Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.
I thought this would be a nice cheery way to end my In Fiction series. What do I mean by zest in fiction?
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Your Lead Character In Fiction
Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.
Your lead character is the star of your story. Their actions are a result of needing something (to fulfil a quest is one example) but there are obstacles. This includes other characters who are not there to make life easy. Cause and consequence; conflict and resolution – these are the foundations of any story. Your lead character drives the action.
(E)xcellence in Fiction
Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.
Cheating a bit here, are we, Allison? Maybe!
I knew X would be a tricky letter for an alphabetical series on fiction! Options were X-Ray Vision and Other Specialist Skills in Fiction. Or X-Rated in Fiction. The latter was out. Not to my taste. Not my field. Not for a family friendly online magazine! I think X-Ray vision is cheating as it limits the genres I can talk about! Just how often will X-ray vision crop up in our stories?
So (e)xcellence in fiction it is and I hope you send comments in about what you think counts as this in your book (pun intended!). Is it the plots. the characters, or the author’s style?
Community Food Larder at Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church from 23 July
From the 23rd of July, Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church will be hosting a Food Larder at the front of the building.
This will provide basic food and toiletries in an emergency to anyone who needs them, 24/7.
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Writing Techniques in Fiction
Image Credits: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Some images directly from Pixabay.
Now this topic could easily fill a book or several so this post can only be a brief overview. I focus on a few things which I have found so useful.
July Gardening Tips by Wellie
Divide congested clumps of bearded iris after flowering. Dead head bedding plants, roses and herbaceous plants to encourage more flowers. Trim evergreen hedges, including conifers. Feed dahlias and cannas every two weeks with a high potassium fertilizer, such as tomato feed. Prune early-summer flowering shrubs, such as Philadelphus, once they have finished flowering. Cut back flowered growth to a strong lower shoot and thin out up to a fifth of old, woody stems.
St George’s Day Glide
St George’s Day, April 23rd dawned clear and sunny. A cold front had passed, and a gentle breeze from the North covered the land. With no rain for a while, the land was dry, and so was the air. The sun warmed both and the warm air rolled gently southwards over England. When the air rolled up against the South Downs, it had to rise and being warm, it continued to rise as thermals from the top of the Downs.
This was precisely the right day for soaring the South Downs. Everyone at Lasham gliding club had the same idea, but we made an early bid and were number twelve on the take-off grid with many others behind us.
As soon as the air temperature reached the trigger value for thermals, the tugs fired up their engines and began to tow us into the air. There is a delicious moment when I have my parachute on, I’m strapped in the cockpit, and all the pre-flight checks are done. Then, I can sit quietly, watching the others take off.
Ready to depart
Verbs and Verbosity in Fiction
Image Credits:-
Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.
Screenshot taken by me, Allison Symes.
Now you might think one of these has an obvious place in any kind of creative writing and the other definitely not.
On the face of it, quite right too. Ironically, though there can be a place for some judicially placed verbosity but more on that shortly.
Verbs are, of course, part of the writer’s creative toolbox, along with the various component parts of our language. I use them to trigger story ideas. How?
Platinum Jubilee Flower Festival at St Martin in the Wood Church
Did you go and see the Platinum Jubilee Flower Festival at St Martin in the Wood Church last week? I’m glad I did. I went there at the weekend and was amazed by the talent in our parish. Members from the parish church have taken such a lot of effort to create a memorable, beautiful week, and have spread joy in the community.
Roy Lancaster and his wife Sue officially opened the event on the 21st of June.
Underlining in Fiction
Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.
What do I mean about underlining in fiction?
Simply it’s how to emphasize a point to a reader without repeating yourself. It will be as the reader looks back at the story they will realise certain points were emphasized without them being aware of it. Otherwise known as planting information!
The Rule of Three In Fiction
Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.
The Rule of Three is a classic in all fiction. It is one of the basic building blocks for successful story writing. It’s not new. Think about Jesus talking about the parable of The Good Samaritan. Two people walk by on the other side from the poor robbed man. The third one, the Samaritan, not only stops but helps the victim.
Travelling Workshops
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!).
Platinum Jubilee in Chandler’s Ford
The Reign
The King is dead. Long live the Queen. On a grey, inauspicious day in February 1952, we boys were gathered in the school hall, and the mayor, arrayed in his chain of office, proclaimed Princess Elizabeth Queen of Great Britain, her Dominions and Commonwealth. We pledged allegiance to her. All had to be done before the royal funeral. There must be no interregnum when an imposter may claim the throne.
Embed from Getty Images
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Settings and Simplicity in Fiction
Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.
Setting often act like characters. Many stories wouldn’t work without their settings. It is as true for The Lord of the Rings and the Discworld series, as it is for Wuthering Heights and A Christmas Carol. Can you imagine the latter happening outside of London, for example? Writers can exploit settings to get more from their tales/characters.
Queen’s Platinum Jubilee: How are You Celebrating?
Communities are coming together to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee throughout the UK and Commonwealth. How are you going to celebrate during the four-day long bank holiday weekend in Chandler’s Ford or where you live?
Parish Church of Chandler’s Ford, Hursley Road – Saturday 4th of June, 2pm to 5pm
“Bring a picnic – we will have a toast to the Queen & Royal cake.”
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June Gardening Tips by Wellie
20th June is the longest day this year bringing extra sunlight hours (and perhaps warmer weather).
Gardens will be full of flowers and the veg gardens producing lots to harvest, but the weeds will be having a merry time as well and need to be kept in check.
Reading, Rhythms, and Resolutions in Fiction
Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.
Now there’s an interesting combination of topics for the letter R in my In Fiction series.
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Questions In Fiction
Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.
I use questions a lot in my storytelling and, to a certain extent, for blogs like this. How? Well, it is appropriate I set a question to start this piece!
Paragraphs and Punctuation in Fiction
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.
May Gardening Tips by Wellie
Plant out summer bedding once the risk of frost has passed. Keep an eye on the weather forecast, and protect with horticultural fleece if necessary.
Dahlia plants can be planted out at the end of the month. Stake any herbaceous plants that will flop over or be damaged by high winds. Evergreen hedges can be cut from this month, but check for nesting birds before getting the shears or hedgecutter out. [Read more…] about May Gardening Tips by Wellie