Invite to write

If you enjoy writing short fiction and writing to a time limit i.e. true FLASH FICTION then check out the weekly competition run by Write-Invite.  A genuinely friendly competition where once you've registered you have the opportunity of entering the weekly Saturday evening challenge (£4 entry fee for £50 prize money for winner).  At 5.30pm the three topics are revealed, pick one and write a story before 6pm - your story has to be written online and submitted before the cut-off after 30 mins.  This is fun and a real test of creativity and writing skills, but be warned it's also addictive and stressful.  My indoor writer needs a steady supply of Jelly Babies to get through the ordeal and usually a copious amount of alcohol is consumed post 6pm (I think she'd be more successful in the competition if she imbibed the alcohol before it started).

If you fancy a go then check out the link to the Write-Invite website on this blog.

Happy writing!

Twenty Thousand Words

Today the indoor writer hit twenty thousand words on her children's novel.  Yeah, okay not bad but I'm celebrating when she gets to fifty thousand - that would be worth a slice of chocolate cake ... with fudge icing ... and hot chocolate sauce .. yum

In praise of fairytales

We've just finished reading two very different books, but both could be described as fairytales.

Firstly, Angela Carter's collection in The Bloody Chamber - a series of gothic and folk tales, several quite adult and all delicious.  Her prose is exquisite she delights in eloquent descriptive scenes, which are not really the vogue today, and her stories contain minimal dialogue (apparently Angela despaired of writing good dialogue and instead chose to live without it).  These are best picked one by one, as a continuous reading can become too heavy on the eyes.  Our favourite story was The Werewolf, which has an unusual twist as to the identity of Red Riding Hood's wolf.

Secondly, read Rowan Coleman's The Happy Homes For Broken Hearts - a more modern fairytale with a happy ending (for once). Really enjoyed this - quite a surprise as was expecting a frivolous chick-lit romp.  It's certainly a romp but with lots of heart too.  Got into the main character and at the end was quite sad to have leave the cast of likeable lodgers.  A good holiday read.

A good end

A good end to the first month of the year.  She's written >10,000 words on the children's book and submitted over 3 new competition stories plus one magazine story.  Still suffering from bridesmaid's syndrome in getting 3 more stories shortlisted to final judging (in 3 different competitions) but then getting no further.  Better than a poke in the snout I thought, but she's a bit precious on this topic and not usually in the mood for snout poking.

A ROOM without a view

Just finished reading Emma Donoghue's excellent and completely absorbing 'Room' (shortlisted for Man Booker Prize 2010).  This was a CPD (can't put down) read that carried you along - we finished it in 4 days.  Have to admit it took a few pages to get into the style, and into Jack's head, but then you just become hooked.  The ending was a shock, not in 'shock/surprise ending' but simply because we weren't ready for it to be over.  You simply want to know more about Jack and his Ma's re-entry into the world.  (Sequel pending perhaps...)

The premise of the story prompted several interesting discussions between the writer and the tame teenager.  How does a five-year old child cope with life and all its rules and boundaries when all he's known is his mother and the room they live in?  Discuss...

Go read this if you can.

What we talk about

Another good week...
The writer is making good progress with the children's novel - >4,000 words written.  A competition story submitted and two other short stories have reached final shortlists in separate competitions.

We've just read Raymond Carver's collection 'What we talk about when we talk about love.'  Very typical of Carver's succinct direct prose - many memorable stories but not quite as well rounded as his later collection in 'Cathedral'.  Some of the images in his stories can haunt your subconscious - the birthday cake in 'A small good thing', the peacock and the empty bridle in other stories.  Carver's talent is to plant disturbing concepts that stay with you even though they were sewn within seemingly simple plots.
My only complaint is that his stories don't feature any pigs.  I guess if they did then the pigs would be black little runts with a drinking problem.

Keep reading!

Don't get hijacked by your characters

'Don't get hijacked by your characters' was the title of last night's West Sussex Writers' Club workshop hosted by Sarah Higbee.  Some excellent advice and top tips were imparted by Sarah covering how to choose your central characters and viewpoint.  Point of view (POV) is an important aspect to consider before starting your novel - get it wrong and it could mean a lot of re-work or rejection.  Several exercises helped the audience to get the brain cells and creative muscles warmed up.  Sarah recommended recording a brief biography for major protagonists in any long story - this helps the writer to fully understand and know their characters - and she provided a helpful crib sheet to use as a template.