@bellam
Active 1 week, 3 days ago-
Athelstone replied to the topic September 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 9 months 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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Squidge replied to the topic September 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 9 months ago
Ath – really?!
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Athelstone started the topic Monthly comp – October 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 9 months 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 6 years, 9 months 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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Squidge replied to the topic September 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 9 months ago
Apologies for the delay in posting – life got in the way!
Well these shades of beige definitely weren’t boring. Thanks to everyone who entered – thin on the ground perhaps (well it is York month) but not thin on quality.
Some really poignant pieces in this mix (Dreamweaver, Je m’appelle Missy, and Hil’s Tortoiseshell Specs) secrets in Battle…[Read more]
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Athelstone posted an update 6 years, 9 months 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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Hilary replied to the topic replying to agent rejections in the forum Coffee Shop 6 years, 9 months ago
Thanks, all. I think from now on I won’t reply to form rejections. Certainly I shouldn’t have done it so long after I received them. It was just that tweet making me think I’d been rude! Perhaps she wasn’t talking about form rejections.
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Squidge posted an update 6 years, 9 months ago
I know we’ve had an issue with bots at the mo – I’m getting the ‘I’m not a robot’ thing every time I log in, but I thought once we’d done it once, it meant you should be OK to log in without after that?
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I’m getting that too Squidge. Can never sign in on the main page. Always get diverted and have to do the bot thing.
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And me!
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Although it’s not too much of a problem now I know.
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Do you guys use whatever your browser equivalent of ‘keychain’ is? Usually if you have your password stored in that, it will only periodically check that you’re not a robot. Apologies for needing to add recaptcha but the bot situation was getting a bit dire!
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Um…keychain? I’ve tried clicking the ‘remember me’ but it doesn’t.
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JaneShuff replied to the topic Syllabus and course materials. in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 6 years, 9 months agoI’ve bought the books and I’m looking forward to starting. Thank you WB!
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JaneShuff replied to the topic replying to agent rejections in the forum Coffee Shop 6 years, 9 months ago
I’ve generally replied in the past to agents who have read the full and the type of reply has depended on the type of mail they’ve sent. if it’s been a fairly short ‘not for us’, I’ve just thanked them but if they’ve gone to the bother of giving me some feedback, I’ve normally thanked them for it specifically and told them how much I valued it,…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic replying to agent rejections in the forum Coffee Shop 6 years, 9 months 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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Hilary started the topic replying to agent rejections in the forum Coffee Shop 6 years, 9 months ago
What’s your experience? What are your thoughts?
I’ve been submitting to agents this summer and had a few full requests (all subsequently declined) and several other declines. Initially I replied (just thank you) to the ones who’d requested the full, and one or two others I’d met, and not to the others since I’d read somewhere that agents don’t…[Read more] -
Hilary replied to the topic Syllabus and course materials. in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 6 years, 9 months agoFantastic @woolleybeans. Thank you so much for this.
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Squidge posted an update in the group
Andrew Wille’s DIY MA course 6 years, 9 months agoWow, WB – that’s really comprehensive! Thank you. Also makes me realise I need to print out Andrew’s course outline and read it through properly…
I’d be glad of an October start, cos I’m trying to set new routines around an empty nest, and it’ll be good to focus on something other than the lack of guitar playing and a deserted bedroom… ;)…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic September 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 9 months ago
Oh yes, 373(ish)
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Athelstone replied to the topic September 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 9 months 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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JaneShuff replied to the topic Syllabus and course materials. in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 6 years, 9 months agoI’m in the camp that would prefer a bit of a timetable but can I just clarify something and sorry if this has been dealt with elsewhere.
Year 1 consists of the Craft Seminars,the first year of writing workshop and the first year of the professional development masterclas.
The Craft Seminars of which there are fifteen IMO lend themsleves to a…[Read more]
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JaneShuff replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 6 years, 9 months ago
Fantastic achievement @elle! Congratulations
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Hilary replied to the topic Syllabus and course materials. in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 6 years, 9 months agoI think I like Squidge’s idea, because I’d be better with some discipline.
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Squidge replied to the topic Syllabus and course materials. in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 6 years, 9 months 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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