My (Sam Smith's) Writing Day.

My writing day consists of an on/off battle with Radio 3. Having been annoyed by the kitchen's reactionary Radio 4 while I have my toast, soon as I get upstairs to my office I switch on Radio 3. First I check my emails and social media, pausing to lend an ear to Radio 3's news headlines. If I have some printing to do – an Original Plus chapbook run – then Radio 3 will stay on regardless. If however I have pen in hand, or I'm editing my own or another's work, or considering submissions to The Journal, then as soon as chatter erupts on Radio 3 I get up and turn the radio off. I really don't want to know that when a boy chorister Bill Nobbs had the great privilege... But still I need music. So I look to my CDs; and I usually opt for a string quartet, or a jazz combo, maybe even full orchestration, but pass over anything with lyrics. Even non-English lyrics. Then I pick up wherever I left off with my writing/editing. Until the CD finishes and I become aware of silence, noises/voices off. To screen those noises, and seeing how the work is going, I might try the radio again or, inspired by the CD just finished, choose another by the same composer or performer. Midday I stop, walk down the valley to get a paper. The weather and/or domestic chores will decide the afternoon. If back to the office battle with Radio 3 will recommence.

Sam Smith is editor of The Journal (once 'of Contemporary Anglo-Scandinavian Poetry'), and publisher of Original Plus books. He has been a psychiatric nurse, residential social worker, milkman, plumber, laboratory analyst, groundsman, sailor, computer operator, scaffolder, gardener, painter & decorator........ working at anything, in fact, which paid the rent, enabled him to raise his three daughters and which didn’t get too much in the way of his writing. Now in his 70s he has ended up living in South Wales. He has several poetry collections and novels to his name, his latest two collection being Speculations & Changes (KFS Publishing) and Local Colour (Indigo Dreams); and his latest two novels Marraton (Indigo Dreams) and The Friendship of Dagda & Tinker Howth (united p.c. publisher).