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Notebooks, handwriting, missing words
Yesterday, I was lured into a stationery shop by a display of notebooks and pens in the window. It’s a minor addiction – a new notebook makes me happy. Even though I vowed not to buy more, I couldn’t...
View ArticleDribble, drabble, toil and trabble
I had fun adapting the title for this post from the witches’ spell in Macbeth “Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble… for a recent tweet at @bathflashaward. I can’t resist...
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April: Join Jude in writing a month of flash fictions
April is poetry month – the task is to write a poem a day. Thirty pieces out there on screen or on paper. I don’t write poems but flash fiction is a close cousin to prose poetry – some would say even...
View ArticleApril is the kindest month…
Yes, April has been kind to me on the writing front. I’m so happy to have learned that I have been short listed for the Fish Flash Fiction Prize this year. Two stories – brilliant. Entering...
View ArticleShowing and Telling: The Mix
Back in 1960s, Fritz Perls, one of the founders of Gestalt Psychotherapy, coined the phrase ‘Lose your mind and come to your senses.’ He thought people were too much ‘in their heads.’ They should pay...
View ArticleAdverbs and Weasel Words
Renowned writer, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, famous for his lyrical prose, hated adverbs ending in ‘mente’ ( ‘ly’ in English). His novel, ‘Love in the Time of The Cholera’ contains none. Why are writers...
View ArticleBreaking writing rules (if there are any)
In my last post, I talked about removing ‘ly’ adverbs to strengthen prose. But here’s a challenge – I’ve read a new microfiction by one of my favourite writers, Lydia Davis, where she uses five ‘ly’...
View ArticleFavourite Writing Diets
I wrote this orginally for the bathshortstoryaward.co.uk in 2014 and I’m bringing it out again for the summer holidays. Choose your favourite diet and have a good writing week. Or just stuff...
View ArticleThe Particulars
In estate-agent speak, ‘the particulars’ of properties for sale or rent are anything but particular. ‘Compact’, means a flat the size of a cupboard, ‘deceptively spacious’, means there may be a...
View ArticleMy Love Affair with Flash Fiction
Only friends For years, I thought I was only friends with flash fiction rather like the protagonists in the film, When Harry Met Sally. I liked short stories of whatever length, but there was no grand...
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My best reads 2015: from small details to the whole shebang
I’ve read many stand-out stories this year so I’m limiting myself to one example from each of my categories. Details: There are marvellous character details in the story ‘A Room With Many Small...
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Writer’s Block – Does it exist?
Writer’s block used to be fashionable – a diagnosed condition. That’s always suspect. If you write, you might have said, ‘I’ve got writer’s block’ out loud to friends who ask you how the novel or short...
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Should writing fiction be all about fun?
Should writing fiction be all about fun – or something else? Damyanti Biswas I’ve recently been interviewed by writer Damyanti Biswas, who was one of two writers commended by our judge, novelist and...
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On being a late developer
I’ve begun to think of myself like the amethyst I’ve got on my shelf. Pretty craggy and old on the outside but shiny and multi-faceted within. I’ve had the particular stone pictured here for years –...
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Dancing with Word Tango
Word Tango’s logo I completed a second weekend hosted by Word Tango with Kathy Fish as the teacher, a couple of weekends ago. A birthday present to myself. I like Tango, I like words. I love Word...
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Themes from Dreams
The wonderful flash fiction writer, Meg Pokrass who is reading in Bath on July 29th with Carrie Etter, Diane Simmons, K M Elkes and Tino Prinzi, is judging the new Novella-in-flash competition we are...
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Time Out, Time In
It won’t be news to iPad or iPhone owners, but I’ve discovered the timer function on Siri. Saying ‘Timer’ in a firm voice into the microphone then have the automated voice answer. ‘OK here’s the...
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Moodling and Mind Wandering
I’ve always liked the quote below by Brenda Ueland from her book published in 1938 – If You Want to Write – a book about Art, Independence and Spirit. “So you see, imagination needs moodling—long,...
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Flash Nano?
The American Flash Fiction writer Nancy Stohlman is offering Flash Nano again this year – a flash prompt a day for the month of November. So if you’re not into the 50,000 words NaNoWriMo challenge to...
View ArticleBrevity and Bulk
I was recently told by a student on the MA in creative writing at Bath Spa University, that a well-known novelist, writer on the short story form and creative writing professor there, had dismissed...
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