For the final episode of the Sound Series I’m hoping to put together a showcase of work created in response to the exercises I’ve been offering throughout the series.

I’d love to receive your work by Thursday 24 September

You can send your responses to me at:

betterreadnz@gmail.com

Or if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to email me here.

If none of the exercises appeal, you could also send a recording of you reading a piece of your own work that you think is interesting in relation to sound.

Please see all the exercises below:

Sound Series 1 – James Woods and Nick Ascroft Exercise:

We talk quite a lot about rhyme in this discussion.

So, the exercise is simply this – turn on your recorder, say the line:

‘I listened to a band called Flipper’

And see how long you can go rhyming words with ‘Flipper’. Don’t forget about half-rhymes and don’t be afraid to change the end sound completely if it feels right. The idea is to try and keep composing for 2 minutes.

Sound Series 2 – Ruby Solly and Chris Tse Exercise:

This is an exercise where you compose in situ.

Take your recorder – it can be your phone – to a noisy place.

Turn your recorder on and respond to the sounds around you in spoken words.

It might take the form of a conversation with the noises in the environment you are in. Or the noises may form a backing track to your words.

Sound Series 3 – Cooki Aimee M and Eamonn Marra Exercise:

We talked a bit in this episode about sound that are ‘difficult’ or ‘uncomfortable’.

So, this exercise is about discomforting sounds and is pretty straight forward.

Find a sound that is hard to listen to.

Play it over headphones while you speak for 45 seconds into a recorder. It might work quite well if you have it loud enough so you can’t hear your voice.

The title of this work is the sound you listened to.

Sound Series 4 – Sinead Overbye and Charlotte Forrester Exercise:

What’s the most beautiful word in the world?

Maybe you’d like to take a minute or two to write down words, word combinations or sentences that you think are beautiful.

Then you might like to record these.

You may like to miss out the step of writing down and try composing beautiful sounds out loud and on the fly.

Sound Series 5 – Brannavan Gnanalingam and Tokerau Wilson Exercise:

This is a free styling exercise.

Play either Tokerau or Brannavan’s sound in headphones and record yourself composing along to it.

That simple. What happens when you have rain or ripping paper as a back beat?

Sound Series 6 – Carl Shuker and Simon Sweetman Exercise:

We talk a bit about writing about music in this episode.

So, take a song you like.

Now writer or speak for 3 minutes without using any words from the song – so, no lyrics and not the title.

Sound Series 7 – Kerry Ann Lee and Jackson Nieuwland Exercise:

I love the idea of using something wrong.

How about trying to make a poem out of noises that are not words.

Maybe you could get together several objects that make noise – placing a cup, tapping something, unscrewing a lid.

Write your poem in sound.

Ep 158: Eva Wyles and pip adam talk about Deliverywoman at Unity Books Te Whanganui-a-Tara – Better off Read

On 10 February this year at Unity Books Te Whanganui-a-Tara i talked with Eva Wyles about her stunning collection of short stories Deliverywoman (Influx Press, 2025) The event opened with a reading and introduction to Eva's work by another amazing writer Tamara Tulitua. Eva and Tamara were in the same MA creative writing workshop at the IIML and Unity was full of Eva's friends and writing comminties. Eva lives in London now so the night had this amazing feeling as all these fans of Eva's work gathered to hear her talk. i was realy grateful to be there. Deliverwoman is an incredibly adept and emotionally resonant collection which showcases the short fictional form at its finest. i love this book. Te Whanganui-a-Tara i want to acknowledge that this podcast and email is coming to you on 21 April from Te Whanganui-a-Tara which has been experiencing some devasting weather over the last 24 hours. As i record this we are still under a state of emergency. i wanted to send massive love to everyone in this city which i love so much. Action: The Burnett Foundation The Burnett Foundation website i mainly knew the work of the Burnett Foundation through their association with Sweat With Pride which is coming up in May. Burnett Foundation Aotearoa (formerly New Zealand AIDS Foundation & Ending HIV NZ) has been at the forefront of the community response to HIV in Aotearoa for nearly 40 years. Their vision is: An Aotearoa with zero HIV transmission, where all people living with HIV thrive, and rainbow and takatāpui communities enjoy great sexual health. Their Kaupapa has always been to have a human-centred, science-led, sex-positive approach to public health. Key workstreams of advocacy, education, and support have always been and remain their key pillars. They also acknowledge our commitments to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, to people living with and affected by HIV and to our very environment. With the same passion and commitment as those who came before them, Burnett Foundation Aotearoa continues to prevent HIV transmission, combat stigma and maximise the wellbeing of those most affected by HIV. The Burnett Foundation have centres in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington and Ōtautahi Christchurch. They provide HIV and STI testing, counselling, group support and other services at these centres as well as remotely for people anywhere in New Zealand. You can support Better off Read financially at Buy Better off Read a Coffee Music in Better off Read was made by Brent McIntyre.

1. Ep 158: Eva Wyles and pip adam talk about Deliverywoman at Unity Books Te Whanganui-a-Tara 01:01:58
2. Ep 157: Jordy Rosenberg and pip adam talk about Night Night Fawn at The Open Book 55:43
3. Ep 156: Ray Shipley and pip adam talk about a tarot deck and 'My Body is a Horror Film' 01:04:34
4. Ep 155: Jo Randerson, Sarah Maxey and pip adam talk about Secret Art Powers: How Creative Thinking Can Achieve Radical Change 57:43
5. Ep 154: liz breslin and Pip chat about a pair of scissors 01:05:28