That’ll Teach Me

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

I consumed way too much alcohol Tuesday night, so spent most of yesterday suffering for it lol. Baileys + Kir Royal + White Wine + Red Wine + Dessert Wine was a really bad idea 😦

I’m definitely no Ernest Hemingway I don’t write better under the influence, in fact, I find it hard to write at all lol….my brain is too fuzzy.

Came across this You Tube video a couple of days ago…..brilliant…..does that mean I’m a writer if I can relate to it? 😉

Yesterday I was reading about the difference between writing practice and journal writing. I fell into this whole “fiction writing” malarkey through my love of keeping a journal, and that all started because of dear Julia Cameron and The Artists Way.

A fantastic book if you haven’t read it…..DO!

Anyway, I digress……

There isn’t much difference between the 2 processes, writing practice is usually more focused, a prompt or a topic. I don’t record my thoughts and feelings in my writing notebook like I use to in my journals. I love journalling, but it got to the stage where I was depressing myself lol. I was fed up re-reading the doom and gloom. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I would write about good stuff, but moments later I would find myself analysing again. I daren’t look back on any of them lol.

Sue Grafton says “The journal serves as a place to offload anxiety, a verbal repair shop when my internal writing machine breaks down.” Yeah, ok, I can see she has a point, but, I’m so sick of whining and moaning….I did that for about 6 years (in written form and with a Live Journal account).

I want to move on now 🙂 Yes, I still have moments when I feel like absolute shit, and perhaps one day I’ll go back to journalling…..but at the moment I’m projecting my moods onto my characters 😉

Managed to catch up with my prompts yesterday…..finish the romance one in the library and the one about animal dreams is still *ahem* unfinished 😦 There’s always one that ends up stalling me lol. Today’s one is a jewel which seems much easier than the animal dream 😉

Writing Tips

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

I’m always fascinated by tips that fellow authors give. Yesterday, I stumbled across some tips from David Ogilvy and yes, I know he wasn’t an author…..but, they’re still good tips 🙂

Write the way you talk, naturally
Use short words, short sentences and short paragraphs
Never use jargon words judgmentally. They are hallmarks of a pretentious ass
Never send a letter or memo on the day you write it. Read it aloud the next morning-and then edit it.

Now these tips are referring to business writing, but, as far as I’m concerned they could just as easily be adapted to fiction.

It was Valentines day yesterday so hubby took me out or a lovely meal. I didn’t think it was appropriate to take my notebook lol…..but I especially liked the comment I overheard from the guy answering the phone. Someone was ringing to get a table and was told it was Valentines day. The caller obviously wanted a table for one as he was asked “can you not find someone to be your stand in wife?”…..hmmmm….there’s definitely a story there 😉

Oh, I was talking about films as inspiration the other day wasn’t I? Well, author and screenwriting tutor, Brad Geagley has put on his blog his list of essential films all of which have extremely strong stories. Out of the 84 film listed, I’ve seen 23…..that’s not great really is it. Think I need to raise my viewing standards 😉

Watch films, read, write, learn…..there just aren’t enough hours in the day lol

I didn’t do very well with yesterday’s prompt as I was faffing about making myself gorgeous for my meal out. But I did start it, a romance set in a library lol….don’t ask me why a library, I just couldn’t think of anywhere else where it would be inappropriate to whistle lol. Today’s prompt is write about animal dreams and I’m a bit apprehensive to say the least lol

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 🙂

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.

Titles

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

I spent most of yesterday writing and typing up a short story for my OCA exercise re, marrying 2 notebook ideas together. I’m not gunna publish it on my blog as I think it might be good enough to send somewhere for a short story comp. it’s really annoying that these competitions request that your story cannot have appeared anywhere else *pout* 😦

Anyway, so I have a completed short story….now, a title lol.

I never start with a title, I always write the story and then when it’s finished I think about what to call it. Most of the stories I’ve written don’t ever have titles (do you think they mind? Lol), but I like to ‘name’ those that get typed up 🙂

I have pages and pages of title ideas in my notebooks. I tend to find them everywhere. Something that I overheard someone say, the chapter heading in a book (non fiction), the title of a piece of art, 2 or 3 words from a poem or quote…..I have hundreds lol. So when it comes to naming a piece, I go back through my lists and pick something appropriate. Unfortunately, sometimes I come unstuck lol…. My last Nano novel was/is called Deliberate Act which I thought suited it perfectly. But then hubby pointed out to me that there is a film called that……oh dear, will need to rethink that one then 😦

Yesterday’s prompt, the one about nearing midnight inspired the story of a woman waiting for a phone call. Her son is on a life support machine, but, how should she feel about that when he’s a rapist and murderer? Lol….. I really will write something happy one day, I promise 😉

Today’s prompt is write about a summer garden

I’m really proud of myself that I’ve kept to my ‘goal’ of writing everyday 🙂

Tonight I’m going to see Lesley Pearse give a talk. I’ve never read anything of hers, but I’m always interested to hear what an author has to say 🙂

Running Behind

Posted on January 15, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Ok, so yes, I ended up doing 2 of the daily prompts yesterday lol….. The first one, which was actually Fridays was when she looked up. I wrote a 1 page piece (better than nothing) describing a woman walking through a village when a plane crashes nearby. Yesterday’s prompt (the one inspired by Turgenev) was totally uninspiring lol….I ended up with a description of a woman entering a room full of books, taking one down from the shelf and finding a handwritten note. I don’t know why she’s in the room, who she is, or what the note says…..yet 😉

I finally completed my Write Place homework. I decided to use one of my stories that I did for the prompt, and just adapted it. I promise I will post it here after Wednesday when I read it out in class *gulp*

I know as an aspiring writer, one of the best things I can do to ‘hone’ my craft is read. But at the moment, I’m in a reading slump. My current read has been sitting next to me bed for 3 weeks lol. I read more blogs and short stories on line at the moment than actual books (is it that time thing again?). So today, I’m determined to read at least a couple of chapters lol.

Don’t get me wrong…..I’m enjoying finding things on line to read, web sites like this are a complete time suck, but sooooo interesting 🙂

So other than reading, the plan for today is to have another fiddle with my assignment, and do today’s prompt, which is write about an unfamiliar object. I’m feeling much better about the daily prompts now I’ve taken the pressure off myself to actually complete a short story every day…..but, saying that, I did have a lightbulb moment recently, and I now realise, thanks to Liz @ Libro that if I’m not enjoying what I’m writing about I struggle big time 😦 To quote Liz……. “it’s vitally important to choose a topic you’re interested in and can commit to….”

Yes, ok, I know it’s obvious!!!! Lol….. Reminds me of Iain McEwan and that I read recently that in a lot of his books it comes across that he doesn’t really like his characters (was definitely the case in Saturday which I read recently). So how does he do that? Lol

The Write Place Homework

Posted on January 13, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Just quickly……I have to show you this……Kelly Rae Roberts desk *squeals*……how gorgeous is that? *looks around the house to see if there are any spare cupboards*

Yesterday’s prompt, in the distance, went well. I wrote a short piece about a girl getting lost in the woods and stumbling across an old cottage…..a huge cliche I know, but I just fancied writing something a bit creepy 😉

At The Write Place class we were discussing openings, the beginnings of short stories, and how they have to grab the reader. As I said yesterday I failed miserably in the actual class lol, but I’m hoping I’ll be better at the actual homework, because I’m not feeling so pressured. Although, I know I will have to read it out next Wednesday *gulp*

So the prompt is…… ‘Sara! I never thought you could do such a thing.’

I sat there yesterday evening, trying to come up with something (it needs to be about 300 words) that resembles a story. On my 3rd attempt I got further than the first 20 words lol….so I’m hoping today I’ll be able to turn it into something readable. Might have to practice reading it out loud to the hubby a few times though lol

Plan for today…..try to get my assignment sorted, or rather typed up and finish the homework, oh, and of course, there’s today’s prompt……when she looked up

Looks like its going to be a busy day 😉