Living Life Twice

When talking to teachers and the subject turns to writing beyond the classroom, I urge them to encourage students to write beyond those four walls. -Write around the school. Write at home. Encourage young writers to consider their notebooks as travelling companions and write in wild, unfamiliar spaces. Challenge the notion that writing is something we just do at school. For many  years, I have encouraged young writers to try writing in different locations as a way of extending their personal view of writing. Hopefully it broadens not just their options but also their perspectives.  Some writers are fortunate enough to have a space in which they can freely write. Some writers need a special place beofre they can write. They can only write in that space, that particular location.  Some writers need absolute quiet while others embrace noise.   I once read American author, Thomas Wolfe wrote standing up in his kitchen. Wolf, a rather tall man chose to write on the ...

  So, yesterday I spent my writing time in our small garden. It was the perfect morning for writing outdoors. Quiet, balmy air, sunshine, no traffic humming in the distance, no machine noise, solitude in the garden. I also took time to wander about and take photos. If my illustrating skills were better, maybe I could have indulged in some drawing as well. I had an idea... Maybe the photographs could spark some short little poetry pieces.  That way I could share with others how the place we find ourselves located, can be quite an inspiration -if we sit still and observe closely. If we make a mindful effort to look around at what's in our immediate view. Ideas are all around us waiting to be discovered. ‘Sometimes the easiest way to start writing is not to try to think something up, but simply to write something down- and what better place to begin than with what’s is right in front of your eyes.’ Andy Griffiths, 'Once Upon A Slime' So, po...

Where Do You Write? Talking to teachers today, the subject turned to writing beyond the classroom. I urged them to encourage students to write beyond those four walls. -Write around the school. Write at home. Encourage them to consider their notebooks as travelling companions and write in wild unfamiliar spaces. Challenge the notion that writing is something we just do at school. Some writers need a special place to write. They can only write in that space, that particular location. Some writers need absolute quiet while embrace noise.   I am lucky. I have many special places to write. I can plonk myself down and pretty much write anywhere I find myself. The beach, the park, the airport, or leaning against a tree are places I have found myself at one with words. Vicki, my wife frequently leaves me to write in cafes while she continues to shop.  As long as I have my notebook (which almost always is within arm’s reach) and a trusty pen (Uniball Black Impact Gel )...