Short post this week, as I've been busy with non writing stuff.
I wonder how many of you remember when Kath ran this blog? I don't recall how long ago that was.
Sometime ago, Fiona told us about her experiences on a Hawthornden retreat. You can read the details here, but to sum up, it's a month living in a castle for free, and with help towards transport costs, with nothing to do but write. Applications for next year can be made here.
Yes, I remember when Kath ran this blog.
ReplyDeleteDual timelines sound interesting but I think they'd only work well in a long story, a serial, or a novel. I wrote a time- slip novel many years ago, and that was complicated enough! The novel didn't get anywhere, so I shelved it.
No news to report, apart from stories in an e - mag and poems published in a local paper. Crowvus opens for submissions, for their Hooded anthology, in April but I don't know when in April.
Oh I know that ‘non-writing stuff’ Patsy - it’s been getting in the way this week. I’ve actually been doing plenty of writing but none of it is ‘mine’ and while it’s good (promoting Go All In, the National Year of Reading, in our area) it’s been taking up too much time.
ReplyDeleteI’ve a story bubbling away every time I’m out walking but nothing on paper yet. Hoping to start over the weekend.
I’ve never tried a dual timeline but thanks for the link to the blog, will take a look.
Thanks Patsy, Alyson, Fiona & Kath for interesting post & info. Busy working on some non fiction pieces at the moment
ReplyDeleteKath's book on writing ghost stories was my very first Kindle book. I enjoy reading dual timelines but unsure whether I could keep sufficient tabs on one to see it through myself. I'd like to try. Thank you, Alyson, Patsy and Fiona.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the blog post - really interesting and potentially useful. I enjoy reading dual timeline stories and books. So far, I've only tried it in a short story but may attempt it in a longer piece of fiction one day. I've had an acceptance from Woman's Weekly this week with a publication date in the autumn as it is a seasonal story.
ReplyDeleteWell done to all with positive news. I, too have Kath's 'How to write ghost stories' book on my kindle! I'm getting ready to send the first of my Xmas stories out in a couple of months...
ReplyDeleteThanks Patsy and Alyson for sharing Kath's blog post. An interesting read about dual timelines.
ReplyDeleteHB
I was really enjoyed this post. Whilst I don't think I would ever be able to attend a writing retreat, I followed the link and it sounds such a fantastic idea.
ReplyDeleteI've had a good week with two acceptances for TPF and now, like Sharon, I'm thinking about Christmas stories, although I'm trying something for Halloween first. I've never managed one yet, but who knows?!
Congratulations to everyone else for their successes and progress this past week.
Thank you Patsy, Fiona and Alyson, and congratulations to all with successes (writing or otherwise) this week. I recently attempted a short story with links to the past, but after reading Kath’s very informative blog, I can tell my story definitely needs some tweaking…!
ReplyDeleteDee
I see that Story glory now has an ISSN number for their (yet be published) booklet, so I assume that anyone who has a story in it will be able to claim ALCS.
ReplyDeleteJust a bit of info not related to the above but may be useful. I was thinking of trying a chapter with the Meetcute competition, mentioned here a couple of weeks ago. I, probably stupidly, assumed it was free to enter but discovered there is a fee of £12. I should probably have realised but didnt. I decided not to send in an entry. Thought I would share the info for anyone thinking of having a go.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sue. I also assumed it was free. There was no mention of a fee in the page I read.
DeleteHB
Ah right, thanks for that Sue. I thought it was free to enter too, so sorry, as it was me who passed it on to Patsy. I would also hesitate at an entry fee of £12.
ReplyDeleteI only read the first page with the details and there's no mention of a £12 fee there, so I guess we discover this later on in the process. That's not being clear and transparent to any interested writers.
ReplyDeleteApologies again but it didn't state it on that first page, so I assumed it was a free to enter opportunity.
Personally, I don't see why anyone should pay anything for an agent to consider their work, but that's just me.
Not your fault Sharon and it looked a really interesting competition. Anyway it was useful in that it got me doing a bit of work on my festering novel!
ReplyDeleteThe fee bit only popped up during the submission process but it is clearly shown in the Tsand Cs which I should have read first not last. Lesson learned but I enjoyed the writing exercise.
@ Sharon – I agree that dual timelines probably need a longish story to be effective.
ReplyDeleteWell done on the e mag and poetry.
@ Fiona – It's amazing how much time things can take.
I hope those ideas make it onto a page soon.
@ Sheelagh – Good luck with those. Non fiction is a different type of creativity, isn't it?
@ Marguerite – Snap! That was the first ebook I bought too. A good investment.
@ Suzan – Well done on the WW sale!
@ Sharon – I wonder how many stories that book has inspired.
Good news about Story Glory. You're right, an ISSN should mean ALCS claims can be submitted.
@ HB – I'm glad its of interest!
@ Marian – Well done on the acceptances.
@ Dee – I hope the tweaking goes well.
@ Sue – Sorry about that. When I find competitions myself, or they're passed on to me, I do my best to check they're free. Obviously I wasn't thorough enough in this case. The fact a competition has an entry fee doesn't automatically mean it's not a good one, but I do aim to only share details of free ones (usually - I reserve the right to break my own rule!)
I do wish organisers would make it clearer if there is a fee. Sometimes I only discover that's the case when I click through to the submissions page, which I feel is a little underhand – many people would have started working on their entries before doing that.
Well done for spotting the details of the fee in this case - and thanks for letting us know.
@ Sharon – As we both missed it, it can't have been clear, can it?
@ Sue - Our posts crossed! Yes, it's a lesson to all of us to check the small print before spending time on a project.
ReplyDeleteWith a competition I entered recently, one of the rules was that shortlisted entrants had to attend an event where the winner would be announced. I was willing to go, but it was a surprise to discover that requirement.
Thank you so much for the link to the dual timeline article. I'm currently working on a dual timeline manuscript, and finding it difficult, so the article will be very useful. I'm looking forward to reading it.
ReplyDeleteYes, I remember when Kath ran this Blog. I was only thinking of her the other day and now you mention her. Lovely! Within her all the very best and you too, Patsy. All good wishes. Kate Hogan
ReplyDeleteI meant 'Wishing"!
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