Open Writing

Open Words by Peter Hinchliffe -My father gave me an unquenchable thirst for printed words.

He arrived home from work at 5.30 pm, tired out after a day's toil at a chemical plant. After his tea he settled down in an ancient cracked-leather armchair to read the News Chronicle.

And that's when I started to nag.

"What does that say, dad?" pointing to a front page story. "What does this say?"

To satisfy my four-year-old curiosity, and to provide himself with a nag-free half-hour, dad hoisted me onto his knee and read aloud the stories I had indicated.

Stories about the build-up to World War Two. Stories, after war had been declared, illustrated by maps of Europe with lines drawn on them to indicate the battle fronts.

Of course I didn‚t understand those News Chronicle reports, but long before starting school I realised that words and sentences formed a magical highway to boundless mental treasure.

I could read before a school bell summoned me to the classroom. As an only child, in pre-TV days, I read books by the dozen.

Step by step, I mounted the literary ladder. Enid Blyton, Arthur Ransome, Dennis Wheatley, H G Wells, John Steinbeck...

Long before reaching Tolstoy and Flaubert, I realised I wanted to be a writer.

So I became a journalist, a spinner of simple, direct words, thinking that a career in newspapers would naturally lead on to writing novels.

The novels remained locked up inside my head. But I enjoyed journalism. I relished meeting people, famous and infamous, just as much as I did the mental processes required to write about them.

I worked for newspapers and news agencies in England, the United States and Africa.

I've produced millions of journalistic words - and I don't want to bring to a halt the enjoyable habit of writing to be read.

Writing and reading are as essential to me as water and oxygen.

I love the challenge of filling a blank sheet of paper or an empty computer screen with words worth imbibing.

And I love reading what others have written. Newspapers, magazines, books,
books, books...

In the absence of all else I read the words on sauce bottles, cornflake packets and Coke cans

For the past eight years I have been enjoying the words, written and spoken, of the members of a University of the Third Age class called Remember When which I run.

The class was founded on the belief - amply confirmed - that everyone has vivid experiences during their lives which are worth recounting.

Recalling what schooldays were like - along with work, early family life, military service, etc. - is always good fun.

So this is what Here on the Hill and Openwriting are all about.

Here on the Hill is a chance for me to carry on writing week by week on all manner of topics. Not politics though. I try not to be dull - so no politics.

Openwriting throws open an opportunity to you to tell us your true-life experiences. We will also welcome your poems, and an occasional short story (if you insist).

Openwriting, besides the weekly Here on the Hill column, will feature other regular writers.

They include:

PAUL CHAN, co-editor of Openwriting. Paul will write a frequently updated internet column. And more besides - I'll say there's more! Paul will also illuminate these pages with his photographs.

SUE PAPWORTH, who writes under the title of Simply Sue. Sue has a highly original outlook on the world. Her words will make you chuckle, and, if you are like me, leave you envious of her literary skill.

SALLY CODMAN, presenting her weekly Walking The Tightrope column. When I tell you that Sally is a professional journalist with three children, all still living at home, you will understand the title of her column. She writes about the testing balancing act of being wife, mum and audio-magazine editor.

MIKE SHAW, a former journalistic colleague of mine will regularly bring you
Backwords, vivid reminiscences of growing up in Yorkshire's Colne Valley. I often read Mike's journalism, and every time pictures of my own boyhood show up clearly on the screen of my mind.

RONNIE BRAY, brings a different perspective on life with his Montana Diary. Ronnie, a Yorkshireman by birth and up-bringing, is an ebullient character who lives in what many consider to be America's last unspoilt state. His engaging personality bubbles forth in every sentence he writes.

TOM HELLAWELL, writing as Yorkshire Lad, expresses, wit, humour and fortitude as he looks back on his boyhood and his war-time service in the Royal Navy.

And lastly, ladies and gentlemen - and this is very definitely last but not
least - there is... YOU.

Yes, we do mean YOU.

We want contributions from readers of our Openwriting Web magazine.

What we want, what we really, really want are true-life stories. Exciting and interesting episodes in your life, told in not more than 1,000 words.

Poems are also highly acceptable.

So... enjoy reading Openwriting.

Then do some writing and give others a chance to share your experiences in
Open reading.