Hello fellow writers, and do hope wherever you are may be as spring-like and uplifting as Wales currently is.

As the sap rises, I thought I’d take a slight change in direction here for my writing students, and review books on creativity for writers, and if you’re a Complete Freelance Writing Course student, you’ll find the full review in Section 6, lecture 62.

A few years ago, I wrote a book on the psychology of creativity, Eureka, and AI developments have reignited my interest in this subject, especially as to how our habits of working with AI may help and hinder our creative potential. Watch this space…

How Joining In Can Be Joyous

Far be it for me to preach to you – and this isn’t a morality tale – but a little nudge to join in things, if you’re feeling a bit disconnected.

Ten years ago, I was amongst a number of book enthusiasts who started Llandeilo Lit Fest in the beautiful West Wales market town, near to the farm where my grandmother grew up. The festival has grown and grown and we originators have moved on for new spirits, who do an amazing job to produce a joyous and inspiring few days.

This year in March, in collaboration with Dinefwr House the festival held a writing workshop on local women’s stories, especially those overlooked by history. Historian Norena Shopland took us through some fascinating examples, and we were encouraged to go away and create.

All the writers who attended came up with some fine writing, and I decided to illustrate a spoken word poem about prolific and overlooked romantic novelst Anne Beale, who died in 1900. Llandeilo Lit Fest treasurer Mandy Crofts collected our work.

On Sunday just gone then, it was thrilling to be at Dinefwr House at the book launch of ‘She Is The Story – a creative tribute to Remarkable Women’, edited by Mandy and Norena, and the festival’s first book, supported by the Arts Council of Wales.

Even more thrilling for this old dog of a writer, was to see my first illustration in print and many thanks to all involved for this.

So if you’re thinking of doing something new and creative this spring with other adventurous souls , here’s a blast of encouragement in your direction from West Wales to give it a go!