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Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly Competition: June 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years ago
Congratulations, Squidge. Great story.
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Squidge started the topic Monthly comp: July 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years ago
Don’t know how many of you support the Big Issue, but you might well have heard of Street Cat Bob, who adopted a young homeless man and saved his life. Sadly, James Bowen’s feline saviour died in June after being hit by a car. Many people have been moved by their story, and Bob was quite the poster-cat for the Big Issue.
I loved the film – A…[Read more]
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Squidge replied to the topic Monthly Competition: June 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years ago
Wowser – thanks, Jill! There were some great interpretations of the theme, so well done to everyone who entered…especially as I think it was Andrew’s first time?
I’ll have a think about a theme and post a bit later this morning…
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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly Competition: June 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years ago
Well done Squidge and thanks to all participants for the chance to read so many varied interpretations of Jill’s challenge – and to Jill for the comments.
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Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly Competition: June 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years ago
Midsummer Magic
Frankie wiggles his shoulders in a figure of eight and exhales. He flicks his hat back and mops his brow with a handkerchief. Then he loosens his tie another quarter inch and Matzo slaps his hand down on the table, making all three of us jump.
“For Christ’s sake, Frankie. Yeah – it’s hot. I’m hot. Eddie’s hot. It’s the longest…[Read more]
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Squidge replied to the topic Monthly Competition: June 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years ago
The Midsummer Madness
“Are ye well prepared?”
Aliz nods, her eyes wide and dark in her face. “I soaked the rope in rosemary water like ye said, an’ the pegs were whittled fresh from holly.”
“Good. And the other?”
“I have it.”
No tremor in her voice. Will she remain as unaffected if she is forced to use it?
“Good.” I tap my finger on my t…[Read more]
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Athelstone posted an update 6 years ago
Disaster has struck. Mrs Athelstone has confirmed that she will still buy me a valentine, wish me a Happy Birthday, and give me a bottle of wine. BUT, she bought me a Nintendo Switch with some games and my daughter added even more games. I may never write again!
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:O
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I had that particular birthday on the day my daughter got married in Scotland. The attending piper was prevailed upon to play a certain tune…
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Nothing of such significance happened on my birthday, unless you count the assault on my writing with the gift of a Nintendo Switch and a pile of games. In fact, I’d forgotten it even was my birthday and I was busy making plans to do things around the house until my daughter pointed out that Mrs Ath had invited the in-laws round for afternoon fizz…[Read more]
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Not quite as thought-provoking, I contend, as the birthday I had a month ago. I have reached my three-score-and-ten, and am now officially An Old Man.
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Well, many happy returns. Definitely a landmark – positively biblical.
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Sandra posted an update 6 years ago
“pleonasm”. As discussed by Allan Guthrie. I mentioned it on another site and a lot of people found it interesting/useful when it came to tightening writing/reducing word count. Google it – there’s a choice of places to go.
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Sometimes an unusual word like pleonasm is a necessary reminder not to go on adding words endlessly without stopping simply to make the meaning clearer for the sake of epexegesis.
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Indeed. Something those who adhere over-strictly to the rules are inclined to overlook.
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Anthony Trollope comes to mind.
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Thomas Wolfe. Oh, yes, Thomas Wolfe.
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Squidge replied to the topic Where to start? in the forum
A place for Stupid Questoins 6 years agoWot everyone else said! My rule of thumb to determine when I should show is to put myself in the MC’s shoes and write from their experience – if I can portray something through what they are seeing/hearing/feeling, then it’s probably more of a ‘show’ moment than a ‘tell’ one. For me, it’s linked with people and actions rather than descriptions -…[Read more]
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Sandra replied to the topic Where to start? in the forum
A place for Stupid Questoins 6 years agoWhat a brilliant set of answers and examples to a most important question, I’ve been writing fiction ten years now but still forgetting how this one works. Thaks fir asking it, Andrew. And well done Jane for mentioning Emma’s blog – taught me so much.
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Athelstone replied to the topic Where to start? in the forum
A place for Stupid Questoins 6 years agoShowing and telling is a tricky one and there are many situations where telling something is 100% right and others where showing is 100% right. The reverse is also true.
Jake was acting suspiciously when I met him at the cafe. He looked cagey and only told me about Jane when he was sure nobody else could hear him.
Jake sidled through the cafe…[Read more]
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Kate replied to the topic Where to start? in the forum
A place for Stupid Questoins 6 years agoHi Andrew
I’ve got lots of that toilet paper with little black writing on it stashed all over the place too. It wasn’t until I began to interact with other writers and receive feedback that I started to learn. There’s a daunting amount of craft to get to grips with and I don’t think you ever stop learning.
As to your question, the way I look at…[Read more]
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Squidge replied to the topic That old enemy, Perfectionism in the forum The Writers' Lifeboat 6 years ago
Doug – if your writing strikes you as ‘amateurish’, it’s probably a good thing; it means that, in the time since you originally wrote the novel you have grown and developed as a writer and are already – subconsciously – aware of it.
It’s very hard to do, but have you considered completely rewriting the story from scratch? It’s something I did…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic That old enemy, Perfectionism in the forum The Writers' Lifeboat 6 years ago
Am I allowed to agree with all of you? When a writer like Stephen King just says something and it works, it’s because he is utterly confident with his voice. I’m not his biggest fan, but I have read a lot of his work and I do appreciate the extraordinary flow of his prose. I’m willing to bet he’s not on the heavy side when he edits.
I’m terrible.…[Read more]
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Thanks, Ath. Dare I say it was something I rushed off? Not sure why, but they seem to be the better of my short pieces. Perhaps because I didn’t examine it too much?