Hi Sally,

I write when given the chance... anywhere I can hope I won't get disturbed.
I get so, so, so angry when I am! Used to write late at night when the house
was quiet - but, these days, it's never quiet late at night!
Prefer a biro that's cheap and well flowing. Hate to write too slow because
the tool is slow. I don't like writing in red or green inks (but will if
that's all I can find!). Sometimes write onto the screen of this machine but
not too often. This machine is a tool for consolidating, revising, cutting
and pasting, pushing, polishing... and making lotza mistakes... Once tried
what Philip Larkin used, a 4b pencil, (cos it was quick and easy to cross
things out with) but I found it squeaked! Used to use felt tip pens - but
returned to biro's cos they seem quicker. Thick felt-tips also tended to
make individual words stand out too much on the paper. Biro's can slow
words, or slur words if needs be.

One thing I have noticed, tho, is the shape and the size of the paper used
on the original first draft is so deterministic of the shape, style, rhythm
and form of the poem. Bus ticket haiku, square beermat rhyme royales? Oblong
bermat sonnets? Yes! And more than that! Lined paper makes for a faster
poem! Unlined paper more meditative poems! When I used smaller narrower
paper I ended up writing smaller narrower poems. When I use A4 paper my
drafts can stretch the length of their lines and I can get more lines onto
the page. Two scribbled drafts, wait a while, then switch on the machine...
clickety-click... cut and paste, clickety click. And, if I've written
straight into the electric, I've rarely managed more than 20 line poems on
the screen of this machine.

I guess I mainly write when I'm sitting down. But I don't think I'm sat
still. Then, given the chance, I walk around for a bit. Then get back to the
page, lean over it and scribble one or two things more.

Bob



>From: Sally Evans <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Pennine Poetry Works <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: who writes...
>Date: Sun, 28 Jul 2002 12:18:45 +0100
>
>who writes in pen, or in pencil,  or straight onto the computer?...
>Who writes in the garden, in the living room, in the kitchen, at work, on
>buses...
>who writes  everyday...every other day... every week....
>in the morning ... afternoon....evening....
>
>any of you have time to give us a straw poll?
>
>SallyE








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