Month: February 2019

Just a Minute and Other Thoughts

Leave a comment

Facebook – General

Had to smile today. I receive book recommendations by email sometimes and today it finally happened. Yes, From Light To Dark and Back Again was recommended to me!

Moving on swiftly, I’m pleased to say I’m making good progress with my novel and third collection of flash fiction stories. I’ve ideas for non-fiction that I’m working on as well and I could really do with more hours in the day or to somehow be able to manage without sleep. Given neither of those are going to happen, it’s a case of best endeavours!

Have also started drafting a short story I’ve got in mind for a competition in April. Sounds ages away I know but it’ll be here before we know it and I do like to get a story drafted and then leave it for a while before reassessing and editing it. So starting the story about now is the right sort of timescale for me.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Have typed up a couple of writing diary prompt stories that I’m considering for my third flash fiction collection. I’m at the 15000 word mark with this so will probably go to 20K and stop there. I know there’ll be a lot of cutting to do – there always is! But I never mind that. I think it shows there IS a story there and it is just a question of getting rid of anything that doesn’t enhance it.

I’ve only consciously padded a story the once and, guess what, I gave up when I realised the idea simply wasn’t strong enough. It remains the only story I’ve ever given up on. So yes I prefer to write and then cut. It always works better for me.

The writing prompts in my diary at the moment are where you’re given an opening line and you then see what you can do with it. I like those. I like to think of them as imagination stretching exercises!

What kind of landscapes exist in your fictional world? Pixabay image
What worlds will emerge from your writing? Pixabay image
Generating the writing ideas. Image via Pixabay.
A good read means you ARE in a world of your own. Pixabay image
Books are fabulous, whatever the format. Image via Pixabay.
Fiction should show you new ways of looking at the world. Image via Pixabay.
What worlds will new books show you? Pixabay
Gladstone’s Library. Pixabay image.
Online writing -v- on a line writing! Image via Pixabay
There be dragons. Pixabay
What stories will come from this pen? Pexels image.
Stepping into another world.. Pixbay

Enjoyed listening to Just a Minute on Radio 4 tonight. The rules of no repetition, no hesitation, and no deviation from the subject are great guidelines for writing fiction too.

You want your story to move onwards and upwards to its conclusion so no repetition (it will also irritate readers). I’ve found outlining a story before I start writing it gives me the confidence to write it at all and so I do (no hesitation). I also think something of that confidence shows through in the final story too.

And as for going off at a tangent… a big no-no. As someone once said “just the facts, Ma’am, just the facts”. What those facts are, as far as your story is concerned, of course is down to you!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Glad to say a flash fiction story of mine, Mirrored, was in the recent Swanwick Writers’ Summer School newsletter.

I discuss adaptations in my CFT post this week. What makes a good adaptation? What doesn’t? Also, this doesn’t just apply to writing either. Link up on Friday.

Editing of the novel continues to progress well and I’m drafting a 750-word short story too at the moment. Really like my lead character. They have promise! The real issue for me on this one is whether I can keep to the strict word count for this particular competition. Still, I will find out! I do love being able to set a Project Target on Scrivener and find it really useful for competitions like this. I like seeing the bar change colour as I get nearer to my goal!

Scrivener images below werebtaken by me as screenshots.

Setting a word count target. Image by Allison Symes
As I start typing, the bar shows how far I have to go. Image by Allison Symes
Getting there – the bar has changed to amber! Image by Allison Symes
Finishing line in sight, the bar has changed to green. Image by Allison Symes
Preparing a talk or a flash fiction story perhaps. Image via Pixabay.
Fantasy may look at other worlds but often reflects on our own. Time is different too. Music can interpret worlds too. Think of classic film scores like that for The Lord of the Rings. Image via Pixabay.
One of my favourite book images. They really are magical. Transportation into other worlds and around this one in a few hundred pages. Brilliant! Image via Pixabay.
Images from the magical world… Image via Pixabay
The realm of the fairytale has always fascinated me. Pixabay image.
Jotting down ideas for future stories is always a good idea. Image via Pixabay
Definitely a fantasy story here! Pixabay image.
All writers feel this way sometimes. Pixabay image.
The wonderful world of stories. Image via Pixabay
Where is your setting? Pixabay image.
Let your stories have impact. Image via Pixabay
Books can make you lose time but what a way to lose it! Music can do the same. Image via Pixabay

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

I’m very fond of flash fiction stories that end with a line which make me laugh. When writing this kind of story, I always write that finishing line first and then work backwards to the beginning.

I’ve found outlining in that way means the ending seems natural to a reader and springs out of what has come before. I can take the time to work out what must come before for that line to work and none of that shows in the finished story. Win-win!

Where many a first draft starts life. Old technology still has its uses! Image via Pixabay.
Edit, edit, edit! Pixabay image.
Making time to read as well as write is vital. Pixabay image.
Whenever and whatever you read, enjoy. Image via Pixabay.
Thinking your writing through is always a good idea. Pixabay image.
This statue I like… a lot. Image via Pixabay
The world of the imagination should play a role in your stories. I can’t imagine any world without some form of the arts. Image via Pixabay.
One downside to online writing is auto-correct! Image via Pixabay
It always is! Reflecting first helps a lot! Pixabay image
The lightbulb moment of inspiration for writers is wonderful. Pixabay image.
Where stories emerge. Image via Pixabay.
Stories (and indeed most books of any kind) are magical. Image via Pixabay.
Doing something with those ideas! Pixabay image
Shakespeare had his quill, modern writers have their laptops. Image via Pixabay.

How can I tell if a flash fiction idea is going to work best at 50 words, 75, 100, 500, or what have you?

A lot depends on how strong the character is – can they carry a longer story? Also the story itself is about one moment in the character’s life. The moment you’re writing about must not be dragged out (it shows, trust me, that shows) so if you are finding you are trying to extend a story, stop, think again, and look at the piece as a much shorter one. It will almost certainly work better and pack more of an emotional punch on a reader by keeping it shorter. It is impact you want. That is what a reader remembers. You don’t want to dilute that.

Equally, I’ve found sometimes a character needs space to show what is happening in their “moment” properly so fine I go with that. The time to stop is when if you add anything at all, it will weaken the story/character and the potential impact. There’s nothing to stop you incidentally from trying out a story in two different word counts and seeing what works best. Read them out loud. What has the most impact on you?

How can you show your readers your world? Pixabay image.
Give your readers the details they need to know about your setting. Pixabay image.
Use weather, climate etc to reflect moods in your story but don’t overdo it. Pixabay image.
A stalwart character in the fairytales. Pixabay image.
A storyteller on their travels perhaps? Pixabay image.
What IS out there? Pixabay image.
The Andromeda Galaxy. Pixabay image.
Finding time to read can be difficult but is so worth doing. Pixabay.
Beware! Writer at work. Other beverages are available. Pixabay image.
Good reading – and writing to be done – here. Pixabay image.
A truly beautiful book. Pixabay image.
Books are a fantastic form of escapism. Image via Pixabay
Great way to relax. Now where are those biscuits? Image via Pixabay

Street Cred

I’m the coolest one on my street. I’ve been here the longest. Know the best places to hang out with pals. Know the best places to get together with the girls, if you see what I mean. It was just a pity a momentary lapse in concentration meant my cool went haywire and I managed to walk into the catflap my owner put in for me, rather than through it.

Don’t let anyone tell you cats have no sense of humour. The rest of the gang were all laughing at me. Still I’m not worried. I’ll just have to fight them all tomorrow. But for now, me the big ginger tom from No. 27, is curling up on the sofa with my so-called owner. (I own HER truth to be told). She is feeding me titbits from her tuna supper. This is the life.

Being cool again can wait until tomorrow.

Allison Symes
25th February 2019

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I love writing twist endings for my stories and, as mentioned before, often work those out first and then write the story “backwards” to get to the starting point.

But my other favourite writing technique is to begin with a promising opening line and then outline a few ideas as to where that could take me. Naturally I then go for the idea that I like the most (which is always the strongest one or has the most potential in it. Definitely not a coincidence that!).

Sometimes I can “see” a 100-word story in its entirety. My The Haunting is an example of that and was inspired by the character of Mrs Wilberforce (aka Mrs Lopsided) in The Ladykillers.

Great characters = great books. Image via Pixabay.
Use personal reviews to help you generate characters and story outlines. Image via Pixabay.
What writing triggers will help you create your new worlds? Image via Pixabay
The writing necessities! Pixabay image.
Great characters will engross you. You will lose time reading their stories. Image via Pixabay.
Stories can take you to fantastic places. Pixabay image.
Where will inspiration strike? Pixabay image.
Good advice – and it applies to our characters too. Image via Pixabay
Well, let’s do so by writing lots of stories! Image via Pixabay.
So true. Pixabay image.
Fiction can take you anywhere. Image via Pixabay.

Goodreads Author Blog – Short Stories and Flash Fiction

I’m glad to see the return of short stories and the development of flash fiction for many reasons. One of these is that I write both so I won’t pretend to be unbiased here. But the major reason for loving this development is it expands the kind of reading available.

I love novels but it is great being able to read a collection of short stories or flash fiction after finishing one full length tome. It mixes up what I read. By the time I’ve finished reading an anthology I’m raring to get on with a novel again!

Also if the novel has been a dark one in terms of mood, there’s nothing like a collection of funny short stories to show the opposite side of life and I, for one, find that helpful. I don’t want to read “dark” all the time. I also know life isn’t always one big laugh so I like to have a balance of dark and light in my reading, as well as my own writing.

Reading has such an impact. Can’t imagine the world without it. Pixabay image.
Or get away from it all in one book. Pixabay image.
Books are fabulous, whatever the format. Image via Pixabay.
The To Be Read pile. Image via Pixabay
I write fairytales with bite as flash fiction and short stories in particular. Image via Pixabay.
Stories reflect all sorts of moods. There is a story to suit everyone out there! Image via Pixabay.
Books are wonderful – whether in print or electronic, whether as audio stories or told by a storyteller. Image via Pixabay.
I could spend many a happy hour here – the library at Prague. Image via Pixabay.
The ultimate book circle perhaps? Image via Pixabay.
Now here is a magical environment! Enough books to be going on with for one thing! Image via Pixabay.
The world’s most beautiful library perhaps? Image via Pixabay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Uses of Weather in Fiction

Leave a comment

Facebook – General – and Chandler’s Ford Today

I’ve finally got around to talking online about the weather in my CFT post this week, though I go on to discuss its uses in fiction. I also share why I don’t tend to use weather in my stories and look at how it can be done realistically.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Books I chose for the 7 covers in 7 days challenge on Twitter were:-

Men At Arms (Terry Pratchett)
Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
The Lord of the Rings (J.R.R. Tolkein)
Code of the Woosters (P.G. Wodehouse)
The Daughter of Time (Josephine Tey)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (J.K.Rowling)
Murder on the Orient Express (Agatha Christie)

Good fun to do but a challenge, given there are so many other books I could’ve included. I chose these on the basis that if I could only smuggle 7 books away with me somewhere, these would be the first ones I’d go for.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I’m going to be talking about the weather (and its uses in fiction) for my CFT post this week. I avoid using it in my stories, the post will explain why. Link up on Friday.

Lovely to see crocuses and snowdrops out. One great thing about walking the dog is you do get to see things like that which you might not otherwise notice. I’ve seen some spectacular wildlife sights too – sparrowhawks have been known to be in Chandler’s Ford – and buzzards often circle the park. You can always tell when they’re about – the sky goes quiet. Can’t see a little bird anywhere…

The classic fairytale opening line. Pixabay image.
A storyteller on their travels perhaps? Pixabay image.
Reading should be a joy always. Pixabay image.
A Christmas Carol is my favourite ghost story. Pixabay.
No shortcuts to editing! Pixabay image.
So true. Pixabay image.
So true. Pixabay image.
Stepping into another world.. Pixbay
A good read means you ARE in a world of your own. Pixabay image
A stalwart character in the fairytales. Pixabay image.
It is lovely when you get those light bulb moments! Pixabay image.
Being lost in the world of your story. Pixabay image
A familiar sight here! Pixabay
Let the creativity spill out. PIxabay image.
Reading has such an impact. Can’t imagine the world without it. Pixabay image.

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

Had a fantastic time visiting the family tonight but a nightmare journey getting over there. What should have taken a maximum of 30 minutes took 90!! Naturally on the way home, it did take under 30.

So this led me on to think about what would be a nightmare journey for your characters. Is it just down to transport problems or what they are facing on that journey? Why are they making that trip? Can they avoid it or change it so it is better? If not, why not? There has to be a good reason for the journey to be made otherwise the reader will think why on earth didn’t Character X just stay at home and avoid all the bother!

The ultimate journey in fiction for me is Frodo Baggins’s “trip” to Mordor in The Lord of the Rings but a journey much shorter than that can still be a nightmare. For example, does your character need to walk a mile to fetch something but they have to go through a neighbourhood known to be hostile to his family?

What does your character fear that would turn any journey into a nightmare? What do they do to overcome that?

Hope these thoughts can seed some story ideas! Good luck!

Good reading – and writing to be done – here. Pixabay image.
There is something almost mystical here. Pixabay image.
Gollum from LOTR. More sinned against than sinning? Pixabay image.
Where is your setting? Pixabay image.
Is this light the way into a new world? Pixabay image.
A beautiful woodland walk. Pixabay image
Books are fabulous, whatever the format. Image via Pixabay.
Well, what will your characters do next? Pixabay image.
Is your reading journey a bright one? Pixabay image.
Hope your Christmas books take you to all sorts of wonderful places! Pixabay image
No matter how strange your characters or setting, there must still be identifiable elements for a reader. Pixabay image
My smartphone has not yet managed this! Pixabay image.
The Lord of the Rings – the ultimate in dangerous words is on this ring!. Pixabay image.
Generating the writing ideas. Image via Pixabay.
Fiction can take you anywhere. Image via Pixabay.

Many thanks, everyone, for the likes and comments on yesterday’s post about how I produce a flash fiction story.

I also have brainstorming sessions every now and again where I’ll outline a possible story idea or an idea for a character in a line or two. I put those notes aside for a while before revisiting them and deciding then if the ideas were as strong as I first thought they were!

Usually they are, sometimes not (and I discard those), but in the majority of cases, the idea is okay but needs strengthening. That is where I need to dig even deeper into what my character is capable of as that is where I’ll find the trigger for turning an idea into a story. A character that I discover is capable of doing anything for a laugh because they think it is the best way to make and have lots of friends is someone with at least one story to tell (and probably a poignant one).

What if is the classic question to ask both of your character and your idea to get the best out of both.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

My process for producing a flash fiction story goes like this.

1. Have idea for interesting character. (Flash fiction works best with one or two characters at most, though others can be referred to or implied).

2. Work out what to do with interesting character! As you can imagine, this is the REALLY fun bit!

3. Draft the story and check it makes sense.

4. Put it aside for a while and get on with my CFT posts, my novel, more flash fiction stories etc

.5. Come back to the story and read it with a fresh eye. Ask myself what impact it makes on me. Is it the impact I want it to have on a reader?

6. Edit the story based on 5 above but also check for the usual typos, grammatical errors etc. (I wish I could say there were never any but life’s not like that!).

7. Re-read it and if happy submit it to an appropriate market or competition.

What every author would like to achieve or set, yes? Image via Pixabay
Finding time to follow social media is difficult so pick the one or two you like the most. Image via Pixabay
Wormhole. Pixabay image.
No matter how strange your characters or setting, there must still be identifiable elements for a reader. Pixabay image
A good writing group will help you discover this. Pixabay image.
Get those ideas coming! Pixabay image
The eye of the storm. Pixabay image.
And which is the right way?! Pixabay image.
Good reading – and writing to be done – here. Pixabay image.
It would be a joy to research here! Pixabay image
No matter what your setting, your characters need to resonate with readers. Pixabay image.
Checking spelling and grammar isn’t fun but so necessary. Pixabay image.
Stories can take you to fantastic places. Pixabay image.

I really enjoy reading and writing flash fiction stories which end with a punch. Sometimes that can be literal (!) and is most satisfying when the character has deserved it (and that will be the view your readers will take too). One huge advantage of fiction is wrongs can be righted in a way they’re so often not in real life. I believe that is one reason why fairytales are always popular!

I also love the witty one-liners that can close a story. It’s good to finish a story on an “uplift” where that is appropriate. Of course the set up for that finish happens much earlier in the story and it can be as simple as showing your character has the type of attitude which will make a witty one-line retort likely. (It usually is a retort!).

Above all, it is fun, which is what writing should be after all.

A book worm’s idea of heaven and picture books will be in here! Pixabay image
Drafting those ideas… image via Pexels
Or get away from it all in one book. Pixabay image.
Always good advice. Image via Pixabay.
Working things out the old school way. Pixabay image.
Always good to see books about and it’s very special if one of them is yours! Many thanks to Raewyn Berry for the picture.
Creating great characters does mean hard work. Image via Pexels.
There be dragons. Pixabay
What most writers connect to! Image via Pexels
How does gravity and time work in your settings? Pixabay image.
Without the darkness, we would not see the stars. Pixabay image.
What journeys are your characters going on? Image via Pixabay

Goodreads Author Blog – Hooks Into Books

I seem to have a “thing” for rhyming titles at the moment. Sure it will be a passing fad…!

What attracts you to a book? Is it the title, the blurb, the cover, or a combination of the lot?

For me, the cover draws me in but the blurb is what clinches a sale for me, whether I’m reading on Kindle or a paperback. If I like the premise of the blurb, I will “look inside” a Kindle book or look at the opening page of a paperback. If it seems to deliver, I’ll go ahead and buy.

There is no such thing as a foolproof system but this works for me!

Of course, another great hook is reading a book by an author whose works you know you like. I love series novels and my favourite of these has to be Discworld. Each book original and entertaining but there’s enough familiarity with the world to make you feel right at home as you continue to enjoy the series.

Whatever you read, enjoy!

Words have power, whether funny or tragic. Pixabay image.
Good reading – and writing to be done – here. Pixabay image.
Beautiful pens. Pexels image.
I don’t understand those who dislike books, in whatever format. Image via Pixabay.
Words are the power source of so much creativity. Pixabay iamge.
What every children’s writer wants to see – children engrossed in books, ideally theirs! Pixabay image.
Let the words flow! Image via Pixabay.
Can’t beat a good book or several. Image via Pixabay.
Reading has such an impact. Can’t imagine the world without it. Pixabay image.
What worlds will emerge from your writing? Pixabay image
No room for gobbledygook here. Image via Pixabay.

Fairytales with Bite – Signs Your Character Isn’t Strong Enough

This is by no means an exhaustive list but signs your character isn’t strong enough include the following.

1.  Forgetting their name!  It can happen. It’s bad enough when a reader does it but if the writer does so, then the character is in real trouble.  If they’re not memorable enough to you, they certainly won’t be to anyone else.

2.  Running out of things for them to do.  Yet the plot is strong, the other characters are ticking along very nicely with plenty of dialogue, action etc.  You need to ask yourself whether you really need this character in the story after all.  If you feel you do, look at why.  Could this character be combined with another in the tale to make one really strong creation that keeps the reader’s (and writer’s) interest?  You need to keep in anything and anyone that moves your story onwards.  You also need to ruthlessly cut what you really don’t need.

3.  Their dialogue isn’t distinctive enough.  Your reader should be able to tell who is speaking in a story by the style of the language used by the characters.  Character A talks in clipped tones, Character B tends to laugh a lot after talking, Character C has a lisp, Character D has a strong northern accent (as someone once said, everywhere  has a north!).  If you can’t tell your characters apart by how they speak, they’re not distinctive enough and again I would look at whether you really need them in the story.

What IS out there? Pixabay image.
Thoughts are free but check images used are either free to use or your own! Image via Pixabay.
How many story ideas could come from an image like this? Pixabay.
What galaxy is your world set in? Pixabay image
Great reading desk. Image via Pixabay.
Love the great outdoors and use it to fire ideas for your stories and posts. Pixabay image.
Shedding some light… Pexels image.
Even in the heart of a city, books can provide escapism. Image via Pixabay.
The Andromeda Galaxy. Pixabay image.
What writing inspiration can you find in a garden? Pixabay image.
Outline the characters and away you go! Image via Pixabay
The fantastical should still be grounded in reality (even if you create some of that reality too). Pixabay image.
Does your dialogue make a powerful impact on the reader? Pexels image
The one time of year when Time itself is the news. Pixabay image.
Social media has made the world a smaller place. Image via Pixabay.
What light will your world shed on how ours “behaves”? Pixabay image.

This World and Others – The Weather and Its Uses in Fiction

This is my CFT post for this week and I discuss my views on weather being used in fiction, as well as showing some ways it can be done realistically.

Whether you use weather or not, the general point is that your fictional world must seem realistic to the reader, no matter how fantastical the setting.  That may well mean you do need to share some details as to what the climate is etc to help readers get a better understanding of your creation but only put in the details the reader has absolutely got to know and leave it at that.  Your reader will want to fill in some gaps for themselves.  Also, you don’t want them switching off because all that lovely research detail you put in and you found fascinating has done nothing whatsoever for them!

Ask yourself if the reader really needs to know this.  I’ve found the simple approach of “just the facts, Ma’am, just the facts” is a great way of working out what to put into a story.  I’ve also found it best to share those facts in as palatable a form as possible.  No great splurge of information but drip feeding it as and where necessary makes it easier to take in and therefore more entertaining and acceptable to your reader. And that is where the reader will keep on reading and hopefully loving your story!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

 

Dangerous Words and What Flash Fiction Isn’t

Leave a comment

Facebook – General – and Publication News

My flash fiction story, Dangerous Words, is now up on Cafelit. Hope you enjoy it. There’ll be another from me here on 16th March.

I love getting straight into the heads of my characters and letting them get on with it! The writing seems to flow better when I do this.  And here is the link to my page on Cafelit.  Hope you enjoy the stories!

Says it all really and applies to non-fiction equally as fiction. Image via Pixabay.
Use flash fiction techniques to help you develop other forms of writing so you grow as a writer. Image via Pixabay
Books invite you into their world. Image via Pixabay.
The wonderful world of stories. Image via Pixabay
The wonderful world of stories… Image via Pixabay.
Let the creative process flow! Image via Pixabay
Some very strange creatures are in books. Image via Pixabay
Images from the magical world… Image via Pixabay
Well, what IS your story? Image via PixabayImage via Pixabay.
Love this image! Image via Pixabay

When you think about who your favourite authors are, do you stop and think about why they’ve made it on to your list of favourites?

No reader or writer worth their salt ever has one favourite author only! You are reading widely across genres to help inspire your own creativity, aren’t you?!

Besides, with such a wonderful wealth of books out there, why stick to just one genre? (I’m the same about chocolate – yes I will always prefer milk, but there’s no way I’m missing out on dark and white!).

I strongly suspect the big draw will be the characters your favourite author(s) created. A well drawn character will have you sympathising with their predicament, their hopes, the obstacles they’ve got to overcome to have any chance of realising those hopes etc.

So turn this around then and ask yourself what you can do with your characters to make readers feel all that about them. Readers should be able to identify with said predicaments and hopes (though not necessarily agree with them or the way your characters handle matters).

Stepping into another world.. Pixbay
What IS out there? Pixabay image.
The realm of the fairytale has always fascinated me. Pixabay image.
So true. Pixabay image.
Where is your setting? Pixabay image.
This is NOT the way to read work out loud! Pixabay image.
Is your reading journey a bright one? Pixabay image.
Words have power, whether funny or tragic. Pixabay image.

I’ve been sharing on Twitter some of my favourite books, the kind you have to take to the mythical desert island with you. Amongst the list are Men at Arms (Terry Pratchett), Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen), Murder on the Orient Express (Agatha Christie), and The Daughter of Time (Josephine Tey). A nice mixed bunch so far but then I’ve never seen the point of limiting your reading to just one genre.

What do I look for from a good book? An entertaining story, characters that make me want to root for them, for good to prevail over evil, and where the story can make me think as well, even better. The Daughter of Time remains, to date, the only novel to make me change my mind over something (Richard III and whether he was innocent or guilty of the murder of the Princes in the Tower).

The challenge as a writer is to create your stories in such a way they resonate with your readers long after they’ve read them. I’ve only ever read To Kill a Mockingbird once (at secondary school) but certain images and the way it made me feel against injustice remain with me to this day. I’ve not read the follow-up and I don’t know if I will but to be able to haunt your readers long after they’ve finished your book is something to aspire to, I think.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I love getting right inside the heads of my characters when writing stories and often use that as a way to get started on a piece.

I like to think of it as hitting the ground running, because a brief incursion into the character’s mind will reveal (a) what they’re facing and (b) their attitude to it. That’s when the sparks fly!

It also means I’m showing you the story from the viewpoint of that lead character. No telling here! It does mean you’ve got to know your character well enough from the outset so you can write them convincingly but this is where outlining a few thoughts comes into its own. That outline can be as detailed or not as you want, but as long as YOU know enough to write the character, that is what matters. How to tell?

Ask yourself how your character would react to a situation you are not actually writing about for this story. Do you instantly know how they would react? If so, good. If not, you need to flesh your character out more to yourself so you can turn that no into a yes.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

Delighted Dangerous Words is now up on Cafelit. I’m very fond of stories where the main character reveals a lot of what appears to be backstory but is very relevant to what they are facing at the time! I’m also very fond of stories about little old ladies who aren’t quite as innocent as they might seem to be.

How easy do I find writing flash fiction?

The simple answer is I never know when I write flash how it is going to turn out until I do it so I take an idea and run with it and see what happens.

Sometimes that idea will work better as a longer standard length short story (and that’s okay because there will be markets and competitions for it). At other times, something I thought would make a great flash fiction idea really isn’t strong enough.

Flash fiction ISN’T a diluted short story. It has to be a complete story in and of itself. It captures a moment in time (a short story can capture more than one) but it has to be a moment worth sharing! One moment finely honed. And it takes practice too. But that’s true of any form of writing.

Learning to write short will help with creating blurbs for a novel amongst other things so practising writing flash fiction I think is great for all writers to do. The editing and polishing skils you pick up over time will pay off in other writing work you do.

The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings – the ultimate in dangerous words is on this ring!. Pixabay image.

The writing prompt in my diary for this week was of a bird watching its potential mate carrying out a ritual wing display. (The mischievious side of me would have loved the picture to have shown the female holding up a score card – you know the marks out of 10 kind of thing – but then that’s my quirky sense of humour).

The prompt was to tie in with Valentine’s Day and I’ve drafted a flash story (in poetic form) where the female wishes she could have the special treatment more often during the rest of the year, that it wasn’t all down to mating etc, that there could be something special during the day to day effort to survive. My draft needs a lot of work (as all drafts do) but I sympathise with my character’s viewpoint here.

For all writers, the heady moments are (a) when you know you’ve created something good, (b) when you hear you’re going to be published, and (c) when the book contract (a good one obviously) turns up for you to sign! The nature of things means those heady moments are “spaced out” and we have to cope with the daily nitty gritty, which is far less “glamorous”.

The nitty gritty then for all writers is to get the writing done, get it out there, cope with the rejections that will come in, and so on.

And on that note I must get on!

The universe is beautiful. Pixabay image.
Characters no matter what their world should resonate with readers. Image via Pixabay
Is this light the way into a new world? Pixabay image.
How many story ideas could come from an image like this? Pixabay.
Taking time to look back and then look ahead is a good thing. Pixabay image.
Social media has made the world a smaller place. Image via Pixabay.
Being lost in the world of your story. Pixabay image
Your blog, your topic, your theme – just be sensible on copyright and libel issues. Image via Pixabay.
A storyteller on their travels perhaps? Pixabay image.
No matter how strange your characters or setting, there must still be identifiable elements for a reader. Pixabay image
Content is indeed king. Image via Pixabay.
Good reading – and writing to be done – here. Pixabay image.
It would be a joy to research here! Pixabay image

Does flash fiction have its limitations?

Well, there is the word count of course, but I suppose the main one would be is it is not the vehicle for an in depth character study! What it can and should do is show a reader enough about a character so they fill in the gaps themselves. It is like shining a torch and you pick up ONE thing to focus more attention on.

I’ve always loved it when writers don’t tell me every last detail. I want to be able to work things out myself and flash fiction IS the perfect vehicle for that!

John Ryland’s library. Pixabay image.
Get those ideas coming! Pixabay image
Books have their own sense of time and space. Image via Pixabay.
Fiction can take you anywhere. Image via Pixabay.
Plugging in for new ideas? Pixabay image
I often jot notes with pen and paper. Pexels image.
The darkness can have its own beauty. Pixabay image.
The sun setting. Pixabay image.
From Light to Dark and Back Again perhaps? Image via Pixabay (and so beautiful)
There is something almost mystical here. Pixabay image.
Someone set a goal here of some sort! Pixabay image
A stalwart character in the fairytales. Pixabay image.
Heading to the light. Image via Pixabay.

I really enjoy reading and writing flash fiction stories which end with a punch. Sometimes that can be literal (!) and is most satisfying when the character has deserved it (and that will be the view your readers will take too). One huge advantage of fiction is wrongs can be righted in a way they’re so often not in real life. I believe that is one reason why fairytales are always popular!

I also love the witty one-liners that can close a story. It’s good to finish a story on an “uplift” where that is appropriate. Of course the set up for that finish happens much earlier in the story and it can be as simple as showing your character has the type of attitude which will make a witty one-line retort likely. (It usually is a retort!).

Above all, it is fun, which is what writing should be after all.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Goodreads Author Blog – Hooks into Books

I seem to have a “thing” for rhyming titles at the moment. Sure it will be a passing fad…!

What attracts you to a book? Is it the title, the blurb, the cover, or a combination of the lot?

For me, the cover draws me in but the blurb is what clinches a sale for me, whether I’m reading on Kindle or a paperback. If I like the premise of the blurb, I will “look inside” a Kindle book or look at the opening page of a paperback. If it seems to deliver, I’ll go ahead and buy.

There is no such thing as a foolproof system but this works for me!

Of course, another great hook is reading a book by an author whose works you know you like. I love series novels and my favourite of these has to be Discworld. Each book original and entertaining but there’s enough familiarity with the world to make you feel right at home as you continue to enjoy the series.

Whatever you read, enjoy!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reading Journeys and the Role of Stories

Leave a comment

Facebook – General – and Chandler’s Ford Today

I look at how what I’ve read has changed over the years in my CFT post about Reading Journeys this week. I also look at how the Kindle has impacted on my reading life too (and boy has it! My suitcase is a lot lighter thanks to it!).

I can’t remember what the first book I read all by myself was but wouldn’t be surprised if it was a picture book. I am still very fond of The Reader’s Digest Collection of Fairytales which is beautifully illustrated. I’m also a sucker for a good map (see The Lord of the Rings!).

I’ve said it before, and will no doubt say it again, but adult fiction writers owe a huge debt to those who write for youngsters. So many readers of fiction for adults come from a background of having always read books/had books read to them. It is just a case of tastes changing over time. It is difficult to understate how important it is to create that wish to read spark off in the first place.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

My favourite moment when writing a story or a CFT post is when the piece “takes off”.

For a story, this is when the character hits their stride and there’s no holding them back. You, as the writer, are keen to find out what happens next (which is always a good sign!). And yes I outline but I deliberately don’t put down every detail. I need signposts but what happens between them is the really fun bit!

For a post, it is when one idea leads to another and that leads to more and before you know it, an article is written.

The scary moment? When you’ve outlined an idea and you begin writing and at that point you don’t know whether it is going to “go the distance”. There’s always a certain amount of relief when things “take off” and you realise the post or story will be fine (after editing later, naturally).

Image Credit:  The picture of From Light to Dark and Back Again was taken by my cousin, Raewyn Berry.  My book is on display at her guest house in New Zealand.  It is easily the furthest my book has travelled!

The joy of writing is you never stop learning. Pixabay image.
So true. Pixabay image.
Hope you have lovely books as presents! Pixabay image
My smartphone has not yet managed this! Pixabay image.
The ultimate smartphone maybe?! Image via Pixabay
Books and tea, bliss! Pixabay image
How many story ideas could come from an image like this? Pixabay.
A book worm’s idea of heaven and picture books will be in here! Pixabay image

My CFT post this week will take a look at reading journeys and how they change and develop over time (as they should). Good excuse to put lots of pictures of lovely books up too! Win-win! I also look at how methods of reading have developed. Who would have predicted the Kindle when I was growing up in the 1970s?

Do you have a reading list of books you simply must read (in whatever format suits best) before the Grim Library Keeper tells you that you are way overdue and it is time to go?

One of my favourite cartoons is the one of a woman in bed ringing to tell someone her other half has been crushed by his To Be Read pile. I have a nasty feeling life could imitate art for many of us here on that front! So don’t pile them too high, eh?

And I really must go and reduce the height of mine!

Where is your setting? Pixabay image.
Enjoy your writing whether you write directly to screen or to pen and paper first. Pixabay image.
My flash fiction collection. Image taken by Allison Symes.
I was in this Bridge House anthology. Picture taken by Allison Symes
Another of my stories made it into this collection. Image taken by Allison Symes
It is a great joy to be published by Cafelit online and in print. Picture taken by Allison Symes
Another flash fiction piece of mine is in here. Pixabay image.
My first story appeared here. Photo taken by Allison Symes
This is the first solely ebook compilation I’ve had work in – cover photo from Bridge House Publishing.
Stepping into another world.. Pixbay
There be dragons. Pixabay

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

The spark for a new flash fiction story comes from a variety of sources for me. These include:-

1. Hearing a turn of phrase which catches my fancy.

2. A well known saying or proverb. (I can often twist these too so double whammy as far as I’m concerned).

3. I sometimes use a question as the story title. The story of course is then found in answering that question!

4. Writing prompts – picture based, theme set or what have you, I find all of these useful. (My writing diary is a boon for these. I should have 52 new stories by the end of the year at least given there is a prompt set every week!).

5. What is lovely is when a character I’ve created sparks off an idea for a follow-on story but the character and the follow-on idea both have to be strong enough for this to work.

6. I will sometimes put a character name into my title (for example George Changes His Mind). The idea here is to provoke curiosity as to find out who the character is and, in this example, what he changed his mind about! The implication also is that it has to be something reasonably important otherwise there would be no story.

Just what is your story then? Image via Pixabay
The writing journey can be a long one so setting goals along the way makes sense. Pixabay image
The one time of year when Time itself is the news. Pixabay image.
Books are fabulous, whatever the format. Image via Pixabay.
Books have their own sense of time and space. Image via Pixabay.
Love writing, love reading, love books. Pixabay image.
There is something almost mystical here. Pixabay image.
Whenever and whatever you read, enjoy. Image via Pixabay.
Fiction should show you new ways of looking at the world. Image via Pixabay.
Which number draft is this? Pixabay image
Reading immerses you in another world. Pixabay image.
Fiction can take you anywhere. Image via Pixabay.

F is for Fun which writing should be
L is for Lines for your characters to say
A is for Action without which a story is dead
S is for Story, the “must know how it ends” reaction
H is for Heroes, of all kinds, caped or not.

F is for Flashbacks which should be kept brief
I is for Imagination – feed yours by reading well
C is for Characters we all want to root for
T is for Truthful Narrators or ARE they? Make us guess!
I is for Illumination, that lightbulb creative moment
O is for Original – you have a unique writing voice
N is for Names – what do they reveal about your “people”?

Allison Symes – 14th February 2019

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Flash fiction can be great for giving little insights into a character and/or their setting which would not be enough for a standard length short story. You can imply their world without going into lots of description.

My Every Little Detail doesn’t spell out who the reader mentioned in the story is until literally the last word but so much is implied in the run-up to that, my closing word acts as a confirming punchline in many ways.

I relish writing stories like that. The fun comes from working out what clues to put in and how best to do so. The reader needs to work things out without you spelling everything out but the clues must enable them to do that.

Hopefully the Book Fair will encourage even more reading! Image via Pexels
Words have power, whether funny or tragic. Pixabay image.
What worlds will new books show you? Pixabay
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
The ultimate book tunnel? Image via Pexels
Walking into the words maybe. Pixabay image
What worlds will emerge from your writing? Pixabay image
Decisions, decisions and a not terribly helpful signpost. Image via Pixabay.
Stories are magical and inspire other stories. Image via Pixabay.
No room for gobbledygook here. Image via Pixabay.
It would be a joy to research here! Pixabay image

Fairytales With Bite – Character Traits

I like to look for a major trait in a character and use that to help “round them out”.  For example, if I decide a character is a coward, I dig deeper and look for what has led to the character being like that.  I can also look at whether they’re ashamed of this or not.  Not everything I outline here will make it into my story but I know that if I know what the answers are here, I will write my character with more confidence (and therefore conviction as well) and I believe THAT comes through to the reader.

So useful character traits to consider then could include:-

  1. Cowardice/Heroism;
  2. Being a Liar/Being Honest (the latter could cause as much trouble as the former and the potential for comedy is here too);
  3. Stubbornness/Being Flexible;
  4. Being Unfriendly/Being Sociable;
  5. Being Prejudiced/Being Open.

There are of course many more traits than these and practically every trait has its opposite flaw/virtue which could also be used.

Questions to ask yourself when using these:-

 

  1. How did the character develop this flaw/virtue?
  2. Do they see it as a flaw or virtue?  Are they right about this?
  3. How do others around the character react to them and their flaw/virtue?
  4. What are their society’s expectations?
  5. Does the character change – for better or worse?

Have fun!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

This World and Others – The Role of Stories

We all know how important stories are to us personally and to our society but when creating your own world, what thought have you given to the role of tales there? Does your world have its own legends? What are these? How are these legends shared?

Was/is there an oral storytelling tradition? Are only certain stories allowed (and who chose these and why)? Are books easily available to all (or the technological equivalent)? Is reading encouraged? Are there libraries?

How does your world decide whether something it is civilised or not? You’ll guess from the questions I list above I consider the ready availability of books, libraries, stories being generally available etc to be major considerations as to whether I think something is civilised!

How do the characters in your stories treat books and stories? Do their views agree with those held by their society or not?

The role of stories is important (they’re a great way of getting a message across without preaching and are a wonderful form of entertainment. Does your fictional world treat them in the same way? If not, why not?).

Publication News:  Cafelit

I will have two new stories up on Cafelit on 16th February and 16th March.  Will share links as and when.  I am also pleased to say two stories of mine are being voted on for consideration for the Best of Cafelit 8 print anthology due out later this year.  Will keep you posted on how I do but do check out the Best of books as there are wonderful stories in here from a lovely variety of writers.  (How do I know they’re lovely?  I’ve met them!).

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When a Story Has “Got You”

Leave a comment

Facebook – General

Thinking about picture books with regard to my most recent CFT post, Picture Books and Other Hooks, made me also think about what my reading journey has been.

Every reader of fiction owes a huge debt to children’s writers as the vast majority of readers have grown up loving and reading books, moving from stage to stage and genre to genre as they grow. You get to experiment with the genres you love most (and ideally end up loving loads!).

Writing for children then underpins books overall, I think.

We almost all start with rhymes and fairytales (the latter is somewhat ironic given so many fairytales can be grim!). Picture books play a vital role bridging the gap between “baby” books and the first books we read for ourselves.

So let’s hear it for children’s fiction, especially as it is notoriously difficult to get right.

Where is your setting? Pixabay image.
A book worm’s idea of heaven and picture books will be in here! Pixabay image
A stalwart character in the fairytales. Pixabay image.
This IS what I call a reading pile. Pixabay image.
Being lost in the world of your story. Pixabay image
Stories can take you to fantastic places. Pixabay image.
Great characters escape from great books! Pixabay image.
A storyteller on their travels perhaps? Pixabay image.

 

I’ve listed below books that have either made me change my opinion about something or I’ve had to re-read several times. (Usually the book concerned falls into both categories). They’re not in any particular order of importance.

1. The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
3. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein
4. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
5. Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett.
6. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
7. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie.
8. Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse
9. Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
10. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

For many of the authors, I could’ve listed more than one of their books. The lovely thing with books is discovering the joys of new ones and, when re-reading, catching up with “old friends”.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Book Offer News

Quick heads up! Amazon have currently got From Light to Dark and Back Again on offer at:-

£2.99 – Kindle edition
£4.04 – for the paperback.

Link takes you to the Kindle edition.

 

My flash fiction collection. Image taken by Allison Symes.
FLTDBA for sale in the Swanwick Book Room. Image by Allison Symes
Back cover of FLTDBA. Image by Allison Symes
Magical lands. Image via Pixabay.
Books are the gateway to other worlds. Image via Pixabay.

Facebook – General

When do you know a story has “got you”? When you are so gripped by the characters, you have to keep reading no matter what, and you get distinctly irritable when anything minor, like life, gets in the way of you reading! Confession time: have been distinctly irritable many a time due to this.

Of course the challenge for writers is to come up with a story that will make readers feel like that! Whoever said writing was easy has never actually done any. The great thing is nobody has to see your first draft, your sixth or what have you, until you are ready to let them see it! Nobody but nobody creates a perfect story first go. I do take a lot of comfort from that thought.

Good reading – and writing to be done – here. Pixabay image.
Simply stunning… image via Pixabay
How many story ideas could come from an image like this? Pixabay.
It would be a joy to research here! Pixabay image
Lovely books. Pexels image.
Aiming for more “magic” from my stories this year! Image via Pixabay.
Great characters = great books. Image via Pixabay.
Hope you have lovely books as presents! Pixabay image
Grow as a writer? Grow your reading! Image via Pixabay
Let the creativity spill out. PIxabay image.

The great thing with writing is you have two interests in one here, the other being reading of course.

To feed your own writing “muscle”, you need to read widely in and out of your genre. I recommend reading widely in non-fiction too. Your creative spark will come from ideas that occur to you as you read other stories and non-fiction.

This author did this in this way. How would I do it? I’d have written this character this way because… etc etc. All sorts of great story ideas can come from asking yourself questions like that and then seeing what you do come up with.

Re non-fiction: I’ve found the creative spark ignites when I discover something interesting I hadn’t known and realise I can use it in a story setting.

It always pays to cast your imaginative net wide!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Far Flung Book News!

Many thanks to Raewyn Berry for supplying these pictures of From Light to Dark and Back Again in New Zealand!

My book in NZ 1

FLTDBA in NZ. Image kindly supplied by Raewyn Berry

My Book in NZ 2

Always good to see books about and it’s very special if one of them is yours! Many thanks to Raewyn Berry for the picture.

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

Have drafted a piece from the viewpoint of a groundhog which is this week’s prompt in my writing diary. Good fun to do but needs work but then the great thing with a first draft is only you need ever see it. Also I never envisaged starting a FB post with that opening line!

I often use sayings as titles for my flash fiction and generally that sets the theme and mood too. But a good title is always capable of having a twist put to it, so work out what would suit your character best. They’ll be “carrying” the story so if they are of a quirky nature, the story should reflect that.

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I do love poetic justice stories and flash fiction is a great vehicle for them. You have to set things up immediately and deliver on the pay-off quickly too! My A Kind of Hell and The Circle of Life are examples of this.

Poetic justice stories work well within a short time frame, which is why they suit flash fiction. I don’t like to spin poetic justice stories out for too long a time span. My worry is a reader could get bored waiting to find out if there is ever going to be a pay-off. No danger of that in 100 words or so!

Write first, edit later. Pixabay.
Books have their own sense of time and space. Image via Pixabay.
Notebook to hand ready for those story ideas. Image via Pexels.
Waiting for an upload to finish. Image via Pixabay.
Set goals for the short, medium and long terms. Pixabay image
The lightbulb moment of inspiration for writers is wonderful. Pixabay image.
PC playing up do you think? Image via Pixabay.
Fantasy may look at other worlds but often reflects on our own. Time is different too. Music can interpret worlds too. Think of classic film scores like that for The Lord of the Rings. Image via Pixabay.
Let the writing flow and if music can help it along even better! Image via Pixabay
Books are fabulous, whatever the format. Image via Pixabay.
What decisions will your characters make? Image via Pixabay.
What impact do your stories have on your readers? Image via Pixabay
Which number draft is this? Pixabay image

You haven’t got a lot of room in flash fiction to go into characterisation deeply. So what I do is pick the major trait/flaw/virtue of the character I’ve got in mind for a story and weave the tale around that.

The good thing with this approach is you can imply a lot (and flash fiction is brilliant for implying things!).

For example, if you decide your main character is going to be cowardly, all sorts of things are going to come out of that. How does the cowardice manifest itself? Do they know they’re cowardly? (Often a character will not think they’ve got the faults others think they have!).

Equally, are they prepared to lie to defend their position? Almost certainly yes to that one, I would have thought. Okay then, if they’re prepared to lie, what else would they do? You can already see how things could escalate (as will the tension in the story which is exactly what you want).

So pick a good place to start and away you go!

I don’t plan my stories quite like this! Pixabay image.
One of my favourite book images. They really are magical. Transportation into other worlds and around this one in a few hundred pages. Brilliant! Image via Pixabay.
When I’m not at my desk, I’m likely to be in the swimming pool or walking the dog (never both at the same time!). Image via Pixabay.
What fictional world have you created? What ways and rules have you set for your characters? Image via Pixabay.
Books invite you into their world. Go! Image via Pixabay.
Fake news and roundabouts that are too small make it into my CFT post. Image via Pixabay.
Planning your writing can save you lots of time later. Pixabay image.
No room for gobbledygook here. Image via Pixabay.
Let the ideas flow and let journeys encourage that! Image via Pixabay
Let one creative idea spark another. Pixabay image.
Do your characters fit together well in your story or do they clash? Pixabay image.
Research material, notebook and pen to hand. Image via Pixabay

Time for some one-liners then.

1. Nobody saw the aliens leave with as many minerals as their spaceships would carry.

2. “I’m an endangered species, I’m allowed”, cried the dragon, after flaming the farmer’s field to get barbecued sheep for a mid-morning snack.

3. When even the rats run away, you know you’ve got problems.

4. I usually have no problems with pest extermination but you humans are beyond a joke.

5. It was funny how the beef always vanished whenever Joey the border collie was in the room.

Hope you enjoy.

Allison Symes – 12th February 2019

A good photo shows light at its best. Pixabay image.
Heading to the light. Image via Pixabay.
I don’t always write directly to screen. Image via Pixabay
And which is the right way?! Pixabay image.
No matter how strange your characters or setting, there must still be identifiable elements for a reader. Pixabay image
Stepping into another world.. Pixbay
One of my favourite series – Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Image via Pixabay,
There be dragons. Pixabay
I’ve never read a book in these conditions, have you? Pixabay image.

Goodreads Author Blog – Picture Books and Other Hooks

I don’t believe in wasting a good title! I used this for my Chandler’s Ford Today post recently when I interviewed a local author and her illustrator about a children’s picture book they had brought out. This in turn made me think about my own reading journey and what a debt we all owe to children’s writers.

Most readers have grown up loving books. Someone encouraged that love of story, bought them books, and in time they had the great joy of buying their own stories. I always remember one of my great wishes was to have a library of my own with books I’d chosen to be on the shelves.

Wish fulfilled there I’m glad to say! I’m also glad that there’s a special space on my shelves for books written by friends of mine. And of course my From Light to Dark and Back Again is on display too!

I was trying to think back to what was the first book I could read all by myself. Got stumped there but the Reader’s Digest Collection of Fairytales is a well read and taped up book (the spine needs support!) that would have been amongst the first of my “proper” reads. Has gorgeous pictures too. Never underestimate the power of good pictures to encourage reading and the development of imagination.

Someone “sees” the story and they “get” it. They can go on at a later date to read stories without pictures but there is still something of that hankering for images for most of us I think. Why else do we really love a great book cover?

And I’ve still got a good spot for books with good maps in them – The Lord of the Rings is superb here.

My favourite reads when growing up was Enid Blyton’s Famous Five and Little Women (I always have loved Jo March as a character). I liked Heidi and Black Beauty too. I went on to discover Agatha Christie, Jane Austen, P.G. Wodehouse, and Terry Pratchett. I do believe in a good mix!

So what were your favourite childhood books? What did you “graduate” to?

And let’s hear it for the children’s fiction writers too!

Hope your Christmas books take you to all sorts of wonderful places! Pixabay image
Sally Goodden and Anne Wan at the mural at a local Chandler’s Ford school. Image by Anne Wan.
Edit on paper, not on screen. Pixabay image.
Where is your setting? Pixabay image.
Is it Time for a Change for the dragon in my story on Cafelit? Image via Pixabay
Drafting those ideas… image via Pexels
Sally and Anne at their recent Chandler’s Ford Library event. Image kindly supplied by Anne.
Pictures in books are great for encouraging reading. This is from Puss in Boots. Pixabay image,
My latest CFT post. Image supplied by Anne Wan
What every children’s writer wants to see – children engrossed in books, ideally theirs! Pixabay image.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Collaboration, Picture Books, and Characters

Leave a comment

Facebook – General – and Chandler’s Ford Today

My latest CFT post is an interview with local children’s writer, Anne Wan. For her latest book, Manners Fit for the Queen, she teams up with local illustrator, Sally Goodden.

The interview looks at the colloborative process needed to produce a picture book and why picture books matter.

For most of us, one of our first introductions to the wonderful world of stories would have been through a picture book. I still love a well illustrated book. (The maps in the Lord of the Rings are fab!).

NB.  I love it when a title for a post just “comes” to me and I particularly like this week’s one.  Picture Books and Other Hooks has a good rhythm to it!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Looking forward to having a go at the writing prompt for this week from my diary. The prompt is to show the groundhog’s point of view as it prepares to meet his/her public for Groundhog Day (great film incidentally)!

Will have a crack at that challenge over the weekend. Should be fun! I can categorically state I’ve never created a groundhog character before! Am probably unlikely to do so again but it will be fun to find out what comes from this.

Later in the year, there‘s another prompt asking me to list 10 words associated with a train journey. People could have a lot of fun with that depending on which train operator they use regularly! (I think there should have been a comment in the prompt to “keep it clean” but that’s just me!).

As you will have gathered, I love this writing diary!

 

Reading can make it seem as if you are in your own bubble! Pixabay image
Definitely a fantasy story here! Pixabay image.
No shortcuts to editing! Pixabay image.
No matter how strange your characters or setting, there must still be identifiable elements for a reader. Pixabay image
What worlds will new books show you? Pixabay
A familiar sight here! Pixabay
Where is your setting? Pixabay image.
A storyteller on their travels perhaps? Pixabay image.

My CFT post this week will be an interview with children’s writer, Anne Wan, and illustrator, Sally Goodden. They recently had a story and craft event at Chandler’s Ford Library based on Anne’s most recent book, Manners Fit for the Queen, which is a picture book.

The ladies discuss how they worked collaboratively and how they met. Picture books look “easy” but are notoriously difficult to get right. The pictures need to convey enough of the story but without giving it all away. The text needs to be pitched right for the age range.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

When did you first come across flash fiction? I ask as my latest CFT post looks at picture books and interviews Anne Wan/Sally Goodden on their colloborative work here. It made me realise that my way into reading, as it would have been for many of us, was via well cherished picture books. So on to my great love now – flash fiction – how did I get into that?

For me, it was via the 100-word challenge issued by Cafelit. Prior to that, I’d not heard of the form, yet alone had a go at it! I think part of the “not hearing” about it was due to the term used. I HAD heard about micro fiction but had not been clear about what that meant. I know now!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

A good story will always make you react in some way. I’ve read (and written) stories that are meant to make you laugh or chill you to the bone.

So if a story isn’t working for you as you draft and edit it, look at what impact it is making on you as you read it. Is there an impact at all? If not, there is where the problem is! So think about what impact do you want it to have? How can the characters generate that impact?

If a character isn’t strong enough, ask why. Are they the right character for this story? Do you need to outline them in more depth to get right into their soul and really find out what makes them tick and react?

I’ve found a good way to get started is think of an extreme situation and look at how your character responds to it. For example, a fire breaks out in the character’s house so what do they do? What do they HAVE to save before they get out and why?

Stepping into another world.. Pixbay
I remember using a manual typewriter. Pixabay image.
There is something almost mystical here. Pixabay image.
Making the most of the writing time. Pixabay image
Hope your Christmas books take you to all sorts of wonderful places! Pixabay image
Books and tea, bliss! Pixabay image