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Active 2 weeks, 3 days ago-
Raine posted an update 7 years, 1 month ago
Anyone going to @bric‘s launch tomorrow – I’ll see you there!! 🙂 🙂
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Daedalus replied to the topic Regular Den competition – where next? in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years, 1 month ago
I was thinking a PM to the setter would be the easiest way, and not putting too much responsibility on a smallish group of people, but we can always try it for a while and see how it goes.
An alternating competitive-non competitive challenge is an option, but how would we decide who set the prompt for the non-competitive months?
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Woolleybeans replied to the topic Camp NaNoWriMo in the forum The Writers' Lifeboat 7 years, 1 month ago
Ok, I joined the camp.
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Daedalus replied to the topic Regular Den competition – where next? in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years, 1 month ago
Good thought, thanks Libby. I do like the idea of regular writing prompts, but at the moment we seem to be struggling to assemble enough entries for the competition, so whether we could maintain both I don’t know. What’s the general feeling towards non-competitive prompts as well?
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Raine replied to the topic Opening of new WIP- 1289 words in the forum Critiques 7 years, 1 month ago
This is a good opening, Bella. An interesting character and the dualised relationships with cat, father and mother.
I think it starts at a good point, right into an interaction that lays the groundwork for a complex relationship. Some minor things that struck me were the early ‘tell’ of Bert that others have mentioned, and a sense that the…[Read more]
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Raine replied to the topic Writers & Artists short story comp in the forum Podium 7 years, 1 month ago
For the sake of balance/context/perspective, this story has been rejected by three magazines. Just shows how totally subjective this game is!
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Daedalus replied to the topic Writers & Artists short story comp in the forum Podium 7 years, 1 month ago
There’s little I like more than seeing fabulous writers recognised. Great stuff Raine, enjoy it
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Raine started the topic Writers & Artists short story comp in the forum Podium 7 years, 1 month ago
Ello. Found out yesterday that I am one of two runner-ups in this comp, for a short story called ‘Gold’. Lovely bit of news and they give a nice comment on it. The winning story is impressive though. Very bleak, and original.
Link, if you’re interested
…https://www.writersandartists.co.uk/2019/03/short-story-competition-2019-winner-revealed
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Daedalus replied to the topic Regular Den competition – where next? in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years, 1 month ago
Sorry, final thought – I personally like the competitive aspect, and I think the peer judging takes the subjectivity out of it somewhat, but how does everyone feel about Squidge’s suggestion of just making it a prompt/challenge? Could/should we make it non-competitive every so often?
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Daedalus replied to the topic Regular Den competition – where next? in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years, 1 month ago
The peer judging might be nice, so it’s only a case of totting up the votes. They do it this way on the Fantasy Faction monthly competitions and that seems to work OK. And then I suppose people can offer whatever feedback they like on any of the entries. A PM to the setter should do it.
OK then, the balance of opinion seems to be to go for two…[Read more]
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Raine replied to the topic Regular Den competition – where next? in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years, 1 month ago
Every two months seems like a good thing to try. As long as we remind ourselves from time to time on the main wall, I think there’s more chance of us remembering to enter. I must admit, while the comp entries are definitely fewer here than on the cloud, it does make judging less onerous!!
I do like the random prompts things as they make me write…[Read more]
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Daedalus started the topic Regular Den competition – where next? in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years, 2 months ago
Hi all, as we’ve discussed on the current competition thread (here, btw – please have a look at the prompts and consider entering https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-comp-feb-2019/ ), many of us have found it a bit difficult to maintain an entry on top of everything else we have going on. And yet I think most people would agree that…[Read more]
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Jules replied to the topic Monthly comp: Feb 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years, 2 months ago
Something ate Feb and most of March when I wasn’t looking, so I’m all for @raine ‘s suggested course of action.
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Daedalus replied to the topic Monthly comp: Feb 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years, 2 months ago
Good idea
I think we probably need to have a wider conversation about how we run the competition, as the monthly flash thing doesn’t seem to be working as well as it did on the Cloud (and even there, there were some thin months). I know it’s difficult. I have been struggling for inspiration lately, and life has got in the way more than usual (new…[Read more]
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Raine replied to the topic Monthly comp: Feb 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years, 2 months ago
Okay folks, I think Feb and March have kind of got the better of most of us. Sorry @jd73 for the floundering of this comp. Your prompts are great & if you are happy to still judge, how about we make this the April comp, and get everyone going again?
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Daedalus started the topic Interesting article about developing your voice in the forum The Writers' Lifeboat 7 years, 2 months ago
We talk about voice a lot as writers but I rarely see resources specifically about developing it. This is interesting from Kirsty Logan
https://www.bridportprize.org.uk/news/six-ways-develop-your-writers-voice-kirsty-logan
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WOW! Well done. Who, where, what?
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Brilliant, well done Raine!! I’ve still had rejections quicker, but this is good anyway
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Cracking news! Where?
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Anti-hero Anti-Heroin Chic. It was a flash from the monthly comps – the flower and the bee. Not paying, but I don’t mind that for flash. Nice wee surprise. 😊
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Stupid phone tiny typing window. Ignore the ‘Anti-hero’ bit…
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Talking of the monthly competition. We all, I think, failed to enter in February so it’s in abeyence/abeyance/halted. Could we do something? Extend the deadline to the end of March?
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@janeshuff Yes, I’d been thinking that. I’ve just posted a comment along those lines, although I suggested to end of April, as March is running away with us.
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CONGRATULATIONS!!!
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Raine posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 2 months agoMorning slomoers. I need a KICK goddammit. Please someone put a knife to my throat or something. I am translating agent/publisher silence into a complete inability to motivate myself and GAH. And now the sun has only gone and come out and I have bulbs to plant so I see more procrastination happening…
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Maybe not allow yourself to plant bulbs until x words written/edited? Lx
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Morning. FEEL YOUR PAIN. So… what is it that you want to be getting on with?
Oh! That project?
THAT IS AN AMAZING PROJECT, AND YOU NEED TO GET THIS FANTASTIC PIECE OF AMAZINGNESS WRITTEN!!!It’s never about publishing / publishers. You are a writer. You are an artist. Fuck everyone else. You know you’re calling. Do it because it’s play, it’s…[Read more]
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I am liking the Fuck Everyone Else motto! I did some plot editing and then planted bulbs. Today I am going to stare at the next round of paper edits whilst dying of endometriosis. But I will be dying with my special purple editing pen in hand, which totally counts!
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Oh, Raine – I feel your pain. Hope you manage to feel more comfortable soon. Endometriosis is a real be-arch! And yay to getting bulbs planted AND doing some writing as well. x
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Oh Raine my daughter has endo (we think) and it’s a killer. That, plus writerly lack of mojo, definitely calls for the Fuck Everyone Else approach – henceforth FEE – and gin, and tea, and chocolate. And I just read your beautiful, heartwrenching In the Dark Garden and I am reminded again of your writerly superpowers – even if you’re not feeling it…[Read more]
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Henceforth, this is the official Den motto:
‘It’s never about publishing / publishers. You are a writer. You are an artist. Fuck everyone else. You know you’re calling. Do it because it’s play, it’s creating, because it brings you joy.
Just do it.’
Thanks to @philippaeast 🙂
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You’re welcome! *doffs cap*
And I threw a typo in for good measure. Just to prove (kinda) my point.
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Wish I was, but no. Have a wonderful time!
I’m going – it’s just up the road from me. See you there!
I chickened out of going on my own. Have a great time!
Had planned to but going to the Edinburgh one instead.
Wish I was but still can’t manage long journies 🙁 I’ll be there in spirit.
Hope everybody has a brilliant day!
Can report – it was a great night. Books AND cake, and fellow writers.
Colour me jealous! I’m sure it was brilliant.
Congratulations, Fiona!!