time to write

I see the last time I posted was March - the reason for this was that I was finishing my Honours OU - handed in my last paper on Tuesday and now have space in my head to think about other literary avenues! This last paper was to evaluate and judge two books for a literary prize   - ie what are the criteria by which we judge literature? I came down in favour of a philosphically instumental approach;  an aesthetic value to style; flirting with the boundaries of both popular and elite ( my pet criteria combining Virginia Woolf's attitude with my own!); a desire for escapism and for the author to show that he drew on the weight of literary tradition. That is how I would judge literature! So let us see what the experts think when I get my result! My plan for this month is now to enter a competition on Keats, Shelley, Mary Shelley and Lord Byron - an essay of 3000 words. So I am currently off researching the interesting and innovative Mary Shelley who is known principally for her novel Frankinstein,  arguably the first in the science fiction genre, but who suffered sadness and insecurity in her relationship with P Shelley . It seems to me this group  resemble the Bloomsbury set in their open realtionships but also in their commitment to literature, study, philosophy and dedication to learning. More anon.......