Libby

  • “I don’t care where you’ve been, You ain’t been nowhere till you’ve been in – the Things that go Bump writing challenge.”

    Find the group. Join. Enjoy.

  • Just wondering how you are all dealing with the Covid pandemic within your writing. I’m in the planning stages of a new novel and can’t decide. Do I set my novel pre-pandemic? Which feels like a bit of a cop-out. Do I ignore it completely? Same comment. Or do I try to set it in the current situation with the problems and concerns of the pandemic…[Read more]

    • I think it depends how optimistic or pessimistic you are about the pandemic. Considering how long it takes between drafting a novel and seeing it in print (if it gets that far), if you take the optimistic view the whole thing will be over by then, it’ll no longer be a part of contemporary life, and nobody will worry much whether you’ve included it…[Read more]

    • Not answering your question, exactly, but I’ve read a number of short stories which include reference to Covid and in general I find them offputting, a bit bandwagon, which might be because we’re in the middle of it. I think if your novel is set at the time, a passing reference to its restrictions might be enough. But the same (to include or…[Read more]

      • Personally, I’d leave it out. So many people now must be writing pandemic stories, that the mention of it alone might put readers on guard. Also, optimistically speaking, by the time your novel comes out, life may have returned to normal and your story would be dated.

    • Interesting. I wasn’t planning on writing a story about the pandemic but was thinking about whether the story I had planned to write should acknowledge the pandemic. For example there is quite a lot of travel in it and it feels weird to have someone just hop on a plane given what’s going on. Have to think a bit more.

      • Best of luck!

        • Yes, best of luck, Jane. FWIW, I don’t think ignoring the pandemic is anything of a cop-out. I’m choosing to ignore it in my next one for similar reasons to some remarks above, that a) it risks becoming band-wagon and, if it does (hopefully) pass, Covid might age the novel by the time it comes to print. Mostly b) that books are commonly escapism,…[Read more]

          • I agree there’s a risk of bandwagon. I think it can be hard, too, to think of something interesting to say about a situation when we’re still in it. Hard for me, anyway.

      • Yeah, its a tricky one isn’t it? To ignore it completely, or assume that a book based two years from now can still ignore it completely seems a bit unbelievable to me. This is a world changing event, ignoring it for present/near-future settings would be odd imo. BUT I have absolutely zero interest in novels *about* it. I do think the shifting,…[Read more]

        • Thanks @raine. You expressed my quandary much better than I could. Still not sure which way to go!!

          • I’m veering towards thinking that a contemporary book which ignores covid is going to date far faster than one which has it/its aftershocks in the background.

            • I think I agree and, in any case, Iโ€™m finding hard to impossible to plan without the realities of Covid19 informing the action. It is the current reality.

  • Daedalus posted an update 5 years, 11 months ago

    Still not a robot

  • Excuse the bizarre formatting, this had indents when I wrote it.

  • Sunset
    The sun melted into the horizon like a knob of butter in a frying pan and behind it the sky was on fire, itโ€™s flames dancing on the restless sea. Soon, for this was the tropics where sunset and darkness are never far apart, a million stars would come out to play. Frank and his sister, Sarah, sat shoulder to shoulder, their feet half b…[Read more]

  • Congratulations to all (of us), especially @Janette ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Athelstone posted an update 6 years ago

    A bump never hurt anyone – well, unless it did. Anyway, BUMP. Don’t forget the short story writing challenge! If that means little, hurry over to the group “Things that go bump!” and be enlightened (You’ll have to join to read the forum). Preferably make a choice and take part.

  • JaneShuff replied to the topic Susie in the forum Blogs 6 years ago

    Lovely story, Richard. Funny how some people stay with you over the years while others disappear from your memories.

  • JaneShuff replied to the topic Choices in the forum Group logo of Things that go bumpThings that go bump 6 years ago

    Home believer spoon

  • Daedalus replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum Group logo of Things that go bumpThings that go bump 6 years ago

    Perhaps ghosts are rewriting our stories…

  • Athelstone replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum Group logo of Things that go bumpThings that go bump 6 years ago

    It certainly was memorable. A superb short story with two perfectly-flawed protagonists. The first challenge on the new site – started on the Cloud and rebooted here.

  • Daedalus replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum Group logo of Things that go bumpThings that go bump 6 years ago

    …Although I’ve just remembered my ‘Room with a View’ story wasn’t supernatural. You know, the one where I came top? Memorable, clearly

  • Daedalus replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum Group logo of Things that go bumpThings that go bump 6 years ago

    As do I, although I just have this feeling that the fact I’ve essentially written ghost stories, broadly defined, for the last four challenges straight is not going to help me in the slightest

  • Daedalus replied to the topic Susie in the forum Blogs 6 years ago

    It is!

  • Athelstone replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum Group logo of Things that go bumpThings that go bump 6 years ago

    Hah! Completely unintentional but the choices are taking on something of the evangelical hymn titles I remember from my Methodist upbringing.

  • Daedalus replied to the topic Susie in the forum Blogs 6 years ago

    Wow Richard, what a story. I really wasn’t expecting that ending. It’s funny when you meet people who just have this sort of energy about them, who you know in your bones are remarkable. Lovely bit of real life at a deep emotional level, beautifully told

  • Daedalus replied to the topic Choices in the forum Group logo of Things that go bumpThings that go bump 6 years ago

    Away, believer, ring

  • Athelstone replied to the topic Choices in the forum Group logo of Things that go bumpThings that go bump 6 years ago

    My selections, chosen for me by our wonderful administrator, Jules, are:

    Away, Believer, Watch

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