Emma Robinson

  • Wow, 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]

  • Fabulous Elle – well done.

  • The 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]

  • Squidge posted an update 6 years, 8 months 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!’

    • 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.

      • No worries – I know September’s busy for most folk, especially after York. Mean I won’t have such a difficult decision judging 😉

  • I 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.

  • Libby posted an update 6 years, 8 months 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.

    • PS the author’s new novel has had rave reviews too.

    • 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.

      • 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.’ :-))

        • It’s all the substitute for ‘he said that so resonated with me.

          • 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.

            • 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!

  • Been 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]

  • Willing to have a go at this… Not sure how it’ll be structured in terms of posting – presumably a new forum for each unit, with each person posting within the forum? Hope it’s pretty clear, as I ‘lose’ threads so often!

  • A daunting amount of material, but nobody said writing would be easy.
    Thanks for setting this up Raine.

  • Squidge posted an update 6 years, 9 months ago

    So it turns out that Amazon can reformat your ebook when you upload it for Kindle. Who knew?

    And I’d been blaming the publisher for all the extra line breaks, large text and blank pages…

    • Amazon is a menace, but we seem to be stuck with them if we want to sell books

    • I’m currently attempting to re-format my novels for publishing as ebooks – fiendishly tricky at times and not sure I’ve cracked it yet – sudden and random centering of paragraphs or indents, to say nothing of the change in fonts. A good reason to stick with print IMHO!

    • There’s definitely a knack to formatting ebooks but it’s easy when you’ve got the hang of it. I recommend the Smashwords Style Guide to get yoy started (perma free in ebook). And I might be able to help point people in the right direction if anyone is really stuck?

      • Some extra spaces end up turning into extra lines…apparently. SO glad it’s not up to me to do the formatting.

  • Kate replied to the topic DIY soapbox in the forum Podium 6 years, 9 months ago

    ‘Step do Grave’ was definitely after the distillery! 🙂

  • Kate replied to the topic Flash fiction success in the forum Podium 6 years, 9 months ago

    Thanks everyone. I’m still floating around in the clouds. Hopefully at the end of the month I will be able to put up a link so you can take a look. 🙂

  • Libby replied to the topic Flash fiction success in the forum Podium 6 years, 9 months ago

    Yippee! Brilliant! Fab! I’m so pleased.

  • Squidge replied to the topic Flash fiction success in the forum Podium 6 years, 9 months ago

    Brilliant news, Kate – well done!!!!

  • Brilliant, Kate. Well done!

  • Kate started the topic Flash fiction success in the forum Podium 6 years, 9 months ago

    I’ve just received an e-mail saying I was awarded first place in the Jersey Festival of Words flash fiction competition! I’m bouncing off the walls!

    I get to go to a ceremony and everything! I’ll just add a few more of these !!!!!! to show how excited I am. It’s lovely to have a little success in the sea of rejections!!

  • Squidge posted an update 6 years, 9 months ago

    Anyone from York dropping in to the Den over this weekend? How did Friday Night Live go? How’s Janette’s wheels? And have you all spent a fortune at the bar yet?

    Say hi to all the Denizens and cloudies from me.

    • Good fun. John’s was easily the best but he didn’t win 🙁 Drank my way through a week’s pocket money on Friday. Bit green on Saturday morning. Enjoyable so far. Series of new 2 hour workshops called ‘labs’ this year. Went to Jail Duncan’s “World Building” and he still overran by 25 minutes. He used the f-adjective so many times that after the…[Read more]

      • A blog will be nice. I’ve missed catching up.

        • Looking forward to the blog. Missed the real thing. (Would never like to go to another of H Duncan’s workshops, if that’s who you mean, though I know some think they’re great.)
          Specially sorry to miss John’s reading, which I can quite believe was the best, and seeing ‘Cloudies’/Denizens. Maybe next year. There’s been lots of ‘family stuff’ this…[Read more]

      • Oh, what a shame for John. Hope he got some interest though from the agents? I don’t remember Hal Duncan using the f-bomb when I sat in his workshops a few years ago.
        Fingers crossed that next year, I might be able to go again; currently in the throes of getting T ready for uni a week on Monday (a week earlier than we thought, thanks to Freshers…[Read more]

      • A blog will be very interesting. Thanks, Ath.

      • Yes, HAL not Jail – never was great at typing onto a phone. Blog when my mind’s all connected back up and the M1 is out of my bloodstream.

        • Hal is the weegie, right? He cracks me up slightly & yeah, I remember some pretty fluent swearing going on.
          Hurray for @johnt3 doing so well. I’m not surprised his reading was fantastic. 🙂

          • The scooter went very well, thanks, @squidge. I couldn’t have done York without it (and the help of our friend group, who were awesome). Debi created a messenger group to help us communicate (and so that I could call out for help when needed), which was a brilliant idea and worked so well, I think it should be repeated, injuries or not, next year.…[Read more]

  • Squidge posted an update 6 years, 9 months ago

    Looking forward to hearing about York from everyone who’s going… Have a fab time and may you have plenty of ink in your pens! x

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