Tag: From Light to Dark and Back Again

The Word Fairy

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So if the word fairy turned up and granted you three wishes but they had to be related to writing in some way, what would you ask for? My choices would be:-

1. To never run out of ideas that will work!
2. To edit perfectly in one big edit. (Fat chance but just think of the time saved!).
3. To always be proud of what I have published.

Funnily enough, I don’t think I would ask for everything of mine to be automatically published. The quality has to be there and you as the writer should be proud of what you’ve written long after you’ve moved on to other writing projects.

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Editing – the crucial part to getting a story right. Image via Pixabay.
What wonderful worlds we can creat! Image via Pixabay.
No room for gobbledygook here. Image via Pixabay.
Books are the keys to knowledge. Image via Pixabay
Nice selection of books here! Image via Pixabay
Love this image! Image via Pixabay

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Many thanks to all who commented or liked my post yesterday on the three wishes I would go for if the word fairy turned up.

So turning this idea on its head, what three things related to writing would you ask the word fairy to take and dump somewhere inaccessible with no chance of said items ever coming back? (Naturally no pollution would be caused).

My choices would be:-

1. Amazon saying your book is temporarily out of stock when it is easily available. Grrr…

2. All snobbery relating to genre fiction.

3. All snobbery relating to the independent press.

Now before you say, hang on, Allison is published by the independent press and her stories would count as genre fiction, yes, yes I know. It just gives me added reason to dump these things! I am not pretending to be unbiased here (just as well really).

So what would you choose? (We’ll assume nasty reviews that are clearly having a go at the author rather than trying to be objective about the book have already been dumped by the word fairy. She’s good about things like that or will be when I’ve had a word in her ear…).

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My Chandler’s Ford Today this week is a review of the latest production by The Chameleons. This was a set of three plays, all different in mood and setting, called an April Trio of Plays. More tomorrow but it was intriguing to see three different stories performed.

Contrasts in mood can also work well in stories generally, of course. If there could be said to be a golden rule, it is that there has to be at least one good reason for the mood to be shown. Mind, there has to be at least one good reason for any character to be in a story. If they are not contributing, out they go!

Even in the heart of a city, books can provide escapism. Image via Pixabay.
A beautiful home for lovely books. Image via Pixabay.
Let those ideas flow! Image via Pixabay,
What writing triggers will help you create your new worlds? Image via Pixabay
This was part of the pub decor at the place where Bridge House had their event. Very apt! Image by Allison Symes
Is the truth welcome in your fictional world? How does your community react to it?. Image via Pixabay.
Getting the word out! Image via Pixabay
Let the writing flow and if music can help it along even better! Image via Pixabay

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The delights of short fiction
Are in all of the friction
Contained in fewer words
That please us writing nerds
Who want to have a ball
With their tales and, in all,
Show cynics it can be done
In 100 words – it’s fun!

Allison Symes – 1st May 2018

For all you fellow drabblers out there! (Who did come up with the terms for flash fiction categories? Above all, why?! I still don’t see how 100-word stories could be called drabbles. What is the link there? If anyone knows, please let me know. Mind, I feel more sorry for the 50-word writers. To be a dribbler doesn’t sound right, does it? You just want to reach for some tissue…).

Books – love them, don’t mind the format. Image via Pixabay
The writer’s basic toolkit – image via Pixabay
The tools of the scrivener’s trade. We’ve come on a bit since then! Image via Pixabay
Good advice – and it applies to our characters too. Image via Pixabay
The wonderful world of stories. Image via Pixabay
I’m not arguing with this one! Image via Pixabay.
Flash fiction for impact. Image via Pixabay
What is your story? 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.
Beautiful books. Image via Pixabay.

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Am delighted to say I am one of the authors chosen to appear in the Waterloo Festival anthology. Am gutted I can’t get to the launch event in June due to a much looked forward to holiday! Murphy’s Law for writers strikes again… ah well.

Timing being “off” sometimes is just one of those things that happens to most writers at some point. Sometimes a story can be rejected not because there’s anything particularly wrong with it, but because the editor has chosen another on a similar topic so doesn’t want two close together like that. So definitely time to see if you can find another home for your story then.

Am very pleased to see there are so many more flash story competitions around these days so hopefully that gives us all more scope to find what suits our writing best. Good luck!

Gill James talks with Dawn Knox and I at a networking event held by Bridge House Publishing last December. Am glad to report Dawn will also be in the Waterloo Festival Anthology. Image from Paula Readman and thanks to her for permission to use it.
So much history here, so many stories here. Image via Pexels.
What a beautiful home for books. Image via Pixabay
Books are a fantastic form of escapism. Image via Pixabay
Paula Readman, Dawn Knox and I at the recent Bridge House celebration event. Many thanks to Paula for the image. Also Paula is another winning entry for the Waterloo Festival.
One of the best ways to escape is with a good book. Image via Pixabay.
My own library is not on this scale but isn’t this a fabulous place? Image via Pixabay (of Leeds Castle).

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Of all the sayings that flash fiction justifies, less is more is probably the best one!

You can only use the most important details in a story. I often don’t name a character either but write in the first person. (I tend not to use that at all for longer short fiction).

You have to get to the point of the story quickly (or if writing a twist ending, everything must be seen to build up to that point. There must be a sense of “movement” in the story getting your readers to where you want them to be).

Heading to the light. Image via Pixabay.
From Light to Dark and Back Again perhaps? Image via Pixabay (and so beautiful)
Beautiful light. Image via Pixabay.
The world is shrinking thanks to technology. Image via Pixabay.
The classic start to a fairytale. Image via Pixabay.
The wonderful world of stories. Image via Pixabay

Goodreads Author Programme – Blog

One Book To Rule Them All?

A good writing diet includes plenty of reading, in and out of the genre you focus on, and should include non-fiction too.

Why? Because ideas for stories spark from all over the place and by reading widely, you are effectively casting your net further. You are giving yourself more opportunities to be inspired. What’s not to like about that?

It is also a good idea to read contemporary as well as classic fiction. Again you are mixing up your reading and, especially if you’re a writer seeking publication, it does make enormous sense to support the industry you are trying to join by reading some of the books that come out of it!

I also think it a good idea to mix things up still further when reading fiction by reading novels, short stories, flash fiction, and poetry. I love reading things I know I couldn’t write myself because the joy of being creative in writing is enjoying the creativity of others. After all, what inspired you to write? Almost certainly something you’ve read.

REAL WRITING POST - Let your characters live

Books should keep you gripped and that is down to the characters. Image via Pixabay

Or you could just ask a few simple questions - image via Pixabay

Or you could ask some simple questions! Image via Pixabay.

Nobody gets their ideas spot on immediately, image via Pixabay

Nobody gets their ideas right first go. Image via Pixabay.

My stories are in The Best of Cafelit 4, 5 and now 6 and also by Bridge House Publishing (Alternative Renditions). My first collection From Light to Dark and Back Again is published by Chapeltown Books.

Where my stories are in print. Image by Allison Symes

The best advice for any writer - image via Pixabay

And prepare well!

Writing in many forms... Image via Pixabay

Writing in many forms… Image via Pixabay

Images from the magical world... Image via Pixabay

Images from the magical world… Image via Pixabay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Likes, Dislikes and Using “Dead Time”

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My latest CFT post is Part 4 of my 101 Things to Put into Room 101. I’m up to No. 60! Tonight’s “delights” to go into the vault of doom include rats, overpriced clothing for those of us with height issues (in either direction) and those people who dislike fake flowers. I bet they don’t suffer from hayfever!

My latest CFT post. Image via Pixabay
These clothes would swamp me. Image via Pixabay
Honest reviews, yes. Hatchet jobs, no. Image via Pixabay.
Hate badly designed car parks. Image via Pixabay
Have never understood the point of the clock changes twice a year. Can’t we just stick to one? Image via Pixabay.
Fake flowers are a boon to hayfever sufferers. Image via Pixabay.

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Am planning to get on with some flash fiction writing whilst out and about on the train tomorrow. Great use of dead time and on my last trip out like this, I managed to write at least five stories (which are in the second collection I’ve submitted to Chapeltown Books). I can’t give you an exact number as I stopped counting after that.

One lovely thing about writing, regardless of genre or whether you write fiction, non-fiction or both, is you are never short of things to be getting on with while out and about on public transport! I also use dead time like this to draft future ideas for Chandler’s Ford Today and Association of Christian Writers’ blog posts.

Am I a convert to the smartphone? You bet! Picture below from one of my CFT posts from late last year but given the topic of this post, I thought it apt to use it again!

“Real” books or Ebooks? See what Gail Aldwin thinks in my latest CFT post. Image via Pixabay
The writer’s basic toolkit – image via Pixabay
Ebooks and print – both have their own frustrations when it comes to publishing. Image via Pixabay
Writing to screen. Am using smartphone more for this.
Sound advice. Image via Pixabay
It can take a lot of self-belief to be able to call yourself this at times. 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.
Well, what is it then? Image via Pixabay.

Fairytales with Bite – Character Likes and Dislikes

In my latest Chandler’s Ford Today post, I consign various items to Room 101. Amongst the items in Part 4 of my series are rats, people who dislike fake flowers, and overpriced clothing for those of us with height issues (in either direction.  Am not unbiased here!).

I love fake flowers because (a) they are of a much higher quality than they once were and (b) I’m a hayfever sufferer!  Thinking about this made me wonder about what quirky likes and dislikes your characters have.  I’m thinking of those things that would really make them stand out to a reader.  It is vital readers can tell characters apart and distinctive personality traits, likes and dislikes are great ways to achieve those necessary differences.  We’re not all clones after all, so our characters mustn’t be either.

Think about also why your characters have their likes and dislikes.  (Yes, people can and do have irrational likes and dislikes but, in fiction, you have got to convince the reader your characters are believable.  I find having a good reason for them to be the way they are, which would include their tastes, is a surefire way of achieving believability).

Part 4 - I'm all for stopping spam, the electronic and the meat kinds

I loathe spam – the electronic or the meat kind! Image via Pixabay

Part 4 - Success is one thing but being famous for being famous is beyond me

Success but should it be because you’re famous for being famous? Image via Pixabay

Part 4- Ambition is not the same thing as talent or being famous on merit

Ambition is no substitute for genuine talent. Image via Pixabay.

Part 4 - Wastefulness

This sums up humanity’s wastefulness. Image via Pixabay

This World and Others – Using “Dead Time”

Using “dead time” in a more efficient way so I can get more writing done is something I have improved on in the last six months or so. This is partly because I’ve finally got a smartphone (!) and I also use Evernote as an app to draft stories, articles etc when I’m out and about on train journeys etc.

The nice thing with this is not only do I get more work done, I haven’t got the distractions of all I have to do at home getting in the way. I can focus purely on writing for a while, which is bliss. One lovely thing about writing, which I touch on in a Facebook post tonight as well, is that whether you write fiction, non-fiction or both, there are always things to work on, edit or write!

On my last big train journey, I managed to write at least five flash fiction stories (I admit I gave up counting after that). So think about your pockets of time that can easily be lost. How could you use those? I remember being annoyed when I took my car in for service as I was happily drafting stories while waiting for that to be done. I was well into the writing zone when they told me the car was ready!

Main task for me now here is to submit more flash fiction to Cafelit as well as get on with ideas for my third book. My second book is in with Chapeltown Books now so fingers crossed!

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Scrivener and Stories

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My Chandler’s Ford Today post this week will be Part 4 of my 101 Things to Put into Room 101. Is proving a fun series to write. Link up on Friday.

One of the biggest difficulties I have is prioritising time. I find I have to block out time to write, else guess what? I don’t write!

I use Scrivener on my PC and I find that great for organising my notes, especially for my non-fiction work. See one of my earlier CFT posts. I use Evernote on my phone and am increasingly using train journeys to draft a few flash fiction tales using it. I’m off again on my travels on Saturday so hope to get a few short pieces under my belt (or more accurately on my phone!) before I get home again.

 

I don’t always write directly to screen. Image via Pixabay
Technology has helped short story writers. Image via Pixabay
Books – love them, don’t mind the format. Image via Pixabay
What an upgrade from Shakespeare’s quill! Image via Pixabay
Seen on a desk near you… image via Pixabay
Work and the muse will come. Don’t wait for it to show up first! Image via Pixabay

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My favourite opening lines to stories are those that take me straight into the world of the tale or the mind of the character. You don’t need a lot of words to convey enough information for the reader to fill in the gaps. Flash fiction as a genre proves that.

For example from my Rewards in From Light to Dark and Back Again:-

She must go, Becky thought.
Becky paced her thick, red lounge carpet a dozen times. The beautiful Gemma had decided one boyfriend wasn’t enough.

You have the main character and her state of mind here. The thick, red lounge carpet is an indication Becky has (a) a home and (b) she probably isn’t poor. She also has a situation to resolve! All in 24 words.

Often I’ll write a flash piece and realise when I read it back, there are more clues to pick out than I originally anticipated. This is no bad thing. It means my subconscious is clearly working and something is coming through into what I write! That can be developed further or left as it is as a hint to the reader. Happy writing – conscious and unconsciously!

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You learn a lot when you write stories. Firstly, you learn about rejections as, unless you are phenomenally lucky, you will receive loads of those. Secondly, you realise fairly early on that write what you know, while a very useful start, is simply not going to be enough. You need to be able to write about what you can find out too!

This is why reading widely, in and out of your own genre, fiction and non-fiction, is so important. The more you feed your mind, the more you will have to draw on when writing your own work.

Great characters = great books. Image via Pixabay.
From Light to Dark and Back Again. Image taken by Allison Symes
Even in the heart of a city, books can provide escapism. Image via Pixabay.
Library shelf. 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
The to be read pile! Image via Pixabay

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A successful flash fiction story is one you’ve read where everything that is needed to be said has been! You should feel as if the writer could not add anything to the story without “over-egging the pudding”.

As with any story, a flash piece still has to have a beginning, middle and end (even if that end is a twist one). It should not feel like a piece of prose cut down to meet the word count requirements.

I love flash fiction stories where I would love to know more about the characters despite their role being over. That indicates real “life” behind the characters and their story.

Books should keep you gripped and that is down to the characters. Image via Pixabay
The perfect way to relax. All writers love to read. Image via Pixabay.
My stand at the Winchester discovery Centre event. Image by Allison Symes
The wonderful world of stories. Image via Pixabay
A blank page can take you anywhere in writing. Image via Pixabay.
Use personal reviews to help you generate characters and story outlines. Image via Pixabay.
Nobody gets their ideas right first go. Image via Pixabay.
Aiming for more “magic” from my stories this year! Image via Pixabay.

 

Twists, Trailers, and Judging Your Own Work

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Lovely night out at a local pub/restaurant. Good opportunities for people watching! (You never know when something said or what someone wears will strike you as a good idea for your own characters).

Have earned my first royalties on my published works, many thanks to #GillJames and Chapeltown Books for such hard work here. Glad to say will need to put in an order for From Light to Dark and Back Again before too long.

Have confirmed I will be going to a big Book Fair later in the year. More details later but am looking forward to this.

 

 

Books should keep you gripped and that is down to the characters. Image via Pixabay
The writer’s basic toolkit – image via Pixabay
The joy of writing. Image via Pixabay.
What ever writer needs. Image via Pixabay

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Book trailer for From Light to Dark and Back Again.

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FAllison.Symes.FairytaleLady%2Fvideos%2F1236887723080871%2F&show_text=0&width=560

I’ve put up the book trailer for From Light to Dark and Back Again on my main writing page as I was thinking of my choices in this year’s Hall of Fame that Classic FM put on at the Easter weekend.

Danse Macabre by Saint Saens was one of them. I came across it when I watched the TV series Jonathan Creek but it struck me as being the perfect piece for my book trailer. Quirky music for quirky fiction!

I nearly always do have classical on when writing. It relaxes me and I write better when in a good state of mind. It also has the huge advantage of using up zero calories (sadly, the odd glass of prosecco and bar of chocolate cannot claim that! Sighs…. there really is some fantasy that is unlikely to be realised!😁).

 

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Why do I like twist ending stories so much? For one thing, I like guessing at the ending. Sometimes I’m right, sometimes I’m not.

A really good twist tale will make me admire the way it was set up and carried out (even if I did guess the outcome). An even better one not only surprises me with the way it turns out, but makes me go back through the story to look for the clues I clearly missed in the first place. I then berate myself for having missed them!

A stunning library. Image via Pixabay
A beautiful home for lovely books. Image via Pixabay.
A huge but lovely library. Image via Pexels
Library shelf. Image via Pexels
Simple but effective storage! Image via Pexels
Wonderful books. Image via Pexels
Let the creative process flow! Image via Pixabay

 

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When do you know your story, of whatever length, has really “taken off”? For me, it is when the characters come to life. You know (though almost certainly won’t say in the story) what they have for breakfast, what their major traits are, and what they’d be like in a fight – just to name a few random examples!

I find outlining a character before I write “for” them really helpful (and this is one reason I love Scrivener. The character and setting outlines in the fiction – short story option are amazing. The great thing is you can adapt them with anything you feel you want to jot down before you write the story itself).

For my flash tales, I prepare a brief outline (appropriately!) but I just need to know what my character is really like. Sometimes “awkward but brave” is enough to get me started on a character.

 

Great characters will engross you. You will lose time reading their stories. Image via Pixabay.
Where will your characters take you? Image via Pixabay
Even in the heart of a city, books can provide escapism. Image via Pixabay.
The wonderful world of writing should include non-fiction, which benefits from creative techniques too. Image via Pixabay.
Well, let’s do so by writing lots of stories! Image via Pixabay.

 

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Flash fiction takes at least as much crafting as any other type of story because of the need to get the story across in as few words as possible. There is a balance to be struck here between the needs of the writer getting their story down and the editor ensuring the story comes in at the right word count.

I’ve found that it never pays to do the two writing tasks together. I get the story down and worry about editing later.

Big screen, little screen, LOTS of stories on either! Image via Pixabay
Preparing a talk or a flash fiction story perhaps. Image via Pixabay.
Escape with a good book. Image via Pixabay.
The perfect way to relax. All writers love to read. Image via Pixabay.
Let your stories have impact. Image via Pixabay
What ever writer needs. Image via Pixabay
Time flies when reading or writing. Image via Pixabay
Fiction is strengthened when backed by fact. Image via Pixabay

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I’ve talked about classical music on my main writing page tonight and why I used Danse Macabre for my book trailer theme for From Light to Dark and Back Again.

Do I have music in my mind when I write my stories? No, but I can often think along the lines that Character X would be a huge fan of rock or Character Y would love opera and so on. Thinking about what a character’s tastes would be is a great way of helping you to bring them to life on the page and, from a reader viewpoint, a very easy way to tell characters apart.

Classical music. Image via Pixabay.
Hard at work. Image via Pixabay
A grand night out. Image via Pixabay
The string section (or part of it anyway!). Image via Pixabay
Setting the mood with music. Image via Pixabay

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Sometimes you’re not always the best judge of your own work, but it is always good to know you are not alone here.

Spoiler alert!

I’ve been listening to Classic FM’s Hall of Fame and the 1812 Overture is the new No.1. Listening to it now in fact. Love the piece. Its composer,Tchaikovsky, however thought it had no artistic merit. Well, how wrong can you be? Quite a bit as it turns out!

I’ve found when looking through my stories, I’ve got to allow some time to pass between writing them and editing. I’ve got to come back to the pieces as if I’d not seen them before. It’s the only way I know to be objective about what I’ve written.

And it’s nice to know sometimes you can be wrong about your own work when you’re negative about it and others like it!

Classic music can make a classic filmMusic, whether writing it or playing it or both, is just one form of creativity - image via PixabayWriting, whether it is fiction or otherwise, is a wonderful way to create something new - image via Pixabayonce-upon-a-time-via PixabayOne joy of blogging is ease of publication via Pixabay

 

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Flash fiction can be great for brief character sketches which give you a glimpse into that character’s life. My Pen Portrait is an example of this. What I’ve revealed in this tells you all you need to know about my heroine, Mary. The final line also shows something of her nature.

So what would you convey in a flash fiction piece like this given you haven’t the room for backstory as such? Just enough information to tell you what you need to know (in Pen Portrait you need to know what Mary’s job is) and leave enough “space” for your readers to fill in the gaps. In Pen Portrait, Mary has found a way of avoiding causing embarrassment to one of her neighbours but I don’t tell you why this is important to her. That’s for you to figure out!

Even in the heart of a city, books can provide escapism. Image via Pixabay.
Great reading desk. Image via Pixabay.
The old method of printing. Image via Pixabay
Some very strange creatures are in books. Image via Pixabay
Nobody gets their ideas right first go. Image via Pixabay.
A blank page can take you anywhere in writing. Image via Pixabay.
I’m not arguing with this one! Image via Pixabay.

Goodreads Author Programme – Blog

I love listening to classical music as I write my flash fiction. So what has this got to do with books and stories generally?

Firstly, I find classical music relaxes me and so I write more easily. Secondly a great piece of music can help you envisage the world you create. If it is vivid for you, as it should be, it will be vivid for your reader.

Reading, however, whether it is my work or not, is carried out in silence. I don’t want music distracting me. Besides, my main reading time is just before I sleep! Definitely not time for something like the 1812 Overture (much as I love that!).

Music can convey so much. There have been some truly amazing film scores which can enhance the original story. I’m particularly thinking of the score for The Lord of the Rings trilogy here. Fabulous and fantastic story. The music for the film version reflected those aspects well, I thought.

Sometimes I can hear a piece of music and it will make me immediately think of a story. I hear Danse Macabre by Saint Saens and think of the stories in my From Light to Dark and Back Again as this great piece was used for my book trailer. I hear a Bond theme and I think of the film first but without the books by Fleming in the first place, there would be no movies.

It is quite nice to think that a creative work such a book leads to a film and in turn leads to wonderful music being created for that. What can the stories we read and write to lead to ultimately, I wonder? Well, it should be fun trying to find out!

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.
Where almost all stories spring from these days. Image via Pixabay.
A truly beautiful library but do the books in it meet my criteria for what makes a good story. I would hope so! Image via Pixabay.
Now here’s a statue that I like! Image via Pixabay
I write fairytales with bite. Image via Pixabay
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.
Story ideas often still start life on paper – image via Pixabay
Well, what is it then? Image via Pixabay.

INTERVIEWS AND UNUSUAL BUS JOURNEYS

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My latest Chandler’s Ford Today post is part 1 of my interview with fellow Chapeltown Books author, Gail Aldwin. She shares how her around the world bus journey inspired her flash fiction, especially her story, Paisley Shirt, which is the title for her new collection. Part 2 next week will see Gail sharing writing tips and her thoughts on “real” books and ebooks amongst other things. Plenty of insights for writers and readers to come.

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My Chandler’s Ford Today post this week will be Part 1 of an interview with fellow Chapeltown Books author, Gail Aldwin, whose flash fiction collection, Paisley Shirt, is now out. She shares travel tales from around the globe and looks at where paisley comes from. It is not often the East India Company gets a mention in my posts but it does here!

Part 2 will feature writing tips, a discussion on characters etc. Link to Part 1 will go up tomorrow.

There are so many things I love about interviewing other writers. Some of these things include finding out what inspires them, how links form between something they may have read years ago and a story they’ve written now (it can be amazing what conscious and sub-conscious influences come out when you’re writing), and the tips they’ve found most useful.

I also really love the way Chapeltown Books have such a distinctive image for their flash fiction collections. Okay, so my From Light to Dark and Back Again is one of them. Okay, so I AM biased (!) but if you wanted to see an example of effective branding, I would say this is a good one.

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What do you like most about interviews (regardless of format)?

I like those questions that draw the interviewee out and interviews that really do seem like it is a conversation written down or broadcast or what have you.

One great thing about writer interviews is that, regardless of the genre being covered, we all face the same challenges of getting the story down, editing it well, hopefully getting it published and then marketing it. That does give a lot of ground in which to find lots of lovely questions to ask!

Sometimes you can strike gold when your interviewee reveals something that you instantly recognize you’ve got to ask them more about. It is often about the most unexpected things too. My CFT post later this week contains such a gold nugget! Link to go up on Friday. All I’ll say now is it involves transport!

Ebooks and print – both have their own frustrations when it comes to publishing. Image via Pixabay
Research material, notebook and pen to hand. Image via Pixabay
Fiction is strengthened when backed by fact. Image via Pixabay
A checklist can be useful for quizzing your characters. Image via Pixabay.
I really liked taking part in the Prose Open Mic slot at Swanwick this year. Image via Pixabay

 

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The joy of flash fiction is its brevity. No words wasted. A powerful impact on the reader made very quickly. But, as with the standard short story, all moods and emotional reactions can be covered in the form (which is why I called my book what I have!). Indeed, I think it a good thing that there is variety here. I like to see my flash collection as a “selection box” of moods and stories.

I suppose it’s indicative of human nature that no one person likes the same thing all the time. I love humorous fiction but also appreciate crime stories, historical tales and so on and I like to mix up what I read too. I wouldn’t want to just read (or indeed write) one thing all the time. Another joy of flash is that you can sample different styles of writing and moods very quickly. You could even use a flash collection to try out stories in genres you’ve not read before.

Happy reading and writing!

Books invite you into their world. Image via Pixabay
Some very strange creatures are in books. Image via Pixabay
Let those ideas flow! Image via Pixabay,
Use personal reviews to help you generate characters and story outlines. Image via Pixabay.
Connections to what you read and what you write. What are yours? Image via Pixabay.
Reviews can have global reach. Most impact I think can often be local to the writer.

 

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Write what you know, so they say.
But influences come out in your every word.
Sometimes they’re buried away
For years but they will find a way of being heard.
Time means nothing there, you’ll find.
So read widely, both non-fiction or a tall tale.
You’ll feed your creative mind.
Ensure the whole story does not stumble or pale.
Strong “people” reflect our best
While the weak characters will reflect our worst side
Write, rewrite, then let it rest
Every writer has to have a skin made of hide.
Some will not get what you do.
But it’s true you won’t like everything they invent
Rejections can make you blue.
It’s all part of the process you can’t circumvent.
Ask where your story would fit.
Target well, it improves your chances of a hit!

Allison Symes – 15th March 2018

Books are the keys to knowledge. Image via Pixabay
Ebooks and print – both have their own frustrations when it comes to publishing. Image via Pixabay
Love this image! Image via Pixabay
Good advice – and it applies to our characters too. Image via Pixabay
Not arguing with this! Image via Pixabay
I’m not arguing with this one! Image via Pixabay.
Notebooks, pens, beverages… bliss for the writer. Image via Pixabay.

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I have a framed poster above my desk which says “Don’t ever give up on your dreams”. (Good advice. Okay, sometimes the dreams have to change for myriads of reasons. Just because you can’t be a novelist that doesn’t stop you from becoming a short story writer etc). But it also struck me this line could be a great motivator for a character.

What are the character’s dreams? Just what are they prepared to do to achieve them? What obstacles are in the way? Is he/she/it encouraged or are others holding them back? (You could also look into what their agenda was).

Feature Image - Facts and Fiction - image via Pixabay

What writing triggers will help you create your new worlds? Image via Pixabay

Time to find a new place to call home perhaps - what stories could that lead to - image via Pixabay

Time to have another home perhaps? Good stories to be had here! Image via Pixabay

Note taking is an invaluable aid to retaining what you learn at conferences, image via Pixabay

Write, edit, write, edit… image via Pixabay

Nobody gets their ideas spot on immediately, image via Pixabay

Nobody gets their ideas right first go. Image via Pixabay.

Escape with a good book via Pixabay

Escape with a good book, it’s good for you! Image via Pixabay

Fairytales with Bite – What is Behind Your Stories?

In my interview with fellow Chapeltown Books author, Gail Aldwin, for Chandler’s Ford Today this week, she shares with me how her round the world bus trip influenced her flash fiction.  She also shares some of the research she carried out into where paisley comes from given the title of her flash fiction collection is Paisley Shirt.  One of the things I love about these kind of interviews is discovering what has influenced a writer to come up with what they have!  There are so many influences…

This is also why every writer, regardless of genre, should read widely and well in non-fiction and fiction, classic and contemporary works.  You are literally feeding your mind.  You can’t know in advance what book it is you read that will spark off ideas of your own.  You will just know it when you come to it.  So have plenty of fun reading lots of lovely books!  It is good for your own writing.

I used to worry about picking up other writers’ styles doing this but have found it not to be the case.  I read something that sparks off an idea in me and I then write that idea down in my style only because, well, it is the only style I have.  After all, doesn’t every author want their work to be uniquely something from them?  That’s where the joy of writing is – in creating something that is unique to you.

A lot of the fairytales are retelling of stories passed down orally over many generations.  Sometimes there can be agendas behind stories.  Hans Christen Andersen must have had concern for the poor as his agenda behind The Little Match Girl (and probably the hypocrisy of people being horrified at what happened to his character yet doing nothing to allievate suffering themselves).

So what is behind your stories?  Why have you created your characters as you have?  I was surprised when I was looking back at my draft of From Light to Dark and Back Again how often the theme of poetic justice came up.  That wasn’t planned (well not consciously anyway).  I also hadn’t planned the variation in moods of the stories that formed the book (though it did help inspire the book’s title!).  Look back at what you have written and see if you can spot what is really behind it.  It may well inspire other stories!

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
Books invite you into their world. Image via Pixabay
Plenty to enjoy here! Image via Pixabay
My book on sale at Bay Leaves Larder, a wonderful local cafe that does a lot to support writers in the area.
Big screen, little screen, LOTS of stories on either! Image via Pixabay
Gail’s flash fiction collection from Chapeltown Books. Image supplied by Gail Aldwin. Also note the Chapeltown Books branding of a frame around an image. Simple but effective

This World and Others – Character Journeys

My latest Chandler’s Ford Today post features fellow Chapeltown Books author, Gail Aldwin, and how her round the world bus journey influenced her flash fiction.

The obvious character journey (well for me it is!) is that of Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings.  Everything about this story is epic!  However, character journeys can be much smaller than that.  Scrooge went on a journey of sorts as he transformed from a miserable miser to a generous (and much happier) man in A Christmas Carol.

So what journeys are your characters going on? If it is a physical journey, why are they making it?  Do they like travelling or is is something where they have no choice?  What obstacles must they overcome?  What is the landscape like?  Are they from a background where travelling is normal?  (It generally wasn’t for hobbits so Frodo’s journey was unusual from that angle).

If the journey is more of a character development one, is the journey a good one or a bad?  (People can go from being good to bad, so why not characters?).  Is it a successful journey?  What is the impact of the character change on them and those around them?  Change can threaten others so how is this dealt with?

Gail Aldwin’s round the world bus trip led her to discovering more about paisley and influenced her flash fiction. Image supplied by Gail Aldwin
Stunning notebook. Image from Gail Aldwin
The buses looking more at home in here than on snow! Image via Gail Aldwin
Part of Gail Aldwin’s global bus journey. Image from Gail Aldwin
In Paris. Image from Gail Aldwin.
Let the ideas flow and let journeys encourage that! Image via Pixabay

 

 

 

READING/WRITING FLASH FICTION

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My latest Chandler’s Ford Today post is Part 2 of my 101 Things to Put into Room 101. Amongst other things, I consign to eternal doom stilettos, bad grammar, confusing road signs and the 5 pence coin. What would you put in the vault?

As for the image below, are the dogs slow? Are the dogs and children slow? Or could it even be that the dogs’ children are slow?! Or are all the animals on this farm slow? (That is anything going faster than a slow walking pace is not kept on this farm?!).

If you ever doubted that the comma is important, then let this convince you it really is, it SO is!

PART 2 - Some commas here would be good - image via Pixabay

Oh for some commas here! Image via Pixabay

PART 2 - You know what it is meant here - image via Pixabay

Really?! Image via Pixabay

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One thing that is important with flash fiction is you should be reading it as well as writing it (and not stop at just reading your own!). Not only does this give you a greater appreciation of what can be done with the form, you increase your reading of contemporary fiction.

I have no problems at all finding time to read older fiction (Wodehouse, Austen, Dickens etc) but a good reading “diet” must include what is out there now (or has been published fairly recently). Another advantage of reading widely like this is that it will open your eyes to publishers willing to take collections.

Also, I can’t think of any author who wouldn’t appreciate this kind of support. And you would too, wouldn’t you?

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Fairytales With Bite – Biting Comments

My new mini-series on Chandler’s Ford Today is a humorous look at what things I would put into Room 101, that famous creation of George Orwell.  Part 2 of 101 Things to Put into Room 101 includes items as diverse as stilettos, bad grammar and confusing road signs.

I think stilettos are one of the most stupid things ever invented because they’re not good for your feet or your spine.  When I did wear them, back in the day so to speak, I always dreaded getting them caught in some grating somewhere.  Now that comment is not that biting, I feel, but some of my characters do come out with very pointed remarks at time – and rightly so.  It is part of their personality to do so and the situations they face also justify pointed criticism.

So what kind of biting comments would your characters make?  What would drive them to be like that, or are they like this all the time anyway?  How do the other characters respond?  What kind of conflicts can you get out of this to drive the story along?

Have fun finding out!!

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This World and Others – Inventions

In my latest Chandler’s Ford Today post, which is Part 2 of 101 Things to Put into Room 101, I list, amongst other things, stilettos.  I describe these as one of the most stupid inventions ever.  They don’t do your feet or your spine any good and when I did wear them in my younger years, I always dreaded getting them caught in a drain cover etc.  There are lots of stupid inventions out there but this is my pet peeve.  They are stupid shoes.

In Terry Pratchett’s marvellous Discworld series, I loved his inventor, Bloody Stupid Johnson, whose ideas never seemed to quite work the way the inventor had envisaged!

So in your created world, who are your creative people, your inventors, your engineers etc?  It helps to bring a world to life if we the readers can see at least part of how your world works for those who live in it.  What are the technologies?  Are your societies developed or are people held back by the lack of progress?

Does your world have anyone whose inventions go wrong or whose ideas get pinched by someone else?  (There is a whole raft of stories there about how someone would cope with that/get their ideas back and so on).

Some very strange creatures are in books. Image via Pixabay
The wonderful world of stories. Image via Pixabay
Fiction is strengthened when backed by fact. Image via Pixabay
Stories are magical and inspire other stories. Image via Pixabay.
I’m not arguing with this one! Image via Pixabay.
Always time and space for the pen and paper method of drafting
Escape with a good book, it’s good for you! Image via Pixabay
Some of the strongest ideas have a simple theme. See A Christmas Carol as a classic example. Image via Pixabay.

 

WRITING WHAT YOU KNOW AND FLASH FICTION

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My favourite Christmas carol, based on a poem by Christina Rossetti, is looking more like a cannily accurate weather forecast right now.

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Not sure that Christina meant it to be a weather forecast but this was certainly a case of write what you know given she would have known only too well what a British winter can be like!

Nice selection of books here! Image via Pixabay
Good advice – and it applies to our characters too. Image via Pixabay
Some very strange creatures are in books. Image via Pixabay
Nobody gets their ideas right first go. Image via Pixabay.
Escape with a good book. Image via Pixabay.

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Part 2 of my 101 Things to Put into Room 101 will be my CFT post for this week. Highlights include my thoughts on stilettos (you will guess they’re not good!), to public parking bays, and confusing road signs. Link up tomorrow and, as ever, comments will be welcome.

I won’t be running the series straight through in one “hit” so to speak as I have a lovely author interview coming up soon. Also, it’s probably best not to have all my moans over several consecutive weeks in any case!

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What is encouraging is if you do a quick internet trawl for flash fiction competitions, lots come up! All that is needed then is the time to enter them! It is also encouraging to see big name writing competitions include flash fiction as a new category in its own right. It is amazing to see how far flash has come as a genre over the last 10 years.

I think it will still be a while before people stop asking what flash fiction is thought. (Still, that’s all part of the “mission to explain”, isn’t it? I’ve found to date the best way of explaining flash fiction is to read examples of it – from From Light to Dark and Back Again naturally!).

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What is your favourite kind of flash fiction?

I’m a drabbler, one who generally writes the 100-words stories. The majority of the tales in From Light to Dark and Back Again are of this ilk.

But one nice thing about flash is there is nothing to stop you mixing up the types you write. I’ve written 250, 500, 750 and even the odd 50-words tales. (The latter makes me a dribbler as well. I’d love to know who invented these terms – they make you sound as if you might have an unfortunate complaint!).

So go ahead, mix up your flash fiction and have fun with it! I’ve found my natural default position is the good old drabble but there are some storylines which need to be a bit longer than that, so fine I can do it without straying into short story territory. (Though I must admit I do like doing that too!).

What writing triggers will help you create your new worlds? Image via Pixabay
Fiction is strengthened when backed by fact. Image via Pixabay
A writing conference room. Image via Pixabay.
The arbour at Swanwick. Image by Allison Symes
Flash fiction, by its nature, has to take one look at a situation to be a story but you can get quite a bit into that “one look”. Image via Pixabay.
What is your story? Image via Pixabay
Some of the strongest ideas have a simple theme. See A Christmas Carol as a classic example. Image via Pixabay.
You can’t beat a good book. Image via Pixabay.

 

 

LIKES, DISLIKES AND SIGNS OF SUCCESS

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My latest Chandler’s Ford Today post is the first part in a new mini-series by me called 101 Things to Put into Room 101. I cover 15 items in this post. See what you think – do you agree? What would you put into the dreaded vault of doom? Funny answers particularly appreciated!

The post was great fun to write and I’m looking forward to writing the rest of the series.

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We all have our likes and dislikes but what are your characters’ choices here? What is behind their likes and dislikes? Were they forced to accept (for example) a food choice and then the moment they were “free” rejected it? Have they taken a like or dislike to something because their people expect them to or, again, are they rebelling against that expectation?

All characters need to have strong motivations for their actions but this can also apply to their likes and dislikes too. After all, it will be those traits that will directly influence their action. Most people loathe injustice, for example, but that loathing will be intensified if they have ever been the victims of it, or know others who have been. Their dislike has been “focused” by what they have experienced.

Sound advice. Image via Pixabay
Writing to screen. Am using smartphone more for this.
What ever writer needs. Image via Pixabay
It can take a lot of self-belief to be able to call yourself this at times. Image via Pixabay
After a swim, I’m soon back at the keyboard. Image via Pixabay.
Some of the strongest ideas have a simple theme. See A Christmas Carol as a classic example. Image via Pixabay.
How the very best fairytales start… Image via Pixabay
Creative writing includes blogging but also brainstorming sessons to generate future ideas. Image via Pixabay.

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Many thanks to Gill James for sharing this post on Facebook!

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Paula Readman, Dawn Kentish Knox and Allison Symes and books - with kind permission from Paula Readman

Paula Readman, Dawn Kentish Knox and I celebrate where our stories have appeared! Many thanks to Paula Readman for the picture.!

Lovely having an appreciative audience, pic taken by Dawn Kentish Knox

I read three stories from From Light to Dark and Back Again. Many thanks to Dawn Kentish Knox for the picture!

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Gill reads from January Stones. Image by Allison Symes

Gill talks with Dawn and I at the BH event, image taken by Paula Readman

Gill talks with Dawn Kentish Knox and me. Image thanks to Paula Readman.

Fairytales With Bite – Character Likes and Dislikes

What are your characters’ likes and dislikes?  This topic has come up as I’ve started a new series for Chandler’s Ford Today called 101 Things to Put into Room 101 (the latter is, of course, based on George Orwell’s 1984).  Now I know the reasons behind my 101 things (which I’ll share over about 6 to 7 weeks) but what are the reasons behind your characters’ choices here?

Also listing said likes and dislikes can help enormously when outlining.  You should get a much clearer picture of who your characters are and what really drives them in just listing these things.  In the magical world, there is generally a massive dislike of human interference (which is understandable.  What we would do with such powers, given what we have done to our own planet and indeed to each other especially in times of war, is something that could be the stuff of nightmares).  In your created worlds, what are the common things most people/alien beings/even dodgy wizards like/dislike?  How was this consensus reached or was it forced on people?

Even relatively trivial likes and dislikes can tell you something about a character.  A character who loathes broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage but can eat sweetcorn all day long if allowed to do so shows someone who can be picky (and who clearly has a problem with members of the brassica family!).  This could be exploited for comic effect or be used against them.  (An enemy poisons the sweetcorn supply possibly!).

My stand at the Winchester discovery Centre event. Image by Allison Symes
My story Helping Out is in Baubles, the Bridge House anthology for 2016
Let the creative process flow! Image via Pixabay
You can’t beat notebooks for jotting down ideas. Image via Pixabay.
I’m not arguing with this one! Image via Pixabay.

This World and Others – Signs of Success?

One obvious sign of success for a writer is when their words pass into the language and become well known sayings.  Shakespeare is the obvious candidate for highest success rate here, though George Orwell must be unusual in that his Big Brother and Room 101 have been used to form the basis of TV shows here in the UK! How many writers can claim that achievement?  (Mind, what he would make of it is quite another matter, especially for Big Brother.  Room 101 has the saving grace of being funny).

I’ve started a new mini-series for Chandler’s Ford Today called 101 Things to Put Into Room 101 and I’m looking forward to writing the other posts to complete this over the next few weeks or so.  But it led me to think about what success would mean for a writer.

I think for Orwell it would be a question of getting his message about the evils of totalitarianism across well (as he does in Animal Farm as well as 1984).  I also think for most writers it would be a question of writing to the best of your ability and being published.  (Anything after that is a bonus!).

But what would your characters say were the important signs of success as far as they were concerned?  What is getting in their way of achieving that success?  Will they strive for that success at no matter what cost to themselves or to others?  What is the price they pay should they manage to achieve their goals?

Plenty of food for thought for story ideas there, I think.  Happy writing!

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LOVING WHAT YOU DO AS A WRITER

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I can’t over-emphasize the importance of loving what you do as a writer.  It can help keep you going when all you get in your inbox (or even still these days your letterbox) are the inevitable rejections all writers get.  Treasure any specific comments you receive on rejections as these can be invaluable for showing up weaknesses etc.

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One thing I love about writing for Chandler’s Ford Today is it has helped me work to a deadline (and a relatively short one at that). Most story competitions give you a reasonable amount of time in which to submit your tales. CFT is weekly.

I have brainstorming sessions every so often for ideas for my flash fiction but I also have some for potential articles for CFT. It takes me a while to work through them too, which is good.

There has to be a link to the local area but that link sometimes is me, especially when I’m interviewing other authors from outside the area.

Writing articles for your local online magazine could be a good place to start and it can lead to you having a track record (always handy for publishers, if you’re submitting work to magazines etc). Okay so you don’t get paid but you do learn a lot from it. I know I have.

 

Jotting down ideas for future stories is always a good idea. Image via Pixabay
I really liked taking part in the Prose Open Mic slot at Swanwick this year. Image via Pixabay
A checklist can be useful for quizzing your characters. Image via Pixabay.
I’m not arguing with this one! Image via Pixabay.
The writer’s desk. What do you hope will emerge from yours this coming year? Image via Pixabay.

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One of the lovely moments in story writing is when you discover you really like your characters and find yourself rooting for them. And you know how the story ends too!

I’m currently editing a story about two ladies of a certain age and love the pair of them! Mind, it probably helps no end I’d probably be in that “certain age” bracket now…

What appeals to you about your own characters? What drove you to write them in the first place? There has to be something special to get you to do so (and that includes villains too. Many a writer has fallen for their own evildoers!).

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My Chandler’s Ford Today post this week is called Writing Sayings – Truth or Nonsense? I look at old favourites like never judge a book by its cover and write what you know amongst others. Link to go up tomorrow.

I did find some lovely and useful sayings relating to writing I hadn’t come across before and I share those too (from Mark Twain and Margaret Attwood amongst others). I also share a couple of sayings I’d like added to the canon of wise thoughts.

I enjoy writing all of my posts for CFT but this one was great fun and I hope there will be some good comments after the piece goes live tomorrow.

 

Books invite you into their world - image via Pixabay

Books invite you into their world. Image via Pixabay.

What new scenes will a book show you - image via Pixabay

What new worlds and scenes will books show you? Image via Pixabay

Some very strange characters can be found inside a book - image via Pixabay

Some very strange creatures are in books. Image via Pixabay

Good advice here - all writers need to fail better - image via Pixabay

Good advice. Image via Pixabay.

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What would I like flash fiction to achieve?

I would love it to tempt reluctant readers into developing a lifelong love of stories and books.

I would love it to tempt the “gadget freaks” into reading it on Kindle (and even via something that needs no batteries at all – the good old paperback!).

I would love it to show those who claim they have no time to read, well actually you do. Flash fiction really does not take that long! (They’d have to think of another excuse not to read then, wouldn’t they?).

I would love it to show that great characterisation does not mean having to use hundreds of words.

Flash fiction is, I think, the ultimate proof that less is more!

 

Fiction is strengthened when backed by fact. Image via Pixabay
From Light to Dark and Back Again. Image by Allison Symes
Flash Fiction Corner: Damon Wakes and Allison Symes at the Chandler’s Ford Book Fair.. Image by Janet Williams, CFT’s editor. Short on time to read? Try a dash of flash!
Escape with a good book, it’s good for you! Image via Pixabay

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Do you have a favourite writer and, if so, who and why? I’m torn on this. I love P.G. Wodehouse and Terry Pratchett for their humour and ways with words yet their story worlds are so very different! (And that’s another reason I love them both. It’s always good to visit more than one fictional world!).

Whoever your nominee would be, I strongly suspect it is something special about the characters produced by that writer, which would be your deciding factor. (And if that doesn’t settle the argument over character -v- plot, I don’t know what will! Without well drawn characters, any plot falls down badly).

I don’t know about you but I find when recalling a story I’ve not read for a while, I may not remember every single detail about the plot, but I do recall what I loved about the characters.

 

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The dash to write a piece of flash
May result in a wonderful tale
But you need the edit to slash
At your draft so your work may not fail.
Cut the rough and know after all
No great work is achieved overnight
Every word must seek to enthral
Out comes anything that might well blight
You find the real tale from that first draft
This is where you develop your craft.

Allison Symes – 15th February 2018

Not arguing with this saying - image via Pixabay

Not arguing with this! Image via Pixabay

Well, would you - image via Pixabay

Well, would you? Image via Pixabay

Too late for me but a saying worth considering - image via Pixabay

Alas, too late for me! Image via Pixabay

Goodreads Author Programme – Blog

What is the Purpose of Reading?
Reading, of course, educates, informs and entertains us. I think all three aspects are vital and should feed off each other.

This is where things like the Horrible Histories series have done so well – information presented with humour goes down better, especially with youngsters, than straight facts presented in a more traditional way.

I read chiefly for pleasure but I also read to research and to expand my knowledge on things I may well write about, either in fiction or for Chandler’s Ford Today at a later date.

Things I know I will want to read later I will either download straight to my Kindle or send to it (and this is so useful. I often catch up with reading here when on train journeys).

So does literacy and the love of books still matter? Of course, it does. It always will.

Connections to what you read and what you write. What are yours? Image via Pixabay.
The basic necessities of the writer’s life!
Fantasy may look at other worlds but often reflects on our own. Time is different too. Music can interpret worlds too. Think of classic film scores like that for The Lord of the Rings. Image via Pixabay.
The perfect way to unwind. Image via Pixabay.
What world will you enter when you next read a good story? Image via Pixabay.
Creative writing takes many forms, including blogging. Image via Pixabay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SHORT STORIES

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When editing a story, I tend to check if my main characters are coming “through” well enough. I love using thoughts as a way of showing what my “people” are really made of (and it’s even more fun when they’re deliberately hiding this from the other characters in the story. You’re left wondering whether the others will find out the truth or not and this can be a great source of conflict if they do!).

If, by the end of the tale, I’ve got a clear picture of who my characters are, what drives them, and they engage me, then hopefully other readers will feel the same way and like them too. (Or in the case of villains love to hate them, which is also good).

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A great short story has to have:-

Strong, memorable characters

An intriguing start

A middle that wants to make you keep reading to see what
happens next (definitely no saggy middles)

A powerful and appropriate ending (and I do love twist endings as they end the story with a “punch”. Sometimes I’m pleased when I see the ending coming and basically, my guess turned out to be right, but I’m even more pleased when the writer wrongfoots me).

The right word count for the type of story it is. I like short stories to be 1500 words or so. Flash fiction is 1000 or under but I must admit I feel a bit short-changed if a short story comes in at 1200 words or so. It feels to me like the story hasn’t quite got the “legs” to go the proper distance.

(Many thanks to Dawn Kentish Knox for the picture of me reading from From Light to Dark and Back Again at the Bridge House event in December. Huge fun!).

My stand at the Winchester discovery Centre event. Image by Allison Symes
Paula Readman, Dawn Knox and I at the recent Bridge House celebration event. Many thanks to Paula for the image. Also Paula is another winning entry for the Waterloo Festival.
Aiming for more “magic” from my stories this year! Image via Pixabay.
I read three stories from From Light to Dark and Back Again. Many thanks to Dawn Kentish Knox for the picture!
Some of the books I’ve appeared in and FLTDBA of course. Image by Allison Symes

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Some more Murphy’s Laws for writers:-

1. Your old PC will always play up when you’re trying to save the latest version of your MSS, especially something of novel length – and you have to save several times to make sure you HAVE saved it. (No longer the case for me I’m glad to say!).

2. You’re waiting eagerly for news of how you did in a writing competition. You check your inbox as often as possible at the relevant time. Nothing. You leave the PC for two minutes to go to to the loo, hear the unmistakable sound of more email coming in, get back to your desk as quickly as possible, only to find the new mail is selling you something you didn’t want, or offering you a date with a “hot” babe, which you also don’t want. The latter offers incidentally don’t seem to mind which gender they target.

3. You’re waiting for the author copy of your book to arrive. The days you stay in – guess what? Nothing turns up even though you know it is due. You pop round to see a neighbour or go to the local shops and come back to find… the “Sorry we missed you card” on your mat. Your vocabulary tends to veer into the brusque at this point!

A clean sheet can lead to some fascinating characters and stories. Image via Pixabay
Can’t beat the notebook and pen for quick notes. Image via Pixabay,
A checklist can be useful for quizzing your characters. Image via Pixabay.
Writing to screen. Am using smartphone more for this.
Sound advice. Image via Pixabay

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

About a week ago, I set up a quick poll as to what was the most important part of a story, regardless of word count. Many thanks to all who voted.

I asked whether an intriguing start or a twist ending was the most important component. And the results are:- (Ta da… imaginary drum roll here!)

83% An intriguing start
17% A twist ending

I’m not surprised by that. After all, if the start of a story doesn’t grip you, the chances of you getting to the twist ending are slim indeed!

Having said that, an intriguing start still has to be well supported by what follows. There has to be “follow through”. If the ending disappoints, would someone read another story from that author even though the start seems very promising? I think there could be a case of “once bitten, twice shy” here.

So my view? I am a little torn on this one as I sometimes write the ending to a piece of flash fiction first and then work backwards. One great thing about doing things that way is you definitely have the twist ending and you can then work out the intriguing start that led to it.

Overall though, I would go for the intriguing start (as I also love coming up with a strong opening line and seeing where it takes me).

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

Am glad that flash fiction has really taken off as a format and that Chapeltown Books now has a good range of publications to its name.

I love the “frame” around the powerful central images (see link) and think this is a great form of branding. The stories are pretty good too… Now I know I’m bound to say that but I wasn’t just referring to From Light and Dark and Back Again, honestly. Go on, check them out. Available in paperback and Kindle.

The small independent presses are a lifeline for authors and Chapeltown has particularly encouraged quirky fiction. Fine by me! I am a quirky writer…

A clean sheet can lead to some fascinating characters and stories. Image via Pixabay
A good interview will bring the best out of the interviewee.
Social Media Tree. Image via Pixabay.

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

When is a tale a piece of flash fiction as opposed to a shortened story? When it has a “proper” beginning, middle and end and doesn’t feel as if more could be added to it.

I try to leave my stories on either a twist or punch ending (they’re not quite the same thing) so there really is nothing left to be said. I like people to be able to feel that the ending was an appropriate one (which, of course, is not the same thing as a happy one necessarily!).

Well, what IS your story? Image via PixabayImage via Pixabay.
Heavenly books. Image via Pixabay
Where good ideas start… but good ideas need refining and editing, Image via Pixabay