Category Archives: Literature

Creativity in reading

Posted on 10 May 2010 by Robert

The term ‘creative writing’ can actually have a negative effect on the people attending these workshops, because it implies that writing is the only creative act Continue reading →

Posted in Literature | 1 Comment

The Long and Short of It

Posted on 27 April 2010 by Robert

From The Guardian last week: “We think this will be the renaissance of the short story,” said novelist Sophia Bartleet, who came up with the idea for Ether Books’s app while desperate for something to read when travelling back and … Continue reading →

Posted in Diary, Literature, Media | 1 Comment

Judging a Book by its Cover

Posted on 1 April 2010 by Robert

An event report I wrote for the English PEN website. I’ll admit, I judged this event by its cover. I assumed that an discussion titled ‘Judging a book by its cover’ would be about book jacket design, rich and fertile … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Elsewhere, Literature | Leave a comment

Speech to the Society of Young Publishers

Posted on 29 March 2010 by Robert

Publishing as a faith. Continue reading →

Posted in Diary, Human Rights, Literature, Multiculturalism | 3 Comments

Back-up Your Brain

Posted on 6 February 2010 by Robert

A human consciousness restored from my uploaded back-up would be indisputably my creation, a more detailed product of my life and times than anything I might write or carve, or anyone I might sire. Far better that they, in particular, get to witness the “more glorious dawn” of a Galaxy-rise, than some other generic homo sapien. Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Film, Literature, Science, Space Travel | 3 Comments

Inside Time

Posted on 7 December 2009 by Robert

I celebrated a minor victory on Criminal Memoirs for Inside Time Magazine. There doesn’t seem to be a permalink for the article, so I’m reproducing it below. Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Elsewhere, Human Rights, Literature | Leave a comment

A True Born Englishman?

Posted on 11 November 2009 by Robert

Overall, my impression was that the other pannelists collectively agreed to discredit Griffin with ad hominems, rather than engage with, and demolish his arguments. What they needed was some poetry. Continue reading →

Posted in Literature, Multiculturalism, Music, Politics, UK | Leave a comment

Anti-free speech? UK courts can help

Posted on 21 June 2009 by Robert

Here’s another piece I have just had published at Comment is Free. Continue reading →

Posted in Comment is Free, Human Rights, Literature | Leave a comment

Competitive Poetry?

Posted on 3 April 2009 by Robert

Poet (and colleague) Sophie Mayer is posting a poem-a-day throughout April, getting in on the action of America’s National Poetry Month. This frantic, deadline based creativity reminds me of Layer Tennis, still going strong and coming to the UK right … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature | 2 Comments

Mightier than the Sword

Posted on 23 February 2009 by Robert

Today I start a new job, as Campaigns Manager at English PEN, promoting literature and human rights worldwide.  A dream job for a blogger, I reckon. As before, consider this full disclosure to the bloggers’ register of interests, and sufficient … Continue reading →

Posted in Asia, Diary, Human Rights, Literature | 1 Comment