Writing competitions can be useful in helping you get your short stories and flash fiction into print. There are novel competitions out there too, though the entry fee is significantly higher for these, which is understandable, because you are paying for a judge’s time to read your 100,000 words.
But for this post, I thought I would focus on the short fiction forms as there are more competitions available for them.
It is a great privilege and pleasure to welcome Esther Chilton to Chandler’s Ford Today. Esther is a fellow flash fiction writer, a tutor for the Writers’ Bureau, runs workshops and goes to The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick, which, naturally, is where we met. She will be running a course on flash fiction there this year.
But as well as writing for adults, Esther also writes for children in the 5 to 7 years old category. Her new book, The Secret Dragon, comes out on 25th July.
[Read more…] about Author Interview: Introducing Esther Chilton and The Secret Dragon
Now this is a post I’ve wanted to write for some time but am delighted I can now do so. I am thrilled to announce I have signed and returned the contract to Bridge House Publishing for my third flash fiction book called Seeing The Other Side. Chapeltown Books are one of BHP’s imprints and both of my other flash collections came out via Chapeltown).
[Read more…] about Allison Symes – Local Author News – Seeing The Other Side
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.
[Read more…] about What You Need to Know About Character Creation
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.
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.
[Read more…] about Author Interview: Introducing Gemma Owen-Kendall
I am so pleased to welcome Hannah Retallick to Chandler’s Ford Today. Hannah, like me, is a Bridge House Publishing stalwart, and her debut short story collection, Something Very Human, has just been published by them. Hannah and I have been in many of the anthologies they have produced.
Hannah is an excellent flash fiction writer and has gained recognition in many international competitions, including receiving Highly Commended in the Bridport Flash Fiction Prize 2022, winning the £2000 Edinburgh Award for Flash Fiction 2024 – the biggest flash prize in the UK – and being Highly Commended in the Bath Flash Fiction Award. All of these are highly prestigious in the flash fiction world.
[Read more…] about Author Interview: Introducing Hannah Retallick
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.
[Read more…] about Top Flash Fiction Writing Tips and the Benefits
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.
It was with great pleasure I returned to The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick for that treasured time where I can be fully immersed in the world of writing. As ever, I’ve been looking forward to catching up with friends and making new ones. I did so within an hour of arriving at Derby Railway Station and got chatting to a fellow long term Swanwicker on the coach laid on to take us to the Hayes.
Writers can fall into two categories – the planners and the pantsers. One lot plan out their writing while the other prefer to write “by the seat of their pants” so to speak. They get to their desk and just write.
But you can be both. Some writers will want to plan out, say, a novel, but don’t worry about doing this for their shorter forms of writing. I do both too. How does this work?
It has been a busy few months since my last round up and that was only back in March!
Mind you, this is how it is supposed to be! The writing life is not a static one. Nor it is meant to be. So what has been going on writing wise for me recently?
[Read more…] about Local Author News: Allison Symes – Spring 2023 Round Up
It has been a brisk start to the first quarter of 2023 for me, I’m glad to say.
[Read more…] about Catching Up – Local Author News – Allison Symes
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.
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.
[Read more…] about Crossing Paths with Jenny Sanders – Part 1
It was fabulous to be back at the Swanwick Writers’ Summer School this year. I had to cancel and apply for a refund on my train tickets due to the strike but a dear friend, who is another Hampshire regular at this event, June Webber, provided transport and it was lovely travelling with her on the way up. Many thanks to my other half, Adrian, for being my chauffeur on the way home.
This year’s Swanwick was especially interesting because I went as a delegate and as someone taking part in various items including running a one hour workshop here for the first time.
The first thing I took part in was a Lift Up Your Pens session which is a pre-breakfast series of short creative writing times where those leading it set writing exercises designed to get those creative muscles working. I shared some thoughts and set creative writing exercises based on three random generators I use regularly.
I also took part in a Lift Up Your Hearts which is a pre-breakfast series of short devotionals. How did that work out then given these were on at the same time each morning? Simple. The former I did on the Sunday, the latter on the Monday. I was only sorry we weren’t in the lovely chapel at The Hayes, Swanwick for the devotionals. The Hayes had more than one group in this time (and I suspect this policy has helped them keep going) but I hope we can get back to the chapel next year. It is very peaceful in there.
My theme here was on favourite words. I took just two from the Bible and picked a favourite hymn which has one particular line which always resonates with me (O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go – and my favourite line from this is I trace the rainbow through the rain. Many hymns have wonderful poetic qualities to them and this one has especial meaning for me. Note: Do skip the advert as soon as you can on the clip but I thought this was a beautiful brass band arrangement of a fabulous hymn).
I also ran a one hour session on Editing – The View From Both Sides of the Fence.
In 2020 as I awaited the publication of Tripping the Flash Fantastic, I was on both sides of the editing fence at the same time so my talk took in what an author can do to make the most of working with an editor. I also looked at what editors often see in submissions.
In the last couple of years I’ve also been a competition judge so I could also share common mistakes authors make here, again the idea being to get your manuscript in as near perfect a condition as possible before working with said editor.
The funny thing is I used to use Microsoft PowerPoint years ago and have come back to it again in recent times thanks to giving Zoom talks. PowerPoints are easy to share on screen and they are useful for workshops.
I was pleased (and relieved!) the workshop went well and I would like to do more of this kind of thing at Swanwick.
It was great fun to do all of this and I did take part in the Open Prose Mic Night again. Flash fiction works beautifully for this. You can’t be more than five minutes. What I did this year was pick a couple of pieces to hopefully make people laugh and ensure I came in at under the time allotted. That always goes down well with an audience – it is always fine to come in under time!
For the prose night, I picked my linked flash tales – Mishaps and Jumping Time from Tripping the Flash Fantastic this time. Pleased to say they did get laughs but then my hapless time travelling alien in these stories does have that coming. Honest!
It doesn’t matter if it is your first visit or your 50th, you will get a warm welcome here. Other writers understand the drive to write. They understand the hard work behind the scenes. They also appreciate the joys when things go well. And I have learned so much chatting with other authors over the years. It is also lovely to give back in sharing information I have discovered which I know will be useful to someone else.
As well as going to the Open Prose Mic Night, I went and listened to the poetry equivalent which was wonderful. I took part in a literary quiz as part of the Prosecco Queens. No prizes for guessing the origin of that name! Am pleased to say my team won!
I love listening to the after dinner speakers too as, regardless of what part of the writing world they come from, they inevitably share something which will either be useful information or a word of encouragement. It is good to know that successful authors do know the length of time it can take to break through.
I loved the courses and workshops I went to and learned so much from them. These ranged from Creative Non-Fiction led by Simon Whaley to How to Write a How To Book by Bettina von Cossel.
Plus it was a joy to meet up in person with Val Penny, who I interviewed for CFT last week, and enjoy her Promoting Your Work workshop. There is always plenty to learn there as there is about the world of Social Media for Writers which was led by Jennifer C Wilson.
What is lovely about Swanwick is getting to immerse myself totally in the world of writing for six days and in lovely surroundings with wonderful company. One of the big advantages to any kind of networking is you are talking to writers who understand the drive to write. They know the ups and downs of the writing life. And I’ve learned lots of useful information over many years chatting with a writer over a cuppa. What’s not to like there?
No one writer can ever know it all. I’ve also found the writing community to be so generous and supportive with useful tips and information. It is also lovely to be able to give back on that. I am a firm believer in the what goes around comes around principle (and in the pay it back, pay it forward school of thought too).
One of the things I love about Swanwick is you don’t have to decide on what course or workshop you want to do in advance. Okay, it is fabulous fun going through the programme and highlighting possibilities. We all do! But you can leave deciding until the day of the course or workshop itself.
Swanwick offers a range of one hour workshops but also four part specialist courses, separately shorter two part courses, and a range of evening entertainment including quizzes, which are always a good laugh. Do writers dread doing the literary quiz? Oh yes. It quickly shows up what you have read and what you haven’t! Also everyone pays visits to the Book Room (whether or not they have books on sale there. Many of us do and it is a thrill to see mine out there).
If you pick a four part specialist course and you find it is not quite for you, then move on and pick another one. You don’t have to see that first course through. Same goes for the workshops. You also decide how many of these you want to go to. If, for example, you want an afternoon off to work on your own project, that’s fine too.
The accommodation is lovely and the food… well let’s just say you’re not going to go hungry here. I suspect the diet for all of us starts again on the Saturday after we’ve got home again!
Naturally after dinner there are guest speakers and these are a joy to listen to because you’re listening to people who were once new writers and hearing how they got their breakthrough, I find, is enormously encouraging.
The best gossip? Naturally that’s to be found at the table where you’re sat for dinner as you chat with friends and those who have become firm friends on meeting for the first time at Swanwick. There is a Facebook group and many of us keep in contact throughout the year on that. Social media does have its uses and here it is very sociable indeed!
It is always a wrench to leave Swanwick but we all go home inspired and enthused. That matters. The writer is so often alone at their desk. It is too easy to become discouraged. A little encouragement goes a long way here. Inspiration strikes too and writers can always find a use for that!
Read interviews with Chandler’s Ford writer Allison Symes: Part 1 and Part 2.
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I hadn’t set out to become a short form writer. I hadn’t heard of flash fiction when I started writing seriously for publication. The writing journey can be an odd one, taking you on all manner of twists and turns. Some turn out to be useful.
My first thought on knowing I wanted to write was to write novels. Now this does seem like I was trying to run before I could walk, but many people do this, they love the long form of writing and stay there.
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 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.
[Read more…] about At The Scottish Association of Writers Conference
Some of my favourite childhood books involved animals. Think about Timmy from The Famous Five by Enid Blyton. I suspect he was the most intelligent of the lot of them.
I am an asthmatic, it was worse when I was a child and there was no question then of being able to have a dog of my own. But I could read about them and loved doing so. Ironically now I have no problems with having a dog as a companion and I still love reading. Neither do I mind animal characters as long as they are realistically portrayed.
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.
