• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Chandler's Ford Today

  • Home
  • About
    • About Chandler’s Ford
    • Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research
  • Blog
    • Blogging Tips
  • Event
    • Upcoming Events
  • Community
    • Groups
    • Churches
    • Schools
    • GP Surgeries
    • Leisure
    • Library
    • Charities
      • Eastleigh Basics Bank
      • Cat & Kitten Rescue in Chandler’s Ford
    • Fair Trade
      • Traidcraft stalls in Chandler’s Ford
    • Chandler’s Ford Parish Council
  • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • Site Policies
  • Site Archive
    • Site Archive 2018
    • Site Archive 2017
    • Site Archive 2016
    • Site Archive 2015

editing

Zest In Fiction

July 29, 2022 By Allison Symes 4 Comments

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?

[Read more…] about Zest In Fiction

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email
Tags: am reading, am writing, editing, P.G. Wodehouse, rewriting, support of other writers, The Goon Show, writing commitment, writing craft, writing magazines, zest in fiction

Introducing Lynn Clement – Part 2 – The Editing

November 26, 2021 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

It is my pleasure to welcome back Lynn Clement. Her flash fiction collection, The City of Stories, is out with Chapeltown Books and I had the privilege and pleasure of editing this collection.

Prior to that, I had met Lynn when I was guest speaker at the Hampshire Writers’ Society where I talked about flash fiction, CafeLit, Chapeltown Books, and this, I’m glad to say, inspired Lynn to start submitting work to CafeLit and then a single author collection to Chapeltown Books.

This week, Lynn and I talk about the editing process and why it is never a good idea to use song lyrics in your work.

[Read more…] about Introducing Lynn Clement – Part 2 – The Editing

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email
Tags: Allison Symes, Bridge House Publishing, Cafelit, Chapeltown Books, creative writing, editing, Lynn Clement, The City of Stories

Introducing Maressa Mortimer – Being an Indie Author – Part 1

September 10, 2021 By Allison Symes 1 Comment

Image Credit:-

Many thanks to Maressa Mortimer for book cover pictures and author headshot photo.

Images for Creativity Matters: Find Your Passion for Writing kindly supplied by Wendy H Jones.

Most of the other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

One of the joys of the writing life is meeting other authors. I met Maressa Mortimer via the Association of Christian Writers.

Maressa, who is originally from The Netherlands, and I, as well as meeting at ACW events, regularly meet on her Zoom event held most weeks where ACW writers get together to chat. It can be very funny and at times therapeutic. There is nobody like another author who understands when you have had a rough week.

Likewise, those same authors will rejoice with you when things go well. What goes around comes around in writing circles. Most authors are supportive of each other’s efforts. We know it is not an easy thing to do. We know marketing and drafting the next work is tiring (and invigorating). You do need a shoulder to cry on sometimes (yet another reason to network well and develop friendships).

[Read more…] about Introducing Maressa Mortimer – Being an Indie Author – Part 1

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email
Tags: am reading, am writing, Association of Christian Writers, creative writing, editing, fiction, Kindle Direct publishing, Maressa Mortimer, non-fiction, planning, self publishing, writing

The Joy of Editing

June 25, 2021 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

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

I know, I know – Allison, you’re an editor as well as a writer so you’re going to be biased here.

Yes, guilty as charged, but I will say, even without my official editor’s hat on (naturally it is a red one to match the infamous red pen), I’ve always enjoyed the editing process. Why?

Simply because I’m taking a rough draft (and trust me it is rough!) and am honing it into what I hope will become a published piece of work. Without that honing, this piece of work is going nowhere. I’ve mentioned before nobody but nobody writes a perfect first draft (see what I did there!).

Is Photoshop and the like the ultimate in editing I wonder?

[Read more…] about The Joy of Editing

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email
Tags: creative writing, editing, editing as a creative art in own right, editing stages, writing advice

Favourite Lines

May 7, 2021 By Allison Symes 4 Comments

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

Do you have favourite lines from books, films etc? I do and I can learn a reasonable amount from them to apply to my own writing. (They also show you what really works in prose. Lines you can recall some time after you originally came across them demonstrate the staying power of well chosen words).

[Read more…] about Favourite Lines

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email
Tags: books, catchphrases, editing, favourite lines, films, Jane Austen, opening lines, P.G. Wodehouse, repetition, Terry Pratchett, TV

Lessons – Part 2 – Lessons Learned from the Writing Life

September 11, 2020 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

I talked about lessons from school, learning to drive etc., last week. This week I’m going to look at what I have learned from writing and how that has developed life skills too.

A lovely place in which to learn and the natural habitat of the writer! Pixabay

[Read more…] about Lessons – Part 2 – Lessons Learned from the Writing Life

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email
Tags: comfort zone, editing, learning not to be precious, opportunities, rejections, social media, the writing life

Primary Sidebar

Search

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to Chandler's Ford Today blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Archives

Top Posts & Pages

999, 111, 101, 112? Emergency Numbers You Must Know
Short Form Writing
Chandler’s Ford from the 1980s – Part 2
101 Things to Put into Room 101
Home
My Favourite Short Walk - Itchen Navigation from Bishopstoke to Allbrook
David Beckham's Chinese Tattoo
Peculiar British House Numbering System
In Love with My Wheelie Bin
50 Things I Like about the Chandler’s Ford Area (Part 2)

Categories

Tags

arts and crafts books Chandler's Ford Chandler's Ford Today Chandler’s Ford community charity Christianity Christmas church community creative writing culture Eastleigh Eastleigh Borough Council education entertainment event family fundraising gardening gardening tips good neighbours Hiltingbury Hiltingbury Road history hobby how-to interview Joan Adamson Joan Adelaide Goater local businesses local interest memory Methodist Church music nature news reading review social storytelling theatre travel Winchester Road writing

Recent Comments

  • Allison Symes on Short Form Writing
  • Mike Sedgwick on Short Form Writing
  • John Roberts on Gladly, the Cross-eyed Bear and Other Mondegreens
  • Allison Symes on Zest In Fiction
  • Mike Sedgwick on Zest In Fiction
  • Allison Symes on Zest In Fiction

Regular Writers and Contributors

Janet Williams Allison Symes Mike Sedgwick Rick Goater Doug Clews chippy minton Martin Napier Roger White Andy Vining Gopi Chandroth Nicola Slade Wellie Roger Clark Ray Fishman Hazel Bateman SO53 News

Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal by Joan Adelaide Goater

Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal by Joan Adelaide Goater

Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s by Martin Napier

Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s by Martin Napier

My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 by Doug Clews

My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 by Doug Clews

Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research by Margaret Doores

Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research by Margaret Doores

History of Hiltonbury Farmhouse by Andy Vining

History of Hiltonbury Farmhouse by Andy Vining

My Family History in Chandler’s Ford and Hursley by Roger White

My Family History in Chandler’s Ford and Hursley by Roger White

Do You Remember The Hutments? By Nick John

Do You Remember The Hutments? By Nick John

Memory of Peter Green by Wendy Green

Memory of Peter Green by Wendy Green

History of Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Hursley Park by Dave Key

History of Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Hursley Park by Dave Key

Reviews of local performances and places

Reviews of local performances and places

Copyright © 2022 Chandler's Ford Today. WordPress. Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.