The other day I was asked what single piece of advice I would give to poets just starting out. And it is, unsurprisingly, that age-old answer – read, and read widely.
Not just your genre or style, go further. Explore prose, narrative, fantasy, thrillers, whatever takes your fancy. You’ll be surprised by what can inspire and breathe life into a piece that has been “work in progress” for months, years even.
So if you’re still looking for some stocking fillers for any fellow writers, these are just a few that are well worth a read:
- Jo Cannon – Insignificant Gestures
- Helen Ivory – Waiting for Bluebeard
- Clare Jay – Breathing in Colour
- Deborah Levy – Black Vodka
- Catherine Smith – The Biting Point
Happy reading (and writing!) over the festive period 🙂
J V Birch 
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