Den of Writers | Kate | Mentions https://www.denofwriters.com/members/katemachon/activity/mentions/ Activity feed mentioning Kate. Wed, 10 Jun 2026 07:11:20 +0000 https://buddypress.org/?v= en-GB 30 hourly 2 3e64a46dbe8c14558a63075bb9fb4b07 Knicks replied to the topic How to reach out to a speculative fiction editor? in the forum The Writers' Lifeboat https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/how-to-reach-out-to-a-speculative-fiction-editor/#post-12698 Mon, 29 Aug 2022 20:03:08 +0000 Thank you both, @richardb and @katemachon; Kate, the info on your process, experience and end results was especially illuminating. Thanks so much! ✨

]]> 0 19b3d039a2d684b8a5c69b7e4d634ed9 Libby posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/19447/#acomment-19465 Wed, 18 May 2022 13:14:53 +0000 Thanks, Kate! @katemachon
And thanks, Ath! @athelstone

In reply to - Libby started the topic Microfiction published in the forum Coffee Shop I’m chuffed to say that Fairfield Scribes have published one of my micros, ‘The Darkness Has a Damp Bite’, in their latest issue Issue 17 – […] ]]> 993837fb8b9c4e4aad17b65961e85a51 Knicks replied to the topic Monthly Competition - January 2022 in the forum Monthly Competition https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-january-2022/#post-11438 Sun, 30 Jan 2022 20:42:54 +0000 Ohai, just had my read-through. January’s entries were really eclectic, both funny and relatable.

@quellomayo – Gripping and amusing in equal measure; this wasn’t one that I’d read normally but having done, I wanted to read more. Fun stuff.

@sandradavies – Definitely en route to overcoming an adversary we can all relate to being plague by in…[Read more]

]]> 0 557b133225dd63b6a300d3ed4ab6d497 Raine replied to the topic Short story in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/short-story-2/#post-9938 Fri, 12 Mar 2021 14:28:05 +0000 Oh well done @katemachon! It’s a great wee story. 🙂

]]> 1 47f19f5d9a405bfb0230d5e8843d5b6b Libby posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/16938/#acomment-16944 Thu, 11 Mar 2021 15:05:47 +0000 Congratulations, @katemachon . Sundial has done a super job with the layout and presentation. What a fabulous picture.
Well done.

In reply to - Kate started the topic Short story in the forum Podium If anyone would like to read my HWA longlisted short story, it is now available in Sundial magazine at the below link. A Viking romp that I hope you will […] ]]> 9b6bffbf4065ec4804f247fc449f2e2e Libby replied to the topic Monthly competition - January 2021 in the forum Monthly Competition https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/monthly-competition-january-2021/#post-9521 Mon, 01 Feb 2021 17:54:54 +0000 What a tantalising range of stories and good use of the prompts. The standard is so high, and having a small number of entries paradoxically doesn’t make it any easier! In all of them I particularly enjoyed the voices both in the dialogue and the narration. I know Sandra’s piece is an excerpt from a longer work and Ath’s and Kate’s could be comp…[Read more]

]]> 0 d3892f514429ba595028a8689e3ec76f Athelstone posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/14568/#acomment-14578 Mon, 08 Jun 2020 17:15:47 +0000 @katemachon you could do worse than start with ‘The Old Man and the Sea’ which is a full novel but at 27,000 words, definitely more novella length as things are reckoned these days – and a short(ish) one at that.

In reply to - Doug posted an update Conveying a lot in a few words… I’m looking back over Hemingway’s short stories. More than anyone else I’ve read, he was such a master at using sparse language to create vivid pictures. I […] ]]> 9d5f8f52fde6f5fbc6538817831e9c9a MCave posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/14301/#acomment-14303 Tue, 05 May 2020 16:27:21 +0000 Thanks @katemachon. I’d be happy to. I just didn’t want to presume people had time, as I’m new! How do people usually do it? A chapter? Or a synopsis and a chapter?

In reply to - MCave posted an update Hello! I’m new here. I’ve been having a nose around and trying get to know this place. I write middle grade fantasy, and would be quite happy to read and critique work for others, but I […] ]]> 11e9eae92243c754c31157fda0d21317 Giselle posted an update: @katemachon, Thank you! It's great to see you. It was an […] https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/14212/ Mon, 27 Apr 2020 07:38:09 +0000 @katemachon, Thank you! It’s great to see you. It was an exciting moment. I belong to a pre-history association, and am tempted to ask them if they can date it. What’s amazing is that all those tools are buried in the sand, then uncovered, as the dunes shift with the wind. What are the chances that that particular scraper would be temporarily…[Read more]

]]> 4 27bf5f885597b45c61de9f8d43307ca3 KazG replied to the topic Mid grade 1st chapter in the forum Critiques https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/mid-grade-1st-chapter/#post-7482 Thu, 06 Feb 2020 11:09:29 +0000 Hi @katemachon, just got to this. I love the voice! I do agree about paring down the descriptions, making them part of the action as much as possible. And yes, you need to give us a reason to be on Ariadne’s side – give us her motivations, what she wants, what she fears.

I would also warn against overthinking the whole positioning of it,…[Read more]

]]> 0 7c40e3592e75b362bb48302e642aa185 JaneShuff replied to the topic Class 2 Writing Exercise Jane in the forum Andrew Wille's DIY MA course https://www.denofwriters.com/groups/andrew-willes-diy-ma-course/forum/topic/class-2-writing-exercise-jane/#post-6892 Thu, 05 Dec 2019 13:20:19 +0000 @katemachon. The questions come from Andrew Wille’s questionnaire but there are lots of others about. Personally, I don’t find the What is their favourite colour sort of question very helpful. I think the best ones work a bit like writing prompts, sparking ideas off or pulling ideas together. Anyway I’m glad it was interesting!

]]> 0 783f7e9f8065d402f17139aaf917e19d JaneShuff replied to the topic Class 2 Writing Exercise Jane in the forum Andrew Wille's DIY MA course https://www.denofwriters.com/groups/andrew-willes-diy-ma-course/forum/topic/class-2-writing-exercise-jane/#post-6889 Thu, 05 Dec 2019 11:14:26 +0000 Hi @katemachon. Here’s the character questionnaire I did for Dipsy. You’ll see that I ignored some of the questions – basically if nothing comes to mind, I don’t beat myself up about it. I also don’t worry about the answers being particaulrly interesting, so some of it is pretty dull. But I do find them helpful for clarifying and focussing…[Read more]

]]> 0 7569b9ab637535f2ca20541d68ed96f1 JaneShuff replied to the topic Class 2 Writing Exercise Jane in the forum Andrew Wille's DIY MA course https://www.denofwriters.com/groups/andrew-willes-diy-ma-course/forum/topic/class-2-writing-exercise-jane/#post-6885 Wed, 04 Dec 2019 22:11:51 +0000 Thanks @katemachon and @sandradavies. I realise that I should have given some context to this as it’s actually an excerpt from my WIP and, although this is the first time Dipsy actually appears, the reader would know her age and her relationship to the narrator. So sorry.

I will tidy up Dipsy’s character questionnaire and post it if you’d like,…[Read more]

]]> 0 0ada46b009e5a4e162c467954d45d0e8 JaneShuff replied to the topic Craft Seminar Class 2: Character 1 - Outer Worlds in the forum Andrew Wille's DIY MA course https://www.denofwriters.com/groups/andrew-willes-diy-ma-course/forum/topic/craft-seminar-class-2-character-1-outer-worlds/#post-6758 Thu, 21 Nov 2019 14:59:48 +0000 I seem to be following @katemachon round the den and repeating everything she says. So once again… Thanks @squidge. It was a great blog. That Julie Cohen is a very clever person.

]]> 0 6001046f847d65871281a1da7b0f1e8b JaneShuff replied to the topic Craft Seminar Class 2: Character 1 - Outer Worlds in the forum Andrew Wille's DIY MA course https://www.denofwriters.com/groups/andrew-willes-diy-ma-course/forum/topic/craft-seminar-class-2-character-1-outer-worlds/#post-6676 Tue, 12 Nov 2019 08:56:51 +0000 Ditto from me @katemachon . Another quote from, I think, later in the chapter is ‘There’s nothing generic about fiction’- probably misquoted as I didn’t write it down. And also from The Art of Character – ‘It’s through character that we bring the general down to earth.’I am feeling both inspired and daunted!

]]> 0 0a450426912fdd193b9ab9027dbbf3e1 KazG replied to the topic Writing Practice: Year 1 in the forum Andrew Wille's DIY MA course https://www.denofwriters.com/groups/andrew-willes-diy-ma-course/forum/topic/writing-practice-year-1/#post-6659 Thu, 07 Nov 2019 20:51:13 +0000 I have bought myself a special notebook! Which is surely the start of anything worth doing, no? 🙂

I have yet to write in special notebook as I am overwhelmed by other deadlines at the moment (this month I am finishing an Aboriginal language course and my book 2 edits. I also have ongoing homework from a business/life coach we have signed up to…[Read more]

]]> 0 c49cb94ebe130e95d16f510cf63918a3 Elle replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/short-story-publication-competition/page/5/#post-6378 Tue, 15 Oct 2019 21:07:15 +0000 That looks amazing, congratulations @katemachon !

]]> 0 bfd6dedac61e8facc4d7897311faa989 Elle replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/short-story-publication-competition/page/5/#post-6188 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 20:05:27 +0000 Thanks @janeshuff & @katemachon !

]]> 0 d0ed59b33bc26e7c3c25dada4c42d128 Raine replied to the topic DIY soapbox in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/diy-soapbox/page/2/#post-6019 Tue, 10 Sep 2019 11:57:25 +0000 @katemachon 😀
@sandradavies yes, that one works better ta! Enjoy the whisky!

]]> 0 5fc98aead5286a1c2b5d42befb1c67ef GippsGirl posted an update: @katemachon Adored your competition entry, Kate! Second […] https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/10297/ Wed, 24 Jul 2019 20:58:19 +0000 @katemachon
Adored your competition entry, Kate! Second person worked so well, and in such few words you’ve conveyed perfectly that false sense of security. The last line was a stunner.

]]> 3 024522061722cfc6359811957a767e67 Philippa East replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/short-story-publication-competition/page/9/#post-4960 Tue, 16 Apr 2019 12:31:33 +0000 The wall or one’s head, @katemachon?!

]]> 0 e012ea37eca87ba4624ba4abc54803b8 Elle replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/short-story-publication-competition/page/7/#post-4243 Mon, 04 Feb 2019 21:27:39 +0000 Thanks @katemachon and @raine.

I have no idea when the shortlist will be announced. I didn’t even know the longlist was out until I saw someone twitting about it! There are so many great and experienced writers on that list I’m really chuffed I made it that far.

]]> 0 3651d220f3e50c7ee5ad4782d311ac8c Raine replied to the topic Some notes on Dara Marks' Transformational Arc in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/some-notes-on-dara-marks-transformational-arc/#post-2580 Thu, 25 Oct 2018 13:45:36 +0000 @katemachon glad it makes some sense & hope it’s helpful! 🙂

@philippaeast that’s so interesting. The thing that’s always drawn me to this model is how it really explores the psychology of the character and how that drives their interactions with the external world. BUt I’d never made the comparison between that and things like the stages of…[Read more]

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