Tag: readers

Brand New Poetry – Cleverly Woven Words

Writing is more than just a hobby. It is a lifestyle.

Guest Post

This week I am excited to share the poetry of an up-and-coming writer/ performer. I first heard about him on Davina McCall’s podcast – Making The Cut – which I have previously reviewed here.

In my opinion, Jacob Dolley’s words have meaning and resonance. I can tell that he speaks from his own experiences and shows empathy as well as encouragement in his work. It is great to see a new poet emerge onto the scene, starting with high praise from Davina and Michael, whose recommendations are always brilliant.

Brief Bio

My name is Jacob Dolley (18 years old)

I started writing poetry in lockdown when I was at my lowest with depression.
Poetry for me was a release and an escape from the outside world, but as my mental health has got much better and I’m feeling happier, my poetry has expanded into something more positive that I want to share with the world.
I want to inspire young people that there is 100% light at the end of the tunnel and that bad things don’t last forever.
I’m highly ambitious and have my eyes set on becoming a published writer (writing poetry).
I perform spoken word and spoken poetry, so a huge goal for me is to work with Charities and brands, using my poetry to spread the awareness of mental health.
I’ve been featured on Davina McCall’s podcast, as well as being a guest on ‘The Show Love’ podcast.
You can find me on Instagram @lightningpoems and TikTok (@lightningpoems).

Jacob’s Poem:

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Treasure Your Smile

If you’ve forgotten what happiness is,
Let me run around your mind and jog your memory.
It’s little love songs and piano ballad melodies.
It’s warm hugs and rich kiss remedies.
Treasure your smile,
It’s your most beautiful accessory.

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Jacob’s words:

Thank you very much,
This is my first time being mentioned in a blog so I’m very honoured!!
I’m based down in Tunbridge Wells (Kent) and perform at the venue ‘The Forum’ every month through ‘WordUp’ at an open mic poetry night if you ever wanted to come down.

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Massive thanks to Jacob for sharing one of his poems and introducing himself to our lovely blogging community. Please give him a follow and check out his videos, as well as dropping a comment below this to show support.

Have You Caught That Writing Bug Yet?

As someone who talks for a living, some people are surprised when I tell them that my favourite thing is writing stuff down. It is a passion which has taken over my spare time and I absolutely love it. My first choice pastime is writing, closely followed by reading. One feeds into another in an interconnected cycle.

I wonder how many of you have caught the writing bug. Below are some questions to consider when trying to decide whether or not you are a writing addict.

Let’s celebrate writing.

When you wake up, do you feel the writing urge?

As soon as you open your eyes do you have an idea that you desperately need to write down? It happens to me a lot. I scribble it down on a post-it note or even send myself a text so that I don’t lose the idea on a busy work day.

This also occurs just when I am about to sleep and I find I cannot rest properly until I have found a way to record that little snippet of inspiration.

Is writing on your mind at work?

Let’s be honest, it can be very easy to drift off into your imagination, especially when you are doing a task that doesn’t quite fulfil your dreams.

If writing is on your mind, then possibly writing is the real career that you would be best suited to. For me, I plan to work part time in my workplace and a few days at home exploring my writing dreams. I cannot wait till September when this becomes a reality.

How many times have you desperately tried to find a way to note an idea down?

Is it me or do you also find that the best ideas arise when you have no means of getting them recorded?

I can be going for a run and see a couple arguing and think of a story idea or driving along with nowhere to stop and jot my thoughts down.

I would say if this has happened to you at least once a week for the last few months then you probably are addicted to writing too.

Do you get so involved with what you are writing that you forget that you wrote it?

Sometimes I get engrossed in a short story that I am working on and kind of detach myself from it. I start believing that the characters are real and wishing someone would tell me what happens next.

Then I realise that their life stories depend on my imagination and I reawaken to the fact that their future is in my hands alone. This makes me even more excited.

So what did you decide?

After considering the prompts that I included in this post, have you decided whether you currently have the writing bug or not?

If it is an illness then it is a rewarding one although it can sometimes flare up when it develops into that well known symptom – writers’ block. This can be overcome with a little dose of rest and reading, before subsiding and returning you to an inspired state.

Thank you for reading my silly article about writing addiction. I bet some of you are as hooked on writing as I am and I would love to know more about your experiences in the following comments section. If you enjoyed this piece then perhaps consider following my blog and making my day.

For a sample of my short stories perhaps check out my tale of misconception Feeling Judged.

Exciting Times – Book Thoughts

Naoise Dolan is an Irish writer who I had never heard of before, probably because the book I just finished reading was her very first novel. This award winning publication about a woman teaching English in Hong Kong was a very readable book but the thing that attracted me to it originally was its cover. Simple but colourful.Read on for my ‘Exciting Times’ book review.

Hong Kong makes for a brilliant backdrop.

It turns out she wrote this book whilst living in Hong Kong herself so clearly she felt very inspired whilst there. The story followed Ava who had moved to experience a different culture and have some breathing space away from her expectant family. Working as a teacher, she struggled to afford much and had a flat share before befriending a British banker (Julian) who eventually invited her to stay at his.

The book is readable but there are moments when the author analyses grammar and these can detract from the storytelling a bit. As a teacher, I enjoyed this but I can see how it may get a little irritating. In a way it served the purpose of discussing what she was teaching and how her students got to grips with the past progressive tense and other such linguistic concepts. All I can say is, like it or not, the rest of the story is interesting and unique.

Without giving too much away, Ava became ‘friends with benefits’ with her new landlord friend and explored a different passion with a local character during a period when her buddy was away for business. Julian seemed quite a distant person and was not rattled too much publicly by Ava’s fascination with a confident woman (Edith). With an LGBT angle to this story, the author had a masterful way of outlining challenges that can come from exploring relationships.

Thoughts

So, in a nutshell, this book is a clever read set in Hong Kong, with a bit of intellectual natter thrown in. If you strip it right back, it is about self-discovery, a need to impress and flying away from the family nest. Naoise was recognised for her debut and aligned with Sally Rooney. I am pleased with the book but I did pick it up and put it down a lot over the past two years. Although it is compelling, it was not a story that grabbed me in the same way as The Girl in the Blue Coat which I reviewed last.

Thanks for reading my review of this colourful book. If you enjoyed this, perhaps consider following my little blog for similar future content.