Tag archives for Creative writing - Page 3
Down The Harbour [Flash Fiction] [Harwood]
Down The Harbour is a flash fiction sequel to Rounds which was written for my Open University Creative Writing course. Rounds was also included in my book Themself. Down The Harbour was written for the NYC Midnight Flash Fiction Challenge 2017. The challenge was to write 1,000 word romance set in a harbour with a bandage in the story. The Challenge gives you 48 hours, but I was at cub camp that weekend and it left me only a couple of hours of writing time to get in a 1,000 word story that met the requirements. Here's a slightly edited version of the story. Down The Harbour Alice swore softly under her breath and threw bandages from the delivery into the store cupboard. None of the midwifery supplies she'd ordered had arrived. It wasn't one of her better days. She'd promised to get Dianne a date with Ed,…
Early Writing (aged 7) – My Kitten
Alexander asked me how tall I was when I was his age, and I found this piece of my early writing in the book that my mother recorded such things - a story entitled 'My Kitten'. It's not precisely dated, but it refers to my baby brother, and that gives it a window for when he was a baby. So I was seven when I wrote it, in the very late 1970s. My Kitten My kitten is called peper. It drinks whisky mixed with beer and brandy. Sometimes it runs away with with my action men but it plays with the baby. It's basket is under Michael's cot. It eats 3 meals a day. It likes going out. Sometimes I play with it. Sometimes it goes on my bed and it likes watching television. Commentary 'My Kitten' is definitely a piece…
Writer’s Bookshelf – Bookshelves Abound = #Shelfie 07
Given that November is National Novel Writing Month, the Bookshelves Abound series naturally continues with my Writer's Bookshelf. This is the fifth of the five bookshelves on the upstairs landing. It sits between the New Bookshelf and my bedroom door. Writer's Bookshelf My writer's bookshelf, where all the books on the craft of writing go, as well as useful reference works. The Writer's Bookshelf is where I've collected books about writing, language and other reference works that I think might be useful for writing or editing stories. It also has some general background works as potential research for stories that I have planned outlines for, or have written as short stories and think that I could expand. Let's start with the top and work down. Reference Works The very top shelf has a whole bunch of popular science and practical reference works. Most…
Every Word Counts – NaNoWriMo Tips – Get Ready to Write!
my desk for writing poetry, where every word counts (photo credit: James Kemp) NaNoWriMo 2016 starts tomorrow, so here are some special NaNoWriMo Tips to get you ready because every word counts. Tens of thousands of writers are waiting with fingers waggling over their keyboards. They're aiming to write 50,000 words before the end of November. 2016 NaNoWriMo Tips 1. Find a Time The trick is to find a time when you can write. Mornings are usually good because you're fresh, but others find late at night works for them. You might neeed to experiment a little to find out what works best for you. I tend to write on trains, when I can get a seat. So I get some short sharp 30 minute sessions every working day. I just use what I can because every word counts. 2.…
Duke of Piraxis – SciFi draft on wattpad
working cover for Duke of Piraxis Over the last couple of weeks I outlined a science fiction story with the working title Duke of Piraxis. It's about a new colony in the early days of human deep space travel. Despite the name Duke of Piraxis doesn't feature nobility. The Chief Executive is called Duke. They decided to call the colony Piraxis. Hence Duke of Piraxis as he's the primary point of view in what I've written so far. Inspiration for Duke of Piraxis So what inspired me to write the story was a TV programme where Michael Portillo visited Romania. At the beginning of the 20th century the Romanians got themselves a King. They built railways all over the country and also a fantastic palace. It made me think of some of the fantasy steampunk stories. Then I thought, maybe…