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Squidge posted an update 7 years, 2 months ago
Had to laugh – had a query via the Contact an Author website. The date of the event was 24th January. I received it this afternoon…
Hope they’ve filled it in as today’s date rather than the date they want…
Nice thing is, it’s because of a recommendation from a friend in Birmingham who’s a librarian.
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John S Alty posted an update 7 years, 3 months ago
Looks like judging the January competition will be an easy task.
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I suspect it’s because many of us are desperately trying to beat our RWAV stories into submission!
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Aye, that’s the likely thing. And my judging late didn’t help. Could always think about extending the comp to the end of Feb?
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It doesn’t bother me at all to have no takers. I know everyone is absorbed with RWAV. Real life intrudes as well. Priorities.
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Have started a submission. Now I’ve admitted it I’d better get on with it 🙂
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Regarding that Raine, how would Denizens feel about making it a two-monthly comp? I suppose Christmas plus Winter Challenge is going to make Nov-Dec-Jan most difficult for most people, so it might not be a problem in the normal run of things to keep it monthly
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Or even a quarterly competition. Maybe we could look at a judging panel, too. It needs new life breathing into it, somehow.
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Possibly. It might just be the time of year – there were ebbs and flows on the Cloud too, and with a smaller pool of people here we’ll always feel it more acutely when people are busy. But I’ll open a thread, and we can put those suggestions to people and get a sense of what might boost participation a bit.
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Squidge posted an update 7 years, 3 months ago
OK – question for you. Working on my RWAV story, which is (painfully slowly) coming together.
But – the storyline is obvious if I take it where it’s logically heading. No twists or turns, no surprises. It feels like an A to B kind of story, and I don’t usually write this sort of thing. Is it enough for readers? Do you mind – as a reader – if…[Read more]
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It’s not the destination, it’s the journey 🙂
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Hmmm… hope the journey’s interesting enough then!! 😉
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I wouldn’t be put off. I can often guess the ending of books, or at least of plot lines, but as long as i care about the characters, I’m happy to follow along with them. Keep going – it’ll be grand. X
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Well I got to the end of the story so I know its shape now. Just got to iron out the crinkles and make you invest in the MC now then! 😉
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I agree with Sea and Raine. The characters are the thing that keeps me reading and I’m looking forward to reading your story and all the others in RWAV.
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Ann Enright, for example, writes novels that my son complains has “nothing happening” in them. For me she can do no wrong, part of which is because of the well-writ observations on the way. So I’m sure you’ll be fine.
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Squidge posted an update 7 years, 3 months ago
I was asked by a local school (I know the deputy head a little) to help open their new school library yesterday (Nicky Morgan was the main attraction, and she couldn’t stay long as she was jumping on a train to London for some kind of Brexit debate and vote…?!) and talk to KS2 about editing your writing.
While I was there, they asked me to be…[Read more]
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That’s amazing Squidge, well done. That’s what it’s really all about isn’t it? Making a difference to people. Good work
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Lovely, Squidge
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Yes, Squidge, that’s lovely. Uplifting, heartwarming and empowering.
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Wonderful. Made me smile.
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That’s lovely Squidge. Just a compliment, and yes, those little things mean an immense amount.
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That’s lovely!
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How wonderful @squidge. It’s definitrly what makes it worthwhile (I imagine 😊). Congratulations!
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Squidge posted an update 7 years, 3 months ago
Does anyone else who blogs get hits from unsavoury websites? The Scribbles is getting multiple hits from porn sites. Now everyone’s welcome over at the Scribbles, but I can’t see that I’m offering anything over there that Britney34 or Sophia 23 would be interested in…
It’s a blogger site, and I don’t know whether they can be hacked or…[Read more]
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It’s a new one on me, Squidge. Not sure what the threat is, if it’s just visitors redirected from those sites, but I can see why you’re suspicious. I can only think that there are automatically generated search results posted there and you’ve happened to include some of theit search terms? A headscratcher
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Porn bots follow legit blogs etc because the more connections they have to them, the more hits are shown to be generated by the legit blog, the more the algorithms of search engines see the porn blogs as legit sites, too. (Or some version of that which is accurate about the tech side of it, but basically they are glomping onto you as a way of…[Read more]
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The Prediction Fiction site I host has a similar problem, every now and then a spike of hits, Britney and Tiffany (new to me) I can guess at but occasionally there’re sites less obvious. I’ve only once made the mistake of checking … and was reminded that I’d ever hated pink blancmange.
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A friend posted some info as to how I can filter them out… I’ll have a go if I can understand it. @sandradavies, that made me laugh! And I know EXACTLY what you meant! 😉
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John T replied to the topic TSS Cambridge Short Story in the forum Competitions, Open calls and Writing Opportunities 7 years, 3 months ago
Yes, I saw the TSS tweets. They are good people. I’m in, for one. It’s a great opportunity.
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John S Alty started the topic January 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years, 3 months ago
OK, everyone, we’ll make this short and sweet because the RWAV competition is reaching its finale this month and many will be busy with that.
It’s a new year so the theme is “Looking Ahead” and you have to do it with a mere 200 words.
Good luck! -
John S Alty replied to the topic Monthly comp – December 2018 in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years, 3 months ago
Well, I didn’t see that coming. Thanks, Raine.
Well done to all the entrants for taking part. -
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Bren posted an update 7 years, 3 months ago
Happy New year everyone – I’m busy editing, well no surprise there except that I haven’t had the opportunity to get back to it for many a long time. I decided I can’t call myself a ‘writer’, until I start to write a new book.
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John S Alty replied to the topic Speed Kills: Salisbury, 1906 in the forum Blogs 7 years, 3 months ago
Another interesting and entertaining story from the world of railways – thank you Richard.
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Happy new year, @johnalty and all Denizens.
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Thanks. You too, and all Denizens. May 2019 bring you all you want it to.
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Happy New Year, friends!
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Happy New Year. Que de bonnes choses en 2019
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Happy New year all. May it bring success with your writing
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Happy New Year John!
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Happy New Year, all!
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Happy new year all.
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John S Alty replied to the topic Monthly comp – December 2018 in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years, 4 months ago
Road to Redemption
It was the hour before dawn on Christmas morning. Robert stood under a pair of bay trees at the far end of the garden and breathed deeply, calming himself. The darkest hour it’s sometimes called, but he could see the light was coming fast now, a sliver of red showing on the eastern horizon and he knew he’d have to hurry. Sho…[Read more]
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John S Alty posted an update 7 years, 4 months ago
I’m working to finish this month’s competition entry (come on, you lot!) and fiddling with the Room with a View thingy. Had a piece published in Across the Margin, always a little boost.
Real life is quite demanding right now, also, so just popped in to say Merry Christmas!-
Have a good one.
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Thanks Kate, you too.
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And a Very Merry Christmas to you too, John. And to you, Kate.
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Wish you all the best, John x
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Thanks Athers, thanks Janette.
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Squidge posted an update 7 years, 4 months ago
The spambots are very pretty in the membership column, but I wish they’d beetle off! Can we lock the doors for a bit and hope they find somewhere else to play?
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I wonder if there’s a tougher way to ask prospective new members to prove they are human? Not sure what BBpress offers in that regard
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Are they not all the same? The ‘tickabox’ to say you’re not a robot, or the ‘type in these letters you can barely read, even if you ARE human’ box? 😉
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I can’t remember what we had when we signed up. I imagine some are easier for bots to beat than others
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We are now trialling a plugin that should deal with the issue. The vast majority of bots did get stopped by the system software and those few that managed to register were blocked, usually within the hour, manually. Hopefully the plugin will prevent any further spambots getting through!
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Wahey!
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Hilary posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 4 months agoHello fellow slomoers (?)
I’ve been very slow… but I now know how my novel is going to end! I have an outline for the bits I’ve still got left to write. Need to flesh them out a bit and then get on with it. That will be the third draft done, then.
Well done to all of us! And keep going all of us! Might do a Janowrimo!-
That’s fantastic @hilary! What a relief for you. Such a good feeling when structural chunks fall into place like that. Well done you, and everyone! I’m liking SloMo very much – think I’ll be joining you for JanNoWriMo!
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Well done @hilary! I never know the exact ending till about 2/3 of the way through, and it’s always a bit of a relief to figure it out! Hope it helps you move through the last few bits now you’ve got it mapped out.
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Yeaaaarrrsss! Nice work, Hil on the ending! Looking forward to hearing more about it…. Yes, please can we continue in January???? I need all the kindly support I can get!!
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Thea replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 4 months ago
Oops, a bit late to this:
@Hilary – So glad to hear that the launch went well. Congratulations!
@Stevie – well done on your listing!
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John S Alty replied to the topic Writing Advice in the forum The Writers' Lifeboat 7 years, 4 months ago
I came across this piece of writing advice by Sol Stein which appeals to me:
“….be sure you don’t stop the story while describing. You are a storyteller, not an interior decorator.”
Probably a shot across the bows of so-called literary prose. King likes to emphasize this point too, but doesn’t do it quite as succinctly.
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LOvely to be getting recommendations @squidge, shows how well you run your events. 🙂 But yes, hope they weren’t expecting you to dash over there immediately!