@katemachon
Active 5 days ago-
Athelstone replied to the topic Substack in the forum Coffee Shop 1 year, 10 months ago
Emma’s writing is just marvellous.
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Libby started the topic Substack in the forum Coffee Shop 1 year, 10 months ago
Substack has settled in my life. I don’t publish posts and I rarely comment on or even record a like on other people’s posts. But for me it’s a useful and interesting resource on ‘how to write better’ – the nuts and bolts stuff of the craft – and a reinforcement of the impetus to write in the first place. The latter is the exciting part, though…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic Thirty Days in the forum
Beta Reading 1 year, 10 months agoBrilliant. Thanks Seagreen.
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Athelstone replied to the topic Thirty Days in the forum
Beta Reading 1 year, 10 months agoHah! That’s an interesting comparison, and thank you for it. If I assign a strangeness value (SV) of 5 to Sunken Land and, say, 8 or 9 to Viriconium, then Thirty days is mainly a 4 with the occasional 6. I am doing very different things. Thank you very much for the offer. I hope I can appeal to a wide range of readers.
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Libby replied to the topic Thirty Days in the forum
Beta Reading 1 year, 10 months agoHi Ath, I’d be pleased to read Thirty Days if I’m the kind of reader you’re looking for. My experience of speculative fiction is limited. For instance I loved M John Harrison’s The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again but soon gave up the first novel in his Viriconium series. That tipped too far into fantasy for me.
Feel free to see what other offers…[Read more]
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Athelstone posted an update 1 year, 10 months ago
Phew, after a bit of panic and faffing about with the Beta Reading group, I’ve posted a request for reading.
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Athelstone posted an update 1 year, 10 months ago
OK, I had a try at the Beta Reading group. Soon after I posted, I felt that it was too public. I didn’t want my synopsis etc on show. Temporarily I’ve made the group private while I have a think. Apologies for the confusion. Ideas welcome!
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Also, now I think about it, apologies to anybody who might have liked to try the beta reading option, but couldn’t opt to make it private like I can
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Do you actually need to provide a synopsis in a beta reading request? I would have thought a brief outline of what sort of novel it is – genre, style etc – might suffice. Then there wouldn’t be such a need for privacy.
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I think you’re right. I put the guidelines together based on a variety of sources, and a brief synopsis was a common suggestion. However, it ought to be part of the private correspondence between author and reader, not out there on the web.
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Athelstone replied to the topic August 2024 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 10 months ago
Another great competition. Thanks so much Libby. Congratulations to all, especially Sandra. Very well deserved.
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Sandra posted an update 1 year, 10 months ago
September monthly competition is up. If you were alive and kicking in the Sixties, even if (shame on you) you don’t usually bother, you might find inspiration here. Each month demonstrates the benefits of stepping outside one’s comfort zone and giving it a go.
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It occurs to me that I’ve already answered that question in the ‘All You Need’ challenge. I could always try for another answer though…
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Another answer, another character or two – yes please Richard, go for it!
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Sandra started the topic Monthly competition, September 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 10 months ago
Each of the dozen short stories in A L Kennedy’s 2009  collection, entitled ‘What becomes,’ attempts to answer  the question hauntingly  posed by Jimmy Ruffin in 1967. I’d like to know how successfully (or otherwise) your character(s) deal with their particular situation, preferably  in no more than 600 words, and no later than midnight on…[Read more]
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Sandra replied to the topic August 2024 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 10 months ago
Oh heck – I never saw that coming, not among so many superb entries – thank you, Libby, for comp and comments, and thank you all for much reading awe and entertainment. I’ll aim to post September’s competition before the end of the day. [but isn’t it odd how often a last minute, popped into one’s head, final sentence seems to make what seems a d…[Read more]
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Terrie replied to the topic August 2024 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 10 months ago
An enjoyable monthly challenge thank you, Libby.
Congratulations Sandra, I’m looking forward to where your monthly inspiration will lead us for September.
Well done Ath and Sea too.
It helps me to dip my toe into writing in genres outside my comfort zone when I see how diverse our entries are
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Libby replied to the topic August 2024 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 10 months ago
There’s a fabulous selection of entries in the August comp, and again it’s hard to pick one winner!
@Seagreen: This very enjoyable story reveals the rich history of a relationship, shown with a clever use of Elizabeth English and rhythm. There’s a satisfyingly wide range of emotion, including the delicious LOL comedy of “Thine exuberance I shall…[Read more]
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Libby replied to the topic August 2024 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 10 months ago
A terrific set of comp entries. I’ll be along tomorrow morning to reveal the winner.
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Libby replied to the topic August 2024 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 11 months ago
Hi Sandra, I was thinking that too!!
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Sandra replied to the topic August 2024 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 11 months ago
Don’t envy your task of choosing a winner, Libby!
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Terrie replied to the topic August 2024 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 11 months ago
Shall I compare thee to a summer day? Â
The sons of Scathios are not many, but we exist, hiding in plain sight, yet cautious as stealthy shadows flickering through time.
The oracle of Ages states ‘everything is subject to the passing of time, even that which is immortal’ and yes things around me did transform and I perceived them in their tran…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic August 2024 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 11 months ago
I had been thinking of writing a piece about the regular assembly of early morning imbibers near the local pier. My idea was to call it The Breakfast Club, but in deference to the competition it is as requested. Note that the language at these events is often rough. I have tamed it a bit but there may be a trace…
Shall I compare thee to a…[Read more]
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Libby replied to the topic August 2024 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 11 months ago
Reminder! The monthly competition closes at midnight on Saturday, 31st August.
Anyone can enter.
Here’s the task:
Our summer weather so far has been an ever-changing experience, almost one extreme to another. For the August comp please write a story about changeability titled ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?’ Thee can refer to a perso…[Read more]
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