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Daedalus started the topic Delilah S Dawson on developing an idea in the forum The Writers' Lifeboat 7 years, 8 months ago
An epic Twitter thread from author Delilah S Dawson on developing an idea. She does a lot of these and there’s always a lot of interesting stuff in them, so she’s worth following if you’re on Twitter
For today's #TenThings, let's talk about HOW TO DEVELOP A BOOK IDEA. Because they never arrive fully formed, do they? We get a tiny glimmer, if we're lucky. I hope these tips will help you turn your ideas into fully-fleshed stories.
— Delilah S. Dawson (@DelilahSDawson) January 18, 2019
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Squidge posted an update 7 years, 8 months ago
I was asked by a local school (I know the deputy head a little) to help open their new school library yesterday (Nicky Morgan was the main attraction, and she couldn’t stay long as she was jumping on a train to London for some kind of Brexit debate and vote…?!) and talk to KS2 about editing your writing.
While I was there, they asked me to be…[Read more]
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Thatβs amazing Squidge, well done. Thatβs what itβs really all about isnβt it? Making a difference to people. Good work
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Lovely, Squidge
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Yes, Squidge, that’s lovely. Uplifting, heartwarming and empowering.
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Wonderful. Made me smile.
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That’s lovely Squidge. Just a compliment, and yes, those little things mean an immense amount.
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That’s lovely!
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How wonderful @squidge. Itβs definitrly what makes it worthwhile (I imagine 😊). Congratulations!
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Squidge posted an update 7 years, 8 months ago
Does anyone else who blogs get hits from unsavoury websites? The Scribbles is getting multiple hits from porn sites. Now everyone’s welcome over at the Scribbles, but I can’t see that I’m offering anything over there that Britney34 or Sophia 23 would be interested in…
It’s a blogger site, and I don’t know whether they can be hacked or…[Read more]
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Itβs a new one on me, Squidge. Not sure what the threat is, if itβs just visitors redirected from those sites, but I can see why youβre suspicious. I can only think that there are automatically generated search results posted there and youβve happened to include some of theit search terms? A headscratcher
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Porn bots follow legit blogs etc because the more connections they have to them, the more hits are shown to be generated by the legit blog, the more the algorithms of search engines see the porn blogs as legit sites, too. (Or some version of that which is accurate about the tech side of it, but basically they are glomping onto you as a way of…[Read more]
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The Prediction Fiction site I host has a similar problem, every now and then a spike of hits, Britney and Tiffany (new to me) I can guess at but occasionally there’re sites less obvious. I’ve only once made the mistake of checking … and was reminded that I’d ever hated pink blancmange.
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A friend posted some info as to how I can filter them out… I’ll have a go if I can understand it. @sandradavies, that made me laugh! And I know EXACTLY what you meant! π
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Daedalus replied to the topic TSS Cambridge Short Story in the forum Competitions, Open calls and Writing Opportunities 7 years, 8 months ago
Well done all! Letβs hope a Denizen wins
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Daedalus started the topic TSS Cambridge Short Story in the forum Competitions, Open calls and Writing Opportunities 7 years, 8 months ago
The TSS Publishing Cambridge Short Story Prize is closing for entries soon, and is apparently short of the number it needs to run the competition. So if Denizens put in an entry, it would surely have a good chance of success, and help TSS make the competition happen. It’s a 2,000-3,000 word limit, so if anyone had any previous Cloud Challenge…[Read more]
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Daedalus replied to the topic January 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years, 8 months ago
Good topic John. Will DEFINITELY enter this one (and apols to Raine whose comp I failed to contribute to)
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Daedalus replied to the topic Speed Kills: Salisbury, 1906 in the forum Blogs 7 years, 8 months ago
I didnβt know about that one – lucky it wasnβt catastrophic. I admit to a fondness for the LMS streamliners, and, contrary soul that I am, prefer them to the much more successful LNER ones. This is partly because I was given a βCoronation Scotβ for my train set in my childhood (including a carriage by my grandmother, which I think was the last Ch…[Read more]
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Daedalus replied to the topic Speed Kills: Salisbury, 1906 in the forum Blogs 7 years, 8 months ago
Fascinating and absorbing stuff as ever, Richard. As well as the wonderful clarity and readability of the technical matters, I find the culture of the railway companies and the way it affected how they ran their services really eye-opening. We have it pretty bad these days, with the worst combination of competition and monopoly, but at least we…[Read more]
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JaneShuff replied to the topic Speed Kills: Salisbury, 1906 in the forum Blogs 7 years, 8 months ago
Another engaging story, Richard. I have no particular interest in railway history but your adept recounting of these incidents mean that I open your blogs with a sense of anticipation and I am never disappointed. You have a gift for giving us the right amount of background to bring the events to life. Thank you!
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JaneShuff posted an update 7 years, 8 months ago
I’ve posted a short story in a private group (After The Honeymoon) that I’d love some feedback on. It was my entry into last year’s short story competition and I recently dusted it off and did some work on it. If anyone has time, please have a look. It’s only in a private grup in case I decide to submit it somewhere later. Thanks!!
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Daedalus replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 8 months ago
Hope so @elle! In truth the numbers game is a problem for me, as I struggle to write enough to get the hit rate. Will keep trying though. The Barren editors are lovely, they gave me the nicest rejection ever 🤣
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Daedalus replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 8 months ago
Well done Elle. I’m impressed with all these publications. I still haven’t had one since my first nearly four years ago, despite a concerted effort recently. I did have a very kind rejection from Barren Magazine recently, which still counts as ‘a miss is as good as a mile’.
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JaneShuff posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 9 months agoCongratulations to my fellow December SloMo members on all your achievements in December. I know there is a third of the month to go but I am about to disappear in Christmas – ferries permitting. December hasn’t worked out for me quite how I thought it would and has ended up being more of time to reflect. I have written and edited a lot in 2018…[Read more]
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I sympathise, Jane – my SloMo has been NoGo. A continuation month – CoMo? – in January would be great
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I’m the same as you Daeds…NoGo. I’ll plump for CoMo, and try to get something out for RWaV π
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I’m also a NoGo. Hoping January will be more of a GroMo or a FloMo π
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It is really helpful isn’t it? Seeing others’ updates and getting little boosts. Lets go for a SomethingMo. If only to get me through the most miserable month of the year…
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Daedalus replied to the topic For Those in Peril… in the forum Blogs 7 years, 9 months ago
The Penlee lifeboat disaster was 37 years ago today, Twitter reminds me. If you haven’t read Richard’s blog about it, above, I highly recommend you do
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Squidge posted an update 7 years, 9 months ago
The spambots are very pretty in the membership column, but I wish they’d beetle off! Can we lock the doors for a bit and hope they find somewhere else to play?
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I wonder if thereβs a tougher way to ask prospective new members to prove they are human? Not sure what BBpress offers in that regard
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Are they not all the same? The ‘tickabox’ to say you’re not a robot, or the ‘type in these letters you can barely read, even if you ARE human’ box? π
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I can’t remember what we had when we signed up. I imagine some are easier for bots to beat than others
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We are now trialling a plugin that should deal with the issue. The vast majority of bots did get stopped by the system software and those few that managed to register were blocked, usually within the hour, manually. Hopefully the plugin will prevent any further spambots getting through!
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Wahey!
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JaneShuff posted an update 7 years, 9 months ago
Ha! The bots think they can get in by sneakily adding vowels.
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