Hard at work. While writing should always be fun, the work of getting it fit for publication shouldn't be underestimated. Image via Pixabay.

FAVOURITE STORIES

October 5, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

A character’s favourite stories can tell you a great deal about the character so this can be useful in helping to portray them as fully rounded beings. What makes the favourite stories so well loved by your characters? What legends are they brought up on and which would be their sacred texts? I ask these questions and others in tonight’s post. There are stories to be had writing the story behind the story!

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

What every character wants is the theme here tonight. Are you giving your characters what they want?! My short check list may be a useful place to start!

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I talk about my methods of writing a short story, sending it off to a competition (usually) and then immediately starting another one. Sometimes I write a story and later a suitable competition comes up so I send the piece off. But this method of working means by the end of a year, I have written a reasonable number of stories. I tend to write flash fiction in small batches. I don’t know why but it seems to work for me.

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Where stories used to start – P.G. Wodehouse and Agatha Christie, two of my favourite authors, must have produced billions of words between them on typewriters. Image via Pixabay.

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.

Writing the first drafts! Image via Pixabay.

GOING BACK IN TIME

October 3, 2016Leave a comment

One of my heroes, Doctor Who, is of course renowned for this but my posts tonight are on the topic of the past and how this could affect your characters and plot.

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

I talk about a magical education in tonight’s post and how that affects your characters. Are they getting an education now to make up for lost time in their past? What happened to make them need to do this? How does the education they’ve had affect the decisions they’re making now? After all someone who is illiterate would be very dependent on someone else for interpreting any written documents they come across. Can they trust the ones helping them?

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

Going Back is tonight’s post and looks at how revisiting places can affect your characters. I love visiting places of historical interest and always come away from them having learned something new. I also come away with a deeper appreciation I can read and write. This has not always been universal, especially for women. The past has a deep impact on now and at least in terms of general education in the developed world this has been a major improvement. (And yes I wish this was true everywhere).

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I talk about revisiting the past and education again here. This topic came to mind as I reblogged a post (first time ever!) from Tales From the Notepad’s Sunday Sojourn series where their post was about Fotheringay Castle. I would love to visit what remains here given it is the birthplace of Richard III (and I must try and get to Leicester at some point too).

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OTHER NEWS

Have sent off a new fairytale for a writing competition. I’m currently developing a flash fiction tale into a longer piece of work given the initial idea has sparked other ideas. I love that when it happens and of course I can hopefully place the flash fiction piece in one place and the longer work somewhere else should it all work out okay.

Am also currently working my way through some fantastic interview questions put to me by short story author, Jacci Gooding, who I met at Winchester Writers’ Festival. Will post details of when the interview will appear when I know more but am enjoying being on the other side of the fence. I love carrying out writer interviews and indeed reading them, as I always learn something (one of the great joys of writing at all for me), but it has felt a bit odd having questions put to me! It is a very good “odd” though!!

Blogging via diaries and tablets – ancient and modern technology! Image via Pixabay.

The scribe's tent at the Medieval Weekend held in Hampshire earlier this summer. Image taken by me.

ON BEING A FAIRYTALE WITCH

September 29, 2016September 29, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

Continuing with my Ideal Candidate series, tonight I look at the role of the witch in the fairytales. Advantages you include never having to moisturise and knowing you can curse as much as you like because the latter is precisely what is expected of you!

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

I share which fictional characters I would interview if it were possible to do so. Who would you choose and why?

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I was delighted to discover on reading the most recent Road to Agincourt Project newsletter that Chandler’s Ford Today and I are in it! My Facebook author page shares the link on this. And thanks again to the Road to Agincourt Project for this.

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The scribe’s tools of the trade in medieval times. Image taken by me.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

September 27, 2016September 27, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

The above title is not a reference to the US elections, honest! Instead, my post, The Ideal Candidate for being a Talking Animal in a Fairytale, gives some thoughts as to what a talking animal in a fairytale should be like. It definitely has to be more intelligent than your average human….

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

This post, What a Good Character Will Do For You, outlines some of the things I’ve found to be true about a really good character. Though I say “good character”, this post also refers to the well portrayed villains too, without whom there is no story.

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I discuss my tendency (in the past) to over edit a story or an article. It is a form of procrastination and the only way to make progress in writing is to send your stories out there and see what happens. Learn from the comments you may attract. What I do now is write the piece, edit it, put it aside for a few days, then look at it again and then get the piece out there. If there is one thing I have learned as a writer, it is that nobody ever writes the perfect piece of work. They can’t. Neither can I so you aim for as near perfection as you can get.

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The classic beginning for all stories… Image via Pixabay

Shelves of stories waiting to be discovered. Image via Pixabay

IDEAL CHARACTERS AND FAIRY GODMOTHERS

September 26, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

I share what I think makes up the perfect qualities of the ideal fairy godmother. What do you think? Do you agree? Are there qualities I’ve missed out?

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

Continuing with the theme of idealism, I ask what makes the perfect character from the writer’s viewpoint. Amongst other things I suggest that the writer should be sympathetic to their character’s flaws but not be annoyed by their virtues. Do you agree? I remember reading Agatha Christie became thoroughly fed up with Hercule Poirot. So how as writers do we remain in love with our characters enough to keep on writing about them? That is really relevant of course for series writers but see what you think of my suggestions here.

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I share what I like about classical music and admit I don’t know that much about it! What matters is that I know what I like when I hear it. And the same can go for writing to an extent. I know what I like when I read it. And that goes for my own stories as well as those of other writers. It’s definitely time to move on to another story if you are not gripped by it. And this is something to watch for when editing your tales. Is your story gripping you? If not, it won’t grip anyone else!

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From paper to PC, characters and stories must grip you as the writer first if they are to have any hope of gripping readers! 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.

A beaten knight but Richard III's injuries at Bosworth would have been far more horrific. Image via Pixabay.

IMPOSSIBLE INTERVIEWS

September 23, 2016Leave a comment

CHANDLER’S FORD TODAY

Tonight’s post is the start of a new occasional series, Impossible Interviews, in which I interview historical figures. My “guest” tonight? Richard III! Maligned or monstrous? What do you think? For anyone with a love of history I think it is fair to say you can’t be impartial about the king.

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

I take the Impossible Interviews theme a bit further with my post here tonight. Called Impossible Interviews – In the Magical World, I look at who I would interview in such a setting. I would quiz those who set the magical standards as to why they have set them the way they have and also chat to those who are very low down in the magical pecking order.

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

In Doing the Impossible: Listening to Characters, I ask if it were possible for you as the writer to listen to what your characters have to say to you, would you do so?! Are they happy with the way you’ve portrayed them and if not, why not, and what will you do about it?!

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I share the link to my Chandler’s Ford Today post.

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The Bard tells a cracking story but that doesn’t mean any of it is true! Image via Pixabay

Fiction or not, books are the gateways to other worlds. Image via Pixabay.

THE WORKING LIFE

September 22, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

Unwinding at the End of the Day is tonight’s post on Fairytales with Bite. I look at how characters unwind and ask what might happen if their lives are turned upside down so any chance of unwinding goes completely (think Frodo Baggins knowing he’s got to go on a quest he’s unlikely to survive to try to get rid of the Ring of Power – just how do you cope with that?). Also given we all need to unwind, so do our characters and this aspect should show more of their personalities, always helpful in the overall portrayal.

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

The Working Life by contrast looks at this aspect of a character’s life. What work do they do? In a magical world, what is done workwise without the aid of magic given to use that kind of power all the time is bound to be draining on the practitioner? Also who carries out the lowly jobs that need doing but where using magic is probably going to be overkill? (In any world someone has to take out the bins for example! Do you really want to use magic for that?!).

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I discuss the one thing that makes a good story or book as far as I’m concerned – the quality of the characters. Are they believable? I also share a brief thought on villains and on characters that are too good! Do you agree?

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A beautiful place in which to read stories – image via Pixabay

Now here's a statue that I like! Image via Pixabay

TRUTH AND SYMPATHY

September 11, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

I look at Truth in Fiction tonight and discuss the importance of having characters who are real and with whom readers can identify. I also mention Richard III. Am always glad to get a mention in for him as one of my non-fiction books which reveals a lot of research about him is called The Maligned King (author: Annette Carson) and I think the title sums him up well. Truth still matters, even after all these centuries. It matters in fiction too. If characters aren’t truthful or real in the way they’re portrayed, people simply won’t read their stories.

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

I look at Sympathetic Characters tonight and discuss how I portray my “people” so readers are likely to be able to identify with them and want to read their stories. I also discuss what makes for a “good” villain and hero/heroine as far as I’m concerned. I also reveal what I really think about my rebellious fairy godmother character.

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I discuss Richard III tonight as I was delighted to find a free Kindle download of Clements Markham’s research into the king. This research helped inspire Josephine Tey who wrote The Daughter of Time, one of my favourite novels ever and which is one of the few to make me change my mind about a person, in this case Richard III. I reviewed this book some time ago for Chandler’s Ford Today but have included the link here.

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Richard III poster – image via Pixabay. One of my favourite characters to read about but NOT as Shakespeare portrayed him!