Search Results for: Association of Christian Writers

At The Scottish Association of Writers Conference

March 25, 2022 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-

Some images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Book cover images from Chapeltown Books/Bridge House Publishing. Photos from the Scottish Association of Writers Conference taken by me, Allison Symes.

I’ve recently returned from the Scottish Association of Writers (SAW) conference, which was held at the Westerwood Hotel, Cumbernauld from 18th to 20th March 2022.

How come a Hampshire based lass ended up here? Two reasons really:-

1. I am a member of History Writers, an online group only meeting once a month on Zoom. This group is affiliated to SAW. I gave a talk to them this month on historical flash fiction. I have written some historically based pieces, hope to do more, and have a general interest in history anyway.

2. Wendy H Jones! I know Wendy thanks to the Association of Christian Writers and she is president of SAW. She also set up the History Writers group. Now I’ve mentioned the importance of networking as you make wonderful writing friends and opportunities can arise too. Let nobody say I don’t take my own advice!

Wendy H Jones. Image kindly supplied by her.

Wendy invited me to judge one of SAW’S competitions – the Margaret McConnell Woman’s Short Story – and to run a flash fiction workshop. I was only too pleased to accept.

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Tags: Allison Symes, am writing, competition judging, flash fiction, flash fiction workshop, networking, Scottish Association of Writers, writing conference

Writers’ Days

October 15, 2021 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Some directly from Pixabay. Book cover images from Chapeltown Books.

By the time this post goes out, I will have returned from the Association of Christian Writers’ AGM and Writers’ Day held on 9th October 2021 at Mary Sumner House in London, which is the home of the Mothers Union incidentally. It will be ACW’s first in-person event since before lockdown.

What ACW did for events and groups was switch everything to Zoom and this worked well. The plan is to combine a mixture of live and Zoom events and group meetings in future.

How did I feel about going back to live events like this? I was fine with it, especially having been to the Swanwick Writers’ Summer School in August. But what are the advantages of one-day events such as the ACW one?

[Read more…] about Writers’ Days

Tags: Association of Christian Writers, creative writing, networking, skill development, writer friends, writers' days

Writers Getting Out and About: Book Fair 2017

September 29, 2017 By Allison Symes 9 Comments

It is one of those oddities where writers, so often renowned for leading a solitary life chained to their desks scribbling away for all their worth, also know they have to “put themselves out there” and spread the word about their writing. Well they do if they want any sales!

Some writers take to the spreading the word idea readily and get right into the spirit of things by taking along props. I know a crime writer who takes a noose to her events – and you should see what is on her tablecloth. Let’s just say it wouldn’t pass the old Daz advert for being “whiter than white”! [Read more…] about Writers Getting Out and About: Book Fair 2017

Tags: Age Concern Centre, Book Fair, book promoting, book signing, books, creative writing, event, fiction, reading, writers' co-operatives

Author Interview: Jennifer C Wilson – The Joy of Writing Groups and Workshops

October 20, 2023 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-

Many thanks to Jennifer C Wilson for author/book/writing circle pictures. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Screenshots and images from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick taken by me, Allison Symes.

It is with great pleasure I welcome back Jennifer C Wilson to Chandler’s Ford Today. Jennifer is the writer of the Kindred Spirits series which crosses history with ghost stories. She also writes historical and romantic fiction (The Warrior’s Prize, The Last Plantagenet amongst others) and has written non-fiction book too (A Novel Approach). She has also contributed to many anthologies.

Jennifer also runs a writing group – the North Tyneside Writers’ Circle (NTWC) – so for this post, we will look at the joys and hard work behind doing that and why groups can be so beneficial to writers, regardless of where they are “at” in their writing journey. There is also a National Association of Writers’ Groups – individuals as well as groups can join. I share the link further down.

Tags: am reading, am writing, Black Coals White Sand, contributing to a writing group, creative writing, Jennifer C Wilson, Kindred Spirits, making the most of a writing group, North Tyneside Writers' Circle, workshop preparation, workshops, writing development, writing exercises, writing group anthologies, writing groups, writing support

The Benefits of Creativity

September 8, 2023 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

There are so many benefits to creativity, regardless of which type you enjoy. I admire those who can knit, crochet, draw etc as I can not do those things myself and there are so many beautiful examples of each. I admire the skill and the resulting works.

I appreciate music, especially classical, while not playing it. I also believe there is a form of creativity for everyone. It is a question of finding the one (or more if you are lucky) which suits you. In my case that is creative writing.

Tags: AI, am reading, am writing, benefits of creativity, creative writing, keeping the brain active, musical creativity

Autumnal Joys

September 1, 2023 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits: Many images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Photos from my church harvest display and from the wildflower meadow taken by me, Allison Symes. Real joy to take them too! Photography is a wonderful thing.

I am fond of the autumn season. Crisp air, the changing colours of the leaves (including on the Virginia Creeper which I see a lot of on my walks), the joy of coming in from a brisk walk with the dog to enjoy a hot chocolate while she tucks into a dog biscuit or two. It is the simple pleasures after all.

[Read more…] about Autumnal Joys

Tags: am reading, am writing, autumn, Autumnal Workout by Allison Symes, flash fiction, Flash NANO, the joys of autumn, the writing season, wildflower meadow

Writing Exercises

August 25, 2023 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

I set writing exercises for a flash fiction group I lead online for the Association of Christian Writers. I base these on topic. For example, I have led a session on titles so the exercises there were to brainstorm title ideas, following tips I shared on how to do that.

I am often set writing exercises in workshops I go to as a delegate.

[Read more…] about Writing Exercises

Tags: am reading, am writing, creative writing, fiction, writing craft, writing exercises

Getting the Most From An In Person Workshop

August 18, 2023 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-

Photos from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick were taken by me, Allison Symes. Many thanks to Julia Pattison for taking the image of me at my editing workshop. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

I was privileged to lead a one hour workshop for The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick on Editing – From Both Sides of the Fence. I had the experience in 2020 of being edited on my book (Tripping the Flash Fantastic) and, simultaneously, I was editing someone else’s book for a small publisher. With my third book given the nod, it wouldn’t surprise me too much if I find myself in the same position again.

I thought it would be useful to give some pointers as to how to make the most of an in person workshop (though many of the points I make will also apply to online ones).

Tags: am reading, am writing, creative writing, feedback, getting the most from a writing workshop, learning, writing courses, writing workshops

Taking Part in the Book Fair at The Hilt – 8th July 2023

July 7, 2023 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-

Many thanks to Vie Portland for supplying the Book Fair poster. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Photo of me signing books at Chandler’s Ford Railway Station were taken by Janet Williams on my phone. Thanks, Janet. Many thanks to Jen Wilson for taking the shot of my signing my first book for Val Penny – this was back in 2017. Seems a world away now!

And I would like to say the much missed Fiona Park, whom I knew from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick, took the picture of me signing books there with my handbag slung across my shoulder. Fiona was a lovely soul and she left this world far too early.

Facebook – Events page for the Book Fair

I’m so pleased to be taking part in the Book Fair at The Hilt tomorrow, 8th July 2023. There is, of course, the obvious reason of being an author with books to sell. But the best reason is it is fantastic to see book fairs up and running again after the pandemic. It is even better having one right on our doorstep, pretty much. The books are coming to you, folks!

Tags: Allison Symes, am reading, am writing, author book signing, author events, Book Fair at The Hilt, books on your doorstep, local authors, networking, supporting local authors

Using Time For Fiction

April 14, 2023 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

I’ve often used time in fiction. I’ve sometimes used Time as a character. I sometimes have a story where a character has a certain amount of time in which to achieve their objective. I’ve also written from the viewpoint of time travelling aliens (as you do!). I’ve written the odd story as a diary format and even timed the entries written by the narrator. I’ve also written historical flash fiction where the setting is back in time. All great fun to do.

Tags: am writing, blogging, creative writing, deadlines, planning writing time, productivity, spontaneous writing, taking your writing seriously, Time as a character, using time in fiction, writing exercises, Zoom workshops

Catching Up – Local Author News – Allison Symes

March 10, 2023 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

Image Credits:-

Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes. Book cover images from Bridge House Publishing/CafeLit.

It has been a brisk start to the first quarter of 2023 for me, I’m glad to say.

Tags: Allison Symes, am reading, am writing, blogging, flash fiction, Mom's Favorite Reads, professional development, updates, workshops, writing news, writing submissions

Making the Most of a Zoom Workshop

February 24, 2023 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

One good thing to come out of the pandemic was the increasing use of Zoom. I used it for family get togethers when meeting in person wasn’t possible. (I still regularly meet up with family members abroad this way too).

A number of writing related activities transferred to this medium so I was able to join in with workshops, listen to talks etc. In the past eighteen months or so, I’ve been invited to run workshops via Zoom on flash fiction. It has been lovely to have paying gigs too! (Would always welcome more of these!).

So I thought for this post I’d look at how to make the most of Zoom workshops if you’re running them/likely to run them in the future. I hope you find this useful.

Tags: creative writing, focus, preparation, the writing life, workshops, Zoom

Festive Flash and Other News

December 23, 2022 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-

Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Many thanks to Hannah Kate from North Manchester FM for kind permission to use the Three Minute Santas photo. Book covers of Evergreen – an Anthology and The Best of CafeLit 11 are from Bridge House Publishing. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes. The Merry Christmas image is from CFT archives.

My, how does the time fly! It’s time for some festive flash fiction and news about my writing year. It’s been a busy but fun one.

Tags: Allison Symes, am writing, Bridge House Publishing, broadcasts, creative writing, festive flash fiction, Hannah Kate, North Manchester FM, podcasts, publication news, The Writing and Marketing Show, Three Minute Santas, Wendy H Jones, workshops

Crossing Paths with Jenny Sanders – Flash Fiction, Devotionals, and Short Stories- Part 2

November 25, 2022 By Allison Symes 4 Comments

Image Credits: Many thanks to Jenny Sanders for author and book cover pics. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Some images directly from Pixabay.

It was a joy to welcome Jenny Sanders to Chandler’s Ford Today last week. She and I have crossed paths many times thanks to our connections via the Association of Christian Writers, online magazine Mom’s Favorite Reads, and flash fiction.

This week, Jenny tells us more about her writing journey, including how she discovered flash fiction, and shares her thoughts on the most challenging aspects of creating a story or an article. Plenty to learn from here so, once more, over to Jenny.

Tags: am reading, am writing, children's stories, creative writing, devotional writing, flash fiction, humorous writing, Jenny Sanders, Mom's Favorite Reads, non-fiction, short form writing, short stories, teaching creative writing, writing advice, writing journey

Crossing Paths with Jenny Sanders – Part 1

November 18, 2022 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:

Many thanks to Jenny Sanders for supplying author, book, and other pictures. Other images have been created in Book Brush using Pixabay images. Some images are directly from Pixabay. Photos from the ACW Golden Jubilee weekend were taken by me, Allison Symes.

One of the great joys of the writing life is meeting and befriending other writers. You learn from each other. You talk with others who understand the drive to write and who have their fair share of the ups and downs of trying to get work published. Often you’ll come across the same writer in different ways and this is true for me with regard to Jenny Sanders, my interviewee.

Tags: am reading, am writing, Association of Christian Writers, books, creative writing, flash fiction, Jenny Sanders, Mom's Favorite Reads magazine, putting stories together, TVS

Travelling Workshops

June 10, 2022 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits: Some images via Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Others directly from Pixabay. All other photos taken by me, Allison Symes, from the Scottish Association of Writers’ conference, the London Jesuit Centre and the Association of Christian Writers Golden Jubilee weekend.

It has been a busy year to date and we’re only up to June. Earlier in the year I was at the Scottish Association of Writers’ Conference where I ran my flash fiction workshop. I also judged their Margaret McConnell Woman’s Short Story competition.

I’ve been on my travels again recently (and am enjoying getting good use out of my railcard once again. I am the woman who bought a new railcard two weeks ahead of the first national lockdown in 2020 in good time for going exactly nowhere – oops!).

[Read more…] about Travelling Workshops

Tags: Association of Christian Writers, creative learning, creative writing, Finding Your Voice series, flash fiction workshop, The London Jesuit Centre, workshops, Worth Our Weight in Gold weekend

Paragraphs and Punctuation in Fiction

May 13, 2022 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. One photo directly from Pixabay.

Paragraphs and punctuation may not be the most immediate things to spring to mind for the letter P in my In Fiction series but they have important roles to play in creative writing.

Tags: am writing, competitions, creative writing, grammar, house style. publishers, paragraphs, punctuation

Merry Christmas!

December 24, 2021 By Allison Symes 3 Comments

Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes.

Have a lovely Christmas, everyone. I thought I’d share some festive flash fiction for this post.

[Read more…] about Merry Christmas!

Tags: A Christmas Carol, am reading, am writing, books, Charles Dickens, Christmas stories, festive flash fiction, Hannah Kate, North Manchester FM, stories, Three Minute Santas flash fiction show

Back From Brechin

December 3, 2021 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

Image Credits:-

Some pictures are from Pixabay. Others are created in Book Brush using Pixabay images. Many thanks to Sarah Archibald for the Festival related photos.

Many thanks to my guests from the Association of Christian Writers for supplying their fab author photos and book cover pictures. Naturally I took my own pictures (though will credit Adrian Symes for my author photo. It is tricky doing that one yourself!).

It was a pleasure to be a part of the Brechin/Angus Book Festival from 19th to 21st November 2021. The event also formed part of Book Week Scotland.

Last year, I went to the Festival thanks to Zoom but it was lovely to be there in person this time, my first “big” writing event since before lockdown.

[Read more…] about Back From Brechin

Tags: Allison Symes, am reading, am writing, Association of Christian Writers, book event, books, Brechin/Angus Book Festival, fiction, flash fiction, genre fiction, memoir, narrative non-fiction, non-fiction, talk, the writing journey, workshop

Making the Most of an Author Event

November 5, 2021 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes. (Many thanks to Sarah Archibald who is behind the Brechin/Angus Book Festival for the originals of these). Book cover images created by Chapeltown Books/Bridge House Publishing.

Now this is a timely topic for me as I will be taking part in the Brechin/Angus Book Festival from 19th to 21st November and something rather special is coming up next March which I hope to write about nearer the time.

For the Festival, I’m running a writing workshop on flash fiction. I’m also giving an author talk on the ups and downs of the writing life. I’m looking forward to doing this and hope to share a report on how things went later. There are also events over the weekend I will be taking part in alongside the other authors such as the afternoon tea on the Sunday when people can come and chat to us over tea and cake. (Now there’s a civilised event for you!).

Tags: Allison Symes, am writing, author event, Author talk, Brechin and Angus Book Festival, creative writing, flash fiction, in-person author event, preparation, workshops

Search Results for: Association of Christian Writers

Image Credits:-

Some images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Book cover images from Chapeltown Books/Bridge House Publishing. Photos from the Scottish Association of Writers Conference taken by me, Allison Symes.

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Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Some directly from Pixabay. Book cover images from Chapeltown Books.

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Many thanks to Jennifer C Wilson for author/book/writing circle pictures. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Screenshots and images from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick taken by me, Allison Symes.

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Image Credits: Many images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Photos from my church harvest display and from the wildflower meadow taken by me, Allison Symes. Real joy to take them too! Photography is a wonderful thing.

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Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

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Photos from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick were taken by me, Allison Symes. Many thanks to Julia Pattison for taking the image of me at my editing workshop. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

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And I would like to say the much missed Fiona Park, whom I knew from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick, took the picture of me signing books there with my handbag slung across my shoulder. Fiona was a lovely soul and she left this world far too early.

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Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

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Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes. Book cover images from Bridge House Publishing/CafeLit.

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Image Credits: Many thanks to Jenny Sanders for author and book cover pics. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Some images directly from Pixabay.

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Image Credits:

Many thanks to Jenny Sanders for supplying author, book, and other pictures. Other images have been created in Book Brush using Pixabay images. Some images are directly from Pixabay. Photos from the ACW Golden Jubilee weekend were taken by me, Allison Symes.

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Image Credits: Some images via Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Others directly from Pixabay. All other photos taken by me, Allison Symes, from the Scottish Association of Writers’ conference, the London Jesuit Centre and the Association of Christian Writers Golden Jubilee weekend.

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Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. One photo directly from Pixabay.

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Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes.

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Image Credits:-

Some pictures are from Pixabay. Others are created in Book Brush using Pixabay images. Many thanks to Sarah Archibald for the Festival related photos.

Many thanks to my guests from the Association of Christian Writers for supplying their fab author photos and book cover pictures. Naturally I took my own pictures (though will credit Adrian Symes for my author photo. It is tricky doing that one yourself!).

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Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes. (Many thanks to Sarah Archibald who is behind the Brechin/Angus Book Festival for the originals of these). Book cover images created by Chapeltown Books/Bridge House Publishing.

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