GETTING THE WORD OUT

July 14, 2017Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

In A to Z of Character Creation Part 3 I tackle the letters F, G and H. I look at Fiction, Genre and History and look at how these affect characters.

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

Getting the Word out looks briefly at publicity regarding your books/stories. I suppose the thing I’ve taken most to heart since the publication of From Light to Dark and Back Again is the importance of not panicking! I hope to write many more books and so will always be promoting whatever I have written. Therefore I don’t/won’t be putting myself under an artificial deadline to get things done by. So do what you can publicity wise and do it well. Nobody does all the different things you are “meant” to do in one hit anyway!

CHANDLER’S FOR TODAY, FACEBOOK (GENERAL AND FROM LIGHT TO DARK AND BACK AGAIN).

My latest CFT post, shared on Facebook and Twitter amongst others, is Why Have Book Signings? Report from the Station. I look back at my first book signing at Chandler’s Ford Railway Station (last week!) and why such events are important and not just for the author. I look at how signings can create community too. I also take the chance to say a big thanks to the Three Rivers Rail Community Partnership for their support and without whom I would not have had my signing.

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

EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED

July 11, 2017Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

In the A to Z of Character Creation Part 2, I cover D and E and look at whether your characters believe in destiny and if so how it shapes them. E is for Effort. Just how much effort do your characters go to and are they rewarded for it?

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

In Expecting the Unexpected, I look at science fiction and fantasy where the unexpected can be expected to turn up all the time! I ask if your readers can get a sense of the world you’ve created from what you’ve told them. They need to know what is normal for that world and what isn’t.

FACEBOOK – GENERAL and FROM LIGHT TO DARK AND BACK AGAIN

A short, funny post tonight (which I also shared on the Association of Christian Writers’ Facebook page). I share how writing flash fiction has shown up what my wasted words are and then promptly also share how I had to remove two of those words from this very post! It’s an ongoing battle, people, it really is! Do share what your wasted words are.

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Creative writing takes many forms, including blogging. Image via Pixabay.

CHARACTER CREATION AND 5 QUICK TIPS

July 10, 2017Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

I’m starting a new mini-series tonight. The A to Z of Character Creation will look at different aspects of coming up with memorable characters, using the alphabet as pegs for topics. Tonight I start with A to C and look at Aliases, Beauty and Class. Hope you find this useful.

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

My Five Quick Tips focuses on issues connected with marketing, book signings etc. For example, I look at the importance of “being yourself” when engaging with people. I also talk about not losing the love of writing for its own sake and rehearsing what you can when preparing for an event as well.

FACEBOOK – GENERAL

I discuss what I think makes for good writing. I see good writing as that which entertains or informs me (and it is even better when it can do both!). I look at what I’m seeking in non-fiction and share details of one of my favourite non-fiction reference books.

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FACEBOOK – FROM LIGHT TO DARK AND BACK AGAIN

I look at the different ways I came up with titles for my stories in the book. I have sometimes used puns (and twisted the meanings of sayings). Some titles came naturally out of the theme of the story. With other stories, I knew the title and wanted to write to it. Hope you find this post useful as I have always found using a mixture of methods for title generation really helpful. Why limit yourself to only one or two tried and tested methods after all?

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

WHEN FAIRYTALES COME TRUE…

July 9, 2017July 9, 20172 Comments

IMAGE CREDIT:

All photos were taken by me, Allison Symes, on 8th July 2017, except the feature image. That was taken by my lovely Chandler’s Ford Today editor, Janet Williams, at my first book signing event at our local railway station. And to all who bought From Light to Dark and Back Again and/or came over to discuss flash fiction with me, many thanks. It was great to meet you.

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

When Fairytales Come True looks at how characters handle when things go right for them, they get to achieve long cherished dreams etc. This post came about because I fulfilled a long held dream today. I had my first ever book signing for From Light to Dark and Back Again at Chandler’s Ford Railway Station and it went well. I plan to write more about that for next week’s Chandler’s Ford Today post – Adventures of a Newbie Author Part 1, perhaps! But the thought of having a long held dream actually happen made me wonder how characters handle success, especially if they have had to wait a long time for it. So how would your characters handle this? There could be some good stories here.

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

Overcoming the Nerves also ties in with my book signing! Well they do say, authors should write about what they know! For me, characters who overcome nervousness, fear etc and go on to do something great are real heroes. They are also far more believable (and readable) than “fully fledged” heroes who never seem to feel or show emotion, who never question themselves so to what they are doing and why. So what do your characters need to overcome in terms of their personality to be able to go on the adventure you’re planning for them?

FACEBOOK – GENERAL AND FROM LIGHT TO DARK AND BACK AGAIN

Naturally I focus on the book signing but also take the chance to thank those who supported me, especially the Three Rivers Rail Community Partnership.

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Stories (and indeed most books of any kind) are magical. Image via Pixabay.

READY OR NOT?

July 7, 2017Leave a comment

Busy night tonight.

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

I share news of my latest Chandler’s Ford Today post (link to follow) and my book signing for From Light to Dark and Back Again at the local railway station tomorrow (8th July). Many thanks to the Three Rivers Rail Community Partnership for their support here. I hope it will be fun!

My main post here tonight is Fairytale Marketing and looks at the downside of magical marketing. Since when has exchanging a good cow for a handful of beans ever been a good deal? Loved writing this. I like ironic pieces. Hope you do too.

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

My post Ready or Not looks at being ready for book signings (so I definitely wrote this one for me tonight as an aide memoir!) but also being ready for doing your own marketing work, co-operating with your publisher and so on. I also look at whether your characters are ready for the tasks you have set them and whether the story is in their failure or whether it is in them rising to the occasion and doing far better than anyone expects.

FACEBOOK PAGE – GENERAL

A long post from me tonight highlighting my book signing and also next weekend (15th July). I’ll be going, hopefully, to this year’s Medieval Weekend supported by The Road to Agincourt Project. They are launching a Virtual Museum and I’m looking forward to finding out much more about it.

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FACEBOOK – FROM LIGHT TO DARK AND BACK AGAIN

Again I highlight the book signing – but no real surprises there!

CHANDLER’S FORD TODAY

Tonight’s post is all about the Medieval Weekend coming up soon.

The tools of the medieval writer’s trade

I write fairytales with bite as flash fiction and short stories in particular. Image via Pixabay.

The Problem with Magic

July 6, 2017July 6, 2017Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

I discuss The Problem With Magic as it is possible to use magic to solve all evils in a story. All that achieves is an abrupt and not very satisfactory end to the story. You wave a wand and that’s it, problem solved, all done. I suggest two solutions to this issue in my post. See what you think.

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

Speech Patterns looks at different ways in which to tell characters apart by the way they speak. You can use slang, whether a character swears or not as well as favourite phrases and words being specific to a character. More in the post.

FACEBOOK – GENERAL

A longer post than normal tonight (makes up a little for the gaps!). I discuss returning to blogging, the last two episodes of Doctor Who, what I think about the Missy/Master combo, and share some photos of the beautiful North East of Scotland, where I was recently on holiday. Temperatures there much easier to cope with! It’s absolutely baking where I am at the moment, despite the fact it’s past midnight UK time!

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FACEBOOK – FROM LIGHT TO DARK AND BACK AGAIN

I share two ways in which I write flash fiction and how I think technology has helped the genre take off.

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IS YOUR CHARACTER WORTH IT?

July 6, 2017Leave a comment

I’m full of questions tonight!

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

In Is Your Character worth it? I ask a series of questions to put to your character(s) to justify them ever being in your story at all. If you can answer all of the questions positively, you will have created a character, who can not only justify their presence to you, who will make an impact on others and keep on doing so

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

In The Final Read Through I discuss the importance of taking your time and getting things right by your story, though I am often sick of my tale and want to get it out there at this stage!

CHANDLER’S FORD TODAY

There were a number of posts while I was away and I hope to share the links to these later in the week but I would like to thank my lovely editor for including my book signing in the Events section.

FACEBOOK – GENERAL

I share my thoughts on favourite story types tonight. I like the Prisoner of Zenda type story. What is your favourite kind of theme?

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FACEBOOK – FROM LIGHT TO DARK AND BACK AGAIN

I share the CFT events link here and tonight’s websites posts.

UPDATES AND BOOK SIGNING NEWS

July 2, 2017July 2, 2017Leave a comment

UPDATE/BOOK SIGNING NEWS

Sorry for the big gap in posting. This has been due to having my father’s funeral, then having a much needed holiday and, for writing reasons at least, I’ve been setting up my first book signing for From Light to Dark and Back Again. This will be at Chandler’s Ford Railway Station on Saturday 8th July between 9.20 am and 12 noon. Many thanks to the Three Rivers Rail Community Parrtnership for their support. Given you can never know how these events will go in advance, I am both looking forward to it and feeling nervous all at the same time!

I m hoping later in the year to revamp my websites and how I blog but in the meantime I am planning to get back to more regular blogging. I also hope to finally get a newsletter up and running but I will post news on that I hope as and when ready.

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

I recently interviewed local children’s author, Anne Wan., for Chandler’s Ford Today and one thing that came out from this was her love and loathing of editing. What do you think of editing? I love the editing process and I share my thoughts in Why Love Editing?

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

In Updates, due to the big gap in posting, I thought it would be useful to write a “round robin” of a blog post and here I share my interview with Anne Wan (Parts 1 and 2). I also share my most recent Chandler’s Ford Today post about my upcoming book signing.

A moment I've hoped to achieve for more years than I care to recall...

MOODS AND THEMES

June 20, 2017Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

I finish my mini series on Writing Tips tonight with A to Z of Writing Tips Part 8 where I cover W to Z! I discuss Writing, X-Rated (fiction), Young Adult (fiction) and Zero Heroes. By the latter, I refer to those storeis whre the hero is not particularly likeable but clearly the best of a bad bunch.

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

In Moods and Themes I look at writing to a theme and discuss how often mood can emerge from a story, taking even its author by surprise. That’s happened to me quite a bit! I’ve often written to a theme but rarely write to a mood. How can you decide to write “funny”, for instance? The “funny” has to emerge naturally or it will come acrsoss as artificial.

FACEBOOK PAGE – GENERAL

A bit of a mixed bag tonight. I pay my own tribute to Brian Cant, who was one of my favourite children’s TV presenters when I was growing up. I also discuss my holiday reading plans. Whether they actually happen is another matter! I also make a plea for dogs to stay at home in the very hot weather we’re currently having in the UK. Dogs can literally cook in minutes if left in cars – regardless of whether you leave the windows open. It really is kinder for the dogs to stay at home if you can’t take them with you.

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FACEBOOK – FROM LIGHT TO DARK AND BACK AGAIN

I discuss moods and themes again here tonight. I also look at how easy (or not) coming up with titles is and throw that question open to you. Comments welcome! I have to have a title to work to, even if it changes later (and it often does). It’s almost as if I need a “peg” from w hich to hang my story!

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REASONS TO READ

June 17, 2017Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

A to Z of Writing Tips Part 7 covers T through to V. I’ve a little time in hand to work out what to write for X and Z when I come to them! T = Theme, U = Using Your Characters (I discuss whether this is acceptable and what your characters should be doing for your story), and V = Vital Information. Yes, I know I could have gone for verbs but I didn’t really want to write a “grammar” post. Under Vital Information I look at what your readers need to know and whether you do need to tell them everything or if you should leave clues for them to work things out.

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

Reasons to Read (as if you need any!) was the obvious follow up to my earlier post on Reasons to Write. I look at the benefits of reading well from a writer’s viewpoint.

CHANDLER’S FORD TODAY/FACEBOOK – GENERAL

I’m pleased to be back to more regular blogging and tonight’s Chandler’s Ford Today post was a real joy to write. It is also hopefully going to be the start of a mini series. I interview Anne Wan, children’s author (Adventures of the Snow Globe: Vanishing Voices) and over the course of both parts of the interview will look at the joys and woes of writing for children. Later in the year I hope to be interviewing a historical fiction writer and look at the delights and tribulations of writing for that genre.

I have to say Anne was a joy to interview and tonight’s post shows how much hard work is involved in writing and publishing a book. Part 2 (next Friday) will share, amongst other things, Anne’s love and loathing of editing. I seriously doubt if any writer will disagree with her thoughts!

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FACEBOOK – FROM LIGHT TO DARK AND BACK AGAIN

One nice thing that came out of interviewing Anne Wan at Bay Leaves Larder was seeing my book there (including a well thumbed copy – I hope whoever that was enjoyed the stories!). I have managed to get the book in at our local Post Office and Andersons and I hope soon to have adverts up for the book signing I will be holding at the local railway station (yes, really!). But tomorrow I’m off to the Winchester Writers’ Festival for a jam packed day full of writing – can’t wait!

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FROM LIGHT TO DARK AND BACK AGAIN

PUBLICITY NEWS: The book is back on Writing Magazine’s Subscribers’ Showcase. As a subscriber, I had two months’ free publicity on this. After that you pay a small amount per month and I’ve committed to the next six months. I think this is an excellent idea and a great way to help writers.

Anne Wan and Allison Symes at Bay Leaves Larder

Anne Wan and I enjoying a chat and cups of tea at Bay Leaves Larder. Interviews can be so much fun and this one was lovely.