[Janice D. Soderling]

I'll print out this and put it in my Collected Poems edited by Anthony Thwaite. John Whitworth caused me to reapproach and reassess P.L. after I had made and ignorant and unworthy comment. Now he certainly is one of my poetry role models.

So thanks John and thanks Dave.

[Chris Childers]

Great review. Here is the bit that struck me most:

"I believe," he said in a 1964 interview, "that art which takes its origin in other art is less likely to be successful than art founded in unsorted experience."

I think this is true of Larkin's work, and moreover just true. Notice he doesn't say "art that makes use of other art," he says "takes its origin." He's talking about the kernel of the poem, not its means of realization. His statement can be true, and it can also be false that the true teacher of the artist is life. Poetry, not life, teaches you to write poetry; skill, knowledge, and reading are indispensable. But what are you going to apply that skill to, and what's your goal in doing so? Larkin implies that poems with urgency derive from genuinely urgent matters, that writing is a process of sorting-out "unsorted experience." Wilbur has said something similar, that he wrote poems to organize his experience after the war. For both poets technique is a means and not an end in itself. The goal is discovery, not display. Hopefully someday I'll start writing poems again and I can let this statement guide me back.

Chris

[David Mason]

"The goal is discovery, not display." Well said, young fella.

[David Mason]

I thought I was musing on mastery...

[R. S. Gwynn]

I received this recently. If his editors and biographers haven't made PAL turn over in his grave, this should do the trick:

The Larkin Press
Summary

Methods of media access and consumption evolve in-line with the production and dissemination technologies available to publishers and consumers. In 1999 the advent of the portable MP3 player radically changed the music publishing and distribution industries and, although on-line journals are nothing new, the last few years have seen both eBook reader manufacturers and progressive publishing houses further challenging existing book and journal print models. A variety of eBook creation tools and services exist to support self-publishers, however in an academic context there is a clear need to exercise levels of editorial control. The Larkin Press (the celebrated poet Philip Larkin being The University of Hull’s former Head Librarian) aims to produce a web interface for authors and editors to create, manage and disseminate multi-format academic output (eBook and Print) from The University of Hull, combining existing University activities into a publishing whole.

The Press will focus initially on the creative output from The Philip Larkin Centre. The platform will achieve its aims through the creation of a virtual community of editors and authors that will interface with The University’s digital archive and, through partnering with a local print company, facilitate print-on-demand. A key aspect is the ability to create differing communities of editors and authors to drive the various imprints of The Press, with a core aim being to encourage the creative output of students as well as academics.

The result for The University will be visibility of, and access to, high quality peer reviewed output, population of the existing archive and, in the scope and context of this project bid, help to establish East and North Yorkshire as an independent publishing force. Whilst initially addressing the publication of creative writing, the platform will be designed so that, post-project, a wider range of academic output can be integrated and made public. Opportunities to roll out the solution to other institutions will also be identified.



Objectives

· Review existing open-source elements relevant to the platform.
· Review rights management: to include legal agreements and business models.
· Review workflow and dynamic model of platform.
· To identify the role of the local digital archive in the publication process and integrate it accordingly.
· Define architecture including bespoke elements.
· Create visual design and look-and-feel of The Press, including publication template design.
· Iterative design and development of platform.
· Create a range of sample outputs using the project team to further evaluate the platform.
· Launch The Press with an event that ensures stakeholders have project buy-in.
· Carry out user participation and perception study post-launch.
· Close and evaluate project with sustainability plan in place.

Anticipated Outputs and Outcomes

· An open source multi-format publishing platform.
· A range of sample outputs (both Journal and Book) showcasing the creative output of both the Larkin Centre and the wider University body.
· An embedded, sustainable community of editors and authors that are supported by participatory nature of The Press.
· Project reports and documentation.
· Publications: User perception study and interface design reflection.

Project Staff
Dr. John Whelan
Prof. Martin Goodman
Dr. Tanko Ishaya
Mr Chris Awre
Josh Brown, Programme Manager
JISC Executive
j.brown@jisc.ac.uk

[David Mason]

Sam, The TLS had a wee piece "rolling its eyes" at this announcement recently. Wish I had kept the issue...

Dave

[John Whitworth]

You remember Larkin thought he would be more or less free of this because his poetry wasn't 'difficult' enough to attract scrutiny. Ah, however...

[David Mason]

John,
Maybe dead writers should go on strike against living academics!
Dave