I shall be back reviewing pamphlets shortly. I am a very benevolent reviewer. If I have to criticise it is in the ‘umblest terms. I think this is largely due to my up bringing. I was taught never to make fun of anyone. My mother loved ‘The Water Babies’ and was always quoting ‘Mrs Doasyouwouldbedoneby’.  Consequently, I‘ve an over developed sense of empathy.

Sadly my sensibility is in the minority as my own experience being on the receiving end of reviews can testify.   Still as...

For the five years I’ve been writing I have on occasions received advice form editors .Generally this takes the form words of encouragement but as I  have become familiar to some editors the advice has become frank and I have to say very useful.

However, there seems now to be a fashion amongst new magazines for them to reject work and provided an unsolicited critique. This must be taken with a pinch of salt. I find if the editor and magazine has a proven track record that the notes are hel...

For some years I have been sending poems off to American magazines but with little success.

Recently however,  there has been a flurry of acceptance.  I am not sure what I am doing different. It may be that I have simply selected magazines who like my style.

I do think American taste is different.  Possibly slightly more conservative in their attitudes towards poetry, consequently the poet has to write poems on subject matter that is absolutely universal.

I also feel there are certain cult...

It suddenly occurred to me that at least two magazines have not bothered to respond to my submissions despite my sending a stamped address envelope. One of them was sent at least a year ago!  So they are hardly still considering the work.  Is it bad manners or bad management? Who knows?  Either way I’d like my stamps back please.

That’s the benefit of emailed submissions and indeed on line magazines. They are far more immediate and efficient.  The turn around is much quicker.

Which b...