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JaneShuff replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years ago
Fantastic achievement @elle! Congratulations
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Elle replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years ago
Found out a couple of days ago that both flash fiction I entered in the Storgy Magazine Flash Fiction Competition have made it on the shortlist and both will be published in the competition chapbook!
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Hilary replied to the topic Syllabus and course materials. in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 7 years agoI think I like Squidge’s idea, because I’d be better with some discipline.
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Jonathan replied to the topic September 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years ago
Seed Cathedral
It was not the first of its kind but it was the one which marked the moment past which things would not return. There were too many and they were too popular. And tomorrow was my day. Today was Alfie’s – my brother.
“We who hold our rockets,” said the priest, garbed in a sheet in the roofless shadow of the abbey, “sit together…[Read more]
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Squidge replied to the topic Syllabus and course materials. in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 7 years agoThe only issue with doing multiple units is that we could end up with people later on having no buddies to do that unit with? I’d rather it was ‘organised’ in that there’s a definite time for each unit to be completed over, simply because that means I can be more disciplined about an approach, rather than wondering what’s on and whether I want to…[Read more]
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Raine replied to the topic Syllabus and course materials. in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 7 years agoYeah, the time commitment/coordination is the challenge with something like this. I’ve been thinking about how it might work, having jumped in enthusiastically without doing any thinking first! I guess for me, the best way seems to be to look at it as a series of group exercises, rather than a whole MA.
Maybe the way to do it would be if someone…[Read more]
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Squidge posted an update 7 years ago
Just a reminder that there’s a week to go for September’s monthly competition…and for you to prove to me that ‘beige ain’t boring!’
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I’m sorry I’m having to pass on this one Squidge. Combination of holiday and having work done at home. I did like your paint chart idea for prompts.
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No worries – I know September’s busy for most folk, especially after York. Mean I won’t have such a difficult decision judging 😉
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KazG posted an update in the group
Songs of Innocence and Experience 7 years agoAlbany, Western Australia
Jez, female
Tea-
This needs to go in the Choices topic thread, else it’ll get lost. :-0
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Oh I thought it was! silly me. Thanks chica x
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Athelstone posted an update 7 years ago
Well, here I am looking out at the Haymarket tram stop in Edinburgh from a cosy AirBnB. It would have been nice to catch up with local Denizens but I have my family with me and it’s been a packed weekend around a family wedding so not much opportunity. Flying back to Sussex by the Sea later this PM so won’t be feeling much like doing responsible…[Read more]
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Hilary replied to the topic Syllabus and course materials. in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 7 years agoIf I do commit to this, I would definitely prefer group interaction, including giving and receiving feedback. It’s true, though, that co-ordinating timing for a group, over two years, will be tricky.
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JaneShuff posted an update 7 years ago
Every single person in my novel is caucasian (which is a serious problem)and I want to introduce a character who isn’t but I’m absolutely terrified of getting it wrong. He’ll play neither a big nor a stereotypical role and I don’t want his enthnicity to be any more of a thing that another character’s hair colour and Scottish accent. Any pointers?…[Read more]
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Hi Jane, you don’t say where your setting is but for the UK you can give him a non Caucasian name and that will be sufficient?
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@janeshuff, my book is full of varied ethnicity because of the region I’ve set it in. To help, I have gone with what I know. First, I looked at who I knew personally, who might help me factually. Secondly, people I know or have known more remotely, have inspired other characters and I took notes of what I remembered about them. In addition, I s…[Read more]
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I’m inclined towards Libby’s way. You’re not out to solve the problems of a multiracial society, so if you start planting hints and plot devices then you’ll end up with the author waving at the readers.
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Hi Jane, You can tie yourself in knots, trying to be PC and non-culturally appropriative (if that’s a word: it is now) and not offend anybody. I read an article a while ago, suggesting that if you have a walk-on part using someone called ‘Steve’, change his name to ‘Sanjay’ and leave it at that. i.e. doing just what Steve did with Steve’s joys and…[Read more]
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Thank you all. Extremely helpful as always.
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Kate replied to the topic Syllabus and course materials. in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 7 years agoI agree with Bella that a bit of structure would be nice. It would give me a bit of a push to get going. I also think feedback is invaluable and am always willing to try and supply some.
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Libby posted an update 7 years ago
I’d recommend How Not to Write a Novel to anyone. It’s helpful and very funny. However the lack of index is annoying, unless newer editions have one.
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PS the author’s new novel has had rave reviews too.
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That was the first book about writing I ever read – bought it for my daughter – and one of the very, very few whose advice I remember well enough to follow.
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Me too. Is that because it also pointed out how writing could go horribly wrong? I remember, ‘Wearing only his underpants, she watched her boyfriend swim across the lake.’ :-))
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It’s all the substitute for ‘he said that so resonated with me.
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Oh, yes.
‘Funny?’ she interrogated.
‘Hilarious!’ he expostulated.
‘Surely not!’ she declared.
‘But how to you know?’ he exclaimed.
‘Says you!’ she objected.
‘That’s the last thing I’m willing to say,’ he concluded.And that’s just some of them.
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I love the book. It was reassuring to see mistakes I knew I was avoiding – and be gently reminded of some that I WAS making, without realising!
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Squidge posted an update in the group
Andrew Wille’s DIY MA course 7 years agoBeen checking out the required texts… I’m getting a bit bogged down in Sin and Syntax, (for saying the author’s currently talking about brevity, she’s going the long way round to say a lot of it!) but Writing Fiction looks easier to read. Bird by Bird’s one of my most accessible reads (was given it as a gift some years ago), and I’d add How Not…[Read more]
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