@athelstone
Active 3 hours, 9 minutes ago-
Athelstone started the topic The truth about – back then in the forum Blogs 6 years, 11 months ago
How long is it since we had a blog?
It’s been a funny few weeks for me. But never mind all that. This is a blog from the Word Cloud, so apologies to former Cloudies who remember it. I may post a couple more of these blogs as well, so it’s worth saying straight out that I’m also sorry if they seem too locker-room in style. They are who I was.
The…[Read more]
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Athelstone posted an update 6 years, 12 months ago
3 fabulous entries in the October Comp so far. Why not have a go?
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Athelstone posted a new activity comment 6 years, 12 months ago
I’ve had this, Squidge, including being locked out for 20 minutes. Chrome and other Google-based browsers will try to keep you logged in and synced across sessions and devices, but it doesn’t always work well – or in some cases at all.
The Captcha plugin isn’t playing nicely with our setup and Jules is looking at it. Unfortunately, the alternative…[Read more] -
Athelstone replied to the topic September 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years ago
Thanks Libby and Sandra – and once again, thanks to Squidge!
October beckons.
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Athelstone replied to the topic September 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years ago
I might be a bit over sensitive, but it’s the kind of trope that surfaces when feelings are being tested: stories about minorities and their secret evil ways. The classic cases would be all the tales of alien mind-control and body take over that were so popular during the anti-communist frenzy in the US during the late 40s and 50s, or the ‘Yellow…[Read more]
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Athelstone started the topic Monthly comp – October 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years ago
I recently found some writing notes that I’d forgotten about. I was surprised by my reaction. That seems like a theme to me. Something (anything) forgotten then discovered. Surprising reaction. 400 to 500 words (tops).
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Athelstone replied to the topic September 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years ago
Thanks for a fab competition, Squidge. You’ve brought a tear to my eye. I’ve been doing the monthly competition for nearly 10 years, although with fewer entries in the last few months, and this is my first win! There were some super entries this month; I’m really pleased.
I re-read my entry and worried that it might be steering too close to the…[Read more]
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Athelstone posted a new activity comment 7 years ago
I’ve written a fair amount of this character, but killed her before her history unfolded later in the story. It was during that unfolding that I began to like her. I was feeling bad enough about having done her in, but then I came across a load of notes about a chance encounter she has with an old friend after a separation of several years. I have…[Read more]
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Athelstone posted an update 7 years ago
Wow! Came across some notes I scribbled down about 5 years ago: events in the life of a character in a book I’ve put aside. Not prepared for how guilty it would make me feel. It really seemed as though I abandoned somebody important – almost like a real person. What are my life lessons here? Stop scribbling stuff down? If I do, don’t read it…[Read more]
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Perhaps the last question is the right one. Or return to the character if not the same story. It sounds as though the character has life or you wouldn’t feel bothered about them. Someone to come back to when the time is right?
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I’ve got two notebooks full of random notes on characters or ideas. Most of it will never turn into something, but they’re great for when I’m feeling a bit blank – looking through and seeing what wants to be written. If you’re feeling that guilt, then perhaps that idea wants to be written enough for you to spend a little bit of time expanding on it?
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I’ve written a fair amount of this character, but killed her before her history unfolded later in the story. It was during that unfolding that I began to like her. I was feeling bad enough about having done her in, but then I came across a load of notes about a chance encounter she has with an old friend after a separation of several years. I have…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic replying to agent rejections in the forum Coffee Shop 7 years ago
Do you mean that you sent a ‘thank you’ to the agents after they declined? I haven’t done that in the past. Not that I’ve made many submissions lately.
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Athelstone replied to the topic September 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years ago
Oh yes, 373(ish)
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Athelstone replied to the topic September 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years ago
Tortoiseshell Specs
I wear tortoiseshell specs. My dear old mum did too. And Dad. A family tradition that I hadn’t really thought about. I mean, we had so many things that I hardly even noticed. Family traditions, that is. There were words we used that I thought were just normal. Mum called me dinny if I did something daft and lairy when I was n…[Read more]
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Athelstone posted a new activity comment 7 years ago
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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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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Athelstone replied to the topic Syllabus and course materials. in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 7 years agoHi Jane, do we need a common start time as it’s a DIY course? I imagine it would be nice/useful to have people at roughly the same stage, for support and encouragement, but real life and so on.
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Athelstone posted a new activity comment 7 years ago
PS I’m travelling around until Monday PM (family wedding) so probably won’t be able to answer questions until then.
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Athelstone posted an update 7 years ago
URGENT!!! The weekend approaches. If you wish to enter the challenge “Songs of Innocence and Experience” then you only have until Tuesday at 22:00 to join the eponymous group and make your choices.
MORE IMPORTANT STILL there are several Denizens who have joined the group but have yet to POST their choices. You must both join AND post to be in…[Read more]
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PS I’m travelling around until Monday PM (family wedding) so probably won’t be able to answer questions until then.
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Athelstone replied to the topic Syllabus and course materials. in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 7 years agoThanks for kicking all this off, Raine!
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