The modern way to read - the Kindle. Image via Pixabay.

IF THERE WERE A FAIRYTALE WITCH’S CONFERENCE…

October 10, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

I continue with the theme of conferences and look at what might be on offer for an event held for fairytale witches. This, of course, assumes you could get enough fairytale witches together who would not squabble or curse each other for long enough to get through the day itself in one piece. Frankly this is assuming a lot…

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

I discuss classical music in tonight’s post and how I now love listening to it as I write. There was a time when I couldn’t write with music in the background at all. I found it was affecting my mood and therefore how/what I wrote! But classical does not seem to have that affect. It’s either that or I’ve matured a bit as a writer to block out distractions! From a writing viewpoint, I ask how music comes into play (some pun intended!) in your fictional creations.

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I’m feeling chuffed I’ve managed to catch up with some reading today. I discuss that and advances in technology when it comes to books (whether reading or writing them) in tonight’s post.

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My own library is not on this scale but isn’t this a fabulous place? Image via Pixabay (of Leeds Castle).

The Hayes Conference Centre, Derbyshire.

THE DANGERS OF REVIEWING MAGICAL BOOKS

October 7, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

There are some jobs that the sensible would avoid at all costs. One of these is being a magical book reviewer. Tonight’s FWB post looks how a magical book reviewer might set about their task – and yes, carefully is one answer!

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

Spreading the Word discusses (briefly) the need that all authors have to do what they can in this regard. I do take my own advice (!) and share news of the latest anthology my work appears in on my News page. (The Best of Cafelit 5 published by Chapeltown Books and available in print and electronically. There! I’ve taken my own advice again – links on my website!).

From a fictional viewpoint, this post discusses how your characters might spread the word. The post asks how technology has developed in your story worlds and, if it hasn’t, asks why not? Is the media controlled in your settings? Are stories still told in the oral tradition? Answering these questions could trigger some really good stories. (Orwell’s 1984 being the ultimate re the media control one I think).

CHANDLER’S FORD TODAY

I discuss what makes a good writing conference in tonight’s CFT post and share my thoughts based on my experience of attending the Winchester and Swanwick conferences. I share some of my photos taken at Swanwick. The conference there is held at The Hayes Conference Centre in Derbyshire. The grounds are lovely and the accommodation very comfortable. Only trouble? I ate far too much when I was away there! Still it is a nice trouble to have…and I certainly wasn’t the only one!

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My FB author page tonight shares the link with my Chandler’s Ford Today post where I discuss good writing conferences. I share what I have learned about what to look out for, based on my experience of the Winchester Writers’ Festival and, for the first time this year, the Swanwick Summer Writers’ School. Hope the post helps those who are considering going to a conference for the first time.

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One of the lakes at The Hayes Conference Centre, Derbyshire, which is home to the Swanwick Summer Writers’ School. Image taken by me this year. Lovely place to walk around.

Where stories emerge. Image via Pixabay.

TASKS AND CHORES

October 4, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

Tonight’s post takes a fun look at what daily magical tasks an apprentice in a fairytale world is likely to have to carry out.

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

Tasks and Chores looks at those day to day things we all have to do and asks what do our characters have as their favourites/absolutely loathe and why. Are our characters planners or do they everything “on the fly”? What happens on those occasions when they must act contrary to the way they usually would?

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I discuss what I am up to writing wise at the moment and moan about the fact I’m not having much time for reading right now (though I hope to rectify that later this week, God willing. Things have not entirely gone to plan so far this week so I’m not taking anything for granted. I usually make time for a good read of writing related things as part of my writing session. I read fiction at bedtime. These things I see as crucial to helping me improve my own writing so it has been a bit frustrating not being able to read as much this week).

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The Kindle. I read from it at bedtime and have a wide variety of non-fiction and fiction books on it. Image via Pixabay.

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY

October 4, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly are all found in classic fairytales, probably the best example is Beauty and the Beast. The good is Beauty, the bad is the witch who cursed the prince and Beast is the ugly one, though I’ve always loved this tale for its message that what you look like should not be the be all and end all. (A side message is be careful when offending someone who looks harmless as they might not be and turning someone else into a monstrous being is one of their specialities!). How can you use these elements? I have a look at that in this post.

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

I look at rituals and habits in At the End of the Day and ask what do your characters do at the end of their day? Do they follow their own habits or is everyone expected to follow a set routine? (If the latter, you know the world you’ve created is run by a control freak!). How your characters wind down for the night (or day as appropriate) can reveal much about them and how they differ from others in stories.

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Today saw one of those lovely moments in the life of a writer: that moment when you open a parcel of books you’ve ordered but your story is in them! My flash fiction piece, Telling the Time, is in The Best of Cafelit 5 (available in print and electronically). The link takes you to the Amazon page. My story is one of my 100 word stories but there’s a lovely mix of very short stories like that and longer ones so there should be something to suit all tastes in short story length!

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The old way of writing a story! Image via Pixabay

Notebooks - ancient and modern. Where characters start to take shape. Image via Pixabay.

WHEN THINGS GO WRONG

September 25, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

When Things Go Wrong takes a look at those moments when certain fairytale characters would have known they would have been far better off staying at home that day. (But alas didn’t!).

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

A Bad Day sets out some story ideas as to what could go wrong for your characters and above all how they handle this. At the very least the thoughts here might give you ideas for how to flesh out your characters more because true character is shown when someone is put under unexpected stress. The pretences, the cover ups all come crashing down. If you really want to know what your characters are made of, drop them right in it! How do they react?

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Tonight’s theme is the joy of outlining. I also share which Scrivener tools I use to help with this process, which I find particularly helpful for the standard short story. For flash fiction, I give myself one line and the “mood” of the story as the outline and away I go but Scrivener has some useful templates short story writers might find useful. I do anyway.

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Have notebook. Will jot down ideas for how to drop my characters right in it and work out how they get out of it again. Image via Pixabay.

MIXING IT UP

September 20, 20162 Comments

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

Tonight’s post is called Mixing It Up where I discuss variety in writing in terms of what you write and also in terms of short stories. After all there are markets and competitions now for the very short story and the much longer one so have a go at both! I also share news of a flash fiction piece of mine, Telling the Time, which first appeared on the Cafelit website now being available in their annual anthology, The Best of Cafelit 5.

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

Not the most imaginative title I know but my post tonight called Ten Writing Tips I’ve Found Useful sums up this blog nicely! Hope you find at least some of the tips useful.

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Again I share news of The Best of Cafelit 5 on my Facebook Author page tonight but I also refer to Baubles, the upcoming Bridge House Publishing annual anthology, where I’ll also have a story appearing. More details on that when that book comes out.

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A world of technologies means more places for stories to appear! Image via Pixabay

BEING TAKEN OUT OF YOURSELF

September 18, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

In tonight’s post Developments I ask how your characters react to the big changes in life. I also ask how development in general takes place in your fictional world. Can big business dictate to government or is there one central power controlling everything?

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

In Being Taken Out of Yourself, I ask what triggers enable your characters to escape their humdrum lives for a while. I also ask what happens when characters that need to escape for a while find they can’t do so. Just how long can they keep going before they crack.

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I discuss what I hope will become a mini series for Chandler’s Ford Today and wonder why it is I have days, like today, when I can catch up with my reading, yet on other days I barely have time to read at all!

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Books help you wind down, can be a trigger to escape life. Image via Pixabay.

A bookshelf of beautiful books. A joy to look at, but a greater one to read! Image via Pixabay.

IS THERE A MAGIC WAND IN WRITING?

September 16, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

You shouldn’t be too surprised that the answer to “Is there a Magic Wand in Writing?” is a resounding “no” but I discuss how you can help “beef up” the imaginative muscle. And the best way of all is to indulge in the flip side of writing, which is to read. Is there a writer who doesn’t love to read? I don’t think so and my attitude here is go for it – prose, poetry, fiction, non-fiction – indulge, knowing it will help your own writing no end!

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

On a similar theme, my post Flexing the Imaginative Muscle shares three writing exercises. Writing exercises are, of course, the other great way to fire up your imagination. Some have given me opening lines, which I’ve then used to write flash fiction or longer short stories, though a play, a novella or longer piece of fiction could also start from something like this.

FACEBOOK PAGE/CHANDLER’S FORD TODAY POST

I use my FB author page tonight to discuss my Chandler’s Ford Today post called Why I Use Scrivener Writing Software. This is likely to remain the most technical piece of writing I ever produce but I hope it might be useful to those writers considering using this software. I have, however, put in links to some of my favourite authors for whom writing technology consisted of the quill and the typewriter! And those sites are worth exploring if you are a fan of Roald Dahl, P.G.Wodehouse and/or Shakespeare! At the end of the day it is the imagination that is the most important writing tool of all.

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Feature image for my Chandler’s Ford Today post. Image via Pixabay.

My library is not so huge or grand but precious all the same. Love this image though. It is the library at Leeds Castle. Image via Pixabay.

DAY TRIPPING AND FAIRYTALE WORRIES

September 14, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

Tonight’s Fairytale Worries is a light-hearted piece about what fairytale characters might worry about! Well we all have our concerns and crosses in life to put up with, so why should fictional characters be any different?

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

One of my favourite things, away from the worlds of writing and reading, is getting to see a bit more of this big, bad world. I love day trips. Tonight’s post, Day Tripping, wonders if characters in a magical world might enjoy this too and asks where would they go? How would they get there? There could be some humorous stories to be found in following those ideas up. Note to self: give it a go!

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I discuss the debt those of us who write tales for grown ups (as opposed to adult stories, that’s more of E.L. James’ market!) owe to the writers of children’s literature. I share what I loved reading as I was growing up too.

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The ultimate Book Circle perhaps? Image via Pixabay

Escape with a good book - and Roald Dahl's were amongst the best. Image via Pixabay

SHORT FICTION

September 13, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

In Short Fiction I discuss why fairytales fit a short story format so well and what fairytales and other short stories have in common. One thing I forgot to put on is that both fairytales and other short stories should have a strong emotional response on your readers.

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

In Legacies, I look at legacies in terms of the impact characters have on your story, other characters and so on. I discuss Roald Dahl’s legacy briefly (I could have written much more about that!).

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I discuss Roald Dahl in more detail here and share the YouTube clip of the opening and closing credits for his Tales of the Unexpected. I also list some of my favourite Dahl stories.

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The most important advice of all when it comes to books whether you are just reading them or trying to write your own as well. Image via Pixabay.