Lost Moments

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

I love having so many e mails hit my inbox every day, I get to see link after link after link lol.

The Writers Knowledge Base is one I could spend hours on lol…..in fact, sod actually writing, I’ll just do lots of writing research instead 😉

But that’s the problem isn’t it…..you can so easily get bogged down with reading articles, blogs, emails, FaceBook (the list is endless) that before you know it a whole morning is gone and you haven’t written a thing 😦

Yesterday morning I was up at 7.30 and still sitting in my PJ’s at 9.50 having just finally caught up with online stuff lol. My timetable really isn’t working for me, probably because I haven’t looked at it for a week lol.

Hubby bought me this a couple of days ago……

So what was I doing at half past 12 last night?

I’ve not started reading it properly, just flicked, but it looks great!!!! I especially like the character profile list (characterisation is my favourite part of writing…..I can sit for hours making up characters) and the way that it’s advice from lots of different authors. Will definitely be keeping an eye out to see if Vanessa Gebbie is doing any workshops in the future 😉

……and here I go again…… Just stumbled across this great resource to create characters. On Manon Eileen’s site you fill in a form and can print out your characterisation. How good is that? Oh dear…..I don’t think much actual writing will get done today now lol 😉

I did, however, manage to do part of my course…..all about beginnings…..so here are some beginnings from my existing short stories. The point of the first exercise was to have the beginning of a story where the sense of location stands out to the reader. The second was to start with dialogue and introducing the characters by name. I hope they worked 😉

Yesterday’s prompt about the binoculars inspired the start of a story of a bird watcher lol. Today’s prompt is someone is whistling.

Only 6 Months To Go lol

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

I sat down yesterday and filled out my booking form for The Writers Summer school, or what is affectionately known as Swanwick

I am sooooo excited lol.

This year we have some great course tutors……
Lindsay Bamfield on Getting Started in Fiction
Alison Chisholm on Poetry
Alex Davis on SF, Fantasy & Horror
Linda Lewis on Short Stories
Benjamin Scott for Older Children & YA Fiction
Jane Wenham-Jones for Non-Fiction Writing

Then for the short courses we have…..
Public Speaking with Phil Barber
Technology for Writers with Malcolm Chisholm
Getting An Agent with Meg Davis
Research & Family History with Roy Devereux
Writing Erotica with Della Galton
Writing For The Media with Simon Hall
Characterisation with Steve Hartley
e-Publishing with Peter Jones
Copywriting with Lesley Lawson Botez
Comedy with David Nobbs
Crime with Michael O’Byrne
Flash Fiction with Alexa Radcliffe-Hart
Writing From The Subconscious with Xanthe Wells
Write a Haunting Tale with Stella Whitelaw

Oh my god!!!!!! how the hell am I gunna choose which ones to do? Lol

On top of all that I have to decide if I want a one on one and if so, who with?

I said last year at Swanwick that I was going to return next August having had at least 1 thing published…..at this rate I’ll be lucky if it’s a readers letter lol 😉

I just hope the weathers a bit better this year, last year i had flu and it was freezing! I’ll make sure I take a few cardi’s this year 😉

I tried my hand at a bit of romance yesterday with the eclipse prompt, but, it didn’t work….there was still a sinister side to the guy proposing on the church roof lol. Today’s prompt is what was seen through binoculars and I already have a few ideas 😉

I’m A Platform-Building Campaigner

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Yes, I’ve signed up in 2 categories at Rachael Harrie’s Blog

Not really 100% sure what I’ve got myself into, but, it’s been great fun looking at the other blogs in my categories. I chose Short Stories & Beginner Bloggers 😉 The only thing is that I can’t seem to get the photo (above) to stay on my side bar….I’m wondering if it’s the theme I’m using *pouts* 😦

Yesterday me and hubby had a DVD fest. We watched all 3 of the Mission Impossible films (I say 3 as 4 isn’t out here yet). So I didn’t get much writing done lol. It’s ok though, as I’m calling it research lol…..I have permission from Write To Done who happened to send me an article yesterday which said “When you’re looking for opportunities to learn, don’t forget the movies. So much can be gleaned by watching films to see what makes them work.” Sooooo, ner! 😉

I’m finally up to date with my prompts….. The one about the skin on her cheek inspired a story about a young woman who’s lost her husband and son in an accident and the gravel road one has turned into the start of a story about a couple house hunting. Today’s prompt is write about an eclipse which really isn’t my kind of thing, but…..I’ll give it a go 🙂

Self Sabotage

Posted on February 11, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

*shudders*

I hate editing…..with a passion 😦 lol

But…..I know it’s got to be done.

So this article will come in handy today I’m sure 😉

I spent yesterday continuing to type up some more short stories and today I will try to do some editing. The plan is to have at least 2 or 3 pieces ready to send out on Monday. Not too sure that’s gunna happen lol 😉

So along with editing, I was reading about self sabotage last night, and that a lot of the time we don’t even realise we’re doing it….for example:

Comparing your writing to others I am so guilty of this.
Allowing others needs & wants to get in the way of your writing time Easy to do when you have a family.
Stopping when it gets hard or you get stuck How many unfinished pieces have I got exactly?
Setting your standards & goals too high Perfectionism?
Thinking that if a piece is rejected it means you’re no good A classic….anyone who’s had a rejection letter will know exactly what that feels like.

A few times recently I’ve just thought, shall I just jack this all in? Is writing really for me?

The prompt about the counting breaths turned into a story about a heavily pregnant woman who’s fiancé is in the army, posted to Afganistan, but my mind went blank on yesterday’s one about the skin on her cheek. Today’s one is driving a gravel road which instantly brought back some childhood memories 🙂

Synesthesia

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

I’ve been doing a bit of research on Synesthesia especially trying to find examples (which is proving difficult) and create my own (which is even more difficult lol).

So far, my list is:

A saxophone sound of midnight
The taste of yesterday
Violet hour (TS Eliot)
Brassy blonde
Buttery sun
A lilac whisper
The silent sun

I cant possibly imagine what it must be like to actually suffer from Synesthesia, but there are many famous people who have, and do, and it seems to have added to their talent.

A bit of a link fest lol…….

Thanks to Victoria Mixon I have now added another 2 books to my Amazon wish list. I really shouldn’t read posts like that lol

I love What The Dickens as they produce an online magazine that you can download on Kindle, and also have this lovely shop! I will be buying something lol

Third and final link (you’re relieved aren’t you?) is from a fellow Maidstone Writer on our FaceBook page. Storybook looks really interesting. So I’m waiting with baited breath to hear what the general consensus is before I download it.

Yesterday’s prompt about counting breaths didn’t actually get done lol….but I have a really good excuse…..I spent most of the day going through all my short stories and typing some of them up 🙂 today’s prompt is the skin on her cheek and I already have some ideas 😉

Prompts…..Good or Bad?

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

An update from a blog I subscribe to hit my inbox a couple of days ago from Courage to Create.

Now, it is a great post, well written, and obviously the authors opinion….but, then I read the comments…..everyone agrees with him, whereas I read it and was like *ahem* no way!!!!!

Sooooo, go read, What Moves You Most Right Now? and tell me what you think? Am I one lone voice among thousands who uses prompts and feels that she actually benefits from them?

I use prompts because I have a hectic life. I use them to get my brain working, for direction. Yes, I’d love to walk with nature and be inspired. Why does it matter that the destination you arrive at never looks like the original prompt?

If I sat at my table every morning and just asked myself “What moves me the most right now?” well, I would probably end up writing about the shopping, the fact that I’ve got to change the bed linen, how many baskets of clean washing have to go upstairs, and how much my psoriasis is killing me on my hand lol. I’m positive that the 6 weeks worth of stories I’ve come up with so far this year would never have been written if it wasn’t for using prompts *folds arms and stamps foot*

Ok, rant over, apologies for that 😉

And now……

It’s by Tad Hargrave…..I got it through a FB friend….made me chuckle and calmed me down from my rant lol

I spent most of yesterday editing and re-editing my short story called Eating Out. Initially it was a story about a husband and wife, but now I’ve changed that to mother and son, so that it will fit I with the competition Swanwick are running on the theme of A Sense Of Duty. I have to be honest, I prefer it as husband and wife, but, as my homework for The Write Place was to find a competition and write an entry, the Swanwick one is the one I want to try 🙂 If it doesn’t get anywhere I’ll revert back to husband and wife and submit it somewhere else lol 😉

Went to The Write Place class last night where we mainly looked at fillers and checked through magazines looking for writing opportunities…..really enjoyed it 🙂

My prompt yesterday about living as he did turned into a piece about a detective going into a guys rented room as the guy had been found murdered…..really enjoyed writing that one 🙂 Today’s prompt is counting his/her breaths which sounds interesting.

It’s Just Not Working

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

This whole story board malarkey lol. Perhaps it just doesn’t really work with a short story. Anyway, here is my 2000 word short story, split down into scenes of a story board.

Eating Out

Not much of a plot exactly is it? *snigger* 😉

After a really unproductive day, I had a really productive evening. I managed to extend “Eating Out” into a 1100 story and even used Autocrit to check it over, which was very interesting LMAO…… I’m now hooked, paid for an annual subscription, and will be using it a lot 🙂

So I guess the Mslexia competition is out the window…..I’ll just have to find one that’s up to 1200/1500 so that I can use this story. Will spend today doing some more editing before taking it to The Write Place tonight.

Yesterday’s prompt was eating out, and developed into the story I’ve been using today. A couple in a restaurant, and I’m not saying anymore 😉 Today’s prompt is living as he did…. so I haven’t got a clue where to start with that one.

I finished note book number 9 yesterday. It’s sad finishing a notebook, but soooo exciting starting a new one. I’m now using a lovely purple one 🙂

Story Boards

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Yesterday I tried my hand at using a story board to plan a story. I have a 300 word piece of flash fiction that I need to turn into a 2000 word short story.

The story board template I’m using (which I found on a Google image search) splits the story into 6 scenes. The 300 words I already have is basically 1 scene (but i can split it into 2) so I have to come up with another 4 lol. The problem is, what I have written so far puts my character into a particular situation, so now I have to come up with a reason as to why she’s there in the first place…..

…..and I’m struggling…… Perhaps this isn’t the right story to extend?

I’m trying to kill multiple birds again (not literally, obviously!) as my next part of the course is to use a method for plotting that I don’t usually use (the story board) and The Write Place homework is a short story to enter in a competition.

So, is it really the story, or the method that’s letting me down? Lol.

Yesterday’s prompt about bad blood ended up being a 1st person POV about a serial killer *snigger* and today’s prompt is eating out and as I do a lot of that I should find it pretty easy shouldn’t I 😉

Auditioning Words

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

I came across this quote yesterday (thanks to Judy Reeves):

“Writing is not a visual art. It is a symphony, not an oil painting. It is the shattering, not the glass. It is the ringing, not the bell. The words you write make sounds, and when the sounds satisfy the readers ear, your writing works.” Gary Provost

……and that’s why it’s so important to read your work out loud to yourself 😉

The Thesaurus must surely be the most powerful writers tool (apart from paper and a pen). I have one as an app I use on my iPad. Bloody handy I must say……why say red if you can say crimson? Why say walked if you can say shuffled?

Good writing (IMO) is all about the image you create for your reader, to draw them in.

Sooooo, I’m creating a list of words that excite me…..wish me luck 😉

Today’s prompt was about someone reading a poem. I’m beginning to get increasingly concerned that because my stories are so dark, I’ll never have anything to submit to the women’s magazine market. So today I thought I’d try me hand at a bit of romance. It went quite well, I’m kinda pleased, and it was prompted by Sally Quilford’s recent blog post.

So perhaps I can actually write something a little more lighthearted 😉

Today’s prompt is write about bad blood lol….oh dear, it looks like I’m back to the dark side 😉

Such A Shame

Posted on February 5, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

A friend on Face Book posted a link to this Guardian article Friday. Sooooo sad….but there’s a story there if ever I saw one 🙂

If I see an interesting article in a newspaper or magazine I either tear it out and stick it in my notebook, or, if it’s online like this one, I write down notes about it, and list it in my notebook as a story idea 🙂

Then yesterday, this e mail hit my inbox…….and I totally agree. I will never, ever be completely ‘book-less’ 😉

I managed yesterday’s prompt, even with images of Edward Cullen floating round in my head lol. I did a short piece about a woman getting ready for her wedding.

The Write Place homework this week (the session I missed) was to find a current short story competition and start writing the short story. I’ve decided to go for the Mslexia one and use my prompt story from the 2nd January. I wrote a piece of flash fiction that centred around David Bowies Ashes to Ashes song. It’s gunna need a heavy re-write to extend it to the 2000 words required in the comp, but, I’m up for it 😉

Tomorrows prompt is someone is reading a poem which shouldn’t be too hard. At least I haven’t got any visuals influencing me 😉

Today looks like its going to be a good writing day…..there won’t be much else to do lol