Libby

This deadline will make me get my act together 🙂

I agree, keep the subtitle in. I especially like GippsGirl’s suggestion of ‘improbable’. More interesting than ‘extraordinary’ IMO, and for the reasons she states.

Congratulations, Sandra! A very worthy winner. I’m also on your list of readers when you finish. I was inspired, as well, by everyone else’s entries to try and up my game. An enjoyable competition. Thank you, Raine.

THE RIGHT ATTITUDE. Opening of a novel in progress. (383 words)

Lois stood in her kitchen in dolly-bird boots and a skirt above the knee. She was looking through the window just in time. The woman drew up at the curb and Ruth stepped out, pulling her satchel with her. The woman, another mother, waved and Lois waved back.

The point, though, was…[Read more]

Lovely news.

Yep! And turn sub-clauses into separate sentences then merge them again.

Sometimes professional book reviewers complain that creative writing graduates have a CW style. I haven’t spotted it myself and perhaps am being dense. If any Denizens can describe it I’d be grateful!

I do notice trends and fashions but they seem to apply to most trad published novels.

Re the workshop style, there must be a danger that if you’re…[Read more]

A well deserved win, Raine. The voice is wonderful and the whole piece captivating.

Thanks, Kate.

Thank you, John.

PS The odd layout is courtesy of the Den. It’s not some artistic effort on my part, though it could be due to my failure to understand Den formatting. 🙂

Here’s the opening scene of a drama. 349 words

The scene is a contemporary kitchen. Magnets hold lists to the fridge. Children’s paintings are on the walls. MARCUS, 70, sits at the table, idle, and SAM, 40, stands at a counter, preparing food. Marcus wears his hair longer than Sam and has a brass bangle and a leather bracelet on one wrist.…[Read more]