Tag: dogs

Gremlins and Hiccups!

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Facebook – General

Sorry, can’t share my CFT post for this week as usual. There’s a site issue which is being looked into. Will share the post when I can (I hope at some point over the weekend).

I’ve written about what I think are mankind’s Top 10 achievements and am looking forward to sharing it. It is not a comprehensive list (it can’t be) nor is it in one particular field but I will invite comments once I can share the post!

Meanwhile, a huge thank you to all for the birthday wishes. All very much appreciated.

Pleased I’ve managed to draft flash fiction pieces this week (I like the acrostic form and will use it again). Won’t be around much tomorrow but looking forward to next writing session on Sunday. I like the occasional break but always look forward to writing again and I think that’s a nice position to be in.

 

NB.  Once I can share the CFT post on Facebook, I will prepare a short separate post here to cover it.  I hope this can be sometime over the weekend.  Meanwhile, I’ve managed to write a blog about gremlins, more below!

Let the creativity spill out. PIxabay image.
Reality should feed your imagination. Pixabay image.
All writers have felt this way at times. Pixabay image.
Getting the balance right in adapting work is never easy. Pixabay image.
Beware! Writer at work. Other beverages are available. Pixabay image.
Pixabay image.
What are your characters like? What emotions do they have? Pixabay image.
Thinking your writing through is always a good idea. Pixabay image.
Adapations take more than one draft! Pixabay image
Encouragement can do so much to help writers here. Pixabay image.
Definitely a fantasy story here! Pixabay image.

I often find getting started with writing is the difficult bit but, once away, there’s no stopping me! This is why I will sometimes leave lines for me to finish or an odd note so that when I resume writing the next day I overcome that starting “hiccup” and can get straight on with things.

It is useful to work out what your writing “hiccups” are and then think of strategies to overcome/minimise them.

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My CFT post this week will be looking at what I think are amongst mankind’s top accomplishments. Link up on Friday. I will say now amongst other things the domestication of the dog comes into it.

Talking of dogs and having owned three collies now, I’ve spotted the similarities and differences in the characters of Gracie, Mabel, and Lady. Gracie and Lady are both champion cushion throwers (right off the sofa and into the middle of the carpet. I’m not talking sissy little cushions here either! They go for the big ones and don’t muck about). Mabel couldn’t wait to get her head down ON a cushion for her evening nap and wouldn’t dream of throwing them anywhere. She’d be very disapproving of Gracie and Lady for that!

Dogs come into my stories sometimes as pets of the main character. Sometimes they’re the driving force of a story (as in my She Did It Her Way, Kind Of). I do believe in writing what I know – well some of the time anyway!

Tugging the box. Image by Allison Symes
My two girls, both much missed. Mabel, the border collie, left us last week. Gracie, the bearded/border cross, left us five years ago. And yes it is the same ball. They both loved it.
Inquisitive Lady. Image by Allison Symes
Let the writing flow and if music can help it along even better! Image via Pixabay
The world of the imagination should play a role in your stories. I can’t imagine any world without some form of the arts. Image via Pixabay.
The lovely Mabel. Image taken by me! So much happier when there are no fireworks about – and that goes for Mabel too.

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

A technical glitch has hit the CFT website tonight so I hope to share my post for this week later on this weekend, all being well.

The nice thing with flash fiction is you can write it regardless of technology. Pen and paper can be ideal for jotting down story ideas for typing up later. (It’s less useful when trying to write a novel – and yes I have written a novel by longhand. Now, I wouldn’t. I’d outline and go straight to screen).

Whatever writing you’re doing over the weekend, enjoy it! Not around much tomorrow but will look forward to my next “proper” session on Sunday. I’m always refreshed by mini breaks but then raring to write again. Never lose the love of writing!

And have fun! Pixabay image.
Editing is vital. Nobody gets it right first go. Pixabay image.
Planning your writing can save you lots of time later. Pixabay image.
Self belief is crucial to a writer and Barbara did so much to encourage this. Pixabay.
The Writing Life. Pixabay image.
Get those ideas coming! Pixabay image
Set goals for the short, medium and long terms. Pixabay image
Indeed! Pixabay image.
Doing something with those ideas! Pixabay image

Time for another acrostic flash fiction piece. I’m enjoying these. They’re stretching the imaginative little grey cells, which is always a good thing! Hope you enjoy. I think the mood of this one reflects general moods in the country at the moment, what with the Brexit uncertainty etc.

TRUTH

Truth is what you make it, I was told.
Rubbish, I replied, if you’re right, truth can be manipulated.
Under certain circumstances it’s needed, truth can be sold.
Then I want no part of it, I told the electioneer at my door.
Honestly, he sighed, I was honest then and you still want no part of it!

Allison Symes – 21st March 2019

 

What worlds will new books show you? Pixabay
Ah, the bliss of reading! Pixabay image.
This seems a familiar sight! Image via Pixabay.
My smartphone has not yet managed this! Pixabay image.
Writing to screen. Image via Pixabay
It’s amazing what characters can emerge from your time at a writing desk! Pixabay image.
Books are fabulous, whatever the format. Image via Pixabay.
There is something almost mystical here. Pixabay image.
Without the darkness, we would not see the stars. Pixabay image.

Time for another acrostic piece then.

FICTION

Fabulous in pink, she whirled around,
Irritating her drab neighbours who stuck to their grey.
Carefree, unlike them, she ignored their shouts to stop
Trouble happened to others, never to her.
In a moment that situation changed
Oh my… dancing straight into traffic like that
Now on the national news for all the wrong reasons.

Allison Symes – 20th March 2019

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Publication News:  Cafelit – If It’s Too Good to be True

This was a fun story to write.  Hope you enjoy it.

Fairytales With Bite – Gremlins!

Gremlins have hit the CFT website tonight so I hope to share a double bill of posts with you next week but I thought I’d look at gremlins that can hit a writer.

The Indecision Gremlin
And a right pain this one is too.  You have two good story ideas to work on.  Which to pursue first?  I look at deadlines here and prioritise the one with the closest deadline.  If it’s a choice between a short piece and the novel, I plan out my writing time so I carve out slots specifically for the novel and other time periods I use for shorter pieces.  Over the course of a week, I’ve got done (most of the time) most of the work I’ve wanted to do .  It means I know what I’m doing with each day’s writing session and it kicks the indecision gremlin where it hurts as I don’t give it house room!

The Social Media Gremlin
How much time is the right time to spend on social media?  There’s no definitive answer to that one but I’ve found it has paid me to allow so long on it before I switch it off to write.

The Editing Gremlin
Otherwise known as the “I’ll just edit this one more time” gremlin. Is a very close relative of the indecision gremlin and can be just as much of a pain.  There is no hard and fast rule here but if you find you are just tinkering with a story, stop!  Send it out to the relevant market/competition and see you how do with it.  Remember this gremlin has the power to stop you moving on with new work if you let it.

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This World and Others –

The A to Z of Story Essentials Part 2

Continuing with what I think are the essentials to any story:-

F = Fun.  You should be enjoying what you’re writing even if you’re putting your characters through the grimmest hell imaginable.  Readers should be able to pick up on your enjoyment of putting a story together.  I detect this when I feel the story flows and has good pace.  That makes you want to read on.  There has to be the “I’ve got to find out what happens next” feel to your story.

G = Genre. Write in the genre you love.  Don’t pick a genre just because it’s fashionable as fashions never last long.  You’re in writing for the long haul so write what you love.  You’ll write better because you love it.

H = Humour.  This is tricky.  What is a great one-liner to one reader falls flat with another.  Allowing for humour being subjective then, write naturally.  Humour must come out of the situation or character you’ve created and must never seem forced.  This way the humour will arise naturally and readers will either get it or not but it won’t be out of place or jar your story in any way.

I = Imagination.  Let it run riot especially when outlining your story idea.  Work out possibilities and go for the one you love most.  It’ll be the one you will write with the most conviction.  And that does show through.

J = Jargon.  The best writing is simple writing.  That doesn’t mean it’s necessarily easy to write.  What you can guarantee is there has been a lot of editing carried out!  Avoid jargon.  Where characters might need to use it, it should be clear from context what the jargon means.  You don’t want to irritate your reader by coming up with something they can’t fathom out the meaning.  I’d also use any such jargon sparingly.

More next week….

Just what is your story then? Image via Pixabay
Even a world populated with dragons has to make sense. Pixabay
Never underestimate the value of a good edit. Pixabay image.
Escape with a good book. Image via Pixabay.
Connections to what you read and what you write. What are yours? Image via Pixabay.
Reach for those ideas. Pixabay image.
Is the truth welcome in your fictional world? How does your community react to it?. Image via Pixabay.
Aiming for more “magic” from my stories this year! Image via Pixabay.
A fictional city must seem realistic to readers. Pixabay.
Well, let’s do so by writing lots of stories! Image via Pixabay.
What we all strive for in writing. Pixabay
No room for gobbledygook here. 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.

FAVOURITE STORIES, FLASH FICTION AND FURRY FRIENDS

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Image Credit:  Unless otherwise stated, all images are either from Pixabay or taken by me.

Facebook – General

My favourite kind of story usually involves a villain getting their comeuppance. This covers everything from episodes of Columbo (great series!) to fairy tales to most fiction genres. I suppose this is because we all know so often justice is NOT done in life so perhaps we look to fiction to “compensate”.

I’m not into gruesome revenge tales (I think the danger with those is if you overdo it, you end up feeling some sympathy for the villain), but I do love poetic justice stories (and have written a few in From Light to Dark and Back Again),

The other reason is when the villain hasn’t got away with whatever evil scheme he/she devised, the story comes to what feels like a natural conclusion. Generally, there is no need to go beyond that point. And I like stories which are complete in themselves – an intriguing opening, an engrossing middle and a satisfying ending. I don’t want “beyond that”.

So what is your favourite kind of story and why?  (Image Credit:  Most below are by Pixabay.  The one of my books is by me).

Preparing a talk or a flash fiction story perhaps. Image via Pixabay.
Let your stories have impact. Image via Pixabay
Great stories often start this way but historical narrative shouldn’t! Image taken by Allison Symes
Preparing to talk about what I do writing wise.
Some of the strongest ideas have a simple theme. See A Christmas Carol as a classic example. Image via Pixabay.

Facebook – General Part 2

My Chandler’s Ford Today post this week will be a look back at last weekend’s Book Fair. While I can’t name all the authors taking part (there were LOADS!), I can share several pictures to give a good idea of how things were. I very much hope this will be the start of many such events.

Sadly we lost our independent bookshop some time ago so the Book Fair and other events like it can help plug the gap a little. We are lucky enough to have a fantastic library and one of their staff, the great Jane, came out to support the event too with their information stand. More details tomorrow. But we definitely need more of this kind of event!

At the weekend something special will happen. My family and I have made it our role in life to rescue lady collies down on their luck and regardless of age. Well on Saturday we will be bringing Lady home. Our third rescue dog, our third dog with a name we like so we won’t be changing it, so we still haven’t named any dogs we own!

And up in our front room? Two photo portraits of our Gracie and Mabel, much missed and always loved. We used the images below (on the first picture) and are really pleased with how the portraits turned out. The odd thing is it was about a month between Gracie and Mabel and it will be the same again with Mabel and Lady. Not planned on our part. Just a question of the right dog, the right time, the right place.

(Oh yes and with our innate sense of timing, of course we’re bringing Lady home on Bonfire Weekend. Still, this is the family that had their central heating installed in the middle of a very cold November so we have formhere!).. Pics of Lady to follow, I hope, at the weekend.

Image may contain: outdoor and nature

Gracie, my first dog, is on the left.  Mabel is on the right.  Both lovely dogs.  Image taken by me.

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

What can you do with flash fiction that it would be difficult to do with longer forms of longer writing?

1. Use flash to convey a strong but short idea that genuinely wouldn’t run to a short story or beyond.

2. Use flash to hone your editing skills. Every word counts here and you know your finished piece has to be at least under 1000 words. With short story competitions, while a lot ask for 1500 to 2000 words, there are many who welcome longer short stories. With flash, you have a definite fixed overall limit.

3, You can come up with any character in any setting or genre because the tight word count means you have no room for description (much) or narrative that doesn’t advance the story. I find it much easier to have my stories character led and it is huge fun finding out where THEY take me!

Great stories often start this way but historical narrative shouldn’t! Image taken by Allison Symes
What impact do your stories have on your readers? Image via Pixabay
Stories reflect all sorts of moods. There is a story to suit everyone out there! Image via Pixabay.

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again Part 2

When I interview writers for Chandler’s Ford Today, I always ask for their three top tips. Naturally, there is some crossover on ideas here. What’s really interesting is the priority the authors give to those ideas. So what would be MY three top tips for writing flash fiction?

1. Focus on the character. It really is their story. There’s no room for much in the way of description so you need to show what THEY are like by what they say, their attitude to others etc.

2. Only have a couple of characters at most in in a piece. The limited word count almost dictates this, You can have them refer to other characters “off stage” though.

3. Have fun. Set your characters in any era, any world, any genre.

Bonus tip: There are many sub-divisions within flash fiction. I like the 100-word tales but I do write the 250, the 500, the 750 variety of flash tale as well. It is a question of ensuring your story is the correct flash length for the story. Not all will suit the very short (100 or less) forms. Sometimes you do need 500 words! (Besides it is fun to mix it all up a bit!).

Getting set up ready for the Book Fair
Flash – for light or dark fiction! Image via Pixabay
You can’t beat the trusty notebook and pen for interview notes. Image via Pixabay.
The magic of stories. Image via Pixabay
Such a familiar look. Image via Pixabay.

Goodreads Author Programme – Blog

I believe all writers, regardless of their usual genre, would benefit from writing flash fiction from time to time. Why?

Firstly, writing flash fiction really hones up your editing skills. You can kiss goodbye to weak word choices.

In a form where every word has to earn its place in your story, you do learn to select the strongest words possible. No more of the “He made his way quickly up the hill”. It will be “He raced up the hill”.

The image is so much stronger in the second version (yes, you could use “ran”, but I think “raced” is superior. To me it shows more effort being expended).

Secondly, if you can summarise your story or non-fiction work as a flash fiction piece, well you’ve just written a good basis for your synopsis and/or blurb, which I know most writers dread writing.

Thirdly, you have to have strong, memorable characters. As flash fiction is so short with no room for much narrative, I find the tales must be character led.

Therefore, those characters must stick in a reader’s mind. Developing strong characters like this can help you in writing them for longer fiction works too.

Fourthly, you can set your character in any genre or time with flash fiction. You never know but in doing this, you might find a genre you didn’t know you liked to write in becomes a favourite. That’s exactly what happened to me with flash fiction. I gave it a go and quickly became hooked!

Good luck if you do try writing flash fiction and have fun. It is a great form for experimenting with and that is one of the joys of writing overall: to discover new ways of story or genre you want to explore further.

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Says it all really. Image via Pixabay.

THE ROLE OF ANIMALS IN FAIRYTALES

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Both of tonight’s posts on my websites are inspired by a dramatic weekend with my border collie, Mabel, which I write about in more detail on my Facebook page.

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

The Role of Animals in Fairytales looks at how I like the way animals are generally depicted in fiction, especially fairytales.  For example, Puss in Boots is a fully rounded character in his own right and is clearly far more intelligent than his human master.  Watership Down, for me, is the classic example of wonderfully drawn animal characters.  And I like non-human characters in my stories, as long as they are not twee, are shown with motivations and reasons for those motivations, the same way human characters would be portrayed.

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

What Your Characters Care About the Most came about as I reflected on what (and whom!) I care about most. Naturally, what I care about (and whom!) makes me the person I am and this should be true for our fictional creations as well.

FACEBOOK PAGE

Tonight’s post is all about my border collie, Mabel, after a dramatic weekend with her.  And I end it with a plea not to buy puppies from puppy farms EVER (just look at all the reports on the cruelty involved to the breeding mothers for one thing) and equally not to buy puppies at Christmas at all.  A dog needs your time and commitment and Christmas is not the right time to make that kind of decision.  So definitely a post for the animal lovers tonight.

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This picture was taken by me as I was walking my border collie, the lovely (but sometimes noisy) Mabel. I used the image in a Hidden Hampshire piece for Chandler's Ford Today. Probably my best photo ever of a sunset.

This picture was taken by me as I was walking my border collie, the lovely (but sometimes noisy) Mabel. Mabel has not been at all well this weekend but has shown great determination and grit and is slowly recovering.  Keep fighting, Mabel.