January newsletter

Fresh starts and exciting plans!

Dear Friend of The Right Word,

Happy New(-ish) Year!

I hope you had a lovely Christmas. Does it seem a long time ago now? I had a very relaxing break. I also read some fantastic Substack newsletters over the holiday season (I’ll add them to the Resources section on my website). I was astonished by how much knowledge, personal treasure and insight is on offer, often for free. Since then, I’ve been puzzling over how the authors find and fund the time to write their sophisticated missives. Haven’t figured it out yet.

This newsletter, in sharp contrast, is just that – a newsletter with my news. A way to keep in touch. I write to you as the friends you are, whether from in-person life or from my wider wonderful creative world.

So what’s in store for The Right Word this year? I can reveal – the first official reveal, drum rolllllllllllll…….. – that I will be publishing a new poetry collection in 2025. The manuscript is with the editor at the moment! I really, really hope she thinks it is up to standard. But I’m also confident that if it’s not we can work together until it is. More on the book and the publishing plans to be revealed in future newsletters!

Poetry for Life and Other Chronic Conditions continues to ripple out. On Christmas Eve Eve I was guest poet at a Suzy Bolt poetry event (part of their community programme for people with chronic illness). I don’t get out much so it was typical that after I’d accepted the invitation to read I was invited to a Christmas drinks party for the same night… I secretly wondered if the poetry event would be worth the social sacrifice. I need not have worried. It was glorious. I read from my book but also got to listen to other people’s poetry, and their work was brilliant and humbling. It was the best possible real, warm hour of Christmassy loving-and-giving and the perfect round off to an unimaginable year of connection and poetry.

I’ll be reading again next week. I’ve been invited with two other poets to take part in the Kent & Sussex Poetry Society annual Members’ Showcase on Tuesday (21^st). I joined the society in the absolute Covid doldrums and found deep relief from creeping in at the back and sitting quietly with my eyes shut listening to one of their many amazing guest poets before slinking off home again. So I’m truly honoured – and what a fabulous start to 2025 – to be standing up front myself.

What else? On The Right Word’s prose-y (prosaic?) side, this month is a busy one, editing and proofreading for both publishers and indie authors. There are such interesting conversations about publishing models going on at the moment. With the explosion of new writers in recent times (that’s a whole other conversation), figuring out routes to reach readers is as creative an endeavour as writing is. I’ve got two self-publishing sessions open for booking at the moment. In February, I’ll be running a workshop for the Blue Pencil literary agency for writers curious about the indie route. On Friday 14 March, I’ll be re-running my half-day online ‘Introduction to Self-Publishing’ course. That’s over at Get Into Book Publishing, the publishing industry-approved training course provider. The course is a beginners’ guide to what you need to know and do to publish yourself. It’s very interactive – I tailor it to the people who come – and a great way for editors as well as writers to discover what indie publishing is all about. Do spread the word to anyone who might be interested.

I didn’t just read Substacks over Christmas. I’ve discovered a new (to me) writer: Simon Mason. In fact a book blogger on Bluesky (where I’m more active than on Substack) put me on to him. His crime novels are character-led, beautifully written, witty and insightful. His ‘Finder’ mysteries are also nice and short! I’ve just finished The Case of the Lonely Accountant.

In other news, I’ve adopted a new email sign off for 2025. Valedictions are something I think about a lot. I’ve always found ‘Kind regards’ rather passive aggressive, and ‘Best wishes’ – long my go-to anodyne-but-friendly phrase – is starting to feel dated. ‘Warm wishes’ popped up new for 2024, and I like it, but it can feel overly chummy with people I don’t know. Then: eureka! Recently somebody ended an email to me with the words ‘Best regards’. I’ll have that.

Here's a January poem to end. January is a month of contrasts – short, sharp daylight, long, deep nights. I find the days invigorating but I equally love being cosy in bed and sleeping early when it’s dark outside. It’s delightful in a way you can’t quite achieve in summer. So if resting is where you’re at this month, enjoy to the max.

Best regards,

Until next time,

Anna

The Right Word

Things I love about January

Walking over frozen ground –

frilly crispy leaves,
crunchy muddy furrows.

Sun so fierce
it melts my heart.

Clear air.

Fresh start.

A. K. Davidson