@squidge
Active 1 month ago-
Raine replied to the topic Class 3: Writing Exercise, Bella in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 6 years, 2 months agoLove the contrast between formality and impropriety in the first, Bella. Created a lovely sense of the ambiguity and desire, and an unreliable narrator too, me thinks. Nice. 🙂
The second letter – is the writer very young? It’s quite disconcerting and definitely sounds like the voice of someone too young to really be processing their own…[Read more] -
Raine replied to the topic Craft Seminar Class 3: Character 2 – Inner Lives in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 6 years, 2 months agoI have had no time/mental capacity for this at all. But finally made time to read the Burroway chapter the other night & found it interesting. I quite liked the simplicity of the quote questioning whether a story has changed the character – ”What is visible now at the end of the story that wasn’t visible at the start’
Also loved the language in…[Read more] -
Raine posted an update 6 years, 2 months ago
Do I win the prize for latest monthly comp entry, or will someone slip under the wire and steal my dubious honour?
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Raine replied to the topic Monthly competition – January 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 2 months ago
OK, late and rather unedited entry, soz! Content warning for miscarriage.
Tomorrow I Will Rise.
Tomorrow I will rise. I will smile and talk with friends and I will be braver than I am today. Tomorrow I will rise. Next week I will laugh. Next month, next month I will bleed.
Today, I count your futures, each possible thread, each vine and…[Read more]
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Sandra replied to the topic Class 3 Writing Exercise "I Don't Remember" – KazG in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 6 years, 2 months agoThanks Kaz – this inspired me to have a go at fleshing out a new character from an unexpected viewpoint, as well as bringing memories of my own then ending with an adult viewpoint. That endless circle, eh?
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Sandra started the topic Class 3 writing exercise "I don't remember", Sandra in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 6 years, 3 months agoI don’t remember my parents laughing together.
I don’t remember my father being silly; his ‘jokes’ always cruel or intending educational.
I don’t remember being shy at junior school because of how many cousins there were there.
I don’t remember, until this year in sixth form, being just me, and not one of ‘the Duncans’, but neither do I re…[Read more]
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Kate replied to the topic Class 3 Writing Exercise "I Don't Remember" – KazG in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 6 years, 3 months agoThis is so clever, Kaz. And I didn’t expect it to go in that direction either. Wow. Excellent stuff.
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Raine posted an update 6 years, 3 months ago
Ok, so I have just sent off A Thing. So am freeeee. MOnthly comp and MA course on the agenda… 🙂
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Well done! What’s the thing, if you don’t mind my asking?
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Ah well, nothing now, apparently. Was revised version of TIOU that publisher requested. But they’ve replied saying they’ve closed their list.
Hey ho. Would have been nice if they’d told me.-
Back in the bin I go.
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Oh FFS! That is utterly shitty and so unprofessional! Surely if they requested it you bypass their closed list status? My agent had closed her lists when I sent her the thing she’d requested a year earlier and she still took it. That is RUBBISH and I am furious on your behalf.
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Do they know it’s the thing they requested? I mean it wasn’t just a standard response?
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No, they know. I replied to their last email saying ‘don’t worry if it takes a few months. We’re not going anywhere.’…
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Well that sucks massively. What a shabby performance
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That is utter crap! Seriously unfair.
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Seriously unprofessional too, imo
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Agree 100%
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I would say unbelievable, but – sadly – I can believe it. It is truly appalling behaviour that wouldn’t be tolerated in most professions. It is no surprise that so many people, good writers, are turning to self-pub. I’m so sorry, Raine. Can you name the guilty? Quite understand if you don’t want to.
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JaneShuff replied to the topic Class 3 Writing Exercise "I Don't Remember" – KazG in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 6 years, 3 months agoOw Wow Kaz. That is fantastic. Funnily enough I have just come to a bit in my WIP that made me think of this exercise. I might have a go at it too!
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Daedalus replied to the topic New historical fiction novella in the forum Podium 6 years, 3 months ago
Thanks @RichardB 🙂
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RichardB replied to the topic New historical fiction novella in the forum Podium 6 years, 3 months ago
And bloody good it is too. Highly recommended. Well done.
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Bella replied to the topic Class 3 Writing Exercise "I Don't Remember" – KazG in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 6 years, 3 months agoOh crikey. That took me back and then whizzed me forward. I haven’t tried this exercise, but I think I will try to find time for it now you’ve done it and shown us just how powerful the stuff that comes out can be.
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Daedalus replied to the topic New historical fiction novella in the forum Podium 6 years, 3 months ago
I forgot to mention that book 2 of my ‘Fortress of Malta’ series of WW2 novellas was out, but it’s now on 99p promotion on Kindle, so a good time to point it out https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bastion-Fortress-Malta-Book-2-ebook/dp/B07Y5MDLWZ/
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Amanda Berriman (Skylark) replied to the topic Dipping my toe back in in the forum Blogs 6 years, 3 months ago
@squidge hello! Great to hear the Tilda series is progressing. I’ve got the first one in the queue for bedtime reading to the boys and can’t wait to see how it’s evolved from when I first read it years ago on the Cloud. I think I missed that there as going to be a remake of David Copperfield as well. I see most films at our community cinema club…[Read more]
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Amanda Berriman (Skylark) replied to the topic Dipping my toe back in in the forum Blogs 6 years, 3 months ago
@kazg yes, how I will laugh! I came across my very, very first shitty draft a year or so ago and it was quite something. Good to see how far I’ve come, at least!
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Amanda Berriman (Skylark) replied to the topic Dipping my toe back in in the forum Blogs 6 years, 3 months ago
@philippaeast Hello Philippa!! Good to see you too. I’m not sure I’m at the elbow-grease point yet. Mostly shovelling all the words into various sorting piles while scratching my head and wondering when the novel will apppear. But it’s all good. Ideas firing off all over the place. How’s it all going at your end? So excited for you. Are you not…[Read more]
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KazG started the topic Class 3 Writing Exercise "I Don't Remember" – KazG in the forum
Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 6 years, 3 months agoGoodness. This one was really tricky, and then it spiralled off in a direction I hadn’t planned.
Has anyone else tried these “I Don’t Remembers?” That extra layer of knowingness or irony pushes it into different territory, for me.
I don’t remember not knowing how to wash blood out of cotton
I don’t remember if my mother told me, in pale wor…[Read more] -
JaneShuff replied to the topic Monthly competition – January 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 3 months ago
Just a quick reminder that you have until Friday midnight to get your entries for this month’s competition (around 400 words on the theme of The Future interpreted in any way you wish). I know some of you, like me, are fighting to finish your entries for the Winter Competition but can I tempt those of you who are sitting back and basking in the…[Read more]
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Sandra posted an update 6 years, 3 months ago
“Why I write” – excellent piece by Emma Darwin to be found here: https://slowculture.eu/2020/01/23/why-i-write-vol-15-emma-darwin-holland-house-books/?fbclid=IwAR14kjZ9Q4U1G3vwQK39IJ83x21FIyG-Nyu1H6PCQ2DXQ2p2Y10EMtXPIVY
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Thanks, Sandra. I must buy one of Emma’s books. I keep meaning to.
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Her ‘Not a book about -‘ is excellent on the difficulties of writing, and ‘The Mathematics of love’ one I aim to re-read annually. Time I re-read the other one …
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Shame on me, I haven’t read either of the novels, but yes, ‘Not a Book About…’ is excellent. And in this blog Emma, as usual, hits the nail on the head. That last bit, ‘To Be Heard’… yes, absolutely. After I resigned myself to ‘A faint hope of being read, maybe just a silly dream, but still…’ becoming ‘No hope’ my motivation drained away.
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KazG replied to the topic Dipping my toe back in in the forum Blogs 6 years, 3 months ago
I’m SURE she will @skylark 🙂
I think all second book doubts/worries are very normal and to be expected, especially with a big change eg of voice. But push those doubts aside and let that shittiness have its day. It’s all part of the process (and shitty first drafts are always so entertaining to look back on!).
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