critical vs creative

As my PhD is a creative writing one I have the choice in any one day as to whether I am going to work on the creative piece or the critical. I love this as I love both aspects of writing. I like the doing and I like the analysing- the exploring of processes. Andrew Melrose calls it being creatively critical and critically creative.

Instead of focusing on one I tend to end up doing a bit of both. The one that I am finding the easiest at a particular moment is the one I will work on the most. I am so lucky to be able to do this and to have these sort of choices. The ultimate aim is supposed to be to be published but actually even if I never get published I will just keep writing. I can't not. The choice isn't there. Writing is my life.

This week I had the glorious experience of meeting other like minded people. Thanks to a very gracious ex husband I was able to go to the London Book Fair. Something I have never experienced before. There I met up with a fair few people that I knew from Facebook. That in itself was weird because you felt like you knew these people really well but had never actually met them. Some were published authors and some where aspiring like me but they were all the most delightful and inspirational people. They helped make my first trip out in this 'new' me life a wonderful experience. Another reason to feel very lucky. And a big thank you to the Guerrilla Authors (see Candy Gourlay's blog www.notesfromtheslushpile.blogspot.com)