Stories come in all kinds of formats including tapestries! Image via Pixabay.

YOUR DAY IS ABOUT TO WORSEN WHEN…

November 11, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

Your Day is about to Worsen When shares tell tale signs you are about to go through some very hard times indeed as a character in a story. For example it is never good when a wizard suddenly turns up on your doorstep, tells you that you’re about to go on a quest and, by the way, you can’t refuse as the powers of evil are already pursuing you! Can you add anything to my list?

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

Why I Love Flash Fiction shares some of the advantages I think there are to writing these stories. For example by their very nature, they have to be short and that helps put a good pace into the story. What other advantages can you think of?

CHANDLER’S FORD TODAY

Just to say my post tomorrow is a review of All My Sons by Arthur Miller. More details tomorrow but I discuss some of the history of the play too.

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I share the Amazon link to Baubles, Bridge House Publishing’s anthology for this year. my story, Helping Out, is in there. I also discuss what’s coming up in my next Chandler’s Ford Today post and what fiction work I’m currently getting ready for a competition.

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Bookshops are vital to encourage literary – image via Pixabay.

Blogging - a hugely enjoyable part of what I write. Image vix Pixabay.

QUESTIONS NOT TO ASK – OF A WRITER

November 8, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

Questions Not to Ask – of a Writer lives up to its title and lists five bugbear questions any writer will hate being asked. Okay, scrub that, make it four questions and one statement. The latter is for my poet friends and I’d be very surprised if they’d not heard this particular comment in their time. My pet hate is point 3! See what you think…

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

You Know You’re a Writer When…. again lives up to its theme. I list 1o points of interest but amongst these are three different opportunities for writers to become insufferably smug if they so wish! I put my hand up and plead guilty to points 3, 4 and 7 especially. Which would you plead guilty to – there will be at least one?!

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I talk about border collies (mine!), fireworks, and my border collie deliberately going out into the garden tonight to look for said fireworks even though she hates them. Have no idea why! Am glad the diffuser we got this year seems to be helping her. I also discuss what’s coming up in my next Chandler’s Ford Today post (a review of a play I’ve recently seen) and plug a CFT writers’ get together this coming Saturday.

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The lovely Mabel. Image taken by me! So much happier when there are no fireworks about – and that goes for Mabel too.

The Kindle. Has expanded my reading (no more worrying about how many books I can take on holiday either!). Image via Pixabay.

THINGS NO CHARACTER EVER WANTS TO HEAR…

November 7, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

Things No Character Ever Wants to Hear gives a short list of statements guaranteed to chill the blood and sink the confidence of any character. This is particularly useful information for any character about to be sent off on a quest (and who have no idea why they were chosen. This list gives reasons!).

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

Appreciating the Arts was a post inspired by some wonderful comments which came in as a result of my recent Chandler’s Ford Today post on My Top 10 Classical Music Greats. Some fantastic pieces of music have been added to that list – and there is always room for more, hint, hint! In this post though, I discuss what role the arts has in your fictional setting and ask how accessible the arts are to your characters? This could be useful in helping you flesh our your world and could give useful pointers as to how your society works. Is there an elite that keeps the arts for themselves? Are there some arts only the “commoners” enjoy and so on?

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I discuss response to my CFT post, fireworks (loathe them – because my border collie does, which is reason enough!) and share my thoughts on Ben Macintyre’s The Last Word. I’m currently reading this on Kindle and it shares some wonderful insights as to the development of the English language. There are some fantastically funny examples of pidgin English too.

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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.

One of the best ways to escape is with a good book. Image via Pixabay.

ATTRACTIVE CHARACTER TRAITS

November 6, 2016November 6, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

Attractive Character Traits discusses what I think are the most attractive traits any character can have. Top of the list is persistence – and Andy Murray’s wonderful achievement in becoming world # 1 in men’s tennis (especially in this era) put me in mind of this. See what you think about my list. Can you add anything?

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

Escaping discusses how characters escape – from literal danger (escapes must be credible) to leaving behind daily work cares etc. How do they do the latter? What hobbies and interests do they have to help them achieve that sense of escape?

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Being a tennis fan, I couldn’t let Andy Murray’s achievement today pass without comment but I also link it to hard work and persistence also being of vital importance to writers.

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CHANDLER’S FORD TODAY

Just a quick thanks to all who have commented so far on my Top 10 Classical Greats post from yesterday. Some pieces of music listed I know, others I don’t (but will look up and play!).

Hard at work. Image via Pixabay. Music (playing and listening) can be a great form of escapism, which is one topic I look at tonight.

A Magical, Classical Night out. Image via Pixabay.

CLASSICAL MUSIC AND FICTION

November 5, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

The Role of Classical Music in Fiction asks if music is controlled in your fiction setting – that is, can musicians play what they want or do they have to stick to a repetoire? What are the consequences if they don’t? Also is your world developed enough to have radio or when people want music, is it a question of going out to concerts? Does the state encourage people to do this? (Too busy enjoying music, too busy to question them!).

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

Now you may spot a theme developing when I mention my post here tonight is called Musical Tastes. (A) You’re right (!) and (B) the theme all ties in with my Chandler’s Ford Today blog for this week. More on that shortly. But in this post, I ask what the status of music and musicians are in your fictional world? What can you reveal about a character’s love (or otherwise) of music to show more about them?

CHANDLER’S FORD TODAY

I write all of my CFT posts as a labour of love but every so often one stands out, for me at least, as a particularly special one. Tonight’s post is one of those. My Top 10 Classical Music Greats shares my favourite pieces of music, some wonderful You Tube clips and I hope also brings back some memories. For example, one piece I’ve chosen is Ravel’s Bolero. Where were you in 1984 when Torvill and Dean raised figure skating to an all time high with their dance on ice interpretation of this? Hope you like the post. I loved writing it and comments as to your favourite classical music pieces would be very welcome in the CFT comments box.

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No surprises here but I talk about my CFT post and again provide a link.

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Classical Music score. Image via Pixabay.

STORIES BITING BACK

November 1, 2016Leave a comment

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Stories Biting Back shares my thoughts on flash fiction and how they must pack a punch. I also share a link with Chapeltown Books, who have a blog page up about the flash fiction collections they are currently producing. The three authors selected so far are Neil Campbell, Gill James and myself. The link shares samples of work from Neil and myself. My flash sample is A Kind of Hell. Hope you like it.

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

Creating Worlds again shares the link with Chapeltown Books but also discusses one major thing I love about stories and books in general. That is: each story or book, regardless of length, takes you into its own world and there is no limit to how many worlds you can visit. The more you read, the more worlds you visit so happy travelling!

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Again I share links with Chapeltown Books. On this link there are also Amazon connections to The Best of Cafelit series. I have work in Best of 4 and 5 and reviewed 3! No surprises here but I’m all for supporting the independent presses!!

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All books are gateways to other worlds, fantasy and science fiction especially I think. Image via Pixabay.

One of my favourite book images. They really are magical. Transportation into other worlds and around this one in a few hundred pages. Brilliant! Image via Pixabay.

WHEN A CHARACTER KNOWS THEY’RE IN TROUBLE

October 31, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

When a Character knows they’re in trouble is another of my “sum it all up in the title” posts! A short, sharp list of points for a character to ponder – do you agree with what I’ve come up with? Can you add to the list?

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

Reviewing Characters is another sum it up title! I appear to be on a roll with these tonight! But it occurred to me it would be no bad thing for writers to review their characters every so often. Are the characters still coming across the way you want them to do so? If not is this because they’ve developed and do you need to change your story to handle that development correctly? Characters should change and develop of course, it’s the classic sign they “live” (and as a result so does the story), but a check to see the character is still “up to the job” is no bad thing I feel.

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I was really pleased Andy Murray won in Vienna. I discuss my thoughts on that and the creative arts in my FB page tonight. A strange mix? I don’t think so. Sports people can be creative in how they play after all (AM is a great example of that. Some of his shots take my breath away in a “how the hell did he do that” kind of way). I also love the fact that there are so many forms of creative arts, so much so there is bound to be at least one to suit most people!

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When I’m not at my desk, I’m likely to be in the swimming pool or walking the dog (never both at the same time!). Image via Pixabay.

Looking into the past... Image via Pixabay

WHAT FAIRYTALE CHARACTERS MOST CARE ABOUT

October 30, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

What Fairytale Characters most care about is about…. well I do love titles that sum a blog post up. See if you agree with what I’ve come up with here. Can you add to my list?

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

Provoking a Reaction discusses what I think makes a successful story or even blog post. It has to provoke a reaction in the reader. Your characters have got to care about the outcome of the story. Your readers have to care about the outcome for the characters or the overall outcome for a non-fiction piece.

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I went to see Arthur Miller’s All My Sons tonight so briefly discuss that (plan to review at a later date). I also share my dislike of fireworks – I own a dog and see the distress the wretched things cause though a calming diffuser seems to have positive effects. I’m also feeling a little virtuous as I tidied up my writing desk a bit (never a favourite task).

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Fairies are not twee creatures… tonight I ask what do fairytale characters most care about. Image via Pixabay

FICTIONAL TEACHING, ADVICE AND INTERVIEWS

October 29, 2016Leave a comment

Both of my website posts tonight were inspired by my Chandler’s Ford Today interview post with Barbara Large, the second part of which went up on site tonight. Link below.

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

I look at fictional interviews in tonight’s post and these can be a great way of revealing more about characters (both interviewer and interviewee) as long as the interview serves the story and moves it onwards to its conclusion.

Some of my previous posts on my websites have discussed interviewing your own characters and that can be a useful technique to find out more what makes them tick. But whether the interview is actually in the story or you are using one to help flesh out your portrayal of a character, it should convey significant information, which is crucial to your story in some way.

This is because you may well find out something about the character that you had not originally envisioned but the interview brings out. Find out where that takes you, it could be fun (!), indeed I think it should be fun (!!), and it should add depth to your character portrayal if nothing else.

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

Teaching and Advice looks at the role of teachers, advisors/mentors in the role of fiction. What experience do they have? How does it help the one they are advising? Are the teachers and advisors generally respected or not (and why is this the case)? Plenty of story ideas to be found here I think!

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I share details of my Chandler’s Ford Today post, which is part 2 of my interview with Barbara Large.

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CHANDLER’S FORD TODAY

Part 2 of my interview with Barbara Large is now on site and, as ever, Barbara shares a wealth of advice for writers of all backgrounds. It was a great joy to meet up with her again and I can’t overestimate how much she has supported writers of fiction (all genres) and non-fiction over the years. It was lovely to talk to her and thank you, Barbara, for sparing your very precious time for the interview.

The Writing Life with Barbara Large is a two part interview and now available via Chandler’s Ford Today, Image via Pixabay.

Says it all really and ties in with my post tonight for This World and Others. Image via Pixabay.

FAIRYTALE NEWS HEADLINES

October 27, 2016Leave a comment

FAIRYTALE NEWS HEADLINES

Fairytale News Headlines takes a whimsical, humorous look at what stories would grab the magical media’s attention. There is also suggestions as to what periodicals might take which item. It’s not good news for the big, bad wolf here though.

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

The Other Side of Writing explores why all writers who want to develop well must read well, in and out of their genre and ideally including non-fiction too. Why? Because ideas spark all over the place, so the wider you read, the wider you are casting your metaphorical net. That can only be a good thing for your writing.

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I discuss the importance of “taking in” stories in different formats for my post here today. The great thing about writing is, because most accept to write well you need to read well, you get two hobbies for the price of one here!

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CHANDLER’S FORD TODAY

Part 2 of my interview with Barbara Large will be up on site tomorrow. Barbara shares her thoughts on what she’d like her creative writing classes to achieve and shares numerous hints and tips for all writers. Links up tomorrow.

The ultimate book circle perhaps? Image via Pixabay.