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Review: The Art of Mindful Reading

February 17, 2020 in Bookshelf, Reviews

Can reading help you achieve mindfulness? And can mindfulness enhance your reading pleasure?

Photoprompt #22: View from the Shard

February 17, 2020 in Photography, PhotoPrompt

I love London, especially at night, and this is a wonderful panorama of this great city.

No time to write? Here are 7 things you can do about it

February 13, 2020 in Handy hints, Professional writer

Most of us live in the real world rather than an ideal one, and sometimes find it almost impossible to find enough time to write productively. Here are seven things you can try to help ensure that when you do have time you’re not at a loss for words.

Image from Thomas Hardy's work, copyright-free from British Library

Reflections on a course: Victorian Visions

February 10, 2020 in Reviews

The focus of this course is on the prose and poetry of the Victorian era (1837-1901), against the backdrop of the changes taking place in both society and academia. What’s my verdict?

Book Review: The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The Victorian Age

February 06, 2020 in Bookshelf, Reviews, Writer Resource

This book not only contains a huge sampling of both prose and poetry, but places them into an historical context.

The cover of The Greek Myths, Folio Edition, by Terry Freedman

The Greek Myths, by Robert Graves: A short review

February 02, 2020 in Bad writing, Reviews

The best thing I can say about this book is that it’s great to use as a work of reference.

The 100 word constraint

January 29, 2020 in Creative Writing, Oulipo, Short form

Working within a limit of 100 words is both terrifying and liberating.

I've never written a detective story but...

January 28, 2020 in Bad writing, Oulipo

The trouble with detective fiction.

A short story involving homophonics: the answers

January 27, 2020 in Creative Writing

In a recent article I set a puzzle: identifying the hidden homophonics in a short story. Here are the answers.

Neon tube map, by Terry Freedman. I’m thinking: does this count as a visual homophone (a homovide?) of a tube map?

A short story involving homophonics

January 19, 2020 in Oulipo, Creative Writing

Homophones are words that sound the same but don’t mean the same, such as fare (food) and fare (cost of travel), or their and there. In Oulipo, you take a phrase and think of one which sounds like it. I believe that it is permissible to stretch the definition of “sounds like”, so I have taken advantage of that fact.

Terry Freedman in the Oval Room, LBF 2018

The London Book Fair 2020

January 16, 2020 in Events, Professional writer, News & views

The seminar programme at the London Book Fair (10-12 March) seems to be taking shape. Definitely worth checking out what’s in place so far.

Sect's Grindstones! The message decoded

January 13, 2020 in Creative Writing, Oulipo, The lighter side

My Christmas, Oulipo-inspired message decoded.

12 websites for free illustrations for your articles UPDATED!

January 10, 2020 in Photography, Useful websites

Here are 12 websites where you can find high quality pictures that are free to use on your own website or blog.

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Review of the Oulipo Compendium

January 06, 2020 in Bookshelf, Creative Writing, Language, Oulipo, Reviews, Oulipo book

The Oulipo Compendium, compiled by Harry Matthews and Alastair Brotchie, is in effect a dictionary/encyclopaedia of Oulipo. As such it is both comprehensive and easy to navigate.

Happy New Year, and a puzzle

January 05, 2020 in News & views

A few things I’m currently reading, plus a puzzle for you.

A different way of thinking! Photo of a notice outside Chives cafe in London, by Terry Freedman

Using preverbs to break writer's block

December 27, 2019 in Creative Writing, Handy hints, Oulipo

How to use an Oulipo technique involving proverbs to get through writer’s block.

A brilliant animated cartoon

December 18, 2019 in News & views, The lighter side, Video

You don’t always need words to get your meaning across!

Review of The Penguin Book of the Prose Poem

December 17, 2019 in Bookshelf, Creative Writing, Oulipo, Reviews

If you are a teacher of English or creative writing, you will find this book to be a rich source of material to discuss and analyse with your students. And if you are a writer, this book will I’m sure prove to be a good investment in extending your craft.