About Me

Qualifications:
MA, Teaching and Practice of Creative Writing, Cardiff University, 2010
BA (Hons) English and Creative Writing, Aberystwyth University, 2006
City & Guilds: Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector, 2009

Publications and Achievements:
Published:'Parthian'2012,'Buzz Magazine'2012,'The Pygmy Giant' 2011,'Cheval 4'2011,the White Leaf Review, 2008

Guest author: Shoreham Wordfest,2012
Longlisted, Cinnamon Press Poetry Collection Award, 2011
Shortlisted, Bridport Prize for Poetry, 2010
Shortlisted, CODA Architects poetry collaboration project, 2010
Guest Poet:Salisbury House, London, 2009
Won ‘Highly Commended’, the Royal Literary Fund, 2005
Shortlisted for John Tripp Award for spoken word, 2004

Professional Memberships: Professional Member of the National Association of Writers in Education, Lapidus

Rebecca has worked for a number of years in magazine, newspaper, book publishing and bookselling. She has experience of teaching creative writing to primary, sixth form, undergraduate and FE level students.

On Editing


Editing Poetry                                             

Writing and reading poetry is an experience which should draw on the senses of both you the poet and the reader. Here are a few questions you might ask yourself when editing a poem:

  1. Sight:

How should the poem look? What does the visual aspect of the piece convey to the reader?

  1. Sound:

Does it sound right when read aloud? Are the pauses and line breaks in the right place when you read? Are you emphasising, lingering over the right words, the images and statements of importance to the piece? Will your reader/audience understand you?

  1. Texture:

Does the poem have depth, layers to it? How are the images formed and do they connect successfully with one another?

  1. Communication:

Can the reader access the mood, the space and experience that you are trying to convey?

  1. Form and shape:

Does the poem hold itself together successfully? Does the body of the piece suit the content? If it is a Sonnet or Haiku, is the meter correct? Does it rhyme in the right place?



Remember:

A poem should contain shifts and conflict – however subtle. The poem should pierce the reader and touch the imagination.

Be careful not to over use, simile, metaphor and be doubly careful of cliché. Wherever possible allow others to read your work and provide Constructive criticism as sometimes it is difficult to see glaring mistakes, clichés when you have been pouring over a piece of writing for hours. It is healthy to put work aside for a week or more. Leave it to ferment for a while and then get it out again to view it with a fresh pair of eyes.

You might want to practice your reading skills by selecting a few poems of your choice and reading them aloud to get the rhythm and sound of the work. This will help you to understand the importance of editing your work and to understand how other poets make choices about line breaks and repetition to convey a message, sound or style. Poetry is like music and the more you practice reading aloud, the more you will understand where the natural pauses, rhymes and breaks should be.

You may also want to consider what you might change about your chosen poems. You could also think about how you might edit these pieces and perhaps revise one or two to see how it changes the reading and meaning of the poem.  

Happy Editing!

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