In April 2020 during Canada's National Poetry Month I began speaking with poets - mostly Canadian - to spread the word (pun intended) about their poetry, their likes, their processes, and their poems. Turnstone Press contacted me and asked if I speak, um, schmooze with some of their poets who were launching books. Why, of... Continue Reading →
expression – a poem
I’ve tried to express the time of day when one sees the green beetles and the cicadas flying in the heat. Vincent to Théo, letter 805, St. Rémy de Provence, 20 September 1889 I’ll keep myself separate, painting the cries of the others in this crazy house, unnerving and comforting I am not alone in... Continue Reading →
ANNA MARIE SEWELL: Poetry – Water Flowing with Names
via ANNA MARIE SEWELL: Poetry - Water Flowing with Names
Stuck
Not literally. Maybe just brain frozen from looking at ancient (more than 100 years old) art - paintings, sculpture, buildings, food... Yup, food. Some of it frozen in time in restaurants that are trying to present their menu in windows that need to be cleaned - as in removing dust and flies - and some... Continue Reading →
Neil Gaiman’s Eight Rules of Writing… and my responses
1. Write You can’t get anywhere unless you write. First basic principle of getting things done. You won’t write a poem or a story or a grocery list unless you pick up your computer, pen, whatever, and start writing. 2. Put one word after another. Find the right word, put it down. Who ever heard... Continue Reading →
Web writing – add that to your c.v.
For the last several months, I’ve been working on re-writing web content for a large organization. Instead of writing corporate-speak, the writing is client-centric. In other words, writing for the audience. Some of the basic premises and techniques used are: Ask questions and give answers – “Do you need something?” “You can find your something... Continue Reading →
Why I love editing
I know! Some people think I'm crazy and perhaps I am, but I truly love to edit. Perhaps my "fetish" came from my father. My dad was a great editor. His first job (I believe he was eight) was as a journalist who, upon listening in on conversations between his mother and her neighbours, became... Continue Reading →
Remember Ron Weasley’s Mother? BAM!
A bang, a screamer, a gasper, a slammer, or a startler, a shriek, a pling, a shout pole, and a dembanger. These words mean one thing "!". Remember Ron Weasley’s mother? And the “Screamer” she sent Ron when he flew the car to Hogwarts with Harry? Now, that’s what I call an exclamation mark! Exclamation... Continue Reading →
Why editing matters
In academia, whether as an undergrad, graduate, or professor, your writing and your research will distinguish you from a large pool of people. For students, good grammar and a polished text is the difference between an A paper and a B or C paper. Unfortunately, grammar and good writing does not seem to be high on... Continue Reading →
Ta-Da
We had a slogan at another company - Dream big, start small. I've always loved that. Evokes all sorts of questions: what do you want to do? What are you good at? What is the best thing you could do? What did you want to be when you grew up? What do you want to... Continue Reading →