Heart and Soul

It is with a lighter foot that I step up and move forward and start to write again. The act of writing is not difficult for me, but I am far better at putting the act off, distracting myself with something more worthy and surprisingly even more 'domestic'. Household chores have too often been given priority over creativity, not that you would know that by the 'lived in' mess of my home. But I am starting to really understand now that procrastination is an artform in itself and one that I have been developing unknowingly for many years.

For a good dose of inspiration I visited the Wealden Literary Festival which has more recently been seen to be encouraging more women writers to take centre stage. I went to a couple of talks and enjoyed the honesty and enthusiasm with which the women spoke of their experiences within the popular genre of nature writing, especially that of nature and place. I recognise the voice of these narrators. I feel their writing. It resonates. From now on I too will put my heart and soul into the writing and see what happens on the page.

I have just signed myself up for Whitstable's first swim-lit Festival this Saturday, 

between-the-tides

It starts with a swim at high tide at 10.37 and finishes with a night swim at 23.01, with many talks by authors such as Tanya Shadrick, (who I was lucky enough to see at the WLF), with workshops, music, coffee and cake in between. I am hoping this local festival will inspire and encourage me further.