Activity

  • A reminder for anyone who, like me, forget this month’s competition deadline is tonight: the October monthly comp deadline is midnight tonight! You might have a suitable WIP hiding away somewhere…

  • The Estate Agent’s Appointment

    I arrived at the house in pouring rain. The light was fading on a day that was already dark with cloud. I didn’t want to go in. I wanted to get in my car, drive home, shower, and settle down with a Scotch and whatever delicious microwave meal was next in the fridge. I had no choice. This old house wasn’t going to…[Read more]

  • John T posted an update 1 year ago

    Ooh, I missed the challenge. My fault for not looking in. But honestly, I have a busy time ahead locally, both writing and storytelling events. And there’s THAT first draft that isn’t yet complete. So, good luck everybody and I’ll sit this one out.

  • This the result of apending 5 days writing with a gathering of Self-Edit participants.

    Games people play

    Monday morning’s plumping of the pillows of our marital bed effortful, thanks to both sleep and sex absent as snow in August throughout the weekend. Similarly,  energy enough to dissipate the sourness of my reaction when I noticed  the wor…[Read more]

  • Athelstone posted an update 1 year ago

    HURRY, HURRY, HURRY! The September Song short story challenge goes private at 10:00. If you’ve joined you must make your choices by then. If you haven’t joined, today is your last chance.

  • Athelstone posted an update 1 year ago

    Barter Books in Alnwick is a terrible place for an impoverished reader to be…

  • Thanks, Ath. Yes, I was thinking that writers might collect some AI produced fiction and do something with its tropes, sort of like Pop Art did. I’m vague about this. Am looking for reasons for optimism!

  • Incidentally, Sandra’s comment is still there but she replied to the update on the activity page rather than directly to the thread

  • I think you’re right.

    Of course, AI writing is effectively a sampling of other authors’ work, albeit with some sophisticated algorithms that hide the truth away. An author may say that they are using AI to produce something original, but AI simply won’t work with just small samples such as from one author. It needs a “large language model” as…[Read more]

  • Hi Sandra, I saw your comment about self-pub authors but it has disappeared from the thread. As you say, it’s harder to see how authors could guarantee their own writing. I expect someone will think of something to address this, or try to address it.

    I also think some readers will seek out AI novels because AI writing will be reliable. It will…[Read more]

  • As boundaries continue to blur between human creativity and AI, here’s a  new kite-mark scheme to help readers distinguish. It will be interesting to see what happens from this small beginning.

    https://booksbypeople.org/

    • Sandra replied 1 year ago

      I wondered whether it included self-published books … then that it would be easy enough to self-apply the validation. Will be interested to see how this develops.

  • Athelstone posted an update 1 year ago

    OK, I just pushed through a batch of updates on the Den. I had already tested them on the Den’s testing site and they seemed to be fine. If anybody finds something not working please let me know. Thanks.

  • Some great stories have already come in. We’re half way through the month – plenty of time for more entries.

    A reminder of the details:

    It’s October and I’m going for the obvious: Halloween. Or All Saints’ Eve or Hallowmas Eve or whatever you prefer. It doesn’t have to be ghostly, though if you can give us all the shivers that would be fun.

    M…[Read more]

  • As the Veil Grows Thin

     

    Hey, Vee, I’m still at your side my dear. My old bones are aching in this hospital chair but, aye, I’m still watching over you.

     

    They say you might hear me but – I don’t know. See, I can’t get used to how still you are. Never would’ve been afore, hey? Specially when we first met, when we danced like demons and made lo…[Read more]

  • Athelstone posted an update 1 year ago

    Welcome to a new member Silver. Some may remember her as Catasshe back in the Wordcloud days

    • As in CAS Short Story Competition? Obviously I’m going to welcome you, Silver.

      • Silver replied 1 year ago

        That’s me Richard, nice to meet you! How’s the writing going?

        • Kate replied 1 year ago

          Hello my old SE buddy! Lovely to see you here.

          • Silver replied 1 year ago

            Hello Kate! How are you doing? The writing is flourishing I see!

            • Kate replied 1 year ago

              Having fun writing and publishing. The marketing… less so. But a necessity!

        • Actually we have met virtually before. If you haven’t made the connection, my story came second in that competition, and we had a brief exchange of e-mails afterwards. Nice to see you here.
          After two novels were greeted with deafening apathy by the trade, I decided that at my time of life I had better things to do than putting myself through the…[Read more]

          • Silver replied 1 year ago

            Hi Richard, oh yes, I wasn’t clear in my message but I did remember you from our email exchange – clicked it was you by reading the posts in the Podium section on here where you were posting about the competition. Still remember your story well – a fantastic one. I’m sorry to hear you’ve given up ‘serious’ writing. I empathize as I had a similar…[Read more]

    • Welcome back, CAS. Great another Cloudie has found their way here.

      • Silver replied 1 year ago

        Thank you Janette! Yes, if only all the Cloudies would come! Great this is still going though.

    • Libby replied 1 year ago

      Hi CAS/Silver, good to hear from you again!

  • Silver changed their profile picture 1 year ago

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