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TheFED Writing Challenge and News Update
16 March, 2013
27 February, 2013
TheFED - A Network of Writing and Community Publishers : GroupSpaces
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16 February, 2013
08 December, 2012
Get a Grip - Shareware Poem
And if its true
your rear is blue
I'm sending you
this wish
for time to rest
and write your best
for posterityeration.
your rear is blue
I'm sending you
this wish
for time to rest
and write your best
for posterityeration.
Lucia Birch
Get a Grip - Shareware Poem
But then I slip
And hurt my hip
While sliding on my bottom
Upon the ice
That's under foot
It isn't nice
And now I've got
To have an operation
Paid for by the Nation
And I feel rather rotten.
Andrew Diamond
And hurt my hip
While sliding on my bottom
Upon the ice
That's under foot
It isn't nice
And now I've got
To have an operation
Paid for by the Nation
And I feel rather rotten.
Andrew Diamond
Get a Grip - Shareware Poem
This is a sharewarefreeware poem for anybody to add a verse and or any writing group thats doing exercises because I want more verses. - 'Mary P'
"get a grip"
now there's a happy thought
I certainly can and will and ought
meanwhile I am sliding
from my pillar to my post
and all that I have riding
I am not hiding
from one jot of it
just abiding
I bide my time I slide
and in my mind I mime
and snatch the first step short
I certainly can and will and ought
now there's a happy thought
'Mary P'
"get a grip"
now there's a happy thought
I certainly can and will and ought
meanwhile I am sliding
from my pillar to my post
and all that I have riding
I am not hiding
from one jot of it
just abiding
I bide my time I slide
and in my mind I mime
and snatch the first step short
I certainly can and will and ought
now there's a happy thought
'Mary P'
26 November, 2012
The Three Pyramids
A workshop arranged by Andy H Smith at the FED meeting in London on the 17th November 2012 named "Cosmological Investigations and New Constellations" After an interesting talk and short video I called my poem
"The Three Pyramids"
Stark in the desert sand
three perfect shapes align
They interred great kings of old
who believed the planets were a sign
Now once more the same planets show
above the pyramids as of old
has this a meaning now
in the great scheme of things ?
we can create dark matter
and peer into the universe
no more does man depend on faith alone
science has all the answers now
but when I behold the beauty of the skies
I know there is still a lot to learn
Cynthia Price
Stevenage Survirvors
23 November, 2012
Happy Times and Sad Times Remembered
The soundtrack of your life
A work shop facilitated by Tony May
17/11/2012
Tony started by explaining that to write a real character into a story the personality must be followed through, we cited examples of some soap operas where the characters go on holiday and come back as someone completely different . This change spoils the credibility of the whole story. One method, Tony felt was to use music as a "hook" to verify the character, he told us how pieces of music had influenced his life because they seemed to be playing at a time in his life when changes occurred We heard in all two pieces and were told of how they affected Tony, then were asked if we could think of a significant piece or two and wrote about it, preferably a light piece and a sad one. Tony also expressed that the time the music was popular could indicate a persons' age if that was the favoured genre. I wrote the following ( which makes me about 200 - sorry Tony)
Calming memories Beethoven’s' Moonlight Sonata
As a child, lying in bed, a brief time when I felt warm and safe, I listened to my mother on the piano playing "Beethoven’s Moonlight sonata. She was a very accomplished pianist and I would drift off to sleep with the even ripples in my ears. My mother was an infant school teacher and said that if she encountered a disruptive class, she would sit at the piano and play this piece., immediately the class would calm down and all would sit and listen.
In later years when I taught the piano mainly to children, I found this a useful piece to teach, it is quite easy to learn and many children would go away after a few weeks of practice with the first three pages of Beethoven in their repertoire . It is very impressive, gave the child a feeling of pride and a boost to the self esteem, some even played it at their school concert.
All in all, the man who could hardly hear what he wrote down musically has passed on so many beautiful sounds for us all to enjoy.
This was my "sad" piece
Sadness The Rose
Some music can make me feel sad when there is no reason , ballet music for example , I fine emotional and Italian opera well some of the stories are sad maybe I relate to them. The other evening though I turned on the television and X Factor was on, not a programme I like at all but I was captivated by the man who was telling his story it was a sad story and when he began to sing it was as if all the sorrows of the world were being expressed , I just sat and cried.
Cynthia Price
Stevenage Survirvors
20 November, 2012
'My Fed 2012 Experience'
I had a pretty good time at the festival this year! It was nice to see many familiar faces again if a little frustrating that during the day there wasn't much time to just 'sit around and chat' with people. Still, with any one day event this is always going to be difficult.
My group and I arrived late due to roadworks and a seemingly endless diversion so as soon as my bags hit the sofa in the student lounge I was off towards the first morning workshop. I attended John Malcolmson's 'Flash Fiction' workshop and found it very interesting and quite a challenge. The new one and a half hour time slot did not help things much on this occasion however and John did not really get enough time but everyone who attended wrote something and gave feedback at one point or another so the workshop was a success never the less.
After a coffee break I attended the 'Book Stalls' session. Hosted by Andrew from Goodmayes Writers (and Roger) the time was used to allow members of the FED a chance to introduce their latest works and or publications to everyone. Various people read passages from books they had for sale and I got to introduce 3 CD's of my own which would never have come into being without the positive effect previous FEDfests have had upon me.
Lunch was as delicious as ever I had two cups full of Lucia's fantastic soup. Later, the was also a selection of wonderful cakes and sponges that were enjoyed by all as well...
Having had a long journey and a somewhat rushed morning session I chose not to attend the AGM this year. Instead I went to room 303 and prepared for my afternoon Workshop - 'The Soundtrack To Your Life'.
The workshop itself did not go quite as well as I had hoped (I still have a lot to learn about how to put a workshop together) and I was a bit disappointed that only 5 people attended. Everybody wrote plenty though during the workshop and so I'm sure most enjoyed it even if I did end up 'winging it' a little in places!
After more coffee Roger took to the floor in the students lounge and conducted the Plenary session. Its always good to get some feedback from the floor and hear first hand what people have gained from attending the workshops. I do think now (with sadly dwindling numbers attending) that six workshops each slot is too many (four would be better) though. A lot of work goes into preparing a workshop and if on the day workshop leaders only get a few attendees it is likely to put them off running a workshop at future festivals.
Perhaps members could be asked to indicate their preferences in advance of the actual day as in a restaurant menu at a works Christmas do? This way, any proposed workshop that does not attract much interest can be scratched and the final timetable for the day then finalised and sent out to members? I felt really sorry this year for one lady whose workshop failed to attract a single person. Surely things could be done to avoid this situation happening again?
Lastly, I got to compare the 'Celebratory Reading' session this year. This was great fun for me and a hark back to my old DJ'ing days! Everybody who wanted to read got their turn and the session was good natured and light hearted. During the hour and a half we heard a bit of everything really. Interesting, whimsical, 'Naughty' (Bruce and Agnes, really! HA HA), poetic, heart wrenching etc, etc and I got to finish this years festival off by singing a song of mine fittingly entitled 'Genius'.
A big THANK YOU to all who made my day so special and to those who bought copies of my CD's especially Matt from Stevenage Survivors who has been a long-term supporter of me and my work.
I hope we can do it all again next year...
Tony May
G.R.O.W (and Shorelink Community Writers)
05 October, 2012
Loose Muse - October : TheFED - A Network of Writing and Community Publishers : GroupSpaces
Loose Muse - October : TheFED - A Network of Writing and Community Publishers : GroupSpaces
Loose Muse - October
Wednesday, 10th October 2012 at 8pm
Location: The Poetry Cafe, 22 Betterton Street, London WC2 (closest tube = Covent Garden),
Hi gang,
With autumn chasing away the last remnants of summer, the October Loose Muse has a real international flavour:
LOOSE MUSE – London’s Premiere Women’s Writers Night.
Wednesday 10th October – the second Wednesday of each month.
@ The Poetry Cafe, 22 Betterton Street, London WC2 (closest tube = Covent Garden),
8.00 p.m. - £5.00 - £3.00 concessions
Features this month:
Ivy Alvarez is the author of Mortal (Washington, DC: Red Morning Press, 2006), with a second collection forthcoming from Seren Books. A recipient of writing residencies from MacDowell Colony, Hawthornden Castle and Fundacion Valparaiso, her work appears in journals and anthologies in many countries, with individual poems translated into Russian, Spanish, Japanese and Korean. www.ivyalvarez.com
Jona Burghardt is a writer, poet, translator and teacher, from Buenos Aires, who has lived in Germany since the mid 80’s. She specializes in poetry written in Spanish and German, edited a series of Korean literature, and translated German, Austrian, Swiss, Arab and Asian authors into Spanish for International Poetry Festivals in Colombia, Argentina and Venezuela, where she also led workshops. Her poems have been translated into Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Portuguese and Turkish, and she has presented her work at international festivals all over the world.
Plus plenty of chances to come read your own work from the floor.
So come share the passion, share the joy!
Agnes Meadows
Host and Coordinator - Loose Muse Women’s Writers’ Night Tel: 07789-901-667 E: agnespoet@googlemail.com www.loose-muse.com
With autumn chasing away the last remnants of summer, the October Loose Muse has a real international flavour:
LOOSE MUSE – London’s Premiere Women’s Writers Night.
Wednesday 10th October – the second Wednesday of each month.
@ The Poetry Cafe, 22 Betterton Street, London WC2 (closest tube = Covent Garden),
8.00 p.m. - £5.00 - £3.00 concessions
Features this month:
Ivy Alvarez is the author of Mortal (Washington, DC: Red Morning Press, 2006), with a second collection forthcoming from Seren Books. A recipient of writing residencies from MacDowell Colony, Hawthornden Castle and Fundacion Valparaiso, her work appears in journals and anthologies in many countries, with individual poems translated into Russian, Spanish, Japanese and Korean. www.ivyalvarez.com
Jona Burghardt is a writer, poet, translator and teacher, from Buenos Aires, who has lived in Germany since the mid 80’s. She specializes in poetry written in Spanish and German, edited a series of Korean literature, and translated German, Austrian, Swiss, Arab and Asian authors into Spanish for International Poetry Festivals in Colombia, Argentina and Venezuela, where she also led workshops. Her poems have been translated into Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Portuguese and Turkish, and she has presented her work at international festivals all over the world.
Plus plenty of chances to come read your own work from the floor.
So come share the passion, share the joy!
Agnes Meadows
Host and Coordinator - Loose Muse Women’s Writers’ Night Tel: 07789-901-667 E: agnespoet@googlemail.com www.loose-muse.com
02 October, 2012
TheFED - A Network of Writing and Community Publishers : GroupSpaces
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17 August, 2012
HELP SAVE Little Episodes!!
It's
been a year of rest for LE, what with Olympic fever and various jubilee
type parties... And it has been well needed but on the downside, there
has been no income from our usual monthly nights. LE is run entirely by a
thinly spread smattering of unpaid volunteers who also have to earn
livings and run lives. The break has been needed by one and all but
unfortunately we have our annual website hosting bill of £450 to pay and
only £100 in the paypal. To keep the site, we need to raise some cash
sharpish - if everyone donated a pound; http://littleepisodes.
We are planning an all singing, all dancing end of year fundraiser
with many of our regulars. We would love to assemble a new team to push
LE through into 2013 and achieve charity status. The aim is to secure
funding so that we can achieve more and engage a core staff...
More to come on that front but for the meantime; please HELP SAVE LE!!
Lucie & Chris
x
Visit Little Episodes at: http://www.members.TheFED Writing Challenge and News Update
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GroupSpaces
04 August, 2012
TheFED Writing Challenge and News Update
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16 July, 2012
TheFED - Network of Writing & Community Publishers - Coleford Festival of Words 2012
TheFED - Network of Writing & Community Publishers - Coleford Festival of Words 2012
Roger Drury's report and pictures have been added to TheFED website gallery.
Roger Drury's report and pictures have been added to TheFED website gallery.
01 June, 2012
TheFED Writing Challenge
Saturday, 30th June 2012 at 11:59pm
Location: TheFED Website
TheFED Writing Challenge is open to everyone.
It doesn't cost anything to submit your writing - and there are no prizes, winners or losers.
All submissions will be displayed on TheFED website and may also be featured in future TheFED publications.
Please do leave comments for the other writers - we all like to get feedback!
The theme for June 2012 is:
'Fascination'
A theme / title suggested by Mark Crittenden (a member of GROW)
Writing Submission Form
Writing can be in any form or style, poetry or prose.
Please encourage the rest of your group to participate, especially those who do not have access to the Internet.
You can also email your writing to: writing.challenge@fedonline.org.
Deadline is Midnight on 30th June 2012
It doesn't cost anything to submit your writing - and there are no prizes, winners or losers.
All submissions will be displayed on TheFED website and may also be featured in future TheFED publications.
Please do leave comments for the other writers - we all like to get feedback!
The theme for June 2012 is:
'Fascination'
A theme / title suggested by Mark Crittenden (a member of GROW)
Writing Submission Form
Writing can be in any form or style, poetry or prose.
Please encourage the rest of your group to participate, especially those who do not have access to the Internet.
You can also email your writing to: writing.challenge@fedonline.org.
Deadline is Midnight on 30th June 2012
29 May, 2012
2nd - 7th July 2012
The Forest Bookshop
Coleford
Forest of Dean
Gloucestershire
'Sweet Stories-Hard Boiled Words workshops and performances, Le Navet Bete comedy fuelled circus Theatre, Wordsman John Hegley, and much more.
More news soon on the many many exciting events at the Forest Bookshop and around the town.
Please go to http://forestbookshop.com/pages/Categories/EVENTS.html for the latest information.
28 May, 2012
TheFED - Network of Writing & Community Publishers - Writing Festival 2012
TheFED - Network of Writing & Community Publishers - Writing Festival 2012
Louise Glasscoe has updated our 2012 Festival Flyer.
Louise Glasscoe has updated our 2012 Festival Flyer.
22 May, 2012
Nowhere Better Than Home - by Jenny Palmer
Dear TheFED
Just
to let you know that my book 'Nowhere better than home' has been
published and will be launched on Thursday, 14th June, 7-8
p.m. at Clitheroe Books and at the Pendle Heritage Centre on Friday,
June 15th, 12- 2p.m.
I would be very obliged if you could put this on the Fed Website. I hope to be at the next Fed event.
Yours, Jenny Palmer
Email jenniferpalmer7@btinternet.com
21 May, 2012
TheFED - Writing & Community Publishers - 40 Leap Year May 2012
Would you like to be a blogger for TheFED - A Network of Writing & Community Publishers?
Share your community writing / publishing / arts group news and publicise your events?
To become an author of this blog please send an email to: fedonline1@gmail.com, stating your name, email address and the name & location of your group (if any).
Share your community writing / publishing / arts group news and publicise your events?
To become an author of this blog please send an email to: fedonline1@gmail.com, stating your name, email address and the name & location of your group (if any).
19 May, 2012
Nick Pollard May 18, 2012 1:25 PM
A couple of new publications which discuss community publishing:
Politics of occupation centred practice (edited by Nick Pollard and Dikaios Sakellariou) Wiley, 2012 has a chapter on The Fed and the FWWCP, and the June edition of the British Journal of Occupational Therapy 75 (6) has a paper by Moses Ikiugu, Nick Pollard, Audrey Cross and others called Meaning making through occupations and occupational roles: a heuristic study or worker-writer histories.
Politics of occupation centred practice (edited by Nick Pollard and Dikaios Sakellariou) Wiley, 2012 has a chapter on The Fed and the FWWCP, and the June edition of the British Journal of Occupational Therapy 75 (6) has a paper by Moses Ikiugu, Nick Pollard, Audrey Cross and others called Meaning making through occupations and occupational roles: a heuristic study or worker-writer histories.
18 May, 2012
17 May, 2012
Volunteering and Mental Health Study
Would you like to take part in a research study about volunteering?
This is an opportunity to take part in a research study about volunteering and what volunteering means to you?
This is an opportunity to take part in a research study about volunteering and what volunteering means to you?
- Are you aged between 16 and 65?
- Do you currently volunteer but are not in paid employment?
- Do you think of yourself as having a mental health problem? (diagnosis is not important in this study)
If you would like to take part in this study or find out more about it please contact
Colette Fegan
c.m.fegan@shu.ac.uk
Tel: 0114 225 2581
The Research Ethics Committee at Sheffield Hallam University have reviewed this study and given a favourable opinion. It forms part of the researchers PhD.
16 May, 2012
Writing Challenge - May 2012
TheFED Writing Challenge Deadline
Thursday, 31st May 2012 at 11:59pm
Location: TheFED Website
TheFED Writing Challenge is open to everyone.
It doesn't cost anything to submit your writing - and there are no prizes, winners or losers.
All submissions will be displayed on TheFED website and may also be featured in future TheFED publications.
Please do leave comments for the other writers - we all like to get feedback!
The theme for May 2012 is:
Leap Year
A theme / title suggested by John Malcomson (a member of Heely Writers)Writing Submission Form
Writing can be in any form or style, poetry or prose.
Please encourage the rest of your group to participate, especially those who do not have access to the Internet.
You can also email your writing to: writing.challenge@fedonline.org.
Deadline is Midnight on 31st May 2012
It doesn't cost anything to submit your writing - and there are no prizes, winners or losers.
All submissions will be displayed on TheFED website and may also be featured in future TheFED publications.
Please do leave comments for the other writers - we all like to get feedback!
The theme for May 2012 is:
Leap Year
A theme / title suggested by John Malcomson (a member of Heely Writers)Writing Submission Form
Writing can be in any form or style, poetry or prose.
Please encourage the rest of your group to participate, especially those who do not have access to the Internet.
You can also email your writing to: writing.challenge@fedonline.org.
Deadline is Midnight on 31st May 2012
14 May, 2012
TheFED-Friends BLOG
The FED's Blog has been revamped to co-ordinate with our new website colour-scheme.
22 February, 2009
THE EARTHING SPIKE
I have recently remembered another rather amusing incident from my national service days. As you may possibly recollect from my previous narratives, I was put in charge of a mobile multi-channel radio link.
Amongst the equipment were two mains electric generators. Powered by the Volkswagen flat four engine (as used in the Beetle) they were very reliable and efficient but for one small but highly annoying fault. This was that the insulation was not quite up to standard and was capable of delivering a shot of alternating current to the unfortunate recipient unless adequately earthed.
This earthing was effected by the use of a purpose made metal spike which was connected to the chassis of the unit, in order to remain effective the soil around had to be kept moist and a special plastic container was kept filled with water to this end.
Anyway, one summer I was out on a NATO exercise with my detachment, we were encamped in a forest clearing somewhere in Northern Germany. The weather had been dry for several weeks, and, as most of Northern Germany has a sandy soil, the earth spike required constant attention.
Now we had recently acquired a new Troop Sergeant (I shan’t mention his name here). This individual was most conceited and bombastic - you now had been there, done it, bought the tee shirt, etc etc That particular day I instructed my electrician/driver to fill the plastic container and water the spike. The Sergeant immediately said not to bother and, completely ignoring my warning about possible consequences, he would see to it himself, whereupon he walked down to the generator, unbuttoned his fly and relieved himself on an earthing spike which, due to the soil condition and the dry weather, must have been charged to at least fifty volts.
I have never heard a grown man make such a shriek as the Sergeant did on that day! Strangely enough, after that he became oddly quiet and meek. I wonder why??
Henry Dallimore
Pottsville Open Writers (POW)
31 January, 2009
Some Beautiful Music
Hear music from an Aboriginal Musician named
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu. It's really lovely...
http://www.myspace.com/gurrumul
30 January, 2009
GROW Group News
Grass Roots Open Writers (GROW) is a community writing and publishing group that is based in Hastings, East Sussex. We have 25 members.
We run a writing workshop in the Hastings Children's Library every Tuesday from 10-12. We use this time to take part in writing exercises, group discussions and to share our writing with others.
We run a weekly Skill-Sharing Workshop in the Roosevelt Court Lounge every Wednesday from 10-12. We use this time to share the skills and knowledge we each have. (Computer skills, DTP, Arts & Crafts, Punctuation & Grammar, Makaton, Aromatherapy, Maths, Finger Spelling and much more.)
We are starting a second weekly writing workshop in the Roosevelt Court Lounge every Friday from 2-3pm
We also arrange social gatherings, attend writing and performance events and share information about such events with each other.
The groups are run voluntarily, by the members themselves.
We have a website (www.grow.btik.com) and this is updated at least once a week. We use our website to keep our members informed about our activities as well as to showcase their writing and to build an online archive of our publications and a record of our achievements.
FUNDING
The venues we meet in are provided to us free of charge.
Our website is also provided to us free of charge, as we are a voluntary organisation.
The people who attend our groups each week make a voluntary contribution of £1. This covers the cost of ink, paper and printing of the worksheets and handouts we use in the groups and the GROW Newsletters.
We produce an annual anthology with an accompanying dvd. The cost of these are covered by selling copies to our friends and families.
Refreshments and other resources are donated to us by group members and supporters.
ORGANISATION
We have a committee with 12 members (minimum 7)
The committee meet every two months (minimum 4 times per year)
We have a constitution, which we adopted at our first AGM in 2008.
We have a bank account.
All the printing, DTP, design and maintainance of the website, books, newsletters, workshops, publicity and planning etc. are done by our members on a voluntary basis.
We apply for funding to help with the cost of hiring a minibus to enable our members to attend TheFED MiniFests.
We run a writing workshop in the Hastings Children's Library every Tuesday from 10-12. We use this time to take part in writing exercises, group discussions and to share our writing with others.
We run a weekly Skill-Sharing Workshop in the Roosevelt Court Lounge every Wednesday from 10-12. We use this time to share the skills and knowledge we each have. (Computer skills, DTP, Arts & Crafts, Punctuation & Grammar, Makaton, Aromatherapy, Maths, Finger Spelling and much more.)
We are starting a second weekly writing workshop in the Roosevelt Court Lounge every Friday from 2-3pm
We also arrange social gatherings, attend writing and performance events and share information about such events with each other.
The groups are run voluntarily, by the members themselves.
We have a website (www.grow.btik.com) and this is updated at least once a week. We use our website to keep our members informed about our activities as well as to showcase their writing and to build an online archive of our publications and a record of our achievements.
FUNDING
The venues we meet in are provided to us free of charge.
Our website is also provided to us free of charge, as we are a voluntary organisation.
The people who attend our groups each week make a voluntary contribution of £1. This covers the cost of ink, paper and printing of the worksheets and handouts we use in the groups and the GROW Newsletters.
We produce an annual anthology with an accompanying dvd. The cost of these are covered by selling copies to our friends and families.
Refreshments and other resources are donated to us by group members and supporters.
ORGANISATION
We have a committee with 12 members (minimum 7)
The committee meet every two months (minimum 4 times per year)
We have a constitution, which we adopted at our first AGM in 2008.
We have a bank account.
All the printing, DTP, design and maintainance of the website, books, newsletters, workshops, publicity and planning etc. are done by our members on a voluntary basis.
We apply for funding to help with the cost of hiring a minibus to enable our members to attend TheFED MiniFests.
GROW AIMS
To provide a safe and supportive environment, that helps our members to build their social skills, confidence and self-esteem, while improving their writing, reading and communication skills.
To organise writing workshops, social activities and networking events, produce our own literature and multimedia presentations.
To enable our members to find their own voice, experiment with new writing methods and explore different writing styles.
To help our members get actively involved with the planning, decision-making and running of the organisation.
To promote the organisation and publicise the work we do.
To offer training and support to help our members recognise the skills they already have, acquire new skills and to develop them further.
To assist our members to take part in social and writing activities that are organised by other local and national groups.
To encourage our members to help and support each other, and also to share their skills, knowledge and expertise when they feel ready and able to do so.
To provide a safe and supportive environment, that helps our members to build their social skills, confidence and self-esteem, while improving their writing, reading and communication skills.
To organise writing workshops, social activities and networking events, produce our own literature and multimedia presentations.
To enable our members to find their own voice, experiment with new writing methods and explore different writing styles.
To help our members get actively involved with the planning, decision-making and running of the organisation.
To promote the organisation and publicise the work we do.
To offer training and support to help our members recognise the skills they already have, acquire new skills and to develop them further.
To assist our members to take part in social and writing activities that are organised by other local and national groups.
To encourage our members to help and support each other, and also to share their skills, knowledge and expertise when they feel ready and able to do so.
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