Flash Fiction and Successful Writing

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Facebook – General

When is writing considered successful? When you are published? When you submit more work in a year than you’ve done before? When you have more acceptances than rejections? When you can make a living from writing?

All of those things matter, of course they do, BUT if you are committed to your writing, and seek to always improve on what you do, I’d say that was being successful. Why?

Because you do need stamina to cope with the ups and downs of the writing life. You need to recognize you do need to keep striving.

And whether you seek publication for one book, lots of books, or just want to win short story competitions from time to time, then that’s fine. Decide what you would like to achieve and give it your best shot.

Good luck!❤

 

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Whatever writing you do, I think the two most important things are to enjoy it and use it to help you develop.

If you write flash fiction, as I do, seek to find more ways of generating ideas and find more markets/competitions for your work.

Writing is a journey after all and, even after publication, you will still face rejections. You will want to get better at what you do. There are always things to spur you on.

My overall goal? To be the best writer I can be.

 

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West Bay Beach on a gorgeous day in December 2018.  Image taken by Allison Symes.  Walks along a beach can be a good place to reflect on what you would like to achieve as a writer.

Enjoyed the writing prompt in my diary tonight. I had to use certain words to come up with an opening to a story or a poem. A poem emerged! Needs a lot of work mind you but enjoyable to draft. What was nice about this was I could “hear” the rhythm of the draft and knew from that, this would a poem and not a piece of flash fiction.

I like the mixture of writing prompts in this diary. They’re going to keep me on my toes this year. I also like prompts as a chance to play with words and just see what comes out. Later will come more fun when I look at these drafts in the cold light of day and assess what works and what doesn’t and then obviously go with what does. I know now NOT to try and write and edit the same piece in the same session. Doesn’t work. I find I need to give myself some distance before appraising anything.

 

What wonderful colours. Pixabay image.
Checking spelling and grammar isn’t fun but so necessary. Pixabay image.
The darkness can have its own beauty. Pixabay image.
The sun setting. Pixabay image.
How many story ideas could come from an image like this? Pixabay.
So true. Pixabay image.
How does gravity and time work in your settings? Pixabay image.
Stepping into another world.. Pixbay
A good photo shows light at its best. Pixabay image.
What populates your fictional world? Pixabay image
The lightbulb moment of inspiration for writers is wonderful. Pixabay image.
Thinking your writing through is always a good idea. Pixabay image.

Off to the panto later this week. Oh yes she is! Oh no… etc etc.

Don’t think I’ve seen Ali Baba before and it’s been a long time since I last read the story. Should be a good fun evening and panto I think is about the only time nobody cares too much how noisy the theatre audience gets. (That may just be me remembering childhood pantos too vividly though!). Review will follow on CFT in due course.

My favourite panto story is probably Robin Hood though as I’ve always adored that tale.🏹🏹 Recently rewatched Prince of Thieves. (The much missed Alan Rickman IS the definitive Sheriff of Nottingham.)

Back to normal after a lovely weekend away. Why is it that, wherever it is you go, no matter for how short a time you’re away for, you always come back feeling jetlagged, even if you’ve been nowhere near a plane?!

Thoughts are free but check images used are either free to use or your own! Image via Pixabay.
Where do your characters like to take time out to reflect and why? Pexels image
Where will inspiration strike? Pixabay image.
Reading immerses you in another world. Pixabay image.
Someone set a goal here of some sort! Pixabay image
Set goals for the short, medium and long terms. Pixabay image
My smartphone has not yet managed this! Pixabay image.
What are the difficulties in your characters’ way? Pexels image.
Plugging in for new ideas? Pixabay image
Series novels contribute so much to the wonderful world of books. Pixabay image.
It always is! Reflecting first helps a lot! Pixabay image
Does your story conjure up your setting well enough? Pexels image.

My CFT post later this week will take a brief look at why the oral tradition of storytelling will never die out. I also look at how I came across the story of Ali Baba, the panto I’ll be off to see on Thursday, and the special memories of the book I have where I first read the tale. Much as I can see the point of decluttering, I draw the line at books!

Practically all of mine have special memories attached to them and it is a great pleasure to have a shelf of books written by friends of mine. (Take a bow, #ValPenny, #JenniferCWilson, #BeatriceFishback, #DawnKentishKnox, #GillJames, #RichardHardie, #BrendahSedgwick amongst others!). I look forward to filling other shelves with books by friends and, of course, my own!

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Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

Drafted another flash story on the train yesterday. Plan to polish that and submit it I hope sometime next week.

Never despise “only” having 5 minutes to write or what have you. These pockets of time are really useful for getting some drafts written. You’d be surprised at how much time those pockets can mount up to and therefore how many drafts you can get done!

Checking spelling and grammar isn’t fun but so necessary. Pixabay image.
Fake news and roundabouts that are too small make it into my CFT post. Image via Pixabay.
I read some of my flash fiction from FLTDBA and Cafelit. Image by Dawn Kentish Knox
FLTDBA for sale in the Swanwick Book Room. Image by Allison Symes
The building blocks of putting a story together. Pixabay image.
This made me smile! Pixabay image.
My flash fiction collection. Image taken by Allison Symes.
Some of my published works, most anthologies. Image by Allison Symes
Always time for a laugh with writer friends! Many thanks to Cheryl Holland for taking this with my phone.

Some one-line stories for tonight’s post, I think.

1. The red dragon thought it would defy being out of time by sitting on the clock tower and crushing it.

2. The fraud would work, she knew, but did she have the guts to go through with it?

3. It had a 90% risk of failure, and that would mean death, but he liked odds like that for bringing out the best in him.

Reading immerses you in another world. Pixabay image.
All writers feel this way sometimes. Pixabay image.
Notebooks, pens, beverages… bliss for the writer. Image via Pixabay.
Beautiful pens. Pexels image.
What stories will come from this pen? Pexels image.
Social media has made the world a smaller place. Image via Pixabay.
Edit, edit, edit! Pixabay image.
Barbara Large has done so much to support and encourage writers for many years. Pixabay image.

Flash fiction lends itself well to having fun experimenting with genre writing. Why?

Because it has to be character led, you can set that character anywhere you want. So you can write fairytales, crime stories, historical fiction etc. The framework is that you are writing a flash story. It may even help you discover what your favourite genre to write in is – I will always have a very special fondness for humorous fairytales. But I do enjoy coming out with crime flash fiction every so often.

Mixing things up keeps ME thinking and stretching the old imaginative muscles, which is always a good thing.

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I’m enjoying tackling the weekly writing prompts in my diary. Some are picture prompts, others you have to use certain words, and still others you have to write a description of a particular thing. All good creative stuff. Loving the mix too.

The one for last week was to use certain words as an opening for a poem or story. What was lovely was I heard the voice of my narrator immediately and they were demanding their words be written as a poem. Well, when you’re told like that, you have no choice do you?!

When writing is really going well, it can seem as if you are taking dictation from your characters, but that is a very good thing. It shows they’re real and if they engage you, they’ll engage readers too.

There is something almost mystical here. Pixabay image.
Good reading – and writing to be done – here. Pixabay image.
Another one I’ve yet to see happen. Pixabay image.
Let the creativity spill out. PIxabay image.
Some of Shakespeare’s sayings in popular use now. Image via Pixabay
Lost in a world of books. Pixabay image.
Whenever and whatever you read, enjoy. Image via Pixabay.
Research material, notebook and pen to hand. Image via Pixabay
A truly beautiful book. Pixabay image.
What worlds will new books show you? Pixabay
Great way to relax. Now where are those biscuits? Image via Pixabay
Books are a fantastic form of escapism. Image via Pixabay

Flash fiction is wonderful for stories which are moments in time for a character. These moments are not enough in themselves to make a standard length short story but are of enough interest and insight to justify being “out there”. And those moments can be as funny or as sad or as horrific as you care to make them.

The great irony with flash fiction is, despite its restricted word count, it does actually give the writer a great deal of freedom as the stories HAVE to be character led. Of course it is up to you where and when and how your characters lead us! The important thing is you as the writer have fun here and we as the readers will pick up on that and love reading what you write.

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Goodreads Author Blog – Going Away

Sorry, post a day later this week, as have been away this weekend, but I use opportunities like that to revise what I am reading and what I want to take with me while away. It helps with packing too! I won’t take the huge volume of stories which takes up far too much room. I WILL take the Kindle and one of my slimmer paperbacks..

So when you go away what crucial books do you HAVE to take with you?

I was catching up on Peter Ackroyd’s The Civil War over the weekend – like his style and this is a period of history I know a bit about but am conscious I ought to know more. Good to get back to this book again.

I usually finish Kindle books before I move on to something else but can sometimes get sidetracked, especially if a friend has a book out I really want to get on and read, but I do catch up in the end. Am always glad to do so too.

 

What every writer needs. Image via Pexels.
Ebooks and print – both have their own frustrations when it comes to publishing. Image via Pixabay
Books are the keys to knowledge. Image via Pixabay
Let the ideas flow and let journeys encourage that! Image via Pixabay
I now use a laptop. Pexels image.
Puns can be visual. Pixabay image.
Let one creative idea spark another. Pixabay image.
Books and swimming but not at the same time! Pexels image.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wishing and Outlining

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My post is up a night early due to other commitments over the next few days but hope you enjoy.  There is still time to take advantage of the book offers as part of my author of the week promotion but you only have until tomorrow, 18th January.

My flash fiction collection. Image taken by Allison Symes.
Another flash fiction piece of mine is in here. Pixabay image.
My first story appeared here. Photo taken by Allison Symes
Another of my stories made it into this collection. Image taken by Allison Symes
I was in this Bridge House anthology. Picture taken by Allison Symes
It is a great joy to be published by Cafelit online and in print. Picture taken by Allison Symes

Meanwhile:-

Facebook – General – and Chandler’s Ford Today

Delighted to share my latest CFT post, Three Wishes. Great fun to write. So go on then – what would your three choices be? Have a look at the ground rules and assumptions (they’re not arduous, really, and I think they’re fair too) and then have fun picking your three. Comments on my CFT page would be great.  (And find out why space comes into my choices).

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My CFT post will be going up a night early so look out for Three Wishes tomorrow. What would you wish for if your fairy godmother turned up and allowed you to have said three wishes? There are ground rules (no wishes for more wishes for a start! She has got a busy round you know) – see the link tomorrow. Great fun to write this piece. Looking forward to sharing the link.

Also am off to the local panto next week with my lovely CFT editor, Janet Williams. Will be a hoot, I’m sure. Whenever I go out like this it’s for Shakespeare, a funny or serious play, and panto! Still, I guess it is a good mix!

feature image - three wishes

My latest CFT post. Pixabay image.

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

Linking in with my Chandler’s Ford Today post this week about Three Wishes, what would you choose as a flash fiction writer? Mine would be:-

1. To always get the word count right for the story. (Not necessarily the competition or market. You may just have to find a competition or market the story suits better but the story HAS to be right).

2. To never run out of ways to find ideas for stories. (Random word generators, slogans, classic themes, the old question of What If? all come into what I use for mine but it is good to have a variety of ways to generate those ideas. For one thing, it keeps things fresh for you).

3. To never run out of ways of generating titles. Due to flash fiction’s restricted word count, getting the title right is hugely important. It can be used to convey the mood of the story and its genre and save you precious words doing that in the body of the tale. As with any story, the title has to tempt the reader in to reading the rest. You want to get it right!

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Am away at the weekend so hope to draft a LOT of flash fiction while on the trains! Great use of dead time. I was pleasantly surprised to discover how quickly I got used to (a) using an app on a smartphone to write stories, blogs etc while travelling and (b) that using the stylus was no problem at all.

Main thing I loathe is my local train company has taken OUT all of the mobile phone recharging points that were on board (and put there by the previous train company, whom I miss a lot). The new lot have literally blank-plated the plug sockets out! Why? I saw the recharging points as a useful customer service and I really can’t quite believe that a lot of power would’ve been drained. Nobody is plugged in ALL the time! Oh well…

Clarity and constructive criticism are always useful. Pixabay image.
A good writing group will help you discover this. Pixabay image.
Set goals for the short, medium and long terms. Pixabay image
Picking up wriitng tips will help you improve your work. Pixabay image.
Let one creative idea spark another. Pixabay image.
Puns can be visual. Pixabay image.
Always a good idea! Pixabay image.
Playing with words. Pixabay image.
The one time of year when Time itself is the news. Pixabay image.
What will this be for your writing journey? Pixabay image
Words are the power source of so much creativity. Pixabay iamge.
Taking time to look back and then look ahead is a good thing. Pixabay image.

Echoes can be useful in flash fiction. In my Pen Portrait I refer to a character that follows the “Shirley Williams school of thought rather than Margaret Thatcher’s” when it comes to caring for hair!

If you recall both of those politicians, you will remember they had very differing hair styles. I’m sure the latter’s would not have moved an inch even in a hurricane. (Also for those who don’t recall but wish to do so, it’s easy enough to look up pictures of these two. Indeed you only need to look up one of them to get some idea of what the other would be like here).

What’s useful is the mention of these two politicians will give a reader an idea of the age of the character without me spelling it out, as well as what their approach is to brushing their hair!

Think about what you could use to convey information across to readers like this. Echoes are a great word count saver!

Lovely nib! Image via Pexels.
Aiming for more “magic” from my stories this year! Image via Pixabay.
Even in the heart of a city, books can provide escapism. Image via Pixabay.
Some very strange creatures are in books. Image via Pixabay
What new worlds and scenes will books show you? Image via Pixabay
Always good advice this. Image via Pexels
I don’t always write directly to screen. Image via Pixabay
Books invite you into their world. Image via Pixabay.
The road should not be an easy one for your hero/heroine. Image via Pixabay
Let the ideas flow and let journeys encourage that! Image via Pixabay
Technology has helped short story writers. Image via Pixabay

Fairytales with Bite – Wishing, Just Wishing

My Chandler’s Ford Today post this week is called Three Wishes and asks what would you choose if your fairy godmother turned up and granted you the customary three wishes?  Naturally, there are ground rules but check the post out and have fun picking yours!

For this post, I thought I’d look at what your characters would wish for.  Okay a lot is going to depend on your story, genre, etc but some general pointers I think would cross all of that and be true for most of them.  These then are:-

1.  To be well thought out before my writer puts me to paper or screen
I’ve found outlining a character to be a useful tool.  I don’t put down every single thing but I need to know their major traits, what might send them “over the edge”, what drives them etc. By the time I’ve thought about all of that, I can hear the voice of that character and once I’ve got that, I can write them into existence!  I’ve found that time spent initially in thinking about what I need to know here has saved me time later in editing and not having weaknesses in characterisation and/or the plot.  The lovely thing here is each writer can decide what they need to know.  It will vary from writer to writer.  It can vary from story to story too.  For example if you know you are going to write a humorous tale, you can ask what would your character dread happening to them because they’d be so embarrassed?  There would be a lot of humour potential there!

2.  To give me dialogue I can actually speak and which doesn’t sound like “authorese”.
This is where reading your work out loud pays off.  You can literally hear if the words flow or not.  If you stumble over dialogue, a reader will too.  Time to edit then! Speech itself, as well as speech patterns of characters, must seem natural.  You want to convey that this is something a “real” person in these circumstances might actually say (even if the setting is fantastical).

3.  For the writer to know what they are doing!
We’re back to outlining again.  Your characters need to have a function to justify their place in your story.  So you really do need to know what they are doing in your story and, as importantly, why.  Once you know that, you can write with confidence (and it does show through).

Online writing -v- on a line writing! Image via Pixabay
The ultimate smartphone maybe?! Image via Pixabay
The moon rising. Pixabay image.
There be dragons. Pixabay
Generating the writing ideas. Image via Pixabay.
Stepping into another world.. Pixbay
Books have their own sense of time and space. Image via Pixabay.
Fiction should show you new ways of looking at the world. Image via Pixabay.
Whenever and whatever you read, enjoy. Image via Pixabay.
The classic start for fairytales. Pixabay image.
A good photo shows light at its best. Pixabay image.
Hope you have lovely books as presents! Pixabay image

This World and Others – Outlining

Do you outline? Should you outline? Is there one absolute way TO outline?

Firstly, I do outline and I have found it has saved me a lot of time editing and fixing problems in the characters/plot because I’ve worked out the main points first.  That to me is the best reason of all to outline.

Secondly, I think most writers should outline.  Working out your direction before you start off, especially on a major project, makes a great deal of sense.

Thirdly, no!  For a flash fiction piece, I once wrote one sentence as I knew my story idea could go in one of two directions and naturally I wanted to go with the strongest idea.  By writing down that sentence, I could then see what was the strongest idea and I went with it.  For short stories and novels, I obviously outline more.

I don’t outline every single thing.  For characters, I look at what drives them (as that reveals their attitudes to life, to others etc).  For a story I want the beginning and end and a point in the middle which will usually prove to be the turning point.  I deliberately allow room for my imagination to kick in and have found when ideas come to me as I write the story, I can jot them down, look at my outline, work out where they’d fit in and away I go.

I will sometimes outline a setting to help me get a clear picture of it in my head.  For a setting I already know well, I may look at what might surprise me about it and see if I can be surprised by it.

Outlining is a tool.  How you make use of it is up to you but it is good to have that tool in your writers’ toolbox.  Use it to serve your writing.  I’ve found it pays off.

A familiar sight to many of us. Image via Pixabay.
Barbara Large has done so much to support and encourage writers for many years. Pixabay image.
Goals don’t have to be huge but can give you a huge sense of achievement as you tick them off. Pixabay image.
Notebook to hand ready for those story ideas. Image via Pexels.
Plugging in for new ideas? Pixabay image
Beautiful pens. Pexels image.
A good book will illuminate some truth. Image via Pexels
Potentially your blog can go global. Image via Pixabay
Where will inspiration strike? Pixabay image.
Making the most of the writing time. Pixabay image
Your blog, your topic, your theme – just be sensible on copyright and libel issues. Image via Pixabay.
Time flies when reading or writing. Image via Pixabay
What stories will come from this pen? Pexels image.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Write and Using Writing Prompts

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Facebook – General

Scribblers Books also shared details of the special offers on my writing available for this week only, folks!  A reminder about these offers follows shortly.

One of the nicest things a writer can experience is signing one of your books for a reader! Congratulations to Jim Bates who will be receiving a signed copy of my From Light to Dark and Back Again in due course. (You don’t tire of signing books for things like this!).

And a huge thank you to everyone who has supported my being author of the week for Bridge House by sharing posts, sending congratulations etc. Much appreciated!🙂💐💐♥️

BOOK OFFER REMINDER

Book news! I’m Bridge House Publishing/Chapeltown’s author of the week and there are free books up for grabs AND special offers on others. What’s not to like?

I’ve had the great pleasure of being published by BHP/CB in various anthologies as well as with From Light To Dark and Back Again. These form the basis of the package below.

BOOK PACKAGE: There are SIX, count them SIX, publications where I have work on offer for £4.00, all as mobi-files. This includes To Be…To Become (the Waterloo Festival competition, anthology), Baubles (BH anthology), The Best of Cafelit 4, 5 AND 6 and From Light to Dark and Back Again, my first flash fiction collection.

And for those of you who would like print paperbacks there’s an offer for you too.

PAPERBACK OFFER: My first published story was A Helping Hand in Bridge House Publishing’s Alternative Renditions. That isn’t available on Kindle BUT is in paperback and that along with From Light to Dark and Back Again is on offer at a mere £7.00 for the two!

GIVEAWAY:  Still available,  I’m giving away one signed copy of:-

Alternative Renditions OR
Baubles OR
One of the Best of Cafelit books I’m in.

 

If you’re interested email my lovely editor, Gill James, at editor@bridgehousepublishing.co.uk with your contact details. Also let her know which of the books you would like and Gill and I will take things from there.

All of the above books are available on Amazon.

And if you would like to try some of my work out first, head over to Cafelit at http://cafelitcreativecafe.blogspot.com/…/l…/Allison%20Symes

 

Scribbler also shared the links to my Chandler’s Ford Today author page where I often write on topics of interest to the writing community (such as The Benefits of a Good Writing Conference, Creativity is Good For You, Fiction -v- Non-Fiction etc etc)

Next challenge? Get more out there! Pic below is of my flash fiction collection on sale at last year’s Swanwick Writers’ Summer School Bookshop. Always a thrill to know your book is in there!

Oh and the offer ends this Friday, 18th January.

What Barbara Large's writing classes will help writers discover - what is their story - image via Pixabay

A good writing group will help you discover this. Pixabay image.

Loving the writing prompts in my diary. (Pictures like the woodland and other landscape ones below are great for suggesting atmosphere and therefore what type of story I’m likely to come up with). Looking ahead a little, there is a nice mixture of picture prompts, suggestions of words to use to create an opening for a story or poem (flash fiction in my case), and pieces asking you to describe something in a setting (for example a journey in winter, which is the one for this week). These are going to make a nice challenge for me. 52 new flash fiction stories at least then this year!

I like coming up with title ideas every so often and will come up with a dozen or so. Then I write the stories to suit. I deliberately choose “open” titles, open in terms of what the mood/setting of the story could be. I like to have plenty of possibilities to play with and then I go with the one I like best. The other ideas I will revisit at a later date. They may suit another story.

The dark can seem to overcome the light but light will prevail. Image via Pixabay
A lovely place to reflect during Swanwick. Image by Allison Symes
The moon rising. Pixabay image.
The road should not be an easy one for your hero/heroine. Image via Pixabay
Walking through a landscape like this is a joy. Pixabay image.
There is something almost mystical here. Pixabay image.
A good photo shows light at its best. Pixabay image.
Pressing on towards the light. Image via Pixabay
A post Christmas New Forest walk is traditional for me. Image by Allison Symes
What lies beyond the shore…. ideas for stories? Image via Pixabay
Is this light the way into a new world? Pixabay image.
Reflections at Swanwick earlier this year. Image by Allison Symes

Why write?

1. Because you have to. There is just something hardwired into your brain driving you to write.

2. To give something back to the wonderful world of stories you’ve enjoyed (and still enjoy) being part of.

3. Because there are characters and stories you simply have to develop. (Ties in with 1 above though 1 can apply to non-fiction writers just as much).

4. Because you read something awful and know you can do better. So you rise to the challenge and do it!

5. Because it’s a joy to do, whether you seek publication or not.

6. You always loved inventing stories at school so why stop there?

7. To see if you CAN do it and then see if you can improve on what you do.

8. To explore what it is you actually want to write and maybe discover areas of writing you had not known about before.

9. You come across a writing competition you really like the sound of and you think it may have your name on it. There’s only one way to find out if that’s right!

10. You believe most people have some sort of creative/artistic “bent” to them and writing is the most natural for you.

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Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

Is it harder to write a book or promote one? Answers on a…well I don’t think a postcard would be big enough.

Both have their challenges and rewards of course. Getting the balance right between doing both is tricky. Always has been, always will be, and I think every writer has to work out what works for them.

It is one of those things that when I first started writing seriously for publication, everything was still sent by snail mail. These days practically every story I submit anywhere is by email.

And to not be involved with social media in some way (even if you focus on one, say) is a serious disadvantage. What I like best about social media is the way it can help you to engage with other people and ultimately isn’t that what we’re trying to do through our writing, whether it is for educational or good old sheer entertainment purposes?

(No time for trolls though – the only place for those is in a fairytale!).

Very true.. Pixabay image.
Image via Pexels
Walking into the words maybe. Pixabay image
Puns can be visual. Pixabay image.
Planning your writing can save you lots of time later. Pixabay image.
It isn’t always clear which route you should take. Pixabay image
Hope your Christmas books take you to all sorts of wonderful places! Pixabay image
What every writer needs. Image via Pexels.
As I write now. Pixabay image.
Stories can take you to fantastic places. Pixabay image.
What decisions will your characters make? Image via Pixabay.
Looking up one side of the hall from my stand. Image by Allison Symes
Write to screen but edit on paper. Pixabay image.
Making the most of the writing time. Pixabay image
Generating those ideas. Pixabay image.

When writing light stories, what are you looking to achieve? I want to write stories that make people smile (I’m not necessarily aiming for the laugh out loud moment). The impact I want to leave on a reader is one of them having had a hugely enjoyable read. I know I’m always cheered up no end reading stories like that.

As for the dark stories, I sometimes want to make the reader shudder, I want to make them see how and why my character would act the way they are, and then be glad they’re not in the situation I’ve put the characters in!

I like a balance of both types of story in my books and I also like reflective character study pieces too. I find, when reading this kind of story by other writers, they’re the stories that make me think the most. The “would I have done that in those circumstances?” kind of story has a quieter impact than the funny or scary tales, but the impact is there all the same.

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When writing a story in flash
Don’t decide you’ll be oh so rash.
By just writing everything down.
Tangents occur to make you frown!
Plan your ideas, a note will do,
Sketchy, detailed, it’s up to you.
Stories are stronger if they’re planned.
Saves many a tale being panned!

Allison Symes – 14th January 2019

This one comes from direct experience! Sometimes my outlines are as little as a sentence. For longer stories, I go into more detail. I deliberately don’t plan everything out. I want to encourage the imagination to “fire up” and not stifle it but a plan sends me in the right general direction.

I love the Scrivener templates for character and setting outlines. I draft those and they get me into the world of my story idea so quickly. But there is no reason why, if you don’t use that kind of software, you can’t think of a useful template of your own. Think about what you need to know about your characters before you start writing about them. Base a template on that. It will come in handy many times.

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Echoes can be useful in flash fiction. In my Pen Portrait I refer to a character that follows the “Shirley Williams school of thought rather than Margaret Thatcher’s” when it comes to caring for hair!

If you recall both of those politicians, you will remember they had very differing hair styles. I’m sure the latter’s would not have moved an inch even in a hurricane. (Also for those who don’t recall but wish to do so, it’s easy enough to look up pictures of these two. Indeed you only need to look up one of them to get some idea of what the other would be like here).

What’s useful is the mention of these two politicians will give a reader an idea of the age of the character without me spelling it out, as well as what their approach is to brushing their hair!

Think about what you could use to convey information across to readers like this. Echoes are a great word count saver!

It always is! Reflecting first helps a lot! Pixabay image
The Writing Life. Pixabay image.
Words are the power source of so much creativity. Pixabay iamge.
The lights fantastic. Pixabay image.
Wonderful writing desk. Pixabay image
What light will your world shed on how ours “behaves”? Pixabay image.
Love writing, love reading, love books. Pixabay image.
No matter how strange your characters or setting, there must still be identifiable elements for a reader. Pixabay image
What will this be for your writing journey? Pixabay image
Words have power, whether funny or tragic. Pixabay image.
What worlds will emerge from your writing? Pixabay image
Reality should feed your imagination. Pixabay image.
Barbara Large has done so much to support and encourage writers for many years. Pixabay image.
What do your characters face? Pixabay image

Goodreads Author Blog – Good Books

What defines a good book for you?

For me a good book is one that fulfils its purpose, whether that is to make me laugh, show me a world I did not know previously, or help me improve my history knowledge etc.

It has to keep me gripped to The End. I have to be eagerly looking forward to reading the next chapter when I read in bed. (And be mightily miffed if the Sandman comes along a bit early and I don’t get to read for as long as I’d like).

A good book will have writing that takes my breath away with the joy of how it is put together. P.G. Wodehouse is the master there as far as I’m concerned.

Humorous books have to not only make me laugh out loud, but to keep me smiling until The End. I love books which are obviously funny but which raise smiles by their subtle use of language, puns etc. Again Wodehouse is brilliant here and so was Terry Pratchett.

Crime fiction has to bring out the “I’ve got to find out what happens next” feeling. And it must deliver on its promise. Historical fiction has to make me feel “yes, it could have been that way” and so on.

Good books I always re-read. Maybe that is the true test of a great read.

Says it all really and both must balance out Pixabay image

So true. Pixabay image.

 

Tried and Tested – and Book Offers!

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A very busy night tonight and a special post about book offers too and I will start with those I think!  Also included this week is a link to my guest spot on crime writer Val Penny’s wonderful Book Review blog.  Many thanks to her for hosting me.

BOOK OFFERS!  ONE WEEK ONLY.  ENDS 18TH JANUARY 2019

Book news! I’m Bridge House Publishing/Chapeltown’s author of the week and there are free books up for grabs AND special offers on others. What’s not to like?

I’ve had the great pleasure of being published by BHP/CB in various anthologies as well as with From Light To Dark and Back Again. These form the basis of the package below.

BOOK PACKAGE: There are SIX, count them SIX, publications where I have work on offer for £4.00, all as mobi-files. This includes To Be…To Become (the Waterloo Festival competition, anthology), Baubles (BH anthology), The Best of Cafelit 4, 5 AND 6 and From Light to Dark and Back Again, my first flash fiction collection.

And for those of you who would like print paperbacks there’s an offer for you too.

PAPERBACK OFFER: My first published story was A Helping Hand in Bridge House Publishing’s Alternative Renditions. That isn’t available on Kindle BUT is in paperback and that along with From Light to Dark and Back Again is on offer at a mere £7.00 for the two!

FREE BOOKS! BUT YOU HAVE TO BE QUICK.

I’m giving away one signed copy of:-

From Light to Dark and Back Again AND
Alternative Renditions OR
Baubles OR
One of the Best of Cafelit books I’m in.

First come, first served, naturally. Also one book per customer.

If you’re interested email my lovely editor, Gill James, at editor@bridgehousepublishing.co.uk with your contact details. Also let her know which of the books you would like and Gill and I will take things from there. I’m looking forward to getting some books off in the post next week!

So two lucky people can be in for a free read! What are you waiting for? Gill is waiting to hear from you!

All of the above books are available on Amazon.

And if you would like to try some of my work out first, head over to Cafelit at http://cafelitcreativecafe.blogspot.com/…/l…/Allison%20Symes

Do check out the other wonderful stories here. You’re in for a great read, I promise.

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Facebook – General – and Chandler’s Ford Today

Busy night tonight but fun! Hope you saw the book offer posts earlier. Meanwhile back to CFT and I’m glad to share my Tried and Tested Writing Tips this week. Hope you find it useful.

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Will be a busy day tomorrow. As well as my usual CFT post (all about tried and tested writing tips), I’m Bridge House Publishing/Chapeltown Books author of the week and will have news of book offers so stay tuned.

Re my CFT post: I’ve picked those tips I use most often and go into detail as to why they are useful.

Absolutely delighted to have been guest blogger on Val Penny‘s Book Reviews blog. Many thanks to her – it’s been a good week writing wise when it comes to getting the word out there!

And talking of words, the ones I’ve found most helpful are the ones that encourage when all that seem to come in are rejections etc. This is why you need writing friends. We know what it is like – both the joys and the down sides. It is a roller coaster ride but nobody says you have to be alone on the thing!

And which is the right way?! Pixabay image.
See! It is a good idea, weather permitting! Image via Pexels
What will this be for your writing journey? Pixabay image
Good advice. Image via Pixabay.
Val Penny’s latest work is a great read. Image kindly supplied by Val Penny
Val Penny’s book cover for her debut novel, more to come soon. Image kindly supplied by Val Penny.
Even in the heart of a city, books can provide escapism. Image via Pixabay.
Unless in a thunder storm or high winds, this is a good idea! Image via Pexels
All writers have felt this way at times. Pixabay image.
Books invite you into their world. Image via Pixabay.
The first draft, the second, the tenth? Pixabay image

Am delighted to share the link to the great blog from crime writer Val Penny. The fact that I am her guest on it tonight is not at all coincidental!

Many thanks, Val, for the invite. The questions were great fun to answer. Val and I met at Swanwick Writers’ Summer School (or more accurately just outside Derby Railway Station just ahead of us both going to Swanwick!) and we’ve been great friends ever since.

It is also lovely being on the receiving end of questions too!

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

I’m due to be Bridge House Publishing/Chapeltown Books author of the week. News of book offers tomorrow.

Getting the balance right between writing new material, revising and improving material that has not yet found a home, and marketing has never been easy to get right. Has there ever been a writer who doesn’t feel there is always something they could be doing better in any of these departments? I don’t think so!

One advantage to flash fiction of course is it can be a great way of getting work done and “out there” while working on longer projects. (And if said work is published, you’re building up your writing CV too).

Connections to what you read and what you write. What are yours? Image via Pixabay.
What wonderful worlds we can creat! Image via Pixabay.
Good advice – and it applies to our characters too. Image via Pixabay
The magic of stories. Image via Pixabay
The magical world of the imagination. Image via Pixabay
What are your characters’ favourite memories and why? Image via Pixabay
Is the truth welcome in your fictional world? How does your community react to it?. Image via Pixabay.
The building blocks of putting a story together. Pixabay image.
Honest feedback is the only kind worth having. Image via Pixabay.
Another way of publishing…. Image via Pixabay
Some very strange creatures are in books. Image via Pixabay
Use personal reviews to help you generate characters and story outlines. Image via Pixabay.

What questions would you put to your characters to get the best out of them before you write their story?

One of my favourites here is “what drives you?” I use it to dig deep into a character because there will be an answer that is something nobody would mind revealing – the public face, if you like.

However, it is the answer the character (and we as individuals) try to keep to ourselves that is the really interesting one to work with! It can also reveal things about our characters that make us realise we can do so much more with them. It IS worth digging that bit deeper to get to these points.

Your stories will be deeper and have more impact as a result – even the shortest of flash fiction stories will benefit. If I know my character thinks they’re capable of, say, robbery, but I dig deeper and find in certain situations, they could kill, guess which story I’m going with!

You DO want to dump your characters right in the mire and put them under as much stress as possible and really see what they’re made of. Let the drama play out. Have fun with this, I do! (Oh and nobody said writers have to be nice to their characters, often it’s the opposite in fact!).

 

Charging up for new ideas, maybe? Pixabay image.
What worlds will new books show you? Pixabay
Books have their own sense of time and space. Image via Pixabay.
As I write now. Pixabay image.
Hope your Christmas books take you to all sorts of wonderful places! Pixabay image
Books are fabulous, whatever the format. Image via Pixabay.
Stepping into another world.. Pixbay
The classic start for fairytales. Pixabay image.
A good photo shows light at its best. Pixabay image.
There is something almost mystical here. Pixabay image.
The writing journey can be a long one so setting goals along the way makes sense. Pixabay image
Taking time to look back and then look ahead is a good thing. Pixabay image.

Many thanks to #ValPenny for hosting me on her Book Reviews blog. It was great fun answering the questions.

Questions like these are really useful for making you evaluate why you write and whether the “how” could be improved. (The answer is almost certainly “yes” to that by the way!).

Online writing -v- on a line writing! Image via Pixabay
This made me smile! Pixabay image.
Always good advice. Image via Pixabay.
Picking up wriitng tips will help you improve your work. Pixabay image.
Love this image! Image via Pixabay
Generating the writing ideas. Image via Pixabay.
Indeed! Pixabay image.
A good writing group will help you discover this. Pixabay image.
The ever useful post-it note. Image via Pixabay.
Writing Likes and Dislikes. Pixabay image.
Alas, too late for me! Image via Pixabay

Fairytales with Bite – Storytelling

Storytelling is one of our oldest traditions of course. You can understand the appeal of fairytales especially when it comes to the oral storytelling tradition. A simple plot, a structure that works, a clear goodie and baddie, and a happy ever after ending. Perfect way to end the day!

Now, of course, we expect our characters to be more nuanced. There is no such thing as the perfect hero. Villains have to have good (and understandable) reasons for acting the way they are (and that can include the fact they simply enjoy being evil. To them, that is reason enough!).

What I love about stories is that there is no one perfect format. I love books in all their forms but totally understand why audiobooks work for some, whereas the print format doesn’t. Our focus as writers is to come up with stories that can work in several formats. Our focus is to entertain. I’ve never understood why some look down on escapism. The world is sad and bad enough to make a wish to escape understandable. After all why did our cavemen ancestors tell stories? To remember what was important. To bring the community closer together. To escape the cares of their day and the ones to come for a while.

So as a writer then I want my characters to appeal to readers. I also want to drop my characters right in it whenever I can. I want my books to engage people. It’s a good thing to aim for: to improve your storytelling as much as possible. You discover better ways of expressing things, learn what works and what doesn’t. Enjoy your storytelling and relish every moment of it.

 

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This World and Others – Tried and Tested

My latest CFT post is Tried and Tested Writing Tips, which I hope you find useful.

How are your characters tried and tested?  Do they pass the tests you set them?  In almost any story you can think of, it is only when the characters are put right through the emotional wringer, do you see what they are capable of and where their limits are.  That is also where sidekick characters are useful – to help see your leads through to the bitter end and to get them through that “about to give it all up” moment.

Testing doesn’t need to to be overly dramatic either.  It can be as simple as a character having their patience tested by a relative who is trying to goad them (deliberately or otherwise, it’s not always consciously done).  Your character is very patient to begin with, then they become slightly less patient as time and the goading continues, and so on before they snap or do something they would not ordinarily have done.  Your character may be aware of this process so what do they do to try and fight it?  To not give in to that urge to snap no matter what the provocation?

Think about what would stress your characters out.  Think about their coping mechanisms.  What would happen if they failed or weren’t available when needed?

Have fun finding out!

Escaping with a good book is a fantastic idea. Image via Pixabay.
Books are wonderful – whether in print or electronic, whether as audio stories or told by a storyteller. Image via Pixabay.
Says it all really. Image via Pixabay. And am glad to say my poorly border collie, Mabel, has very much been showing this spirit.
I write fairytales with bite as flash fiction and short stories in particular. Image via Pixabay.
Never give up, work hard, be disciplined… all valuable traits for success, whether you’re a tennis player, a writer or a character in a story! Image via Pixabay.
Stories reflect all sorts of moods. There is a story to suit everyone out there! Image via Pixabay.
Well, what IS your story? Image via PixabayImage via Pixabay.
Where good ideas start… but good ideas need refining and editing, Image via Pixabay
The wonderful world of stories… Image via Pixabay.
Love this library. Mine is somewhat smaller than this! Image via Pixabay.
Writing the first drafts! Image via Pixabay.
Such a familiar look. Image via Pixabay.
Books are magical – image via Pixabay

PROGRESS, PLANS AND MOODS

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Facebook – General

Does the mood you are in affect what and how you write? My own answer to that is it depends!

If I’m in a flat state of mind but the writing I’m working on has a character in a similar state, then I can use my own mood to help write that piece! (I get something useful out of being in a flat mood! Ironically that knowledge cheers me up so win-win!).

Sometimes I deliberately write opposite to my mood so, again if I feel flat, I try to put myself in the head of a character in a lighter mood and find myself writing light. Again that can be a mood booster for me. Writing can be amazingly therapeutic at times.

What I do know is writing anything is a good “outlet” and later, once in a better frame of mind, I can evaluate any writing done in a flat state and see what I can do with it. But the great thing is I have still written, I still have work to do something with, so my advice would be, if you feel flat and don’t feel like writing, try to write something, even if it is a very short piece. I’ve found many times once I get started, I keep going, and writing takes me to a different, better place. Again, win-win there, I think.

Let the creativity spill out. PIxabay image.
Writing Likes and Dislikes. Pixabay image.
How does gravity and time work in your settings? Pixabay image.
What worlds will new books show you? Pixabay
Charging up for new ideas, maybe? Pixabay image.
Always a good idea! Pixabay image.
Write first, edit later. Pixabay.
Finding time to read can be difficult but is so worth doing. Pixabay.
A great new idea makes me smile, as does this image. Pixabay image.
Let those ideas flow! Pixabay image
The perfect place to reflect and take stock. Pixabay image.
Taking time to look back and then look ahead is a good thing. Pixabay image.
Is this light the way into a new world? Pixabay image.

Drafted first flash fiction story that I’ve created using a picture prompt in my new writing diary. 51 challenges remaining then given there’s one such prompt a week! Also enjoying working on my novel again. I want to try to enter more short story competitions (1500 word type) this year too. I like mixing the writing up. Challenges the old brain and that’s never a bad thing.

Third flash fiction volume coming along nicely though I need to group my stories at some point. Am hoping to get along to Winchester Writers’ Festival and, of course, Swanwick Writers’ Summer School later in the year, also the ACW Writers’ Days. I think one of the best things about writing is you never stop learning whether it is how to improve what you do, new places to try to submit work or what have you. That is also a very good thing.

Feed that brain!

Image Credit:  Many thanks to the Hampshire Writers’ Society for the image of me reading an example of what flash fiction is at their meeting last year.

Hope you have lovely books as presents! Pixabay image
So true. Pixabay image.
Books are a fantastic form of escapism. Image via Pixabay
What will this be for your writing journey? Pixabay image
Beautiful pens. Pexels image.
Great way to relax. Now where are those biscuits? Image via Pixabay
No room for gobbledygook here. Image via Pixabay.
Image from Hampshire Writers Society where I have been a guest speaker. Great fun! Many thanks to HWS for permission to use the photo.
I now use a laptop. Pexels image.
Planning your characters. Image via Pixabay.
Walking into the words maybe. Pixabay image
What decisions will your characters make? Image via Pixabay.
The writers’ basic kit. Image via Pixabay

Having completed a picture prompt generated story yesterday, I see this week’s prompt in my diary has no picture whatsoever! Still will tackle that prompt later in the week I hope.

I’m planning to share a few of my favourite writing tips and why they’re useful on Chandler’s Ford Today this week. You pick up lots of useful tips from conferences, chatting to writer friends etc., but as is the way with these things, some advice will always be more useful to you than anything else. It can be a question of working out what is going to help you most. Anyway, will share the link on Friday.

Made good progress on the novel and short story ideas over the weekend so will resume work on those shortly. A writing session for me is most useful when I know I’ve made progress on work, whether that progress is editing something, adding a line or two to something already down, or writing a whole new flash fiction piece/draft CFT post.

It’s when I feel I haven’t got anywhere that is most discouraging and that’s when encouragement from writer friends is enormously helpful. I still wish my fairy godmother would turn up though and grant me “elastic time” which I could stretch as and when I needed to without any side effects/damage to history etc. You know I’d use it to stretch my writing time!

Image Credit:  Many thanks to Dawn Kentish Knox for the picture of me reading at the 2018 Bridge House celebration event.

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Am looking forward to sharing book offer related news later this week. Will share info and links soon!

Meanwhile, am making progress on a longer term project (non-fiction) I’d been wondering about doing for a while and have finally got around to tackling. I don’t know yet whether I’ll submit this to publishers or self publish but it is good to have both options on the table.

Am also making good progress on my novel too. My writing times are fairly consistent (which helps a LOT) and I’ve learned how to use which sessions for which projects in a way that suits me best.

I suppose the biggest lessons I’ve learned are to make the most of the time you do have AND accept you are in writing for the long haul. Stamina and persistence are key. (Good luck is a useful extra though!). How like life!

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

Once I’ve finished a few posts tonight, I’m going to use the picture prompt in my writing diary to draft a new flash fiction piece. The diary has one for every week in the year so that’s potentially 52 new stories to be written!

I do use picture prompts sometimes to trigger stories but tend to use phrases, proverbs, and things like that to get me started on stories. I’ve posted before about mixing up sources for ideas so I will be practising what I preach tonight at least!

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We talk about “moments of illumination” – well, flash fiction could be the written version of those! Such moments are always brief and reveal something not known before. Your flash stories should do that too and be to the point.

From the writer’s viewpoint, this is the fun bit as you get to decide what that moment is in your story. For me, it has to be a turning point, whether you “turn” the character or the direction your story is going in to surprise the reader. It is where twist endings come in because you can save the moment of illumination until then.

I often, when reading stories like this, then go back through the tale to look for any clues I may have missed that hinted at the story ending up the way it has. I usually spot something on that look again read and of course I can learn from that and develop the techinique for my own writing.

Lighten up your world with stories! Pixabay.
The classic start for fairytales. Pixabay image.
What do your characters face? Pixabay image
Is it Time for a Change for the dragon in my story on Cafelit? Image via Pixabay
Trusted notebook! Image via Pixabay
Unless in a thunder storm or high winds, this is a good idea! Image via Pexels
See! It is a good idea, weather permitting! Image via Pexels
My flash fiction collection from Chapeltown Books!
Work and the muse will come. Don’t wait for it to show up first! Image via Pixabay
Love this image! Image via Pixabay
Not arguing with this! Image via Pixabay
Good advice. Image via Pixabay.

When I work out ideas for a story, I focus on the lead character and then plan all sorts of havoc either for them to experience or to be the cause of – all good fun! But I do need to know the lead character’s main trait/attitude first – I use this as a “driver” for working out who they are, what they know they are capable of, and so on.

For me, character is everything. The right characters for the right stories make them spark and come to life for the reader. A good character in a weak plot – both end up being disappointing. You get the feeling the character has been “wasted”.

I’ve found it pays to take my time in outlining a character (and this is a feature of Scrivener I adore. On their fiction setting, you have a template you can fill in to help you plot out a character and I’ve used this several times. Scrivener also have one for working out what the setting of the story is and I have used this but the character development one is really useful. I don’t tend to use it for flash fiction but for longer stories where I’ve got 2 or more characters to flesh out).

Once I’ve got my character, I’m generally well away into writing the story. While editing is always necessary, outlining at the start does stop you going off at an irrelevant tangent and has saved me considerable time.

Is this light the way into a new world? Pixabay image.
How is your world governed? Is it done well? Pixabay image.
Just what is your story then? Image via Pixabay
No matter how strange your characters or setting, there must still be identifiable elements for a reader. Pixabay image
There is something almost mystical here. Pixabay image.
Creating great characters. Image via Pexels.
One of my favourite spots at Swanwick. Image by Allison Symes
Reach for those ideas. Pixabay image.
A good photo shows light at its best. Pixabay image.
Without the darkness, we would not see the stars. Pixabay image.
Always good advice! Pixabay image.
What wonderful colours. Pixabay image.

Will have book offer related news later this week so stay tuned! Links and info up when I have them.

What are the difficulties of writing flash fiction?

1. It is so easy to overwrite and be well over the word count limit. Okay a very good edit will take care of that but the story still has to flow, make sense, and impact on readers, once that editing is done. There’s the real challenge, I think.

2. Knowing where and when to stop! (Having said that, if the idea is a strong one and you can continue it so you end up with a standard length short story, do so. You just enter that piece for standard length short story competitions and markets instead!).

3. Getting people to take the form seriously, though this situation is improving!

Goodreads Author Blog – Story Idea Spotting

Do you ever indulge in story idea spotting when reading a favourite novel? I do!

I love looking for what I think are the influences for a writer. To me this adds extra enjoyment to the story and gives me the perfect excuse for re-reading a book. Not that I really need one but never mind.

It’s my experience you never find all the influences/links in one read through! Sometimes not in two reads either!

Sometimes I know what the writer’s influences are in advance because I’ve read interviews etc and can then have fun seeing how these play out in what they have produced. Other times I don’t know and I get to play detective here.

What I like best is when spotting an influence in a book and it is clear the writer is a fan of another writer I also love. Double whammy!

Reading is fun anyway of course but for me this is extra and I love that.

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A Welcome Break and Winter Traditions

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Hello again! 

It’s good to be back after a Christmas and New Year break.  I hope you had a lovely time over the festivities.

Facebook – General – and Chandler’s Ford Today

My CFT post this week looks at winter traditions. I share some of mine and look at good reasons for having any at all.

Is winter the toughest part of the year to get through? I think so (though I can appreciate why some might argue summer is – all that light and you are supposed to be cheerful all the time because of it can be hard to handle). The early dark nights are the most depressing part of winter for me. The weather comes next!

I share some of my favourite “traditional” TV watching, my views on when the words to carols are changed, and recall the alternative versions of certain carols which were always sung with gusto at home when I was growing up.

Oh and Lady gets a mention and a pic too!

So what winter traditions do you have? Do you find they help you get through the coldest and darkest time of the year?

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My CFT post this week will be a look at winter traditions. Which are yours and why?

I share a few of mine and why I think it is good to have something of this nature to relish at this time of year.

Spring, summer and autumn have their own attractions but is winter the “ugly sister” of the seasons? It’s cold, gets dark early etc etc. I suppose a lot depends on the weather but so far it has been reasonable and I guess you have to learn to make the most of that.

More tomorrow when the link goes up. (Also included are fond memories of singing the alternative versions of well known carols as this is also a tradition! I suspect you can think of a few of those!).

Apologies – can’t seem to upload photos at the moment. Normal service tomorrow, I hope!  (Problem resolved itself I’m glad to say but still at a loss as to why it happened at all!).

8d5ff-acronyms2b-2bkeyboard

Technology is wonderful when it works properly!  Pixabay image.

What story genres have you got on your Kindle? I’ve a good old mix on there:-

Historical fiction
Non-fiction (particularly history)
Crime
Historical crime/non-fiction look at crime (A Very English Murder by Lucy Worsley – very good).
Fantasy
Classic fairytales
Classics (Austen, Dickens, Shakespeare).
Humour
Wodehouse
Flash fiction (of course)
Pratchett
Theology (but in an easy to read format. I like ALL my books like that!).
Poetry (Shakespeare, bless him, comes into this category too though I would like and must remember to download more poetry on to the Kindle. Like flash fiction, poetry is, I find, a joy to read on the small screen).

I’m sure there are others on there but I like to keep a good mix going on my bookshelves as well as on the small screen. It all helps inspire my writing. Spread the net wide when it comes to looking for inspiration for your own stories! If nothing else, you will have a wonderful time reading!

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Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

Is it easier to write funny stories or sad ones? Hard to say. A lot depends on your own mood of course but, that aside, I would say the biggest way of determining this is it is all down to your main characters. How do you see them? Are they funny or capable of coming out with one-liners? What is their dominant mood?

How you portray them is crucial here. What do you want them to DO/BE in your story? What is your character’s voice? Another crucial thing to remember is that for the majority of the time, your characters may well not think they’re funny at all. It is the readers’ job to pick up on the humour and “run with it”.

You set your characters in situations and of course a lot of humour comes out of contrasts. A snobby character ends up falling head first in the local duck pond. Not at all funny for them but hilarious for the reader (especially if said snobby character “had it coming”).

It is also crucial you enjoy writing your funny characters/lines. It shows through in the story and will come across as natural humour. Forced humour never works. Have fun here! I love writing funny one-liners for my characters when it is appropriate to them and the situation I’ve put them in. Relish the humour yourself. If you don’t, why should anyone else?

Let those ideas flow! Pixabay image
Always time and space for the pen and paper method of drafting
One downside to online writing is auto-correct! Image via Pixabay
Plugging in for new ideas? Pixabay image
Edit on paper, not on screen. Pixabay image.
Set goals for the short, medium and long terms. Pixabay image
A great new idea makes me smile, as does this image. Pixabay image.
Preparing a talk or a flash fiction story perhaps. Image via Pixabay.
It always is! Reflecting first helps a lot! Pixabay image
How does gravity and time work in your settings? Pixabay image.
Let your stories have impact. Image via Pixabay
Big screen, little screen, LOTS of stories on either! Image via Pixabay
Writing to screen. Am using smartphone more for this.
Whenever and whatever you read, enjoy. Image via Pixabay.
A Christmas Carol is my favourite ghost story. Pixabay.

Uses for flash fiction:-

1. Makes a very good writing exercise to kick off your main creative activity.

2. Teaches you a lot about editing and what your wasted words are. We all have them. With time, you get better at spotting them in your script and eliminating them.

3. You learn to make an impact with your words in as few words as possible. No purple prose here!

4. The stories are a good length to share on, say, a Facebook post as an “advert” for what you write and your style of writing.

5. You can use it to test out which genres you would like to write. Flash fiction is character led and you can set those characters anywhere and at any time. Have fun with that. Do you discover a love of historical fiction or sci-fi coming out of this, say? Fine, explore that genre further and see what you can do.

6. It is an excellent writing form in its own right, of course.

What every writer needs. Image via Pexels.
Always good advice. Image via Pixabay.
There is something almost mystical here. Pixabay image.
Hope your Christmas books take you to all sorts of wonderful places! Pixabay image
A good photo shows light at its best. Pixabay image.
What journeys are your characters going on? Image via Pixabay
I’ve never read a book in these conditions, have you? Pixabay image.
Is it Time for a Change for the dragon in my story on Cafelit? Image via Pixabay
The one time of year when Time itself is the news. Pixabay image.
If your story grips you, all sense of time will go! Image via Pixabay.
Fiction can take you anywhere. Image via Pixabay.

I love using the first person for my flash fiction because:-

1. It is immediate.
2. You get right into the character’s head.
3. You get to show how they see the world, revealing much about their attitudes.
4. It helps drive a good pace.
5. You can only show what the character would think, say, do, feel etc. It helps keep you to the point!
6. You show what your character thinks of other characters. You could have lots of fun here! (I do!).
7. You can show the character justifying their actions to themselves. That tells you the reader much about them – CAN they justify their actions, how they do so, if they have to “twist” things to be able to do so etc.
8. Depending on the mood you give your character, your story can be poignant, funny, grim etc, and all driven by that mood.
9. You literally see the world of the story through that character’s eyes. I find that helps me to identify with the character and want to keep writing about them. Hopefully, that element is picked up on by readers who will want to keep reading about them.
10. If you are writing a story which has “nods” to other stories, a great way in is via a minor character you make your own. For example, in my Learning the Trade, the story is a nod to the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. In my story, I use the first person viewpoint of that apprentice.

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Fairytales with Bite – A Welcome Break

I hope you had a lovely Christmas and wish you a Happy New Year.  I enjoyed the break but am glad to be back writing again.

In your stories, what would count as welcome breaks for the general populace?  Do they have holidays and how are they celebrated?  Are visitors welcome to join in or are they kept out?  I look at Winter Traditions in my Chandler’s Ford Today post this week – what would these be in the world you’re creating?  Is there such a thing as winter?  (I suspect we often wish there wasn’t but it is necessary, honestly!).

Is everyone in your world celebrating a special holiday or is that the privilege of the ruling classes? What makes the holiday different from what we know here?  What are the similarities?  Does everyone enjoy the break?

Now there’s some story ideas there for you!  Happy writing!

West Bay beach, Dorset, in late December 2018. Image by Allison Symes
Hope 2019 proves to be as good as possible for everyone. Pixabay image.
The appeal of reading around a fireside cannot be overstated right now! Pixabay image
How many story ideas could come from an image like this? Pixabay.
CAN you manage time? Pixabay image.
Let the creativity spill out. PIxabay image.
Your blog, your topic, your theme – just be sensible on copyright and libel issues. Image via Pixabay.
How they USED to put pictures into books! Image via Pixabay.
Potentially your blog can go global. Image via Pixabay

This World and Others – Being Different

What counts as “normal” for the fictional world you’ve created? How are those that are different to the “norm” treated? How do your “being different” characters cope with that? What pressures are there on the from family, friends, government etc?

Those who are different – are they doing this deliberately to rebel against the norm or is it cultural expectations that make them different? What reaction is there to their differences from those around them?

Within your world setting, are there different cultures, faiths etc and if so how do these get along (well or not at all?!)? Explore the differences. Explore how they would affect how your characters act and react.

Hope you find some story ideas in answering those!

The moon rising. Pixabay image.
Love the sun glinting off the sea in Dorset. Image by Allison Symes
Reflections at Swanwick earlier this year. Image by Allison Symes
The sun setting. Pixabay image.
Use what you know of our world and your imagination to create something really special. Image via Pixabay
View from near where I was staying in Scotland. You wouldn’t want to rush away from this. Image by Allison Symes
How many story ideas could come from an image like this? Pixabay.
Remembering… image via Pixabay
Walking through a landscape like this is a joy. Pixabay image.
From Lairg looking down at Loch Shin. Image by Allison Symes
What writing triggers will help you create your new worlds? Image via Pixabay

 

 

 

 

 

A New Year – New Goals?

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Facebook – General

I don’t really start thinking in specific terms about what I’d like to achieve writing wise for a New Year until about now. I know what my general goals are and those don’t change much but at about this time I set myself some specifics and then work my way through them as the year goes on.

Some years I achieve them all, some years I don’t, but I feel as if I achieve more for having set some ideas down as to what I’d like to get done.

One specific thing I really do want to do next year is enter more writing competitions (flash, short stories, maybe novel but certainly the first two). I didn’t enter as many as I thought I might this year though I have been working away at other projects, one of which I’d like to also get out in 2019 if I can.

Whatever your projects are, whatever your writing goals are, the most important thing is to enjoy what you write and believe in it. If one market or competition does not work out for you, see if you can figure out why. If there is nothing obviously wrong, try with another market or competition that the piece or story would suit. Above all, don’t give up. Enjoying what you write helps a lot when the rejections come in – and they will.

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The only problem I have between Christmas and New Year is working out which day of the week it is and I know I’m not the only one to lose track. Back to full writing routine from tonight though and it is great to be back.

Looking forward to using my new writing diary. Full of prompts and loads of places to jot down ideas (including a monthly To Do/Goals page and at the end of the month an Achievements page. The trick here is to try to get both pages equally full I think! A blank achievements page could be depressing! However I plan to use this to help me try and achieve a plan to enter more writing competitions this year).

Under the picture prompts, there is space to jot down notes for story ideas. I’m going to use those to flesh out some flash fiction!

Big plan is to have the novel ready to start submitting again (I hope around Easter time). So lots to do and I start by preparing material for a guest blog and my usual CFT spot. More details on both to come.

Good luck with your writing plans and have fun with them!

Lovely nib! Image via Pexels.
Is everything black and white in your stories? Image via Pexels
Love that clock. Pexels image.
Decisions, decisions and a not terribly helpful signpost. Image via Pixabay.
Let your writing sparkle. Image via Pexels.
A nice clear desk (not mine!). Image via Pexels
Let the ideas flow and let journeys encourage that! Image via Pixabay
Great characters will engross you. You will lose time reading their stories. Image via Pixabay.
Great characters = great books. Image via Pixabay.
Can’t have too many notebooks and pens. Image via Pexels
Time flies when reading or writing. Image via Pixabay

Happy New Year, everyone. Good luck with all writing endeavours.

Never be afraid to check out the credentials of publishing services companies/publishers/agents etc as the genuine ones will (a) not mind you doing this as it shows you are taking things seriously and (b) will be able to answer queries well and thoroughly. Also don’t forget you can seek advice from the Society of Authors/Alliance of Independent Authors and their websites are always worth checking out.

Have fun with your writing, try out competitions, write what you would want to read, and read loads! (Magazines, novels, short stories, flash fiction, non-fiction – it all “counts”).

I’ve got a couple of projects planned for the next year including submitting my revamped novel, a third flash fiction volume, and I’d love to do more non-fiction too. Don’t know whether I’ll get this all done but it will be fun finding out – and I guess that’s the point!

Memories are fragile especially over time. Pixabay image.
What will this be for your writing journey? Pixabay image
Being lost in the world of your story. Pixabay image
Ebooks and print – both have their own frustrations when it comes to publishing. Image via Pixabay
Doing something with those ideas! Pixabay image
A good writing group will help you discover this. Pixabay image.
Finding time to read can be difficult but is so worth doing. Pixabay.
Get those ideas coming! Pixabay image
Alas, too late for me! Image via Pixabay
Plugging in for new ideas? Pixabay image
Hope you have lovely books as presents! Pixabay image
Love this image! Image via Pixabay
Says it all! Pixabay image.

Loved the Doctor Who special tonight. Can’t keep a good enemy down, that’s all I’m saying.

The whole point of any story is conflict resolution though that can cover anything and everything from exterminating someone to being reconciled with them. What matters is the conflict is over. The story has concluded.

But while the conflict is going on, it is true that the hero/heroine and villain must be worthy of each other. No hero/heroine gets to win “easily” – there must be huge hurdles to overcome. The villain needs then to be capable of stretching your heroes to their utmost (and beyond ideally, making said heroes stretch too. Drop your characters right in it and see what they can do).

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Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

Had a great trip on the Watercress Line (steam railway) yesterday with family. Always think of the stories of the navvies who cut out the sidings etc to make our railways. So many stories we won’t know but can only make educated guesses at.

When it comes to our own stories, what is most important to your characters? Who are the characters who you MUST tell stories about and why? Think about what has made you choose these people and play to their strengths and weaknesses. A well portrayed character has plenty of virtues and failings and both will affect the direction of the story.

Assemble your characters, assemble your world. Image via Pixabay
Outline the characters and away you go! Image via Pixabay
Preparing the blog. Image via Pixabay.
Or get away from it all in one book. Pixabay image.
The blank page (or screen) is ready for your diary (or blog!). Image via Pixabay.
Beautiful books. Pexels image.
A familiar sight to many of us. Image via Pixabay.
Your blog, your topic, your theme – just be sensible on copyright and libel issues. Image via Pixabay.
Stepping into another world.. Pixbay
I’ve never read a book in these conditions, have you? Pixabay image.
All writers feel this way sometimes. Pixabay image.

It’s a good idea to mix up how you source ideas for stories. I like to use proverbs, well known sayings, songs can be an inspiration too and this year I hope to use more picture prompts. (My new writing diary has loads of these in it and I plan to get several flash fiction pieces from these!).

It’s also nice from the writer’s viewpoint to mix up how you gather the ideas/raw material to get you on you way to generating a new story. It keeps things interesting for you and you on your toes, which is never a bad thing. One of the things I adore about flash fiction is it is always a challenge to write small but doing so is very satisfying. (Even more so if the story is published!).

One thing I would like to try and do more of is use more of my own photos to trigger ideas and to take pictures specifically with story generation in mind. The great thing with using your phone for pictures is it is so easy to delete the ones that don’t work out. Sometimes you need to do that with a story too but that is much harder to make yourself do.

I try and avoid getting into that position by outlining first (it really does help). The great thing with outlining is it can be as detailed or not as you like. I’ve sometimes drafted a one-line outline for a piece of flash fiction but it has helped me work out which route to take with the story before I start it. I find I then write more efficiently too.

Memories are fragile especially over time. Pixabay image.
My feature image for tonight’s Chandler’s Ford Today post. All images in this post were taken by me.
Love both the Kindle and the paperback. Why choose when you can have both? Image via Pixabay
A gorgeous pen. Image via Pexels
Work and the muse will come. Don’t wait for it to show up first! Image via Pixabay
CAN you manage time? Pixabay image.
Books invite you into their world. Image via Pixabay.
I don’t understand those who dislike books, in whatever format. Image via Pixabay.
Use personal reviews to help you generate characters and story outlines. Image via Pixabay.
Notes about your characters can help you portray them more accurately. Not every note has to make it into the story itself. Pixabay image.
Good reading – and writing to be done – here. Pixabay image.

What are your hopes and plans for your flash fiction writing in 2019?

Mine are to submit pieces online and for competitions more regularly. I also hope to post more on my website – allisonsymescollectedworks.wordpress.com – as well.

I’m working on a third volume of flash stories as well and hope to get this up together and ready for submission.

I really enjoyed taking part in Open Prose Nights for the first time this year and would love to do more of those. I would also like to give more talks on flash fiction as well.

But I should finish the year’s posts with a flash fiction piece I think.

CROSSING TIME
‘I suppose you think that was clever’, the girl said.
‘Of course, why do it otherwise?’ I replied.
‘You can’t hold me back. It doesn’t matter what you do.’
‘There’s not a human born who doesn’t long to, you know. I had the courage to try.’
‘Or the foolishness! Most of you accept you cannot beat me. You even celebrate me once a year.’
‘Yes, it’s all lights and fireworks and parties, but you are a cruel devil and I will beat you.’
The girl laughed. ‘How? You’re not immortal. You can’t win a fight with Time. I should know. I also know how long you have. I can see your sands running through’.
Out of nowhere she produced an hour glass and sure enough the sand was running through but I didn’t care. I didn’t bother looking. I didn’t want to know. It wasn’t the object of the exercise. I wanted to defy Time and I had.
‘I can keep you at bay with this time piece, and keep doing so until it is time for me to go. I like my current age. I will stay this way. That will do.’
I waved the pocket watch in the girl’s face as if daring her to take it but she waved it away from me. The watch’s hands were going backwards. I set them to a week ago last Friday. I wanted to see if I could do it the way the saleman in that strange little shop insisted I could.
And sure enough here I was back where I had been last Friday. Just outside the chip shop, cursing myself for forgetting my coat on what was the coldest night of the year so far. What I hadn’t expected was this wraith like girl turning up to berate me.
‘There is always a price to pay for crossing Time,’ the girl said, sighing. ‘I will catch you in the end. Your time will come. And trust me I will make you know it when it does. I don’t like cheats. I never have.’
‘So be it but my “time’s up” will be at the age I choose.’
‘And how are you going to explain that to people? Tell them you’ve got a funny portrait in your attic?’
I grimaced. I must admit that thought had not occurred to me. But so what? I could always tell people I had found a really good moisturiser!
The girl vanished. I went and got my chips. I was just crossing the road, munching them happily, when a Mini came out of nowhere and sent me crashing across to the other side. The last thing I remember was seeing the girl reappear and she was laughing.
I got one thing right. Time IS a cruel devil.

Allison Symes – 31st December 2018

Jotting down ideas for future stories is always a good idea. Image via Pixabay
Some very strange creatures are in books. Image via Pixabay
Good advice. Image via Pixabay.
The time turner. Pixabay image.
The world’s most famous timepiece. Pixabay image.
Be open to change. Pixabay image.
Too much to do, too little time perhaps? Pixabay image.
The one time of year when Time itself is the news. Pixabay image.
My writing desk is nowhere near as elegant as this one. Pixabay image.
The precursor to blogging – journal keeping, Image via Pixabay.
Indeed! Pixabay image.
Finding time to read can be difficult but is so worth doing. Pixabay.
The Waterloo clock. Pixabay image.
Your blog, your topic, your theme – just be sensible on copyright and libel issues. Image via Pixabay.

One nice aspect to flash fiction is if you use a writing exercise to help you start off your creative work for the day, then there is nothing to stop you revisiting what you come up with for that and see if you can turn it into a flash fiction story.

From that writing exercise can come an entry for a competition, a published flash tale etc. Give it a go if you try these writing exercises (which often get you to write a couple of hundred words or so. Perfect length for a lot of the flash fiction categories. You can always edit to get a piece down to 75 words or less or keep the piece as it is and look for the 200, 250, 300 word category competitions and markets).

Good luck!

Shakespeare had his quill, modern writers have their laptops. Image via Pixabay.
There must be some truly fantastic fiction here. Image via Pixabay.
Making the most of the writing time. Pixabay image
Images from the magical world… Image via Pixabay
Never give up, work hard, be disciplined… all valuable traits for success, whether you’re a tennis player, a writer or a character in a story! Image via Pixabay.
Let the creativity spill out. PIxabay image.
Always good advice. Image via Pixabay.
What journeys are your characters going on? Image via Pixabay
Hope your Christmas books take you to all sorts of wonderful places! Pixabay image
Being lost in the world of your story. Pixabay image
My desk is NOT this tidy. Pexels image.
Good advice – and it applies to our characters too. Image via Pixabay
So true. Pixabay image.
Reviews can have global reach. Most impact I think can often be local to the writer.

Goodreads Author Blog – And Happy New Year!

Following on from my Merry Christmas post last week, I could hardly call this one anything else!

So with a New Year in mind, what are your reading and/or writing plans for 2019?

I would like to read more flash and short story collections in the next 12 months plus get my own third anthology of stories finished and ready to submit. (Still very much at first draft stage).

I would like to catch up on my To Be Read pile (but I suspect that is an ambition most of us have!). I would like to submit more non-fiction pieces too.

I don’t tend to take up reading challenges because I think I would feel so disappointed in myself if I don’t manage them. However, I would like to widen my variety of reading (which is reasonably wide as it is but I am conscious there are many genres I haven’t tried and I ought to explore. The world of books is meant to be explored!).

Whatever your plans here, good luck! Happy New (reading) Year!

Books are wonderful – whether in print or electronic, whether as audio stories or told by a storyteller. Image via Pixabay.
It can take a lot of self-belief to be able to call yourself this at times. Image via Pixabay
Well, what IS your story? Image via PixabayImage via Pixabay.
The joy of books. Image via Pixabay.
Love this library. Mine is somewhat smaller than this! Image via Pixabay.
This statue reminds me of myself when I was a lot younger. Okay I wasn’t made of stone (I’m still not!) but I did always have my head in a book. (And do so as often as I can now!). Image via Pixabay.
Books are magical – image via Pixabay
Heavenly books. Image by Pixabay
Some of the strongest ideas have a simple theme. See A Christmas Carol as a classic example. Image via Pixabay.
Stories reflect all sorts of moods. There is a story to suit everyone out there! Image via Pixabay.
Let a book carry you away! Image via Pixabay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas and Stories

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Facebook – General – and Chandler’s Ford Today

A night early due to having lovely family commitments to look forward to tomorrow and Saturday! I take a look back at my highlights of 2018 which includes everything from a wonderful wildlflower meadow to my writing high points. I hope you had a lovely Christmas and wish you all the best for 2019!

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Watched The Muppets Christmas Carol. Fab film. I love the “Marley and Marley” sequence (it’s only in the last year or so I got the gag about Jacob and ROBERT Marley – yes?! Reggae fans catered for here!) and Gonzo recommending reading the book itself at the end of the film. Don’t ask why I didn’t get the gag before. Couldn’t believe I hadn’t spotted it before but there you go.

Also watched the film version of Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather a few days ago. Loved that too. Thought Michelle Dockery was a superb Susan. Next thing to watch will be the Patrick Stewart version of Dickens’ classic and at some point over the festivities I will try and rewatch The Ladykillers with Alec Guinness. I catch up with old favourites on film as well as in book form at this time of year!

What makes for a good adaptation? It should stick reasonably faithfully to the book. (I say reasonably as I accept some things would have to be cut). It’s more important to stick to the spirit of the book, I think. Whoever is cast should be utterly believable in the role. Michael Caine is as Scrooge with the Muppets. Reminds me of the classic Eric and Ernie “Andrew Preview” sketch – it had to be played seriously by all parties for the humour to work – and yes I’ll be watching that again too. All time favourite comic sketch for me.

Whatever you watch, listen to, or read this Christmas, have a wonderful time doing it!!

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Just after Christmas, I do an annual “stock take” of where I am writing wise, what I’ve achieved this year, and what I’d like to achieve during the next 12 months. Naturally, the latter list is always longer than the first one! But I find it helpful to look back and make myself take some time out to think about specific writing hopes and then get on and try and fulfil them, of course.

Just about ready for Christmas now. Had a lovely Carols by Candlelight service tonight. Some lovely poems in amongst the singing fest and Nativity readings.

Another aspect to the season is that having a dog in the house means there is no such thing as leftover turkey ever again! Lady loved her first Christmas with us last year, she has left the trees alone (much to our relief! Our vets have a tree in their surgery which looks lovely but I do wonder about this. It’s a matter of time before the lights on it fuse because every dog that goes in HAS to go over and at best sniff it and… well you get the picture).

Am winding down on writing for the next few days but will relish it the more when I do get back into my usual routine.

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I’m not surprised the Christmas cracker joke writers prefer to remain anonymous. For example, these were taken from our recent informal carols night.

Why did the scarecrow get a payrise?  Because he was outstanding in his field.

What do you get if you cross a vampire with a snowman?  Frostbite

How many letters are there in the alphabet at Christmas time?
25 – there is No L at this time of year.

Is there such a thing as a bad pun? Of course. Still make me groan and smile in equal measure though. And to finish for a few days break I leave you with:

There was once a cracker joke writer
Whose puns made people curse the blighter
So when his pen was taken
He felt forlorn, forsaken
But the world felt much brighter!

Allison Symes – 24th December 2018

Merry Christmas! Back in a few days…

The classic start for fairytales. Pixabay image.
Preparing the blog. Image via Pixabay.
Love this clock. Pixabay image.
Walking into the words maybe. Pixabay image
Always good advice! Pixabay image.
Your blog, your topic, your theme – just be sensible on copyright and libel issues. Image via Pixabay.
Write your piece, leave it for a while before editing. Pixabay image.
Charging up for new ideas, maybe? Pixabay image.
This made me smile! Pixabay image.
HOW did Santa get down from his sleigh? Look at where he’s parked it! Pixabay image.
Social media has made the world a smaller place. Image via Pixabay.
Let one creative idea spark another. Pixabay image.
Indeed! Pixabay image.

Hope you had a lovely Christmas and that you received all the books you wanted to have as presents. Well, you did ask for some, yes? Am pleased to report my To Be Read pile has gone up again – no surprises there!

Won’t be back completely to my usual writing routine until Sunday as will have having a lovely time with family tomorrow and Saturday. Glad to grab chance to write now though!

I enjoyed the break away from the PC but must admit am raring to go again properly from Sunday. It is great to be eagerly looking forward to writing again though. It is a good feeling.

There be dragons. Pixabay
A good photo shows light at its best. Pixabay image.
No matter how strange your characters or setting, there must still be identifiable elements for a reader. Pixabay image
Good reading – and writing to be done – here. Pixabay image.
Waiting for an upload to finish. Image via Pixabay.
PC playing up do you think? Image via Pixabay.
Always good advice. Image via Pixabay.
A good book will illuminate some truth. Image via Pexels
Let the words flow! Image via Pixabay.

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

Do you like your own characters? I think like many writers, I love some of them, loathe others, and the rest I definitely wouldn’t want to meet in an alley in broad daylight, yet alone at any other time. Good thing? Yes, it means I’ve created characters I believe in and react to – so readers should believe in and react to them too. In many ways, the first person you’ve got to convince about the veracity/worthiness of your story IS YOU!

This is why it pays to put work aside for a while after first writing it because I’ve found there are two reactions to a piece you’ve just finished. You either think it is a work of genius (the Move Over Shakespeare school of thought) or, even more likely, it is total rubbish (the Why Did I Think I Could Write school of thought).

Neither is true! What you will have written is something that has promise but needs a decent edit (and ideally more than one) before the work gets submitted anywhere. I’ve also found coming back to a piece after a break means I will look at it with fresh eyes. You do spot the mistakes better. You also spot the things that work (which cheers you up a lot!). So literally give yourself time here.

The classic start to a fairytale. Image via Pixabay.
What worlds will new books show you? Pixabay
Books have their own sense of time and space. Image via Pixabay.
Lost in a good book. Image via Pixabay.
What stories will come from this pen? Pexels image.
The appeal of reading around a fireside cannot be overstated right now! Pixabay image
Fiction should show you new ways of looking at the world. Image via Pixabay.
Whenever and whatever you read, enjoy. Image via Pixabay.
Books are fabulous, whatever the format. Image via Pixabay.
Online writing -v- on a line writing! Image via Pixabay
Finding time to read can be difficult but is so worth doing. Pixabay.
How many story ideas could come from an image like this? Pixabay.
Generating the writing ideas. Image via Pixabay.
The Nativity. Pixabay.

AN UNEXPECTED STOP
‘You do know at what speed you were travelling, sir?’
‘Er… no… officer, I’m afraid I was concentrating on getting to my next destination. I have to cover everyone on my list, you see, and I don’t have much time. Was it important?’
‘I’ll say so, sir. You will cause chaos flying at that speed. If everyone did that there’d be accidents galore.’
‘But, officer, it’s Christmas Eve, I’m Santa Claus, there’s nobody up here except us and I’d love to know how YOU got here.’

Allison Symes – 23rd December

Hope you enjoy. This was inspired by a Pixabay picture I recently used where Santa is on the ground but his sleigh is parked in the sky with reindeer on standby! See below!

There's a story here not least in how Santa got down from his sleigh, see where he has parked it - Pixabay

HOW did Santa get down from his sleigh? Look at where he’s parked it! Pixabay image.

Flash fiction lives up to its name both in its brevity and the way it illuminates one moment in time for a character. It is like shining a spotlight on one particular aspect and there should be a sense of the resulting intensity coming from that. There should also be a sense that the story is the correct length and would be spoiled somehow if a word was taken away or added to. Tough order but writing flash will improve your editing skills.

UP TO SCRATCH
‘Have I passed the MOT then, young man?’ The elderly gent peered at the guy, who could easily have been his grandson. ‘Can I resume my duties now?’
‘Oh yes, Grand…er… sir. And you are getting the correct CPM out of your chosen fuel source too.’
‘CPM?’
‘Carrots Per Mile, sir. You must be feeding your reindeer well.’
The elderly gent smiled. ‘Quality will tell, it always does. I don’t suppose there is anything you can do about the lead one’s red nose is there? I swear it stands out even in the thickest fog and I know Rudolph is embarrassed by it.’
‘Sorry, sir, you will have to go back to the manufacturer on that one.’
The elderly gent sighed. ‘That will have to wait. I’ve got places to go, people to see, and the big boss will want me to get that done first.’
And with that Santa and his reindeer took off as Christmas Eve broke. It would be a busy night.

ENDS

Allison Symes – 24th December 2018

Merry Christmas! Back in a few days…

Reminds me of Polar Express. Pixabay image.
What populates your fictional world? Pixabay image
Words are the power source of so much creativity. Pixabay iamge.
Playing with words. Pixabay image.
Lovely books. Pexels image.
A truly beautiful diary. Image via Pixabay
How they USED to put pictures into books! Image via Pixabay.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Hopefully the Book Fair will encourage even more reading! Image via Pexels
Beautiful light. Image via Pixabay.
Books invite you into their world. Go! Image via Pixabay.
Great characters will engross you. You will lose time reading their stories. Image via Pixabay.
Great characters = great books. Image via Pixabay.

Hope you had a great Christmas and got to enjoy lots of stories, whether in book, audio, or film formats! I was given 365 Stories which is a wonderful book where for each day of the year there is one story at 365 words exactly. I have already demolished January!! (There is no way I am reading ONE story per day. It’s like trying to stop yourself taking a second Quality Street. You’ve got to have a backbone of steel for that and, frankly, I haven’t!).

And yes flash is great for this time of year. Too busy with all the festivities? Too tired to read much afterwards? Then just dip into a flash fiction collection and enjoy. A brief dip into the world of fiction is particularly refreshing when you know you haven’t time for a “full immersion” (i.e. a novel!).

Memories are fragile especially over time. Pixabay image.
Preparing a talk or a flash fiction story perhaps. Image via Pixabay.
Your blog, your topic, your theme – just be sensible on copyright and libel issues. Image via Pixabay.
There’s still a place for writing directly to paper. Free writing can really help you become more creative as you allow any “barriers” to go. Let your subsconscious work! Image via Pixabay
Stories reflect all sorts of moods. There is a story to suit everyone out there! Image via Pixabay.
Fiction is strengthened when backed by fact. Image via Pixabay
Let those ideas flow! Image via Pixabay,
The wonderful world of writing should include non-fiction, which benefits from creative techniques too. Image via Pixabay.
Clarity and constructive criticism are always useful. Pixabay image.
Great characters will engross you. You will lose time reading their stories. Image via Pixabay.
What writing triggers will help you create your new worlds? Image via Pixabay
Love that clock. Pexels image.

Goodreads Author Blog – Merry Christmas!

Hope you have a wonderful time at Christmas and all the best for 2019. I hope you have many fantastic book-related presents under the tree this year. One of my favourite times of Christmas Day is that lovely period when I curl up on the sofa and start “tucking into” my festive reading material!

Have recently enjoyed film versions of some of my favourite stories. Don’t think you can beat the Muppets’ Christmas Carol. What’s not to like about Gonzo recommending reading the book itself right at the end of the film?! I’m not surprised A Christmas Carol has never been out of print since it was first published and it must be Dickens’ biggest earner even now.

Have also watched the film version of Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather. These are two must sees in the countdown to Christmas.

Aim for next year is to try to read more (and to review more too). There’s a lot on my Kindle I haven’t updated as finished here! (Bet I’m not the only Goodreads fan guilty of that though).

So whether you take in your stories in book form, audio format, film or what have you, enjoy. And here’s to looking forward to more reading in 2019.

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Fairytales with Bite – Tis The Season for Fairytales?

I love fairytales no matter what the time of year is, but the Christmas season I think makes those who don’t usually read the genre more open to it.  I think a lot of this is due to the influence of pantomime (at least in the UK it is.  Several of the best known pantomimes are fairytale based – The Babes in the Woods, Aladdin, Cinderella, Puss in Boots etc).

Also it is the perfect time of year in the UK when it is cold and gets dark early to curl up with favourite stories and books and again fairytales play a huge role here.

The one thing I wish I could wish away is the image of fairytales being twee.  They are  NOT.  Just look at what Hans Christen Andersen wrote!  Also I’d like to get rid of the “it’s just a fairytale” statement that people come up with sometimes.  There’s nothing “just” about being a fairytale.

Fairytales contain truths, show up humanity for what it can be like, and can be scathing about greed and unkindness.  Justice can be on the rough side too!  So no unfair dismissal of fairytales then?  I think that’s a good wish for 2019!

Happy New Year!

Use personal reviews to help you generate character and story outlines. Image via Pixabay.
A blank page can take you anywhere in writing. Image via Pixabay.
I don’t always write directly to screen. Image via Pixabay
Well, let’s do so by writing lots of stories! Image via Pixabay.
Taking time to look back and then look ahead is a good thing. Pixabay image.
The classic start to a fairytale. Image via Pixabay.
Using time wisely is difficult at times. Image via Pixabay.
The world’s most famous timepiece. Pixabay image.
Happy New Year! Pixabay image

This World and Others – Christmas Stories

Due to (lovely) family commitments, this post is going up a day early.  Christmas Stories ties in with a recent CFT post though naturally this week’s one, as we rapidly approach 2019, is my usual end of year/highlights of year post.

What are your favourite Christmas stories?  Mine are:-

1.  The Nativity
2.  A Christmas Carol
3.  Hogfather by Terry Pratchett
4.  Twas the Night before Christmas – it IS a story, albeit one told in poetic form!

I hope you had lots of lovely books as presents and whether you enjoy stories in book form, audio, or as film, I hope you managed to find time to relish your favourites again here.

Of course the dark and cold (at least in the UK!) encourages you to stay in and curl up with a good book, though I could be living in sunnier climes and still want to curl up with said good book!

The great thing about reading is it encourages your own writing (ideas spark from other ideas) and you learn so much about story by indulging in your love of reading them.  So read on!

One account of the Nativity is in St. Luke’s Gospel. Pixabay image.
A great Christmas classic here. Pixabay.
Reading can make it seem as if you are in your own bubble! Pixabay image
Hope you have lovely books as presents! Pixabay image
What worlds will new books show you? Pixabay
What I hope to do over the Christmas break. Pixabay.
Lighten up your world with stories! Pixabay.
The classic start for fairytales. Pixabay image.
I DO hope he gets to put his feet up with several good books after 25th December! Pixabay
I read some of my flash fiction from FLTDBA and Cafelit. Image by Dawn Kentish Knox

 

 

Christmas Stories

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Facebook – General – and Chandler’s Ford Today

My last CFT post before Christmas is all about Christmas stories. I look at the Nativity, Hogfather, and A Christmas Carol amongst others. I also discuss the role of books and stories. I hope you find many a book related present under your Christmas tree this year!

Also in the post are links to some of my Christmas related Cafelit stories. Hope you enjoy.

And however you celebrate the festivities, I do hope you have a lovely Christmas.

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My last CFT post before Christmas looks at Christmas stories appropriately enough. I look at some of my favourites, share a few of my Cafelit pieces with a Christmas theme, and look at why we need stories. Link up tomorrow.

Hope there are plenty of books on your Christmas wish list and that you get them!

A house full of books. Pixabay image.
A truly beautiful diary. Image via Pixabay
Online writing -v- on a line writing! Image via Pixabay
There be dragons. Pixabay
Books have their own sense of time and space. Image via Pixabay.
Stepping into another world.. Pixbay
Lovely and treasured book collection here. Image via Pexels
How they USED to put pictures into books! Image via Pixabay.
Gorgeous covers. Image via Pexels.
Books are fabulous, whatever the format. Image via Pixabay.
Or get away from it all in one book. Pixabay image.

Very pleased to say my first non-fiction piece was published in Christian Writer today. It is a 500-word piece about the telling details which help bring stories to life (though there is no reason why this can’t apply to articles as well).

What is lovely about writing is the joy of being published never diminishes. Yes, the first time you hear someone else loves your work enough to print it or put it online is very special but so are the others that follow! It also encourages you to keep going.

Am working away on my novel plus what I plan to be my third flash fiction collection in due course. Would like to write more non-fiction too. Now if only there was a way to stretch time… Still there is no chance whatsoever of boredeom setting in and that has to be a good thing.

Where will your reading take you? Pixabay image.
Lost in a world of books. Pixabay image.
A truly beautiful book. Pixabay image.
Good reading – and writing to be done – here. Pixabay image.
Shakespeare liked his puns. Pixabay image
A good writing group will help you discover this. Pixabay image.
Words have power, whether funny or tragic. Pixabay image.
What worlds will emerge from your writing? Pixabay image
Reading immerses you in another world. Pixabay image.
Barbara Large has done so much to support and encourage writers for many years. Pixabay image.
FLTDBA for sale in the Swanwick Book Room. Image by Allison Symes
Love writing, love reading, love books. Pixabay image.

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

Flash fiction is the ideal vehicle for capturing those story thoughts that are illuminating in themselves but would not stretch to a standard length short story. I find this makes the focus sharper and sometimes for a tale that’s what you need. Short, sharp focus and then that’s it.

Flash fiction is also a great vehicle for showing the thoughts and actions of a character in detail. You are focusing on this one character alone. What drives them? What are they hoping to achieve? What do their thoughts and actions reveal about them? (The great thing here is the character does NOT have to be aware that they are showing themselves up as, say, greedy, when they think they’re not).

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What is the important thing about any story? Figuring out what makes it work as a story and that is usually down to outstanding characterisation.

So how can you make characters count especially when you’ve got a limited word count as you have with flash fiction?

1. Show the character’s attitude. This can be done in thoughts, actions, or direct speech. Attitude reveals a lot about a character. A character that is sarcastic will show that in what they say without you needing to spell it out. In the case of actions, if we see a character setting something out “just so”, you can imply this character is fussy (and I’d want to know the reasons behind that). A character that moves a doily half a centimetre to the left is going to be far more fussy than someone who slaps said doily down on the arm of a chair!

2. Show how others react to the character. This can be very revealing. Do they all react in the same way or is there an awkward one who treats the lead character differently to everyone else? What are the reasons behind that? Is the awkward one justified in their stance?

3. Focus on the MOST important aspect of your character as that will determine how your story will go. If your character is stubborn, show how that plays out and the consequences (there will be some!).

Aiming for more “magic” from my stories this year! Image via Pixabay.
Escape with a good book. Image via Pixabay.
What every writer needs. Image via Pexels.
This made me smile! Pixabay image.
Let the creativity spill out. PIxabay image.
It has been a while since I last saw one of these! Image via Pixabay
Planning your characters. Image via Pixabay.
Books invite you into their world. Image via Pixabay.
Even in the heart of a city, books can provide escapism. Image via Pixabay.
The art of the flash (fiction). Image via Pixabay

Names are important of course and the more often they are used in a story, the more important the character is (even if they never appear in the tale itself).

My They Don’t Understand has my narrator refer to his wife, Joan, throughout. That will give some indication in itself of how important she is to him as well as what he actually tells you as the tale goes on. He only names his carer the once!

So how can you make names work for you in a story? Well, the name itself can give a good indication of the age of the person. How many people are called Gertrude these days? If the name can be abbreviated, IS it or does your character insist on the name being used in full? Equally are they known by one name in one situation and by something else in another? (Good potential for double life stories there).

The ultimate book tunnel? Image via Pexels
How is your world governed? Is it done well? Pixabay image.
How does gravity and time work in your settings? Pixabay image.
No matter how strange your characters or setting, there must still be identifiable elements for a reader. Pixabay image
The scrivener’s tools – image by Allison Symes
Where will your characters take you? Image via Pixabay
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Quite a few to choose from here. Image via Pexels
A good book will illuminate some truth. Image via Pexels
Always a good idea! Pixabay image.
Charging up for new ideas, maybe? Pixabay image.
Great characters = great books. Image via Pixabay.

Fairytales With Bite – Stories, Lovely Stories!

My Chandler’s Ford Today post talks about Christmas Stories (and I share some links to some of mine on this too).    One of the great things about this time of year, when the nights draw in so early, is that it is a fantastic time for reading more!

One of my highlights at Christmas is at the end of Christmas Day itself when I’ve put my feet up on the sofa and I’m curled up with a book given to me as a present.  It is very easy to please the writer in your life by the way – just ask them what books they’d like and Christmas present shopping problems are resolved!

So what stories do you hope to enjoy over the Christmas period?  I like a mix of fiction and non-fiction books plus, of course, there is the chance to enjoy stories as films.  (Watched The Muppet Christmas Carol earlier tonight, which is one of my favourites).

As for writing stories, I tend to take a short break over Christmas and then resume but I come back eager to write again and find the respite incredibly useful for recharging the imaginative batteries.

However you spend Christmas, do have a lovely time, and I hope you get to enjoy stories old and new!

Thoughts are free but check images used are either free to use or your own! Image via Pixabay.
The sun setting. Pixabay image.
Writing to screen. Image via Pixabay
I remember using a manual typewriter. Pixabay image.
The lights fantastic. Pixabay image.
Always get contracts checked out – see Society of Authors as one place to go here. Pixabay image.
The darkness can have its own beauty. Pixabay image.
There was always something magical about having a blank page to write to. Image via Pixabay.
Play with words and fill that blank page. Pixabay image.
What characters will you come up with? Image via Pixabay
Old school writing! Pixabay image.
Just what is your story then? Image via Pixabay

This World and Others – What Defines a Good Story

What defines a good story for you?  What I look for in a good story includes:-

1.  Strong, memorable characters.
2.  An intriguing plot.
3.  The story makes me laugh, or think, or react in some way.  (That’s how you know a story has had impact).
4.  An ending that delivers on the promise of the opening lines.
5.  Where there is a twist ending, for this to genuinely take me by surprise.  I like to look back at a story and then spot the clues I missed first time around! (The great thing about doing that is you can learn so much from doing this and, of course, apply it to your own writing).
6.  It is a story you are keen to read again and again and again. A Christmas Carol is a classic example of this for me.
7.  It is a story you remember well.  This doesn’t stop you wanting to read it again because you will not recall all the details but you DO recall the pleasure this tale gave you and THAT is what you want to experience again.
8.  You can easily envisage the story being a film.  (This is a great test of how memorable the characters are and how strong the plot is).
9.  It is a story that adds something to the language.  Shakespeare takes top honours here.
10.  It is a story that defines its genre or expands it.  I’m thinking of Hans Christen Andersen here who added so many wonderful fairytales to that genre.

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Christmas

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.  My next post would usually be due on Tuesday but, surprise, surprise, not next week!  I will resume here on Friday, 28th December.  See you then!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Writing Wish List, Why Write Flash Fiction, and Special Offers

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Facebook – General

If you could make a writing related list for Santa, what would be on it? I’d ask for:-

1. The ability to stretch time so I can get all the writing I’d like to do in and done! Naturally I would not feel any side effects from this.

2. The ability to spot ALL typos etc before submitting work anywhere ALL the time. (If it is any comfort, most writers spot errors in work later on. We just don’t admit to it! We do feel annoyed at ourselves over them though – very much the “why didn’t I spot that one?” school of thought.

3. To never run out of pens, notebooks, ink cartridges, paper etc and also to arrange for the printer toner NOT to run out half way through a print run ever again. (You do get sick of this happening when it occurs more than once. Trust me on this).

4. To never miss a writing competition that might suit you ever again. (It is difficult to keep on top of them all so help from Santa here would be useful).

5. To never run out of inspiration and ideas and to always follow them through thoroughly.

6. Extra stamina would also come in handy. You need it when the umpteenth rejection comes in during the week.

7. More reviews of my book!

8. For the charlatans in the publishing industry to disappear from it for good so nobody is ever taken in by false promises again. Meanwhile, do check out the Society of Authors and/or ALLI, the Alliance of Independent Authors websites for sound advice on what to look for in publishing contracts, self publishing services etc.

9. To never run out of bookmarks. When I don’t need them I seem to have loads. When I do, can I find any? What do you think?

10. For more independent book shops and for them to thrive and do well.

I’m not putting these in any order of importance though 10 should be very high up on any list to Santa, I think.

Great characters = great books. Image via Pixabay.
Always good advice! Pixabay image.
Barbara Large has done so much to support and encourage writers for many years. Pixabay image.
Set goals for the short, medium and long terms. Pixabay image
Write first, edit later. Pixabay.
Stories reflect all sorts of moods. There is a story to suit everyone out there! Image via Pixabay.
Books are wonderful – whether in print or electronic, whether as audio stories or told by a storyteller. Image via Pixabay.
Such a familiar look. Image via Pixabay.
What every writer needs. Image via Pexels.
The blank page (or screen) is ready for your diary (or blog!). Image via Pixabay.

Am glad to share, via the link, details of some special offers on Chapeltown Books’ flash fiction collections, including From Light to Dark and Back Again by yours truly.

The offers are open until the end of the week. There are currently 8 books in the Chapeltown series and there is an offer on for all of those. Equally you can buy three or four of them and still have a special offer! This offer is on until 21st December.

Some last minute Christmas present ideas, everyone?

Hope that whatever else is amongst your presents this Christmas, some good books are amongst them!

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The YouTube below shows the books produced by Cafelit/Chapeltown/Bridge House during the year. A lovely selection.

I was in the To Be…To Become ebook produced by Bridge House. This contains the 16 winning entries to the Waterloo Arts Festival’s first writing competition. I hope they go on to have others!

What can be confirmed is there is a lovely variety of books and stories to suit all tastes here.

When do you know a story is really special? When you can’t forget the characters.

For me, story has always been about finding out what happens to the characters. I don’t necessarily need to like them (though most of the time I do) but I do need to be intrigued enough to find out what happens to them. So then there has to be something about the characters I can either identify with or which hits my “curiosity switch” and keeps that pressed down so I have to keep reading!

A good plot can be let down by characters that aren’t strong enough for it (and this means the writer hasn’t got to know his people well enough before writing about them). Great characters will lift any story they’re in. Great characters will generate plot. Imagine the chaos a devious character can cause when they set out to cause mischief deliberately. All sorts of stories can come from that, humorous and otherwise, but the character has to be well portrayed for that to work.

Let those ideas flow! Pixabay image
Edit, edit, edit! Pixabay image.
Plugging in for new ideas? Pixabay image
There be dragons. Pixabay
It always is! Reflecting first helps a lot! Pixabay image
Stepping into another world.. Pixbay
What wonderful worlds we can creat! Image via Pixabay.
A great new idea makes me smile, as does this image. Pixabay image.
Diary keeping as I recall it but I skipped the gingham! Image via Pixabay
Your blog, your topic, your theme – just be sensible on copyright and libel issues. Image via Pixabay.

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

Time for some micro Christmas stories then:-

1. The innkeeper smiled, having seen his guests to the last available room. Nobody else would be disturbing his sleep tonight then.

2. Scrooge grimaced as he walked home, having heard some youngster tell a snippet of a ghost story. Ghosts! Whatever next?

3. In the bleak midwinter, they could have done with a snow plough.4. Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer found that telling everyone he was suffering from a nasty cold stopped the awkward jokes about what he was adding to his water trough to generate said red nose.

5. Frosty the Snowman was the first to admit he really could not appreciate the benefits of central heating.

Allison Symes – 15th December 2018

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Never worry about overwriting a story. That overwriting can and should be cut later. Usually this is a case of sharpening up phrases etc. I like the creative aspect of that side of editing where you are happy with your characters and story but know you can express things better than you have done with your first draft.

For me, it is far more of a problem when, on odd occasions, my story is too short. Not a problem for my flash fiction but it can be for standard length short stories (usually 1500 words or so). This always means one thing in my book, pun intended (!), and that is my idea simply wasn’t strong enough. I needed to do far more outlining to see where the idea could take me before I committed to writing it and that process would have shown up inherent weaknesses in it.

So do outline. It can save you a lot of grief later.

A good read means you ARE in a world of your own. Pixabay image
Something I’ve yet to see happen! Pixabay image.
I often jot notes with pen and paper. Pexels image.
Love that clock. Pexels image.
Generating the writing ideas. Image via Pixabay.
Or get away from it all in one book. Pixabay image.
Whenever and whatever you read, enjoy. Image via Pixabay.
Books have their own sense of time and space. Image via Pixabay.
Let the creativity spill out. PIxabay image.
There is something almost mystical here. Pixabay image.
What worlds will emerge from your writing? Pixabay image

Reasons to write flash fiction:-

1. You learn how to edit well.

2. You learn to be ruthless when cutting out anything that is not moving the story forward.

3. You really do watch your word count. (This pays off for other forms of writing competitions too).

4. Given flash fiction markets and competitions have different requirements (for example some include the title as part of the word count, others specificially do not), you learn to make sure you ARE following the right rules for the competitions you’re interested in.

5. It is a great way to get work out there while you are working on a longer project.

6. There ARE more competitions and markets out there now so there should be at least one to suit your style of writing.

7. You have to write character driven stories but there’s nothing to stop you setting that character in any time, genre, or setting of your choosing. You are definitely NOT stuck to one genre here.

8. Flash fiction can make a great warm up writing exercise ahead of a longer project. The great thing is you can now do something with what your produce from those writing exercises!

9. You learn to write precisely because you are looking for the maximum impact on your readers for the minimum word count . This is a fantastic discipline which can be transferred across to other forms of writing you enjoy.

10. It’s fun! I’ve loved the challenge of writing to 100 words, to 75, to 50 etc. Flash fiction can be addictive!

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F = Fantastic Fiction
L = Lines that Hit Home
A = Amazing Characters
S = Stories with Impact
H = Humour and sometimes with a twist too.

F = Fairytales with Bite
I = Imagination is fired up!
C = Can cross genres
T = The word count is the main thing to watch
I = Insist on ruthless editing to cut all that is unnecessary
O = On the look out for markets and competitions
N = Never underestimate the time taken to craft your tales!

Allison Symes – 18th December 2018

Let one creative idea spark another. Pixabay image.
You can’t beat notebooks for jotting down ideas. Image via Pixabay.
Is it Time for a Change for the dragon in my story on Cafelit? Image via Pixabay
Like being able to store so many books! Image via Pexels
Christmas lights. Image via Pixabay.
A good writing group will help you discover this. Pixabay image.
Can’t have too many notebooks and pens. Image via Pexels
Lost in a good book. Image via Pixabay.
See! It is a good idea, weather permitting! Image via Pexels
I don’t understand those who dislike books, in whatever format. Image via Pixabay.
The perfect way to relax. All writers love to read. Image via Pixabay.
Where stories emerge. Image via Pixabay.
The Nativity. Image by Pixabay.
Christmas candles. Image by Pixabay.
Unless in a thunder storm or high winds, this is a good idea! Image via Pexels

Goodreads Author Programme Blog – Christmas Wish List

Naturally I’m assuming books are high up on your Christmas wish list. I would like to add to that though the following:-

1. More time to read!

2. More time to re-read old favourites. Does anyone else feel a pang of guilt sometimes when you really want to go back to a novel you’ve read a few times when you know there are so many other books you really should be getting on with and reading? That you actually want to read but the “clarion call” of the old favourite just can’t be resisted.

3. Being able to read “children’s” books without feeling guilty or embarrassed. Incidentally I understand the point of more grown up covers for certain books to get around this issue but for me this doesn’t really work. I like the original covers far better in the majority of cases and want to stick with those!

4. That all adaptations of stories and books do justice to their source materials. Too many don’t!

5. That I can always find a bookmark when I want one. (I either have LOADS when I don’t need them or none at all. Don’t ask… it is the way it is!).

Hope you have a book and story filled Christmas. The joy of the winter months is WANTING to stay indoors and curl up with a good book!

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