Introduction This year I was one of the judges for the Canterbury Festival’s annual Poet of the Year competition. It was a rewarding experience and merits a description of what was involved. Over the last two decades, the Festival Director has led something wonderful, a celebration of a panoply of arts, drawing from and enriching … Continue reading Judging a Poetry Competition
The Spark and Kindling of Creativity – Part Two of Two
“In art the best is good enough”, Italienische Reise, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. At any awards season, I am impressed by those persons who garner their gongs or statuettes, particularly thinking of the process they would have gone through, with long periods of unrecognised effort, and their creative resources developed in very competitive environments. This … Continue reading The Spark and Kindling of Creativity – Part Two of Two
The Spark and Kindling of Creativity – Part One of Two
“In art the best is good enough”, Italienische Reise, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. At any awards season, I am impressed by those persons who garner their gongs or statuettes, particularly thinking of the process they would have gone through, with long periods of unrecognised effort, and their creative resources developed in very competitive environments. Especially … Continue reading The Spark and Kindling of Creativity – Part One of Two
Poetry Inc. – Part Two
Being a poet sometimes feels like running a manufacturing business. In last month’s Part One, I highlighted the necessity of building contacts and promoting yourself. In this section, I’ll look at some practicalities. To help raise your profile, establish your reputation, and sell copies of your poems, you may need materials or marketing collateral to … Continue reading Poetry Inc. – Part Two
Poetry Inc. – Part One
Being a poet sometimes feels like running a manufacturing business – but without the use of Swarfega to wash your hands at the end. From the normally cleaner raw material of thoughts and ideas a production line extends through drafting, editing, reviewing, and workshopping to the delivery of poems to magazines, literary journals, and competitions. … Continue reading Poetry Inc. – Part One
Clifford Liles 