Quiet time and Wordnoisery Poetry Gig

Hello September

Salve from Taormina, recently infamous White Lotus territory but also a place my Dad loved and talked about with great enthusiasm, which is why we are here for the next few days - a kind of pilgrimage. I can understand why he loved it do much.

Photos and words don’t do it justice but here’s some - it’s dramatic, picturesque, scenic, historic, glamorous and glitzy (woah there with the adjectives). Also hot, hazy, panoramic, busy, expensive, fabulous and quirky. I feel very lucky to be here and experiencing this place where my parents had a lovely holiday over 20 years ago.

I’ve got a couple of quiet days here this week, which will be very busy with writing and research for some brand new workshops designed for anyone with caring responsibilities (more about them soon but info here) I’m also for re-reading for tutoring (I tutor English one to one as well as running workshops etc).

I am unexpectedly ten years into my English tutoring business, which I started when I graduated from the MFA at Kingston University, and I love it.

I get to work one to one online with students from age 11 up (I’ve taught anywhere between age 4-78 over the years ) and learn with them as well as supporting them with whatever help they need in their English studies. For example, I am still learning something new about Macbeth every year, despite teaching it for over 10 years and studying it myself nearly 40 years ago!

X-ing The Line Poetry Reading in London, Sunday 8th September

The other activity I am very blessed to have some time for this week, is to work out which poems to read next Sunday, September 8th, at X-ing The Line - a dream reading event for me. Thanks to Jeff Hilson for asking me.

I haven’t done a reading like this for nearly a couple of years because I was caring for my dad and had to put a lot of my writing activities on the back burner. I’m very much looking forward to this reading, which takes place at the Hoxton Cabin in London, 6pm for a 7pm start. Facebook event and info here if you would like to come along.

I’m very much looking forward to hearing the other poets read (Cole Denyer, Simon Smith and Nicola Woodham) and to be able to be at this event and read some poems too.The last time I read poems was December 2022 when I quietly launched the second edition of my poetry map, Amniotic City as part of a Writers’ Kingston event celebrating the wonderful poet Stephen Watts. I will definitely read some poems from the map, and a few from elsewhere, and maybe some new work too.

illustration of me reading from Amniotic City, Dec 2022, thanks to the amazing Alban Low

Setting Sunday - Intention for the week

As it is the first Setting Sunday in September and indeed the very first day in September, I am setting a new intention which I hope to re-make every Sunday:

I am going to make time to write for one hour every day.

I might not actually write for all of that time but from now for one hour each day I am going to turn up consistently to my note book / journal / laptop, with no other intent than to write.

I’m reminded of Neil Gaiman’s rules for writing, paraphrased here: sit at your desk, write or do nothing (click for a nicely written article about it).

That’s it - my intention for this week - one hour sitting at my desk (maybe a virtual one as I’m still travelling at the moment) *every* day to write - purely creative writing.

Now, I invite you to set an intention for this week - it could be anything - anything that will help you to feel more creative and good for your well-being. Eg: read a book for 10 minutes every day, go for a walk every day, write a journal every day. Then when you’ve decided - write it down. Stick it up somewhere you can see it - fridge door, noticeboard, on your bathroom mirror!

How will I hold myself accountable? I’ll post a note here on Substack and also on Linkedin, Facebook and Bluesky. I’ll post again mid-week and let you know how I’m doing. I promise if I do badly I will be honest.

Please will you let me know what your intentions are for this week in the comments below? I would love to know what you want to focus on for this week!

Avanti!

Love from Taormina,

Lucy X