@helen
Active 6 months, 2 weeks ago-
Sandra replied to the topic Monthly comp – December 2018 in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years, 8 months ago
Wow, Sea, the December comp had not impinged at all so I read this not knowing the theme – what stunningly beautiful – crisp and fresh – sensory descriptions, and clarity of insight. Loved it.
-
Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly comp – December 2018 in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years, 8 months ago
UNTITLED (388 words)
You weren’t coming back. I see that now. But had it really taken a pre-dawn walk on Christmas morning to untangle my thoughts and clear my clouded vision?
Yes, should the truth be told. It had.
I had lain awake for hours – body tired, mind agitated, and senses heightened in the dark. Aware of the warmth of my breath in t…[Read more] -
Hilary posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 8 months agoHello fellow slomoers (?)
I’ve been very slow… but I now know how my novel is going to end! I have an outline for the bits I’ve still got left to write. Need to flesh them out a bit and then get on with it. That will be the third draft done, then.
Well done to all of us! And keep going all of us! Might do a Janowrimo!-
That’s fantastic @hilary! What a relief for you. Such a good feeling when structural chunks fall into place like that. Well done you, and everyone! I’m liking SloMo very much – think I’ll be joining you for JanNoWriMo!
-
Well done @hilary! I never know the exact ending till about 2/3 of the way through, and it’s always a bit of a relief to figure it out! Hope it helps you move through the last few bits now you’ve got it mapped out.
-
Yeaaaarrrsss! Nice work, Hil on the ending! Looking forward to hearing more about it…. Yes, please can we continue in January???? I need all the kindly support I can get!!
-
-
-
-
Athelstone posted an update 7 years, 8 months ago
Coast walk this morning with a steady 40 mph wind off the sea blowing hail horizontally. Not nice round stuff either: jagged lumps with sharp bits that stung like hell. Got hit in the eye and it felt like a punch. Couldn’t see properly for 10 minutes, but cobwebs all blown away and once my fingers had thawed out managed to scribble some ideas down.
-
Win.
-
Absolutely 🙂 or possibly ;(
-
-
-
Sandra replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 8 months ago
Excellent news Stevie; your writing deserves to be read more widely.
-
John S Alty replied to the topic Writing Advice in the forum The Writers' Lifeboat 7 years, 8 months ago
I came across this piece of writing advice by Sol Stein which appeals to me:
“….be sure you don’t stop the story while describing. You are a storyteller, not an interior decorator.”
Probably a shot across the bows of so-called literary prose. King likes to emphasize this point too, but doesn’t do it quite as succinctly.
-
Philippa East replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 8 months ago
Oh well done, Stevie! That is super news. And good point about still being able to submit elsewhere too! Here’s to a double whammy.
-
Hilary replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 8 months ago
Congratulations, Stevie!
-
Philippa East posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 8 months agoUg. Today I feel like I’ve gone backwards in my editing process. I’ve put in my three hours, but most of that was spent unearthing problems in my “back-plot” (or lack thereof) that have now thrown the other plot threads out of whack.
I feel like I’ve discovered dry rot and woodworm in a house I’m trying to redecorate.
How much backstory…[Read more]-
I’m actually reducing the number of words in my WIP which had reached around 50,000 (guess why) and has now shrunk to about 30,000 – rapidly. Work on it has stopped while I think about my Room With A View entry (836 words right now), and I have to get a first chapter in some kind of shape for a writers’ w/e in January (If anybody has a moment…[Read more]
-
Oh yuck to backstories! Hope you are feeling less yucky about it today @philippaeast. I don’t know. I don’t think we need to know everything about a secondary character’s past, as long as their character and story are ‘real’ to us. Apart from bits of their past that are relevant, obv. I figure I don’t know everything about a friend’s past, but I…[Read more]
-
-
That is definitely an issue with launching into an unplanned story: the pain of squashing continuity errors, conflicts and missing detail. I think you can get away with quite a lot as long as there are no bugs. If your MC was two years old in the year 2000 but somehow was in favour of staying in the EEC in 1975 then you have some explaining. If…[Read more]
-
Hah hah @raine, who said anything about secondary characters?! These are my main characters I’m talking about! But hopefully as @athelstone says, it’s about there not being obvious “bugs” in the writing. Yeah the issue I stumbled into was that, psychologically, a particular character arc made sense if certain events happened when her child was…[Read more]
-
-
-
Philippa East replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 8 months ago
Den get together would be fab. I am in Lincolnshire, but I can travel to London easily
-
Hilary replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 8 months ago
(not sure I want to meet the bots though)
-
Hilary replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 8 months ago
The launch was great, thanks! I enjoyed the reading – luckily I went first, so could then relax. It was great to meet some of the other writers too.
I love meeting other writers…
We need to have a Den get together… In RL, I mean. -
Janette replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 8 months ago
Many congratulations, Elle and Hilary. Enjoy the read, Hilary x
-
Philippa East posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 8 months agoWell, I’m sure glad for this SloMo month… until the start of this week, I had too many distractions to focus on writing and the lack of progress was just making me increasingly panicked. But for the last three days, I’ve managed my plan of a few hours a day. I feel less panicked now, because I feel sort of ‘back in the familiar groove’ and I can…[Read more]
-
Sounds good, Philippa. And I think you are right to acknowledge that some days are just not meant to be writing days. I can never write when we are away, even if I have the time. It used to annoy me but now I accept it.
-
Yes… I’ve found if I try to write in the evenings (i.e. after work), my brain gets too wired and I can’t switch off to sleep. Also, because I’m like a dog with a bone with stuff, and enforced break from writing is probably good for me, to prevent me getting obsessed and overwhelmed. It also means I make better use of the other days, knowing I…[Read more]
-
Not surprised you can’t focus after work! But well done for moving through the panic and getting into things again. Hope the weekend lets you keep the momentum up…
-
-
-
-
Philippa East replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 8 months ago
Oh wow @hilary, what an honour!! Congratulations again on your placing. I hope you had a wonderful time at the launch x
-
Squidge posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 8 months agoMy slomo so far has been to draft a Christmas newsletter (rather a Marmite thing, I’ve found, for the recipients), planned a few writing exercises for a group I’m talking to tonight (which I will also be using for NIBS next week), and about 150 words of something I like for Room with a View (although I have no idea where it’s heading or why I’ve…[Read more]
-
Well, that’s progress then! Nice work on the Room With a. It’s story. Hope it collaguates soon.
-
*Room With A View
-
I love it when something insists on being written even if you don’t have a clue where it’s going.
-
How did the writing group go @squidge?
-
Sorry – been out of sight for a few days. Writing went well – the group of mainly older ladies (70+yrs) seemed to enjoy the exercises I set, and convinced quite a few that they could write after all. Yet to try it on the NIBsers…
-
-
-
-
-
-
John S Alty posted an update 7 years, 8 months ago
I see we have four new members who could use a vowel or two in their name. What’s that all about?
Anyway, Wlcme!-
Suspected bot. Jules has squished them
-
-
Hilary replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 8 months ago
Oh, Elle – just read your flash piece. So sad and beautiful. Congratulations.
-
Hilary replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 8 months ago
Tomorrow is the launch of the Bath Short Story Award anthology. Excited about reading a page or so from my story, and meeting other winners and shortlisters.
-
Hilary posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 8 months agoSorry I’m late, but here now for mutual encouragement. I’m working on structural edit of novel, having done one and two-thirds drafts. Have been trying to hone and clarify main story arc and am now trying to work out how and where the subplots intersect/have an impact on the main plot. Like some of you, I am feeling the fear, mainly because it’s…[Read more]
-
Oh good luck! I feel your pain! Are you doing the splendid post it notes!?
-
Congrats on being a runner up, Hilary. I also feel I’m making progress then decide the opposite is true. It sounds as though you’re making v good headway. The structural stuff needs doing and you’re doing it. Congrats on that too, and pat yourself on the back.
-
Thank you, Libby and Raine. Yes, post-its have played a part; also multi-coloured highlighting in Word. It all helps.
-
I use a chapter plan in a separate word doc too. This can be changed as often as required but without it I’m lost.
-
Well done @hilary on pushing on. I know what you mean about the false summits, but keep,faith. It does just take that long. If it’s any consolation I’m on draft, er, 20 with at least another round of edits to go! And trust me: the agent will wait, there’s no rush. I took a whole year between the request for the full and sending it, and it was fine.
-
-
-
-
- Load More