, a set of mental relationships, a coherent series of … More
The risk of failure
‘What do you think?’ I say to the book. It has held on to my poem for a week, and … More
The safety net of approval
Even though it is sweltering, the book is wearing its dinner jacket. Its legs are stretched out, feet on my … More
The book is fifty blog posts old
The adventures of the book have now clocked up fifty blog posts. Here is a list of all of them, … More
But I’m a poet
The book is in its gardening clothes. ‘I’m going out,’ it says. ‘You’ve let the lawn go again.’ ‘You can’t … More
What a waste
‘I don’t know if I can do this any more.’ ‘Do what?’ the book says. ‘This.’ ‘Sit around waiting for … More
Living and breathing Arvon
‘I’ve been at the field.’ This, spoken by one of the teachers on last week’s writing residential at Totleigh … More
What you read in 2015
This blog would be nothing without its readers. Thank you to everyone who stopped by, made a comment or a … More
Marking cancer (by not marking it)
‘So you’re not going to write about it?’ ‘I’ve been writing about it for years. Two whole books of it! … More
Working the room
‘So is that your main idea?’ ‘That’s it, yes.’ ‘That people get stuff done out of a social need to … More
Guest Blog Post: On Literary Envy, by Robin Houghton
On Literary Envy “Comparison is the thief of joy” –Teddy Roosevelt You wake up one morning. You check in … More