Maidenhead Folk Club is shortly to run its famous song writing competition, so no doubt all over the south-east would-be writers are sweating blood to come up with something passable. I have entered several times and I cannot tell you just how much work goes into it. I agree with Bernard on the necessity for thorough re-writing - over and over again until one is at least hopeful it will not be a total embarrassment. Truth to tell, I think those who can, do, and the rest of us should appreciate just how clever they are.

I always say it's like a breech birth: comes out backwards and with great difficulty!