TALKING CRIME, RESEARCH IN FICTION AND NETWORKING

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A good mix tonight, I think!

Facebook – General – and Chandler’s Ford Today

I talk crime and research, amongst other things, in Part 2 of a fab interview with crime writer, the lovely Val Penny.  Val is the author of Hunter’s Chase, which is the first book in her Edinburgh Crime series. We also talk about writing conferences and I know both of us are looking forward to networking in person later in the year at the Swanwick Writers’ Summer School!

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Also a big thanks to Gail Aldwin for sharing details about other Chapeltown books including Badlands by Alyson Faye and my own From Light to Dark and Back Again. Much appreciated.

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How do you feel when you reach the end of writing a story or, even more, a book?

A little bereft perhaps but at the same time eager to get on with the next one. That’s my position at the moment.

Have got a few competitions I’d like to have a go at so those will be my next goal. I deliberately want to get work off to these before I start outlining my thoughts for my next book (and I’ve ideas I want to explore there). I think a break between books is a good idea. By the time you come back to writing a book again, you’ll be keen to get on with it!

Jotting down ideas for future stories is always a good idea. Image via Pixabay
Write, edit, write, edit… image via Pixabay
Stories are magical and inspire other stories. Image via Pixabay.
I’m not arguing with this one! Image via Pixabay.
Notebooks, pens, beverages… bliss for the writer. Image via Pixabay.

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Where do I get ideas for my stories? From all over the place! When I was starting out as a writer, that kind of answer used to annoy me. My thoughts tended to be along the lines of “well, it’s all right for them to say that but I’m struggling, thank you”. Well, words to that effect anyway.

What I have learned over the years (lots of years too!) is you do learn to develop more of an open mind as to what could make a good story idea. What is useful is having a starting point to trigger ideas that can be developed further. Some of my starting points include:-

1. Proverbs/famous sayings to use as a theme.
2. Picture prompts (not necessarily taken by me). For example, landscapes can offer ideas as to where your setting is or if you are writing fantasy or sci-fi, is your world the complete opposite to the picture? Sometimes that can be useful in getting started.
3. Competition themes can be great as you can then enter the competition too!
4. Snippets of conversation can get you thinking about how a character of yours might get to say something similar.
5. I sometimes have a brainstorming session and write down what could be an opening line to a story. I don’t plan these sessions and try to just write freely for a set time. The lines can be as bizarre or as ordinary as I want but the ones I like the most of later are the ones I write up.

I think the most important thing is to have fun with your writing. If you don’t enjoy it, nobody else will!

 

Honest feedback is the only kind worth having - image via Pixabay

Honest feedback is the only kind worth having. Image via Pixabay.

Good historical fiction will make it seem as if you had stepped back in time - image via Pixabay

Could this picture inspire stories? Good fiction will take you out of the world for a while. Image via Pixabay.

The best advice for any writer - image via Pixabay

Sound advice.

Feature Image - Flash Fiction - Books are Gateway - image via Pixabay

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

writing in many forms via Pixabay

Planning your work. Image via Pixabay.

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Looking forward to starting work on a third flash fiction collection after a pause to enter some competitions etc. I find a break between books useful.

Indeed, when I write batches of short stories, I like to have a break and switch to writing flash for a while and vice versa. In between all of this I’m writing posts for Chandler’s Ford Today and More Than Writers (the ACW blog though the lovely thing with writing on the 29th of the month is I have most Februarys off!!).

There are other things I’d like to do at some point (including seeing if I could write a radio play) but those will be projects that I might refer to as my “bits on the side”. I do think it is vital writers have fun with whatever it is they write and also to set themselves fresh challenges now and again.

 

Well, let’s do so by writing lots of stories! Image via Pixabay.
Many thanks to Finian Black, children’s author, for taking this photo.
Enjoy what you write and read! Image by Allison Symes
Writing to screen. Am using smartphone more for this.
What ever writer needs. Image via Pixabay

Fairytales with Bite – Do You Need Research to Write Fiction?

One of the topics I discuss with crime writer, Val Penny, in Part 2 of my interview with her for Chandler’s Ford Today this week is research. We talk about the resources that are available for crime writers and I go on to mention that even for writing fantasy as I do, some research is useful.

Strictly speaking, for any fiction, of course you don’t have to carry out research.  You make it all up!  However, I’ve found that to root my characters so readers can identify with them, I need to know how we react as people and why (so a basic knowledge of how humans “work” is useful).  Also when it comes to world building, knowing how we work is a building block for making up your own  universe.  After all if you decide your world is going to be nothing like this one, you’ve got to work out in exactly which ways it will differ.  So you do have to bring some knowledge to the writing desk to be able to write effectively.

I’ve also found that researching (whether I do so via the internet, a book or what have you) helps me extend my knowledge (obviously!) but the knock-on benefit of that for my fiction writing is it also expands what I can write about.  Write about what you know is good advice so expand what you know and you can expand what you can write.

What is your story? Image via Pixabay
Well, why not? Image via Pixabay.
Escape with a good book, it’s good for you! Image via Pixabay
Let the writing flow and if music can help it along even better! Image via Pixabay

This World and Others – Networking

I discuss the value of networking in my Chandler’s Ford Today post this week, which is Part 2 of a great interview with crime writer, Val Penny.   Amongst other topics, we share our thoughts on two conferences we’ve been to – Winchester Writers’ Festival and the Swanwick Writers’ Summer School (and indeed are looking forward to networking in person again then!).

How does networking happen on the world you’ve created for your fiction though?  What is it used for?  Can only certain people/beings/robots/strange creatures etc do this?  Is corruption an issue and does anyone try to fight it, if so?  Which of the creative arts is known on your world and are there conferences/classes for them?  How is successful networking “rewarded”?

Have any of your characters formed friendships, which later they depend on in life threatening situations?  How does networking earlier in their life benefit them now?  (Or does it endanger them because the friends they thought they’d made turn out not to be friends at all?!).

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STORIES – AND A WRITER’S THREE WISHES

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My Chandler’s Ford Today post this week will be Part 2 of my interview with crime writer, Val Penny. She discusses how much research she does and why networking is invaluable for all writers, amongst other topics. Will put the link up on Friday.

I was thinking, for my new Goodreads blog post, which went up earlier this evening, about why I love short stories and flash fiction so much. I think it may be because I’m impatient! With a novel, you have to wait for the tension to build and build… With a short story (and even more so for flash fiction), you get the impact nigh on immediately. That probably says a fair bit about me!

Let creativity spill out - image via Pixabay

Let the creative process flow! Image via Pixabay

Hunter's Chase book cover

Val’s latest crime novel. Image supplied by Val Penny.

The fantastic world of books must include non-fiction too - image via Pixabay

The wonderful world of writing should include non-fiction, which benefits from creative techniques too. Image via Pixabay.

Feature Image - Facts and Fiction - image via Pixabay

What writing triggers will help you create your new worlds? Image via Pixabay

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What do you find most difficult to do – start a story or finish it?

For me, it’s finding the right starting point. Once I’ve got that, I’m up and running, I know I will generally end a story on a “punch” ending (and often a twist in the tale at that). As the story progresses I can sense myself getting to that bit, so finishing a tale is usually okay. I’m the same with blog posts. Get me started and I’m away!

I try to start anything I write with a “hit the ground running” approach. I often will go straight into the main character’s head so “they” can show a potential reader what state/mood they’re in, what crisis they’re facing etc. I find that really useful.

Other opening lines can include a brief indication as to the setting, but I keep that as short as I can. Later, if I need to go back and fill in more details, I do but I am wary of too much description. In flash fiction, there’s no room for it anyway!

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I created a poll a few days ago about whether an intriguing start or a twist ending was the best for a story. Please do vote if you haven’t already. I’ll discuss results in a few days’ time.

Have submitted my follow-up book to From Light and Dark and Back Again. Really glad to have that done. Would like to focus on my third book and getting more stories out there. Would like to do something with my non-fiction articles too at some point. Always good to have plenty to be getting on with!

Only wish? As ever, that I had more time. Now, this is where I could do with arranging for one of my fairy godmothers to become real and grant all writers three wishes. What would those wishes be?

1. Whatever time you need to write with NO interruptions or disruptions.

2. You will never suffer a dodgy internet connection again.

3. You will also be given as much time as you want to read whenever you want again with NO interruptions or disruptions.

Sounds good to me!

The wonderful world of stories. Image via Pixabay
Jotting down ideas for future stories is always a good idea. Image via Pixabay
From Light to Dark and Back Again. Image by Allison Symes
Writing to screen. Am using smartphone more for this.

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What do you think is the most important part of a story, whether it is standard length or flash fiction?

I’ll leave this poll up for a few days and report back later in the week. I’ll give my view as part of that.

An intriguing start
A twist ending
This poll ends in 2 days

Goodreads Author Programme – Blog

Short Stories Pack a Punch
I’ve loved short stories for years. Flash fiction has been a fairly recent innovation and I quickly became addicted to both reading and writing it.

As you can imagine, I was thrilled to be published for the first time last year with Chapeltown Books for a flash fiction collection (From Light to Dark and Back Again).

Now I have nothing against the novel. You can’t beat the novel for a satisfying, longer story when all is said and done.

But sometimes you just want a glimpse into a character’s life (rather than have the whole “spiel”) and this is where short stories, and especially flash fiction, come into their own.

They really do pack a punch when you consider their limited word count. (Even the longer short story is still short when compared to your average novel).

I love to write my stories knowing they will have an impact, whether it is to hopefully make readers laugh or, if the tales are darker, to make them shudder!

The big problem with a novel is keeping impact going without it seeming artificial and ensuring the final impact happens at the right moment. It is possible to write a final scene for a book and then decide you’ve just got to add this, or that, and thaen the final impact is diluted.

You can’t really do that with short stories (and you certainly can’t for flash). You have the big, final moment and that’s it. But to me that is a huge advantage as a writer. I know when to stop then!

The images below were taken at the Bridge House celebration event last December.  We all know the value of stories!

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Crime Fiction and Writing Triggers

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Facebook – and Chandler’s Ford Today

My latest Chandler’s Ford Today post is Part 1 of a great interview with crime writer, Val Penny. Her new book, Hunter’s Chase, is now out in paperback and ebook and is the first of her Edinburgh Crime Series. We discuss what drove Val to crime (!) and why she thinks crime fiction is so popular. She also shares some top tips for writers. Part 2 next week.

My latest CFT post. Image by Val Penny.
Val’s latest crime novel. Image supplied by Val Penny.
Lakeside at Swanwick Writers’ Summer School where Val and I first met. Image by Allison Symes
Part of the lovely grounds at Swanwick. Image by Allison Symes
More of the grounds at Swanwick. Image by Allison Symes

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I have a very soft spot for stories told from alternative viewpoints, especially fairy tales. My first published story was A Helping Hand in Bridge House Publishing’s Alternative Renditions anthology (many moons ago now) and tells the Cinderella tale from the viewpoint of the youngest stepsister.

In From Light to Dark and Back Again, I take Goldilocks’ viewpoint as my angle in the tale, Health and Safety, (though between you and me, I still think she comes across as the kind of character you wouldn’t want to take into a posh giftware shop given the chaos she caused with one chair and one bed in the Three Bears’ house!).

One great thing about using alternative viewpoints like this is you can explore why that character has behaved the way they have. You can explore their justifications for their actions. The great thing is they don’t have to be right! (It can be even more fun when they’re not but they really think they are. You really get to know what they are made of exploring this kind of avenue).

Fairytales with Bite – Writing Triggers

I mention this topic as part of my interview with crime writer, Val Penny, on Chandler’s Ford Today this week looked at what triggered her wish to write.  It is one of those questions I often ask writers I interview and the results are always fascinating.

Also, it is interesting to note that, while there can be similarities, I believe most writers have triggers to begin writing that are unique to them.  Mine were turning 30 and having given birth to my son, two major life changes that made me face up to the fact if I wanted to be a writer, I had better get on and write then!

I also love writing triggers in the form of opening lines, photos, closing lines etc that encourage you to write something around them.  They can make you really work your imagination.  The theme for competitions can also act as good triggers (and can be useful for writing practice even if you don’t enter the contest.  If you do and win it or are shortlisted, even better though!).

I find the ideal opening line writing trigger is one that can give you all kinds of possibilities to work with.  For example, I would find the line “He refused to cry again” a lot more interesting to work with than “The starship crashed into a crater”.  I could write stories on both and have fun doing so but the first one you could set in any time, any world come to that.  The second is an immediate sci-fi or fantasy story, which is fine, but you are getting your genre and setting in one go here.  (That can be useful when I want triggers for my flash fiction though and that is when I will want a line that does a lot of work for me!).

Let creativity spill out - image via Pixabay

Let the creative process flow! Image via Pixabay

The fantastic world of books must include non-fiction too - image via Pixabay

The wonderful world of writing should include non-fiction, which benefits from creative techniques too. Image via Pixabay.

Feature Image - Facts and Fiction - image via Pixabay

What writing triggers will help you create your new worlds? Image via Pixabay

The old fashioned notebook and pen still have major roles to play in interviewing - image via Pixabay

Can’t beat the notebook and pen for quick notes. Image via Pixabay,

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Some of the books I’ve appeared in and FLTDBA of course. Image by Allison Symes

This World and Others – Popular Fiction – Do You Just Write What You Know Will Sell?

The short answer is “no”!  This topic came about thanks to this week’s Chandler’s Ford Today post.  This is Part 1 of my interview with crime writer, Val Penny, and one thing we discussed was why crime fiction is so popular and what drove her to crime (!).

I think crime and horror are probably the two most popular genres in fiction.  There can be crossover and within each genre there is a wide range of sub-categories.  But does this mean you should just write to these two genres, say, because you know there is a proven market for them?  Absolutely not!

You have got to believe in what you write.  You have got to love what you write (at least most of the time!  I appreciate when you’ve been through the sixth rewrite, you may feel a tad tired about the whole thing!  We all do!).

You have got to love your characters, and love those you love to hate. I also believe that if you don’t write what is your “driving fictional instinct”, what you do come out with will be just a poor imitation of the markets you are trying go get into and that will show.  Whereas if you love what you write, that will also show.  It is where your writing voice will come through loud and clear.  Good luck!

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My Goodreads blog post this time is an expanded version of my Facebook post for From Light to Dark and Back Again.

Goodreads Author Programme – Blog

I have a very soft spot for stories told from alternative viewpoints, especially fairy tales. My first published story was A Helping Hand in Bridge House Publishing’s Alternative Renditions anthology (many moons ago now) and tells the Cinderella tale from the viewpoint of the youngest stepsister. It was great fun to write and, due it being the first thing I’d written that was accepted for publication (thank you, Bridge House!), it will always have a special place in my heart.

In my flash fiction collection, From Light to Dark and Back Again, I take Goldilocks’ viewpoint as my angle in the tale, Health and Safety, (though between you and me, I still think she comes across as the kind of character you wouldn’t want to take into a posh giftware shop given the chaos she caused with one chair and one bed in the Three Bears’ house!).

One great thing about using alternative viewpoints like this is you can explore why that character has behaved the way they have. You can explore their justifications for their actions.

The great thing is they don’t have to be right! (It can be even more fun when they’re not but they really think they are. You really get to know what they are made of exploring this kind of avenue).

You can also prove the truth of the old saying “there are two sides to every story” by exploring what the other characters think! They just have to be strong enough to carry their own story.

 

QUIZZING YOUR CHARACTERS AND WRITING FRUSTRATIONS

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This is kind of a catch up post on my Facebook items this week.  Will share my Chandler’s Ford Today post tomorrow where I have the first part of a fab interview with crime writer, Val Penny.  In the meantime:-

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If you could ask your characters, especially your main leads, just one question, what would it be? I think my question would be to ask what drives them. When I’m creating new people, I like to know what their main characteristic is and I then go back to find out why it is that particular one.

If a character is brave, what led them to discover they had that quality? There could be some interesting stories there. Also, are they really as brave as they think? Is the declaring themselves brave merely their own judgement or is it something others have said of them?

So one question will lead to others, which is how it should be and how you will really find out what your people are made of.

Microphone - image via Pixabay

Quizzing your characters can help you get the best out of them! Image via Pixabay

A blank page can take you anywhere writing wise, image via Pixabay

A blank page can take you anywhere in writing. Image via Pixabay.

One thing that has been true throughout history is the need for a good edit! Image via Pixabay

The joy of editing but a major part of my writing rituals is to always keep this separate from creative writing. Image via Pixabay

Shakespeare had his quill, modern writers have their laptops. Image via Pixabay.

Such a familiar look. Image via Pixabay.

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What is your chief factor in choosing the main character you have for your stories?

I love quirky characters but for me that in itself is not enough. The character has to have a certain amount of drive so that they are prepared to fight for what they want and/or to overcome anything their life throws at them. (Trust me, I tend to throw a great deal at my people, it’s fun and I’m just like that!).

I don’t like goody-goody characters, they never come across as realistic, and there must be at least some redeeming quality about my characters. I’m looking for something any reader can “root” for as they read my character’s story.

 

Typical of the main track at Jermyns Lane

What kind of journey will your characters go on? Image by Allison Symes

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I love walking by water – so calming. Can also inspire how you create your own world. Image by Allison Symes

Good historical fiction will conjure up a sense of the world in which it is set - image via Pixabay

Or not as the case may be! My fiction is quirky!Image via Pixabay.

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Let your stories have impact. Image via Pixabay

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I’m currently (and finally!) putting the finishing touches to what I hope will be my second book, which I hope to submit shortly. I sometimes think the hardest thing to make yourself do is to put the work aside for a while so you really do come back to it and read it, as if for the first time. It does pay to do this though. I find it is the only way to read the stories as if a reader would.

If you don’t leave enough time before coming back to the work again, you will find yourself still in “editor mode” and will want to change this word here, that word there and not because they really need changing. You need to give yourself time to switch off that “editor mode” and put it back in its box for when it is needed, which is after you have got that first draft down.

Reading the book as a reader would means no editing. Yes, sure, I make notes of anything I spot that I think might need sorting out but I do that as a totally separate task. Also, at this stage, I have already gone through that process so now it really is just a case of reading (and hopefully finding you enjoy it because if you don’t, nobody else will!).

 

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The trouble with writing flash fiction
Is it can cause a lot of friction.
Do you need fifty or seventy-five
Words to make your story come alive?
Bad luck to me here, oh dearie me
I do need one hundred words, you see.
But I understand this is okay
It is just the story format’s way
To have so many different word lengths
Meaning people can write to their strengths.
So dribble away at fifty words
I’ll drabble and be amongst the nerds
One hundred words it will be for me
Nothing less will do for me, you see.

ALLISON SYMES – 31ST JANUARY 2018

The great irony is I’ve counted the words here as coming in at 99! (And I refuse to add “Ends” to make up the “ton” – that would be cheating!).

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One of my main writing frustrations is having lots of lovely ideas to work on but not having nearly as much time as I’d like to get on with them! But then I know I’m not alone in that.

I’m trying to focus more on mini-goals at the moment. I’ve made a couple of diary notes to remind me to submit work to X here and again later on. I have found if I write down plans, whether they are long term or short, I am more likely to achieve them!

Incidentally, flash fiction may be very short but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re fast to write. They still need editing and crafting every much as a longer story.

A checklist can be useful for quizzing your characters. Image via Pixabay.
How do you use your writiing time most effectively? Image by Allison Symes
Sound advice. Image via Pixabay
Preparing a talk or a flash fiction story perhaps. Image via Pixabay.

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What is the one thing that makes you proud or ashamed of your characters and why? Is your hero secretly a bit of a wimp and you really prefer your villain? (You would not be the first writer that’s happened to!).

If you could give one bit of advice to your characters, what would it be and why have you chosen this? Does it say more about you than the character?

I like to have a reasonable knowledge of what makes my characters tick before I start writing for them but deliberately don’t fill in each and every detail. I want to have the fun of discovery as well as their story emerges.

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I think there has to be balance in fiction. The reason for my book’s title is it does reflect most moods. I find I write funny tales for a while (I’ve always had a very soft spot for humorous fiction) and then HAVE to write something darker in tone as a contrast. So it was right my book should reflect all that I write.

Equally, I can only do grim in small doses (flash fiction is brilliant for that!) before I find I’m writing tales that are less grim, then funny ones again.

I think it is inescapable that fiction will reflect on you, the writer, to a certain extent, whether it is the moods of the stories reflecting your moods or whether the main character has your virtues or vices (or both!).

Fiction is strengthened when backed by fact. Image via Pixabay
Is your story light or dark? Image via Pixabay
Could this picture inspire stories? Good fiction will take you out of the world for a while. Image via Pixabay.
Escape with a good book, it’s good for you! Image via Pixabay
There can be reality behind fairytales. Image via Pixabay (and image used as part of book trailer for From Light to Dark and Back Again)

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This post comes about as a result of a conversation I joined in with earlier today online.

I don’t usually write a collection of stories to a specific theme but what I found with writing From Light to Dark and Back Again is that groups of themes emerged from the tales I gathered together.

There are the rough justice stories (Punish the Innocent), the creepy ones (Why Stop Now?), as well as the twisted fairytales (Collector’s Piece). Now given all stories reveal something about the writer, I’m not going into details as to what I think my themes make me! Probably best not to go there.

I find it much easier to write to a theme for an individual story for a competition. Not sure why that is, but maybe it is because I’m only committing to writing one tale at a time for such things.

Paula Readman, Dawn Kentish Knox and I celebrate where our stories have appeared! Many thanks to Paula Readman for the picture.!
From Light to Dark and Back Again. Image by Allison Symes
Enjoy what you write and read! Image by Allison Symes
My book on sale in a local gift shop. Image taken by Allison Symes

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What influences you the most when you write your own stories? I think with me it has to be the books from my past and my present. You do learn how a writer sets out their work, uses grammar etc, as you read their short stories and novels. You also develop a feel for the rhythm of the language used (and I know that has influenced how I do this, though that is a good thing).

With regard to characters, what influences me most is knowing all of them have to justify their places in my stories. They don’t necessarily have to be strong. Weak characters can be interesting as (a) they can become strong and you can explore that journey or (b) they betray a stronger lead character because you always apply the pressure where the chain is most likely to break.

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BEING CREATIVE

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There’s a definite theme tonight!  (Sometimes I don’t plan that, a theme emerges from the different things I’m writing but this theme was planned and is inspired by my wondering if, when you’ve been creating works such as stories for some time, do you still appreciate the joy of doing so?  Anyway, more to follow).

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This week’s Chandler’s Ford Today post talks about creativity being good for you. It is too!

Being creative has proven health benefits (mentally and physically) and my post talks about that and why creativity is a wonderful thing.

I do sometimes wonder if we appreciate it enough at times (which is my inspiration for writing this post). Whether you bake cakes, write stories, play music or what have you, if you have been doing this for a long time, can you end up taking the joy of creating these things for granted?

I think so and I hope my post helps to give us all a renewed sense of enjoyment about what we do creatively.

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My CFT post this week will be on the theme of creativity being good for you. And it is – mentally and physically. I feel much better once I’ve completed something creative during the day – whether it is flash fiction, a Facebook post (😀), or baking a cake.

The nice thing about creativity is anyone can join in and you can find your own level where you want to be. For those wanting to develop creative skills further, there are courses, online as well as the traditional evening classes/OU etc. I’ve found that though my major creative interest is in writing, I have a greater appreciation of all of the arts, music especially.

I also think if you are involved in one art form, you have an appreciation of the hard work that goes unseen behind others. I learned years ago that if a piece of writing looks easy to read then you can bet that author worked their socks off to get it to that point. (Other hosiery accessories are available!).

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What is the most helpful aspect of a book review? To be fair, there is more than one! There is obviously the publicity aspect but when people have said what they liked, or what they felt didn’t work so well, that has been what I’ve found most useful to know.

Okay nobody is going to please all of the people all of the time and there are many sound reasons not to even try doing that, but a general consensus does mean you are on the right lines (or not, as the case may be!).

Incidentally I can vouch for the fact Dawn, Paula and I do all appreciate the reviews we have had for books where our stories have appeared!

Paula Readman, Dawn Kentish Knox and Allison Symes and books - with kind permission from Paula Readman - Copy

Paula Readman, Dawn Knox and I at the recent Bridge House celebration event. Many thanks to Paula for the image.

Such appropriate decor for the Bridge House event in a pub room

This was part of the pub decor at the place where Bridge House had their event. Very apt! Image by Allison Symes

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At the back are some of the other books I’ve appeared in. Image by Allison Symes

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Am currently listening to the wonderful Planet Suite by Gustav Holst on Classic FM. Each piece of music within the suite tells its own story. (My favourite piece is Jupiter, the bringer of jollity. It also contains what many will know as the hymn tune for I Vow To Thee, My Country).

Holst used music to convey his thoughts. Writers of course use words. But the way you put them together (and the order) makes a huge difference to meaning. So are your words having the impact you actually mean them to have? Of course, this aspect can be “sent up” for comedic effect (hence the pun, the innuendo etc) but it is true you do have to know the rules before you break them!

Conducting the night’s business. Image via Pixabay.
Hard at work! Image via Pixabay.
Part of the orchestra. Image via Pixabay.
Is the truth welcome in your fictional world? How does your community react to it?. Image via Pixabay.

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Why does editing always take longer than you think it will? Answers on the back of a postcard… Seriously though, I do give myself plenty of time for this and it STILL takes longer than anticipated. I think there must be an unknown Murphy’s Law for Writers happening here. Talking of which:-

1. You tell people you’re a writer, they suddenly need a pen for something, and you cannot find one on you for love or money. Cue one embarrassed writer!

2. Your printer cartridge always runs out halfway through the printing of the story or book you are desperate to get out to your publisher.

3. You know you have more printer cartridges, you remember ordering them, but you filed them somewhere safe and now cannot remember where that place is!

4. You have a power cut just as you are getting to the end of your story and you forgot to back up so you lose what you’ve just written and have to start again from where you HAD last backed up. You discover you have words in your vocabulary you make a mental note NOT to use in front of the vicar when they next call in.

Guess which of these have happened to me!

Contributions to the Murphy’s Law List for Writers very welcome!

Preparing a talk or a flash fiction story perhaps. Image via Pixabay.
Big screen, little screen, LOTS of stories on either! Image via Pixabay
Let your stories have impact. Image via Pixabay
Escape with a good book, it’s good for you! Image via Pixabay
Flash fiction for impact. Image via Pixabay
There can be reality behind fairytales. Image via Pixabay (and image used as part of book trailer for From Light to Dark and Back Again)

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What is your favourite way to start a story? I must admit I don’t have one single way. And so much depends on whether I’m writing flash fiction or a standard length short story.

I am very fond of being right inside my main character’s head from the start. I like to think of this as hitting the ground running.

I also like to start with a brief sentence or two scene setting. Using a time as part of this can be handy as if the opening line says it is 4 am in mid-summer, you’ve got an immediate image of light levels, whether it is likely to be warm or not and so on. Setting place names can be great too. Mid-summer in the UK is vastly different to mid-summer in Australia, say.

I always look for the words that give me the strongest images whichever way I start though. It saves on word count and has the greater impact on your reader.

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I sometimes use the opening line in a short story competition to inspire my flash fiction. (Sometimes I write up the short story and enter the competition!).

It can be an interesting challenge to see what you can do with an opening line meant to generate a 1500-words short story and see if you can make it work for a tale of under 1000 words (and in my case usually around the 100-words mark).

I must admit I much prefer opening lines competitions to those where you have to finish with a certain line. I think there is more freedom in taking an opening line and running with it rather than being told where you have to stop!

What competitions do you prefer?

The joy of writing. Image via Pixabay.
Heaven on earth? Image via Pixabay (of the library at Leeds Castle)
How the very best fairytales start… Image via Pixabay
What fictional world have you created? What ways and rules have you set for your characters? Image via Pixabay.

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The challenge of writing a complete story in the shortest number of words is not a new one but it does make you increase your vocabulary. (As a flash fiction writer, you will always be on the lookout for those words that can convey stronger meanings than others or can convey more than one meaning. Saves on the word count (!) and the rightly chosen words will give your story a more powerful impact).

Does that mean you’ll never write longer fiction again? Not a bit of it but working to a tight word count helps develop your editing skills and that is always useful, regardless of what you write.

What writing triggers will help you create your new worlds? Image via Pixabay
Well, let’s do so by writing lots of stories! Image via Pixabay.
I’m not arguing with this one! Image via Pixabay.
Some of Shakespeare’s sayings in popular use now. Image via Pixabay

Goodreads Author Programme – Blog

I have too many favourite characters to name them individually, as I expect is the case with most of us, but I do like particular types.

My overall favourite is the unexpected hero. Think Bilbo and Frodo Baggins! I admit being on the short side myself, I probably was always going to favour the idea of a hobbit as a hero!

I also love those characters who suffer injustice but win through in the end. That covers everything from Cinderella to the Prisoner of Azkaban to The Man In the Iron Mask.

I don’t have a problem with talking animals in stories as long as they make sense! Ideally, I prefer it when the animals know more of what is going on in the story than the hero does. (Hello, Puss in Boots!).

Characters have got to be appropriate to the fictional world in which they’re set so hobbits could only be in a fantasy world. Mind, if I had to live anywhere in fiction, I can think of far worse places than The Shire. (Mordor, for one!).

So what are your favourite character types and why?

Let those ideas flow! Image via Pixabay,
A great selection of books. Image by Allison Symes
Great characters should show humour. I love both of these two! Image via Pixabay.
One of my favourite detectives, Hercule Poirot. Image by Pixabay.

 

Fairytales with Bite – Appreciating What You Do

My Chandler’s Ford Today post this week looks at why creativity is good for you and it was inspired by my wondering whether when you’ve been creating, say, stories for some time, do you still appreciate what you do as much as perhaps you should?

I think it is easy to take the joy of creating anything for granted and I hope this post encourages all of us to take a fresh look at what we do creatively and almost, if you like, fall in love with it all over again.

I also think it is a good thing for writers to be open to trying different forms of writing.  It flexes your writing muscles, you may well discover a form you become addicted to (in my case, I found flash fiction or maybe it was a case of flash fiction finding me!), and you get to find out what you really want to write.

It also means when successes come your way, no matter how large or small, you appreciate those more too and that can never be a bad thing.  One way of appreciating what you do is read your work out.  If you are gripped by the tale, others will be too.  Images below were taken by me and are from the Bridge House celebration event.  The range of stories read out was great.  I took part too.

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Gill James reading from her January Stones collection. Image by Allison Symes

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Dawn Knox reading some of her flash fiction. Image by Allison Symes

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Margaret Bullyment read a wonderful justice story at the Bridge House event in December. Image by Allison Symes

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Robin Wrigley read a poignant, character driven story. Image by Allison Symes

Lovely having an appreciative audience, pic taken by Dawn Kentish Knox

I read three stories from From Light to Dark and Back Again. Many thanks to Dawn Kentish Knox for the picture!

This World and Others – Enjoying the Creative Process

My latest Chandler’s Ford Today post takes a look at why being creative is beneficial (and for science as well as the arts too).

I think it is vital to enjoy the creative process to get the most from it.  That doesn’t mean it won’t be difficult at times.  You will feel like swearing (and may do so!) when the words don’t seem to flow so easily as they usually do, but if, generally, you love what you do as you create your characters and stories, then you can know you’re on the right lines. That love will keep you going (along with support from other writers whether that’s online or in a good wriitng group) throughout those tougher times and the inevitable rejections we all collect as if they were going out of fashion.  The one great thing is I can’t think of any writer who hasn’t felt in need of that support at times.  You are definitely not the only one!

It is difficult to say what my favourite part of the creative process is but I do feel elated when I know I’ve got a character right.  I know then that what I get them to say or do is right for them, and their story will flow much more easily as I am writing from deep knowledge of who and what and why they are the characters they are. I also think that will come through in the writing itself and make for a better read for future readers.  I also feel elated when I’ve got a first draft down as I know I’ve got something to work with then (and it can only get better!  All first drafts need work, even Shakespeare’s would have done!).

Let the creative process flow! Image via Pixabay
You can’t beat notebooks for jotting down ideas. Image via Pixabay.
Acting is a great form of creativity. Image via Pixabay.
Use what you know of our world and your imagination to create something really special. Image via Pixabay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Facts and Fiction

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Post up a night early as at a retreat this weekend.  I look at facts and fiction and how one strengthens the other.

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My CFT post is a night early this week but I take the chance to look at how non-fiction can and does inspire some wonderful fiction. I also look at how a working knowledge of history, of how things work etc, can inspire you as you create your own fictional world, and why looking into historical records can also trigger ideas.

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What is the nicest aspect of writing? Well, one obvious answer would be good reviews of your book(s) or positive feedback to a blog post etc. I treasure those, as most writers do!, but I also love the feeling that a story has been completed, I can’t add more to it, it is now ready to go out into the big bad world. It’s an even better feeling when you realise you have enough stories for another collection!

Can’t beat the notebook and pen for quick notes. Image via Pixabay,
Well, let’s do so by writing lots of stories! Image via Pixabay.
Paula Readman, Dawn Kentish Knox and I celebrate where our stories have appeared! Many thanks to Paula Readman for the picture.!
From Light to Dark and Back Again. Image by Allison Symes

 

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What is it about a character that draws you to them? For me, it is always the heroic underdog that fights against the odds to win through. Think Bilbo and Frodo Baggins!

I like unexpected heroes, the ones that come from the “wrong” background yet still prevail. I guess there’s a certain amount of having something to prove that drives a character on and really shows what they’re made of when push comes to shove.

If I’m in any doubt about any of my characters, I draft a quick scene (which may or may not make it into the final story) where I drop said characters right in the mire and find out what they do to get out of it again. By the time I’ve drafted this, any doubts about the characters have long gone as by then they’ll have proved themselves (to me at least). (And the great thing with draft scenes like that is they may be strong enough to work into a piece of flash fiction!).

I’m not arguing with this one! Image via Pixabay.
I read three stories from From Light to Dark and Back Again. Many thanks to Dawn Kentish Knox for the picture!
Reading out loud is a joy for writer and listener.
The joy of writing. Image via Pixabay.

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

One flash challenge I must have a go at when I remember (!) is the 140 character kind of story. Now there is a restricted word count!

But the biggest thing I’ve gained from writing flash fiction, and what I think I love most about it, is that it has taught me to write “tight”, to cut out wasted words and to never be afraid of a darned good edit! Those are good things to have regardless of what you write!

 

Good books should bring illumination to a situation, make you see things as you haven't before - image via Pixabay

Aiming for more “magic” from my stories this year! Image via Pixabay.

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Side view of my book stand. Image by Allison Symes

Feature Image - Flash Fiction - Books are Gateway - image via Pixabay

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

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I suppose what I love most about flash fiction is knowing that opening line is going to take me, and hopefully readers (!), on a short, sharp journey to an appropriate ending. Sometimes that’s happy, sometimes not, sometimes it’s a twist ending, sometimes it’s a poignant full stop. (Usually for the character too!).

But unlike a novel where it will take you several chapters to get to a resolution (though in fairness that IS the charm of a novel!), with flash, it is an almost instant conclusion. And sometimes stories are genuinely not long enough to be anything other than flash fiction. So rather than waste them, I am so glad of flash as a format as it gives me a home for those mega short tales.

 

Flash Fiction Corner: Damon Wakes and Allison Symes at the Chandler’s Ford Book Fair.. Image by Janet Williams, CFT’s editor. Short on time to read? Try a dash of flash!
Many thanks to all who’ve reviewed FLTDBA so far.
Escape with a good book, it’s good for you! Image via Pixabay
Flash fiction for impact. Image via Pixabay
There can be reality behind fairytales. Image via Pixabay (and image used as part of book trailer for From Light to Dark and Back Again)

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The point of a story is to show a pivotal moment of change in a character’s life. That is where the story is. What is that change? Does the character resist the need to change? What happens if they succeed in this resistance? (I would expect their life/future happiness to be held back in some way because of the unwillingness to accept change). So the point of flash fiction is to illuminate an even briefer change. It really is the lightbulb moment for the character and no longer than that.

Flash fiction does help you focus on what is really important for your character and why. As every word has to “earn” its way into the story, motivations must be powerful enough for a reader to believe in them. What drives your character must be understood (if not necessarily agreed with) by your reader.

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Fairytales With Bite – When is Enough Information Enough?

My Chandler’s Ford Today post this week, Facts and Fiction, looks at how a good knowledge of non-fiction can and does inspire ideas for stories.

The big danger, of course, is having such a fantastic time looking up all the details, working them into your story and so on, that you lose focus on what you are meant to be writing in the first place!  What I’ve found useful here is to write down a list focussing on the main things only.  Naturally I then get my first draft down and then begins the lovely editing process!  There is always something to be cut out!

So feed your imagination by reading widely and then be selective what you draw on to create your characters and fictional worlds.

What writing triggers will help you create your new worlds? Image via Pixabay
I love walking by water – so calming. Can also inspire how you create your own world. Image by Allison Symes
Medieval weaponry. Not for the fainthearted. What would your world have as weapons? Why would they need them? Image by Allison Symes. I took this at the Medieval Weekend held in Hampshire earlier in 2017.
What impact do your stories have on your readers? Image via Pixabay

This World and Others – Shouldn’t All Fiction Just Be Made Up?

Well, yes it should, of course but the best fiction is stronger when it is backed by non-fiction.  I talk about this more in my Chandler’s Ford Today post for this week called Facts and Fiction.  I look at, for example, how a working knowledge of history can and has inspired some wonderful works of fiction.

So yes you make things up when story telling but you also draw on what you know about how people act and behave to create credible characters.  Sometimes historical or scientific facts can be the pivot around which a short story or novel is based.  To be able to use your imagination to make things up for stories, you need to feed that imagination and, by far, the best way is to read and read widely, in and out of your own genre.

Think about what draws you to create the characters you have.  Who are your favourites?  Those for whom upholding justice is vital? Why is that so?  Does it reflect your own love of justice and fair play or a wish that more of these things were seen in our world and, since you can’t fix that, you can put it into your fiction?!

When you create your worlds, what knowledge are you using of this one to help you work out what your fictional one should be like?  So yes, fiction should be made up but there is all sorts of unconscious thoughts influencing what you write.  And this is based on what you know and what you find out.

The really great thing about all this?  There is no limit to how much you read, how much you feed your imagination and so on so, go on, have a “feast” here!  Your future characters will reflect what you know and what you experience both directly and what you read about so the more widely  you read, the bigger the area you can fish from for ideas for your characters and stories.

Let the writing flow and if music can help it along even better! 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.
What great books and stories will emerge from your laptop this year? Image via Pixabay.
Images from the magical world… Image via Pixabay
Open a book, open a gateway into another world. Image via Pixabay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE FLU, INTERVIEWS, MUSIC AND MOODS

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Sorry for the longer gap between posts than normal.  I’ve been recovering from flu and have felt as if I have the stamina of your average wet lettuce leaf all week!  So lots to catch up on including news of an interview, my latest CFT and Goodread blogs and new posts on my Fairytales with Bite and This World and Other websites too.

Facebook – and Chandler’s Ford Today and My Interview

A busy night tonight. Firstly, my Chandler’s Ford Today post this week looks at music and moods and how I now avoid having my mood changed when writing. (It does depend on what I listen to!). I share some of my favourite pieces too and why I used Saint Saens Danse Macabre as the music for the book trailer for From Light to Dark and Back Again.

Secondly, I was interviewed a little while ago by fellow Chapeltown author, Aly Rhodes (aka Alyson Faye). Her Chapeltown book, Badlands, is due fairly soon (though is available now on Kindle). Her interview with me is now up on her blog and many thanks to her for hosting me. (It’s always nice when the boot is on the other foot!).

 

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Not been around much for the last couple of days as seem to have a bad case of the dreaded lurgy. Am not a happy bunny when poorly.

I want to be “up and doing” as Mr Groat would say (from Terry Pratchett’s marvellous Going Postal – do check it out . I think it has one of the best openings to a book ever and I can’t say more than that without giving a major spoiler away so shan’t! It’s also the only book I can think of that gets away with more than one prologue and both are crucial!).

The one good thing has been enforced early nights have meant I have caught up with some reading. I am having a major history “fest” right now (The Mythology of Richard III, The Wars of the Roses, both by John Ashdown Hill and the updated version of The Maligned King by Annette Carson. Excellent reads all of them and if you want some “facts ” about Richard III thoroughly debunked, do start here.).

The old fashioned notebook and pen still have major roles to play in interviewing - image via Pixabay

Can’t beat the notebook and pen for quick notes. Image via Pixabay,

Tower of London Book Cover

Jennifer C Wilson’s first book. Image kindly supplied by Jennifer C Wilson

Feature Image Part 2 Jennifer C Wilson Stepping Back in Time

One of my earlier CFT posts. Good historical fiction will make you seem as if you are in that world. Image via Pixabay.

Feature Image - Pivotal History Moments - Bosworth

Another older CFTpost shows how moments in history can literally change everything.. Image via Pixabay.

A fallen knight - Richard III was the ultimate one - image via Pixabay

A fallen knight – and even his enemies acknowledged Richard III as this. Image via Pixabay. Richard III is the lead in Jennifer C Wilson’s Kindred Spirits: Tower of London novel.

Facebook – A Thought on the Muse

The muse sometimes deserves a good kick up the backside.
It should not be spoilt, pampered or given a free ride.
It needs some pushing to show up for work when you do
As working in tandem is ideal for both of you.

Allison Symes – 9th January 2018

Nobody gets their ideas right first go. Image via Pixabay.
Says it all really and applies to non-fiction equally as fiction. Image via Pixabay.
Well, why not? Image via Pixabay.
The basic necessities of the writer’s life!

Facebook – from earlier this week…

Will be really glad when this flu is finally over with. Am struggling not to feel tired all the time. I am catching up with some reading in bed though, which is about the only positive thing to come out of this week!

Having said that I did complete my CFT post for this week earlier today and that will be about mood and music. This has proven to be more apt than I thought it would be when I first decided to write it! More details tomorrow.

Am on final edits of my second book. Hope to have these done in next week or so. Feel very bad about being so behind but I must say I haven’t felt this ill in a very long time, thankfully. To everyone else out there with this wretched bug, take care and get well soon!

I’m not arguing with this one! Image via Pixabay.
Well, let’s do so by writing lots of stories! Image via Pixabay.
I read three stories from From Light to Dark and Back Again. Many thanks to Dawn Kentish Knox for the picture!
Many thanks to Finian Black, children’s author, for taking this photo.
At the Book Fair earlier this year, looking forward to Winchester Discovery Centre event. Image by Allison Symes

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

One thing reading history soon teaches you (whether you read fiction or non-fiction) is how vital it is to keep a sense of perspective. (Something Thomas More failed to do with his “history” of Richard III – and Shakespeare even more so).

I’ve also come across some jaw-dropping leaps of “faith” when someone is trying to sum up a person. Charles Dickens in his A Child’s History of England roundly condemns Mary Stuart for being a murderess. He also condemns Elizabeth Tudor executing Mary Stuart. Okay, Charles, just WHAT was Elizabeth meant to do then especially with Parliament hounding her to have the sentence carried out?

Oh and out of interest he does write about Victoria’s early years on the throne. No criticism whatsoever that I could make out! Was he after a knighthood I wonder? (He should have had one of course but not for this particular book! I’ve always seen this as proof every writer has one bad book in them. The clever bit is trying to ensure it never sees the light of day!).

So how does that affect my fiction writing? All of this acts as a warning bell to me to make sure I am telling my character’s story, that they are not over-embellished (there is a place for ham villainy, it’s usually in the panto. Oh yes it is….😁) and to ensure the perspective shown is a reasonable one, at least from the character’s viewpoint.

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Dark stories, light ones, or those that fall somewhere in between? I love them all and, of course, From Light to Dark and Back Again, has them all in! You have to write what you write. I don’t think, for example, you can write “funny” to order. What should happen is you write a story and your natural humour comes through your characters. It reads more naturally that way too.

Stories are magical and inspire other stories. Image via Pixabay.
The writer’s desk. What do you hope will emerge from yours this coming year? Image via Pixabay.
Escape with a good book. Image via Pixabay.
Some of Shakespeare’s sayings in popular use now. Image via Pixabay
What are the changes your characters seek to make? Are you showing your characters doing this rather than telling us? Image via Pixabay.

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again – Interview by Alyson Faye/Aly Rhodes

Lovely to be interviewed by fellow flash fiction writer and Chapeltown author, Alyson Faye (aka Aly Rhodes), on her blog tonight. Her book, Badlands, is out in Kindle format now and will be out in paperback. As with all Chapeltown books, it has the distinctive frame around a central image.

Meanwhile, it was lovely for this questioner of other writers to be on the receiving end, so thanks again, Aly!

A checklist can be useful for quizzing your characters. Image via Pixabay.
I really liked taking part in the Prose Open Mic slot at Swanwick this year. Image via Pixabay

Goodreads Author Programme – Blog

I don’t know about you but my reading moods tend to be one genre at a time, then I switch to another for a while and so on.

At the moment my reading list is mainly history (non-fiction), but almost inevitably when I want a change from that, I’ll go to something almost diametrically opposed to it. (Probably humorous fiction, knowing me and then it’ll the usual crime fest with appropriate body count etc!).

I see all of this as immersing myself well and truly in the world of books and that does have benefits to my fiction. Ideas cross-pollinate, influences that lead to good story ideas can come from almost anywhere (so reading widely really means just casting your imagination’s net out that bit further, which is rarely a bad thing!).

So whatever you are reading enjoy it! Who knows what ideas it might inspire in you for your own writing? (All I know is you’ve got to be open to the prospect of ideas coming in!).

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Fairytales With Bite – Music and Moods

I talk about music and moods in my latest Chandler’s Ford Today post.

What role does music play in the fictional world you’ve created?  Is it music as we would understand the term?  Are any of your peoples particularly for or against music on religious or other grounds?  Can anyone use music to influence the behaviour of others (and, yes, I am thinking about the Pied Piper of Hamelin story!).

We have our own history of great composers in different fields of music so what would your world’s equivalent be?  Is classical known but rock not?  Or is classical the big unknown or only for the elite?

Conducting the night’s business. Image via Pixabay.
My latest CFT post. Image via Pixabay.
Setting the mood classically perhaps. Image via Pixabay.
Let your stories have impact. Image via Pixabay
You can almost feel the mood from this picture. Image via Pixabay.
How does music influence you and your characters? Image via Pixabay

This World and Others – Character Tastes – Music

My latest Chandler’s Ford Today post is about music and moods and how the former can affect the latter.  I take care what I listen to now as I don’t want my writing affected by what I’m relaxing to!

What are your characters’ tastes in music?  Musical tastes can be used to designate class (or lack of, you decide what’s appropriate here!).  What would win other characters’ approval or disgust?  What does everyone listen to in your created world?  What do they avoid?  Is there any crossover with the music we know and love/hate here?

Is there an  underground music movement (especially if the mainstream is tightly controlled by the authorities)?  Music has always had its rebels (Beethoven and Mozart were there long before punk rock!) so how would your world show this?  Do they get away with their rebelliousness?

WALKING, WRITING AND GETTING AWAY FROM IT ALL

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My Chandler’s Ford Today post this week is another one in my Hidden Hampshire series and looks at a lovely, local woodland walk. Let’s just say Mabel and now Lady were and are huge fans of it!

On a more serious note, I also put out a plea for dog owners here to be more responsible where this applies. There are no dog bins on this walk and the Council do NOT come and collect dumped poo bags (which I do see here) so please, please bag it and bin it at home! Then the walk remains nice for everyone, dogs included.

General forest walk shot but similar to Jermyns Lane, image via Pixabay

General woodland shot but typical of the Jermyns Lane walk I enjoy. Image via Pixabay

Mabel at Jermyns Lane

My late dog, Mabel, used to love walking at Jermyns Lane. Image by Allison Symes

Lady loves Jermyns Lane

Lady, my new dog, also loves Jermyns Lane. Image by Allison Symes

Typical of the main track at Jermyns Lane

Typical of the track at Jermyns Lane. Image by Allison Symes

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

Is flash fiction a flash in the pan? I don’t think so. After years of everyone saying the short story as a form was dying, I think the advent of flash fiction has breathed new life into that too. Technology isn’t going to go away so there will always be room for a story format that is easy to read on a mobile or tablet.

I love flash fiction for its flexibility. For everyone who loves the 100-word form, there are those who prefer 75 or 50 or 500 and there is room for all. Long may that continue!

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Fairytales with Bite – Getting Away From It All

I often use walking the dog as a chance to get away from it all for a bit and my latest Chandler’s Ford Today post is another in my Hidden Hampshire series, which looks at a local, lovely woodland walk.

How do your characters get away from it all?  What drives the need for them to do so?  How successful or otherwise are they at this?  Does whatever is “bugging” them catch them up and overwhelm them or does the break away give them the respite needed to find a solution to their problems?

How often can your characters get away from it all?  Are regular mini breaks enough or do they have to get right away for a week or more?  How easy, or otherwise, is it for them to do this and what obstacles might get in their way?  Some good stories to be found in answering those questions I think!

Have a wonderful writing year in 2018.  I plan to!

A place of peace – at least in the summer months! Image by Allison Symes
Lonely? Bit bleak? Perhaps but you really do get away from it all. Image by Allison Symesy A
I love walking by water – so calming. Can also inspire how you create your own world. Image by Allison Symes

This World and Others – Walking and Writing

This topic came about as a result of this week’s Chandler’s Ford Today post, which is another in my Hidden Hampshire series, and looks at a lovely, local woodland walk.

The big problem with writing, of course, is it is a sedentary activity (though very good for the brain!), so I walk the dog (a) because she needs it and (b) because I do too!  The break from the desk can and does inspire creative thought, which is another excellent reason to walk.

What kind of exercise do your characters do to keep themselves fit, assuming they do? What are their walks?  What hazards would they face in their world that simply wouldn’t happen on Earth?  What are the similarities?  Going to meet someone of course can be a pivotal point in many a story but where would your characters go if they needed secrecy and can they guarantee this?

Does your created government restrict where people can go?  What are the laws on land ownership, rights of way and trespass, if any?  These sort of details can help flesh out a realistic picture of the world you’re conveying to us as we can appreciate the equivalent of these that we have so it is easier to identify with this.

Fallow deer. Image via Pixabay.
The lovely and petite Muntjak. Image via Pixabay.,
Red deer. Image by Pixabay.
A barn owl in flight. I’ve been lucky enough to see one in flight like this. Great sight. Image via Pixabay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

AUTHOR INTERVIEWS AND INSPIRING YOUR WRITING

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Facebook – General – Author Interviews

What do I love about author interviews? Well, firstly, you can learn a lot from them. I’ve found out about competitions this way and also was alerted to the joys of Scrivener. (It’s amazing how many writers use it). Often you can adapt the questions so you can ask them of your own characters and build their profiles up further. Thirdly the questions should make you think about what you write and why you write at all. I don’t think it’s a bad thing to take stock of that every now and again. I find it encouraging.

When I interview writers for Chandler’s Ford Today, I always ask for their three top tips. There’s a lot of overlap, of course, but what is fascinating is the priority each writer gives to each tip! No two writers are the same here!

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Facebook – General – Inspiring Your Writing

What inspires your writing? For me, it is not just one thing or person. There are the many authors whose books I’ve loved for years (and still do), writers new to me whose works I’m enjoying, and my general love of stories. Behind all of that is the debt I owe my mother for teaching me to read and instilling that love of books in the first place.

Why the need for stories at all? To try to make sense of the world is a valid reason but I’m all for stories being “just” for entertainment. Given the news is grim, always has been, unlikely to change anytime soon, stories that can take you to different places or times are a great form of entertainment (and possibly therapy too).

 

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Facebook – General – Chandler’s Ford Today post sneak peek

My Chandler’s Ford Today post this week will be another in my Hidden Hampshire series. One lovely thing about owning a dog is discovering walks to take them on and that gives me material to blog about, so it’s a win-win situation for me! Lady likes it too, as did Mabel before her. More details tomorrow.

Lady currently curled up on the carpet happily dozing after a busy afternoon making new dog friends and generally having a ball (sometimes it was her own!) at the Rec earlier. Am blessing my late mum for leaving me a huge bundle of old towels as the Rec is currently a quagmire in places and the towels are proving extremely useful.

Inquisitive Lady. Image by Allison Symes
Tugging the box. Image by Allison Symes
What’s that camera thingy then, Mum? Image by Allison Symes

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again – Quizzing Your Characters

How often do you quiz your characters? I tend to ask mine what their motivation is (“darling”!) and it can surprise me just what is behind my initial thoughts as to why they’re acting the way they are. There IS a lot of psychology in writing! The chief thing I want from my characters is honesty. They have to be true to themselves whether they’re a heroine or an out and out villain.

What do you look for in your characters? What drives them and is that drive strong enough to overcome any obstacle in their way?

 

A checklist can be useful for quizzing your characters. Image via Pixabay.
I really liked taking part in the Prose Open Mic slot at Swanwick this year. Image via Pixabay
Can’t beat the notebook and pen for quick notes. Image via Pixabay,

 

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again – Concentration Levels!

Does flash fiction, due to its brevity, mean less concentration is needed because there is less to read? Not a bit of it! If anything, I think more concentration is needed on the part of both writer and reader, as so much has to be implied.

I must admit I realised on re-reading one of my crime tales in From Light to Dark and Back Again that I had unwittingly written in more than one way for my heroine to achieve justice against the brute who had bullied her for so long. I just didn’t realise it until after I’d written the story! Not that I am sorry about this, but, had I thought about it more when I was writing the tale, I could’ve been more selective with my words. And that is where concentration is needed. Word selection counts for so much more the shorter the form of fiction you’re writing in!

Escape with a good book. Image via Pixabay.
Aiming for more “magic” from my stories this year! Image via Pixabay.
Sound advice. Image via Pixabay
Such a beautiful place to read. Image via Pixabay.

 

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again – The Joy of the Writing Life

Can you identify with this I wonder?

When everything is said and done
This writing lark is such fun
But what nobody then tells you
Is that it can be hell too.

Characters won’t leave you alone.
You cut word counts to the bone.
You’re never sure a piece is done
Though acceptance proves you’ve “won”.

But something drives you on to write,
Work hard and get your piece right
As much as it could ever be.
You have to prove yourself, see.

Allison Symes – 4th January 2018

I can think of a few writers who can identify with at least some of the above!

Learning with others in a writing conference is huge fun, image via Pixabay

Sharing the joys and woes of the writing life. Image via Pixabay,

Note taking is an invaluable aid to retaining what you learn at conferences, image via Pixabay

Write, edit, write, edit… image via Pixabay

So many writing conference rooms look like this, image via Pixabay

A writing conference room. Image via Pixabay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS

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Well, it is an appropriate theme given we’re rapidly heading out of 2017 and into 2018.  Happy New Year to you all!  I hope your writing and/or reading brings you much joy in the New Year.  Literacy is a truly wonderful thing…

Facebook – General – Story Endings

When is a story finished? When the ending is appropriate for the tale and to add any more would be to “over-egg the pudding”.

I often get to a point when I’ve finished the story and realise I’ve gone on a bit beyond where I really need to be so out those extra bits come. They don’t push the tale forward or add anything useful.

For me, that’s the guiding principle when I’m editing. Do I REALLY need this in the story? The same goes for the ending though I’m also looking for maximum impact on a reader so I ask myself does this line achieve that? My finishing line must always be that one which does achieve that impact and then it is time to go!

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Facebook – General – Story Beginnings

When it comes to the start of a tale, I find I begin and then, later, cut until I get to the “real” beginning of the story.

I often don’t know the “real” start of the tale until I have written the whole thing and look back and see this point here would make a better start than what I originally came up with, but that’s fine. I see my original start point as the basis for getting on with the story. Everything, including that, can be tidied up or cut as appropriate later.

The deciding factor is which starting point has the most impact. It’s the same factor that helps me work out what the ending should be.

Happy New Year to you all. Happy writing and editing too!

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Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

Contrary to its name, flash fiction isn’t written in a hurry! The real work comes in when you have a story and you need to edit it down without losing its meaning and yet it still counts as flash.

There are other names for flash fiction. I think my favourite of these is postcard fiction as this sums the genre up very well. What you can write on a back of a postcard basically would be a flash fiction story. (This gives me some scope as my handwriting is tiny and my postcards to friends and family are legendary for the amount of information I can get on these things!).

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Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

Firstly, happy New Year to you all! Secondly, hope 2018 is a great writing year for everybody.

The highlight of 2017 for me was obviously the publication of From Light to Dark and Back Again. Am currently putting the finishing touches to the follow-up book. Would like to write more stories in 2018 than I did last year and have some thoughts as to how I will achieve that. Will hopefully say in a later post if what I think works!

I hope flash fiction continues to go from strength to strength and that more reluctant readers find it a useful way of getting “into” stories at all. Now that would be a result…

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Goodreads Author Programme – Blog

I must admit the book cover has got to lure me into wanting to read the blurb. Once the blurb has then interested me, I will read the opening paragraph or two and then if still interested, I buy the book.

There are exceptions. I’m a huge fan of history (fiction and non-fiction) and almost anything on Richard III is going to trigger my immediate interest. Much as I love the Bard of Avon, I don’t rely on HIM for historical accuracy!

One of my favourite novels is The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey. The title comes from the phrase “Truth is the daughter of time”, which I think is lovely. It is also one of the few books to make me change my mind about something, in this case, the guilty of Richard III regarding the Princes in the Tower.

The book’s “star” is Inspector Alan Grant who is confined to a hospital bed by a nasty accident and who decides to investigate Richard III from that bed as a means of passing the time (Grant is VERY bored in the hospital). The conclusions Grant reach are startling. Highly recommend this great book.

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Allison Symes’s books on Goodreads