MLitt

Poem: I come from …

August 2, 2021 By Ellen Leave a Comment

I come from the north, From grey harling, drizzled crags and scree. Dandelion and burdock. Engage low gear now. Bacon for breakfast. Breaking in your boots. Passing places and bloody tourists. The library’s parquet gleam. Peewits and feral cats. Toasted arse against the Aga. Wellies and broken veins. Creosote on the fence. Shirt […]

Things I’ve learned from my MLitt graduation

December 1, 2018 By Ellen 2 Comments

This week I was – at least briefly – to be found strutting around in a rather fetching gown and feeling like queen for the day. It was my graduation – MLitt in creative writing at the University of Glasgow. While feeling an appropriate level of chuffed, there was a slight hint of sadness that […]

Writing: seeking satisfaction

October 27, 2018 By Ellen Leave a Comment

Previously, I’d imagined Writer’s block was an empty loft. Nothing there but pigeon shit and echoes It’s not though. It is stuffed, rammed, jammed and bloody well bunged up. Like a colon after Christmas. Too much feasting on the fabulous Bingeing. Masticating and swallowing. Until All at once Immobile, There’s belly ache and belching. […]

Things I’ve learned from completing an MLitt in Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow

September 11, 2018 By Ellen 1 Comment

That’s it. My life is my own again. I’m an ordinary person rather than a mature student. Last week I handed in the final portfolio of my course and, rather than elation and a heady end-of-terminess, I felt a bit flat, slightly sad and, even, a little empty. It would be very tempting to dive […]

Insert cheesy heading about being true to yourself here

October 6, 2017 By Ellen Leave a Comment

In which the penny drops and we wait for the life’s chunky KitKat to drop to the bottom of fate’s vending machine (or something). Hat trick – the term originated in cricket. A bowler who retired three batsmen to three consecutive balls earned himself a new hat, paid for by the club. I googled and now […]