Some of you might know, I won a City of Poets Tiny Prize with this piece. City of Poets is a Glasgow-based organisation, promoting opportunities for writers. You can join if you have some connection to Glasgow. Their Tiny Prize is a monthly affair. Write a piece to a set prompt and, if your poem is selected, you win a fiver and the glory! It might not seem like much, but it's always lovely to be selected and, as they point out, the fiver might get you a celebratory drink. AND

I was sitting in West Coast Wonderland with Julie. I say sitting... mostly we were in and around the inflatables with Aidan. When I did get to sit down, I brought out the book I had just collected from The Book Nook in Stewarton. Jane Hirshfield's Ledger. Reading the information at the beginning of the book, I was amazed at the amount of poetry she has written. What must it be like, I wondered, to be so prolific. Would you always be looking for inspiration? Which prompted the

I am posting this a little early. The month hasn't finished yet, but... The challenge was to write a line or two about each day of the month. Nothing more. But it was a reminder to see the world through the lens of the imagination, to remind yourself each day that you are a writer. And, who knows, perhaps one of those lines might spark into another piece of writing. That was certainly the case for me. Not an easy exercise, but one that got easier. And a writing habit I think

I told the woman behind the counter, I wasn't looking for anything in particular but I would know it when I saw it. Mostly, I was looking for older books that might inspire Friendship Book stories, but I wasn't getting into that. So, she did what any good bookseller should do - she recommended something. I might have walked past it, but she said it was different and, sometimes, that's all it takes to hook me. I found some "work" books, then I added Seascraper to the pile. It

One week off isn't long - but I missed the place :-) Welcome back! As is so often the case, a small group makes for a good session. To those of you who were busy elswehere, we missed you. But we still had fun! Today was mostly talking, but we got a lot of stuff lined up, which is as good a way as any to start a session off. We talked about Ravenfest (the deadline is on the 7th of Nov) and what made something in the style of Edgar Allen Poe. Who is up for that challenge? Deird

Continuing my line-a-day for October.

Sorry for the scary picture. Like most monsters, underneath it all he's a sweetie!

Inspired by Lia Leendertz and her poem of the month, I suggested the writing group, individually, come up with a line to describe each...

What are you seeing, or doing, right now that could make a good piece of writing? Julie and I are sitting in The Paddle Steamer in Largs....

I got to do that amazing author thing today - opening a box of your own books  This is the first (paperback) issue of what I hope will be...

I don't know Theresa Munoz. I don't think I have ever read any of her work. But I do like to take a chance every now and then. When I...

I started producing these little pamphlets at home. But, then... I kinda lost faith in me. It happens. Time passes. And now I am back...

I left the Dick Institute, sat in my car, and pressed "Play". A young David Bowie sang a song about Andy Warhol, then he sang about Bob...

It's not the first book I have had published, but it's the first in what I hope will be a new home for my writing, a new KDP bookshelf....

An extended period of warm weather isn't something "worth writing home about" - unless you live in Scotland! We have had a lovely hot...

Marjorie Lofti's The Hebridean Crab Apple raised a barrel-load of ideas about home in this morning's Wordworkers session at the Harbour...

Out of the darkness of winter comes... creativity! Wednesdays 10-12noon. £50 for eight weeks. New member always welcome. The Harbour Arts...