creative writing

Inspiration Ideas

May 16, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos

One of the great things about getting out and about during the spring and summer months is this can give you plenty of inspiration for your writing. You don’t have to go far from home necessarily either. How come?

Partly the reason is you are doing something different. That in itself can inspire you to think differently and be more open to creative ideas. Even just walking the dog gets me out and about, gives me screen breaks, and it gives me opportunities to spot things I might get to use in stories later.

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Tags: am writing, creative writing, ideas, inspiration, taking breaks from writing, using breaks for inspiring writing, writing advice, writing tips

Building On What Has Gone Before

May 9, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

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

In all walks of life, we build on what has gone before. Well, there is no point in reinventing the wheel, so to speak. One person’s discovery often does lead to someone else taking that discovery and doing something special with it.

Isaac Newton confirms this thought with his quote, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”

Tags: am writing, author interviews, building on what has gone before, creative writing, inspiration, learning from other writers, writing advice, writing tips

Honest and Dishonest Characters

April 25, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

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

It is ironic that, regardless of whether you create honest or dishonest characters or both, you do have to be honest about how you create them. What do I mean by that?

I mean you create a character who is fully rounded, where readers can see why they are the way they are, even if they disagree with them, and your characters are not set up as cardboard cutouts. They have to seem real and believable, an honest creation if you like.

But you can have fun with honest and dishonest characters and naturally literature abounds with both kinds.

Tags: am writing, character creation, characters, creative writing, fiction, outlining, traits

What You Need to Know About Character Creation

April 18, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos

As I write a lot of flash fiction and short stories, I need to create a lot of characters. I do re-use some but not many compared to the numbers I’ve created in total. My characters often have one story in them, though occasionally one may play a “bit part” role in another tale.

For me, any good story of whatever length is all about what happens and, specifically, what happens to the lead character. I must know what happens to them. I must care about what happens too, even if they’re a villain and I am hoping their evil plans will fail. I also need to know whose story it is.

Tags: am reading, am writing, character attitudes, character creation, characterisation, creating characters, creative writing, dialogue, fiction, flash fiction, positive and negative sides to traits in characters, short stories, situations, what you need to know when creating characters

Writers and Stationery – A Match Made In Heaven

April 11, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Image from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick was taken by me, Allison Symes. Two images directly from Pixabay.

With apologies to the late Jane Austen, I will start by saying it is a truth universally acknowledged that writers have two obsessions, okay three if you count chocolate, but what are the other two?

Books – our own and those we love reading.
Stationery items – pens, notebooks, items for the computer, but especially the first two.

Tags: creative writing, fiction, non-fiction, notebooks, online notebooks, pens, writers, writers and stationery

What Makes A Story Work

April 4, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images

You take in what makes a story work subconsciously. Even as a child, when I read the classic fairytales, I knew on the third time of something occurring, there would be a different result leading to the happy ever after ending. I had no idea that was the Rule of Three in action. I just knew if this didn’t happen, there was something wrong with the story. I also knew early on I had to want to find out what happened to the characters so there had to be something interesting about them to grab my attention (and just as importantly keep my attention going).

Tags: am reading, am writing, beginnings middles and ends, creative writing, description, dialogue, fiction, keeping the reader interested, learning from what you read, understanding characters, what makes a story work

Springtime in Words and Music

March 28, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos

Springtime is one of my favourite times of the year. The other one is autumn, funnily enough. I like both ends of the spectrum. Life as it begins and life as it begins to ebb and fade.

I love spotting the Virginia Creeper in our area and seeing it change colour from red to green and back again. Lovely plant. As I walk the dog it is great to spot the crocuses and other spring flowers emerging, though I am a little saddened my snowdrops have now finished.

It is great being able to walk Lady in the early evening and still be in daylight when only a month or so ago, the same time would have seen me coming back home with her in the dark. It also means we can put her light up collar away for a bit. It is odd walking with a glow in the dark dog (at least around her collar!) though she doesn’t care.

Tags: am writing, Canon in D, creative writing, Four Seasons, ideas for using spring in writing, Kenneth Grahame, P.G. Wodehouse, Pachelbel, spring, spring related books, Vivaldi

Author Interview: Introducing Joy Wood, Storyteller

March 21, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-

Many thanks to Joy Wood for supplying author shots, book cover pictures, and photos of her at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick. Screenshots and other images from Swanwick were taken by me, Allison Symes. Other images created in Book Brush using photos supplied by Joy. Some images are directly from Pixabay.

It is a pleasure to welcome fellow Swanwicker, Joy Wood, to Chandler’s Ford Today. I met Joy at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick and we often “cross paths” via Facebook. Say what you like about social media, and many do (!), but when used properly, it is a fabulous way to keep in contact with your writing colleagues.

Joy and I celebrate publications at Swanwick

Tags: author events, author interview, creative writing, FeedaRead, fiction, Joy Wood, marketing tips, self publishing, The Writers' Summer School - Swanwick, the writing life, writing routine, writing tips

Writing Competition Tips

March 14, 2025 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

Image Credits: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. One image directly from Pixabay

I’ve had the privilege of being listed in competitions, being one of a selection of winners for a competition, and have since gone on to judge short story and flash fiction competitions.

The joy of a reputable writing competition is, if you win or are listed, you have something invaluable to add to your writing CV. They can be great ways to build up that CV. It shows an agent or publisher someone else decided your work was publication worthy. It can also show a commitment to your writing.

Tags: am writing, building on your writing CV, checking your writing competition entry, creative writing, follow the rules, writing competition tips, Writing Magazine

The Benefits of Writing Exercises

March 7, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Screenshots were taken by me, Allison Symes.

I’m regularly on both sides of the writing exercise equation as I do them often and set them too. I run a monthly flash fiction group on Zoom for the Association of Christian Writers which is great fun and I set exercises as part of the topic for the evening.

I also have been to many workshops and courses and continue to do so (especially The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick, which I’m looking forward to going to again this year). Inevitably writing exercises are set in these things.

There is a huge variety of writing exercises to try. I’ve developed some firm favourites which I often use to inspire ideas for stories I submit to places such as Friday Flash Fiction, where I have a 100 word story published most weeks.

Tags: am writing, building a writing track record, creative writing, developing as a writer, fiction, flash fiction, short stories, writing exercises

Author Interview: Introducing Gemma Owen-Kendall

January 24, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-

Many thanks to Lynsey Adams of Reading Between the Lines Book Vlog and Gemma Owen-Kendall for supplying author and book cover pics including from her launch for Red Daisy at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick. Other images created in Book Brush using images from Lynsey, Gemma or Pixabay. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes, as were the photos of the grounds from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick.

As you know, one of my highlights of my writing year is to go to The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick held at The Hayes in Derbyshire in August. As well as enjoying the fabulous workshops and courses (and having had the privilege of leading some there too), the other biggest joy is in getting to meet other authors.

Why? Because it is so liberating to share the joy of creative writing with others who “get it”. There is no need to explain why you write here. We just do and we share many tips and tales of our writing lives with each other during this event.

In 2024, Gemma Owen-Kendall got to launch her debut novel, Red Daisy, published by SpellBound Books, at The Writers’ Summer School in their wonderful Book Room.

Many congratulations, Gemma, on this and welcome to Chandler’s Ford Today. It is always a joy and privilege to discuss writing journeys with other authors here but before I put some questions to Gemma, please find below her author bio and a blurb for Red Daisy. This interview is part of a book blog tour organised by Lynsey Adams of Reading Between the Lines Book Vlog.

Tags: am writing, author interview, characters, creative writing, debut novel, editing, fairytales, fiction, flash fiction, Gemma Owen-Kendall, Innocent Times, marketing, novels, Red Daisy, short stories, SpellBound Books Limited, The Writers' Summer School - Swanwick, writing groups, writing journey

Making the Most of Your Writing Time

January 17, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

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

Making the most of writing time is always a timely topic. Every writer will have their own answer to this.

Tags: am reading, am writing, creative writing, making the most of your writing time, planning your writing, productivity

Story Tips

January 3, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

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

I catch up with a lot of stories during the Advent and Christmas periods but not always via books (of any format).

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Tags: am reading, am writing, characters, creative writing, learning your writing craft, story writing tips, writing advice

Top Flash Fiction Writing Tips and the Benefits

November 22, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:- Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images. Many thanks to Penny Blackburn for taking the images of me at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick 2024. Many thanks to Gill James for taking the image of me reading at the 2023 Bridge House Publishing Celebration event (and it was a cold day!).

As some of you will know, I discovered flash fiction by accident. It is easily the happiest writing accident I have ever had/am likely to have and I’m grateful for it. Two published books later with a third accepted – well, it’s the kind of accident any writer would welcome.

CafeLit, with whom I’d been published for a while, issued a 100 word challenge and I gave it a go, discovered the form is addictive and I’ve not looked back.

Tags: Allison Symes, am writing, benefits of writing flash fiction, characters, creative writing, editing, flash fiction, flash fiction tips, marketing, tight writing, writing advice

Meeting Miriam Drori: Loyalty and the Learner

October 11, 2024 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

Image Credits:- Many thanks to Lynsey Adams from Reading Between The Lines Vlog and to Miriam Drori for supplying author/poster photos, book cover pictures, and to Miriam specifically for images relating to the world of her stories with additional information given in the captions. One image taken as a screenshot from Miriam’s website. Other images were created in Book Brush using either Pixabay images or photos provided by Miriam/Lynsey. Screenshots were taken by me, Allison Symes.

It is with great pleasure I welcome Miriam Drori to Chandler’s Ford Today. Miriam and I met at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick in August and it was lovely to chat in person. We took part in the Open Prose Mic Night there.

Tags: blog tours, book launches, book marketing, creative writing, crime fiction, Jerusalem Murder Mystery Series, Loyalty and the Learner, Miriam Drori, The Writers' Summer School - Swanwick, the writing life, writing crime, writing routines

Catching Up with Ruth Leigh – The Further Adventures of Isabella M Smugge

September 20, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-

Many thanks to Ruth Leigh for supplying author pic and book cover images. Images from the British Christian Writing Conference were kindly supplied by Social Shapes. Screenshots were taken by me, Allison Symes. Other images were created in Book Brush using Pixabay images and/or book cover shots from Ruth. Some images are directly from Pixabay.

I’m pleased to welcome back Ruth Leigh to Chandler’s Ford Today. Ruth and I are members of the Association of Christian Writers. Last time we talked, Ruth had three books out in her funny and touching Isabella M Smugge series.

Today, 20th September 2024, will see the release of her fourth novel featuring her heroine – The Further Adventures of Isabella M Smugge. Congratulations, Ruth. Little beats the buzz of being published.

Tags: am writing, Association of Christian Writers, author interview, book launch tips, British Christian Writers Conference, Christian fiction, creative writing, fiction, humorous fiction, independent publishing, Instant Apostle, Jane Austen, Resolute Books, Ruth Leigh, series fiction, The Further Adventures of Isabella M Smugge, writing advice

Story Judging

September 6, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images

Later this month, I’ll have the great joy of judging a flash fiction competition for a Scottish writing group (all done via the wonders of email). I enjoy judging and have learned much from the process of doing so in that it has helped me to improve my own work for judging by someone else.

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Tags: am writing, creative writing, story judging, tips for authors, writing advice, writing competitions

Random Generators

August 30, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes.

I often use a wide variety of random generators because I need various ways to trigger ideas for characters and stories. Having these different ways of being able to create tales is useful. Mixing up what I use is also good for keeping me on my creative toes!

I see random generators as the modern equivalent of story cubes (I use those too!). I also use books of prompts (and have contributed to some), proverbs and well known sayings (sometimes I subvert these to generate even more tales) but, by far, the method I use most often is the random generator.

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Tags: am writing, creative writing, fiction, non-fiction, prompts, random generators. triggering ideas, story cubes, The Big Book of Prompts, writing aids

Swanwick 2024

August 23, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-

Many thanks to Jen Wilson, Penny Blackburn, Val Penny, Keith Hinchy, and June Webber for images from Swanwick. Other images from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick, were taken by yours truly, Allison Symes. Other images created in Book Brush using my photos.

When this post goes out, I will be back home, having recently enjoyed another lovely week at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick, which is based at The Hayes, Derbyshire. This week sees me immersed in the world of writing, which is just one of many reasons I adore going. It is also the place from where the only German prisoner of war from World War Two successfully escaped and fled back to Germany.

On the writing front, delegates are free to choose which courses and workshops they go to and there is a wide range of topics to choose from too. There is something to suit everyone, no matter where they are at in their writing journeys.

There are four part and two part courses to choose from, as well as the one hour workshops, plus I find I always learn something useful, as well as enjoying being entertained, by the after dinner guest speakers, who are all renowned in their fields.

[Read more…] about Swanwick 2024

Tags: am reading, am writing, Continuing Professional Development, courses, creative writing, networking, residential writing school, The Hayes, The Writers' Summer School - Swanwick, workshops

Never Fear The Editing

August 16, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

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

I don’t know if any survey has been done but, from talking with writers I know and reading interviews over many years, editing elicits a Marmite response. You love it or hate it. There doesn’t appear to be a middle “don’t mind it” option!

My attitude towards editing took a major step for the better on realising good edits were increasing my receiving acceptances. My attitude has gone up further in leaps and bounds since becoming an editor too.

Tags: creative writing, editing, editing tips. editing on screen, giving enough time to edit, improving your writing, the creative process, the purpose of editing

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Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Image from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick was taken by me, Allison Symes. Two images directly from Pixabay.

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Many thanks to Jen Wilson, Penny Blackburn, Val Penny, Keith Hinchy, and June Webber for images from Swanwick. Other images from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick, were taken by yours truly, Allison Symes. Other images created in Book Brush using my photos.

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