Squidge

How about: if you want the book to exist, you have to actually write it…

I am clearly stealing all my tips from people who can put them much better than I can!!

Thanks GG, it’s a great idea isn’t it? I don’t have any control over the deadline unfortunately, it’s not a zine I have any involvement in. But people have another two weeks to submit something, and as it’s for 250 word flash, there should be a bit of time to get something in

YAAAAS!! Actual real definite contracts are the best sort of contracts. SO much well done! Break out the cake! 🙂

WHOOP! that’s so exciting. Congratulations CJ.

Nice one CJ. I’ll look forward to it.

Brilliant CJ. I’m so looking forward to reading it. And yes the legal wranglings always take a long time – especially with US, possibly the most letigious country in the wor;ld! Congratulations – really stoked for you 🙂

Great idea, Mad, and some good ones here.

Hmm. Steven King said something similar to Raine’s ‘Write the first draft for yourself, edit for your readers’ with his ‘Write the first draft with the door closed, the second draft with the door open’ which has always stuck with me.

I also found the discipline of writing something, anything, for at…[Read more]

I believe Hemingway also gave that tip about stopping in the middle of a scene, Raine, so you’re in good company there.

Though as it happens I am at this moment taking a break (all right, procrastinating) from struggling to get back into the middle of a scene…

Good idea, Mad.
Umm. One I heard that I think made sense in terms of the editing process was ‘Write the first draft for yourself, edit for your readers.’

Also, Find the theme of your story. Themes tie characters, plots and subplots together.

Also (Although I am rubbish at doing this), when finishing for the day, stop in the middle of a scene,…[Read more]

This is brilliant, John. So much the opposite of where I expected it to go at the opening! I love her poise with the police – it adds such an element of shiver-factor.

I agree with others that a light dusting of other sensory details would help make the thing more potent, but I like the easy, matter of fact voice so don’t lose that.

One thing…[Read more]

THis is great Squidge, love the immediate dive into her PoV, her frustrations and doubts. My only two thoughts are …
– some of the descriptive paragraph (Tilda gritted her teeth…) might be worth trimming. It’s a chunk of … background I guess, that perhaps needs only a hint here, with more details as you go on?
– and, I think someone else…[Read more]

I write in 3rd person and if I’m struggling with getting the voice right in a scene, I try re-writing it in first person. It seems to create more intensity and immediacy. Then I keep the emotions when I revise it back to third person.
I discovered this effect in one of the exercises in the Self Editing course.
Twitter handle is @Julie_Cordiner.