Plus I have a link to a ghost story of mine on Scriggler (US based) which I put up recently so a nice mixed bag tonight!

Facebook – General and Association of Christian Writers (More Than Writers Blog)

My monthly post on the Association of Christian Writers More than Writers blog is up today. I talk about being thankful for the gift of writing. I think it is something easily taken for granted. For one thing, it proves we are literate and have had an education, something that should be a global “given” but sadly so often isn’t.

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Facebook – General

My CFT post this week will be about online writing, aptly given CFT is an online magazine. I see online writing as part of the continuing history of writing as a whole but more on this when I put the link up on Friday.

For fantasy and sci-fi writers especially, what form does writing take in your worlds? Is it like ours but the language is different? Does it rely on images like the Egyptian hieroglyphs? Is reading encouraged or only available to the elite (there is ALWAYS an elite, no matter what world you’re on, fictional or otherwise!).

I find it is the details that help make a fictional world real and the great thing is there shouldn’t be any longwinded explanations. A few telling details are enough to conjure up the images you want to create in your readers’ minds.

As for historical fiction, what I love here are the details that show how people lived. It can make you thankful for the developments in education (especially for women) too.

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Scriggler – Night Fright by Allison Symes

And talking of reading, here is the link to my latest short story on Scriggler.  Night Fright is a ghost story with a difference.  Hope you like it.

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

One of the tricky things to get right with flash fiction is working out the ending. It is too easy to “go on” beyond the moment when the story should end. I love twist endings as they stop that temptation to just add a little bit more etc. The twist is IT, so to speak.

I sometimes, when brainstorming new ideas, come up with something that I know would make a really good ending to a story. I then work backwards to get to the start of the tale. It makes a refreshing change from coming up with an opening line and working in the conventional way from start to finish. I also think it a good idea to mix up how to do things here as it keeps you on your toes for a start!

Ready to write? Image via Pixabay.

PC playing up do you think? Image via Pixabay.

Waiting for an upload to finish. Image via Pixabay.

Where to start? Image via Pixabay.

What decisions will your characters make? Image via Pixabay.

Let’s hope your characters have a good sense of direction! Image via Pixabay.

Fiction can take you anywhere. Image via Pixabay.

One star review – honesty or a hatchet job? Image via Pixabay.

Fiction should show you new ways of looking at the world. Image via Pixabay.

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

Flash fiction can be a great vehicle for character study. Given the form is so short, it is easier to put yourself in the shoes of the character and ask yourself whether you would have acted in the same way as they did, given the circumstances outlined in the story you’re reading.

I often disagree with the choices my characters make (!) but you do have to put yourselves in their shoes and ask why have they behaved that way? What is their justification (and a well portrayed character will always be able to justify what they do)? Villains always have strong motivations for acting the way they are (and often it is because there is something they want to gain – and there will be good reasons for that too. It isn’t always greed or selfishness. The wish to be secure, for example, can lead to all sorts of strange behaviour).

The good news on all of this is that some of my characters are murderous so you really wouldn’t want me agreeing with them!😁

Is everything black and white in your stories? Image via Pexels

Lovely nib! Image via Pexels.

I can predict there will be more end of the world predictions! Image via Pixabay

Smartphones can be an asset to writing. Pexels image.

The world is shrinking thanks to technology. Image via Pixabay.

Books – love them, don’t mind the format. Image via Pixabay

Books are the keys to knowledge. Image via Pixabay

Let the ideas flow and let journeys encourage that! Image via Pixabay

Reviews can have global reach. Most impact I think can often be local to the writer.

Says it all really and applies to non-fiction equally as fiction. Image via Pixabay.

You can almost feel the mood from this picture. Image via Pixabay.

Images from the magical world… Image via Pixabay

There must be some truly fantastic fiction here. Image via Pixabay.

Never give up, work hard, be disciplined… all valuable traits for success, whether you’re a tennis player, a writer or a character in a story! Image via Pixabay.

Two formats for reading – why limit yourself?