Philip Burton – “Too Young to Forget”.

Review by Norman Hadley.

This book is damned good. I mention that from the outset because, when poets review each other’s work, their opinions can be so richly embroidered with adjectives like “elegiac”, “threnodic” and “plangent” that the poor reader is left guessing whether to part with his or her fiver.

Reader: guess no more and chisel open that wallet or purse..

Philip is an engaging and avuncular presence at the mike and this twinkly-eyed beardiness comes through the page too. I first met him at a slam about seven years ago and his poem “One” made an instant impact and lodged in the memory so it’s good to see it now committed to print. Likewise, the sure-footed competition-winner “The Knave’s Grave.”

There’s mastery of many forms here. Largely, the verse is freer than skylark song but Philip is not afraid to don the constraints of form when the subject matter calls for it. “Biking Mad” is a brilliant example of a pantoum – a very techie Malayan form with tactical bursts of repetition. You’ll also find homage paid to the villanelle, the rondel, the terza rima and, queen of forms, the peerless sonnet. At the other end of the scale, there’s the found poem, where the writer plucks a phrase from the everyday world and, in the act of extraction, renders it holy.

Spirit of Boscastle (a plaque on a riverside shop-front)

Clovelly Clothing

destroyed by floods 16th August 2004

rebuilt 16th August 2004.

Philip, to his immense credit, doesn’t run scared from sentiment. He’s confident diving into the emotion of dropping his son off at University. He’s happy tipping a hat to relations dying, dead, maddening and mad. He’s not afraid of the bucolic, the romantic, the personal paean. But all of this is dowsed with crisp vinaigrette rather than cloying carbonara.

Grumbles? This is where we are reduced to minutiae. I’d dearly like to know, for example, what “velitating” means – is it something Mr Spooner does while walking on air? And, although the book is beautifully produced, the strength of the binding doesn’t bode well as an heirloom. This material has backbone – and deserves a spine to suit.

www.philipburton.net

~

Norman Hadley is a poet from Garstang who also dabbles in prose. He has completed three and a half poetry collections, one of them being both diminutive and collaborative. The most recent, full-sized collection is “A Whoop Above the Dust”, September 2010.  When things refuse to rhyme, he writes prose – usually short, but including a couple of novel-length stories, The Lucky Krab and The Last Munro – the latter for children.  He is not yet quite reconciled to the fact that the quickest way to the truth is to make stuff up. But he’s slowly getting there.  In his day job, he designs heavy-duty diesel engines for ships and trains. The engines are considerably larger than the poems.

www.normanhadley.com

~

Copies of “Too Young to Forget” will be available online again soon, but in the meantime, you can get your copy here:  burtophil@hotmail.com

Name: Jacqueline Buksh
Writing: Non-fiction book writer
Location: Blackpool

Kim: What types of books have you written?
Jacqueline: I’ve lived in both China and the UK and have had books published in both countries.
In China I had a series of 12 bilingual educational books published. I wrote them in English and worked with the head teacher of a school who translated them into Chinese. I also had a book of bilingual nursery rhymes published.
Since coming back to the UK, I’ve had 5 books published:
‘14 years in China’, a travel book; ‘Rainbow revolution’ an educational book, useful for those who are going to teach in China; ‘Longevity’, a book on Chinese herbal medicine; ‘Children of China’ an educational story book; and ‘Chinese arts and crafts’. Most of these can be found on Amazon, http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jacqueline-Buksh/e/B0034NPDSY
I also write numerous articles for a wide variety of magazines and publications.

Kim: Who publishes your books?
Jacqueline: In China they were published by Beijing Publishing and Beijing University.
In the UK my books are published by Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie Publishers.

Kim: How did you make the decision to be a writer?
Jacqueline: I’ve always written, particularly throughout my degree in teaching. I write because I enjoy it.
In China I was asked to write books, initially the nursery rhymes for school pupils, and then the series of educational books. They also wanted me to write a children’s song book … and illustrate it!
When I came back to the UK I missed China so much that I took the diary I’d written when I was there and wrote it up as a book.
One day I went into Waterstones and saw a book about renting in Spain in the winter and thought “I can have a go at that” so I wrote to a publisher with my idea for ‘14 years in China’ and they were interested.
On the back of this I became a member of the Society of Authors and after a while received a phone call from Oxford University who had seen the book and asked me to write a herbal book for long distance students, which is how ‘Longevity’ came about. And things carried on from there.

Kim: What writing skills are important?
Jacqueline: You must have the knowledge of your subject, and if possible qualifications in the subject. If, for example, you are writing an educational or medical book, publishers want to know that you are qualified.
Accuracy is also important. I found that for my travel book I had to make sure that details of maps, distances and so on were accurate.

Kim: What are the benefits?
Jacqueline: Knowing that you are passing on knowledge, and that people enjoy your books.
It’s also nice to be paid – even if it’s not a fortune! I receive royalties twice a year.
In addition, I’m asked to do book signings and give talks. Last year I gave about 30 talks.

Kim: What are the challenges?
Jacqueline: For me it’s finishing off, getting things in the right order and not leaving anything out. I tend to finish too quickly and realise later that I’ve left things out.
It’s also important to get everything right, especially with educational books.

Kim: What advice would you give to others?
Jacqueline: Have a real passion for your subject. Know your subject well. Research what you don’t know.
Include photos and illustrations. They help.
And save yourself time by not writing the whole book until you have some interest from publishers!

Jacqueline Buksh
Writer, teacher, language specialist, traveller and practitioner of the art of Chinese medicine.

Kim Chamberlain MA Hons, Dip FJ, Dip CG, ATM, APS
Speaker, trainer, chocaholic and writer of non-fiction books, e-books, blogs, articles and newsletters www.successfulspeaking.biz

January 2012



Name: Andrea Robinson

Writing: Ghostwriter

Location: Blackpool

Kim: What is ghostwriting?

Andrea: Ghostwriting is when a person writes material for someone else who is named as the author. Sometimes the ghostwriter is acknowledged and sometimes not.

There may be an overlap between ghostwriting and co-writing. This is where a writer writes jointly or in collaboration with another author.

Kim: What books have you ghostwritten?

Andrea: I’ve written two on behalf of a man called Gram Seed which are available on Amazon: ‘One Step Beyond: One man’s journey from near death to new life’, and ‘It Must Be Love: The journey continues…’

I’ve just finished working on ‘The Monster Within’ about Brian Greenaway (to be published in May by CWR), which is a sequel to his bestseller ‘Hell’s Angel’ and I am about to start a private commission for a businessman who wants a record of his life for current and future generations.

Kim: Who might use a ghostwriter?

Andrea: People who do not have the time or ability to write. For example a famous person.

Kim: How much of the material would you write?

Andrea: This varies, depending on who you are writing for. You may write it all, from scratch or the person may have already written some which you have to amend and add to.

For Brian Greenaway’s second book he had written a sizeable amount of the material. However a lot overlapped with the first book, so I edited that and then interviewed him several times to get material for the rest of the book.

Kim: Do you have to write as if you are them?

Andrea: Yes, as it needs to capture their essence. However you also need to strike a balance so that it is readable and interesting and also sounds like them.

You have to think ‘How would they express this?’ and use words or phrases they would use.

It is possible to use fiction skills to make the material sound interesting and intriguing. However I have to be careful that I don’t make the writing so dramatic that it doesn’t sound real.

It’s important to build rapport with the person you are writing for, as you need to get to the point where it’s not just facts you are expressing, but also the emotion behind the facts. Building up trust with the person will allow them to give of their best. Remember that they are probably not a writer and so may not explain things in a way that a writer would, so you need to be patient, stimulate their thoughts and memories and find the nuggets in there.

Kim: What are the challenges?

Andrea: Sometimes people know what they want to say but find it hard to express, and I have to push for clarification.

Sometimes they use words or phrases that readers may not understand, for example ‘doing bird’ which means ‘doing time’ (in prison), and I have to keep the flavour of what they say whilst making it understandable to the audience.

Kim: What are the benefits?

Andrea: The money!

But also being able to feel you have helped someone get their message across. Also when they are pleased that you have made the writing sound like they have written it.

In addition I see it as training ground for writing my own books.

Kim: What is the process?

Andrea: First I research the person so I can familiarise myself with their story.

Then I interview them, usually in stages if it is a long project. I use a digital voice recorder rather than taking notes so that I can focus on the interview.

I transcribe each interview as I go along, simplifying the information, editing it and putting it in order. The person may jump backwards and forwards in time as they recount their story.

I do a mopping up interview session to tie up the pieces later on, and leave any challenging questions until this time, when they have become comfy with me.

I work out how many chapters there are and carefully write the beginning and end of each chapter to make them into page turners.

When I’ve done as much as I can I give it to the person to check. This will probably trigger further memories so I will add in the extra information.

For the editing, if the book is self-published I will do it, or if it is being published, the publisher will organise this.

The edited material is then given to both me and the person for proofreading.

A publisher may ask for suggestions for the cover, foreword and back page… and then I’ve had enough!

Kim: How long is the process?

Andrea: This will vary. I have around six months to do the research and writing. It is then a further six months until the book is out in the shops.

Kim: How are you paid?

Andrea: I agree the amount and get half on signing the contract and the remaining half on handing over the manuscript.

It is also possible to negotiate a proportion of the royalties.

Kim: Tips for becoming a ghostwriter

Andrea: It’s useful to get experience either paid or unpaid. I got my experience by writing my Nana’s life story. I interviewed her for a long time then wrote it up.

Make sure you have samples ready for when you put yourself forward. Also make sure that your writing skills are up to scratch as well as your interview skills.

I think to make a career out of ghostwriting you have to be the kind of writer that doesn’t mind not getting the credit. That’s not always easy when you’ve put so much hard work into it and people are praising the subject for the brilliant book they have written! But it’s a useful extra skill for any writer to have and opens up greater opportunities for work. And money!

Andrea Robinson

Writer, singer, community centre coordinator, former careers advisor, and lover of ducks. http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1043685029&sk=info

Kim Chamberlain MA Hons, Dip FJ, Dip CG, ATM, APS

Speaker, trainer, chocaholic and writer of non-fiction books, e-books, blogs, articles and newsletters www.successfulspeaking.biz

January 2012