A passage of time.

Yes, I’ve managed to get on again and post this up. I’m sure my computer is going through the menopause; she is getting on now and only works when she wants to.

An element that can be difficult to show in a piece of writing is the pass of time. There are many ways in which authors show this passage which doesn’t interrupt the flow of the reading.  Some of the techniques include: Starting with the sunrise or sun set and mentioning the position of the sun throughout the piece. Others have included a time check but getting a character to check their watch at varied stages through the work, or starting sections with date and time.  There are many other ways too, but I’ll leave you to look these up and select a few that might help you show the passage of time throughout your writing.

I suggest there are two ways to approach this. Firstly, write a new piece of creative writing or secondly take a selection of work you’ve been working on/completed and rewrite to include the passage of time. If you do the second choice, does it help your work?

It would be great to hear from you, feel free to comment. If you want to share your work on my blog for comment from me or others please forward them to me at the website email address.

So what are you waiting for? Get writing. 

Idea from the bookcase.

There is lots of snow outside my window and the drive home from work was a bit slidy. However, I got home safely and feel much happier now. I hate driving in the snow, it freaks me out.
I’m aiming to get this blog done and up within the five minutes that the computer seems to be prepared to stay on.

So I want to ask if you’ve been writing your journal, and how is it going? Is it helping with your own creative writing?

Today, we are going to go over to our book case, or book stack or indeed the local library where you are going to select the bottom shelf and the ninth book and page 37, line 11 and take that sentence to inspire a piece of writing.

You are free to select the genre and how the sentence you’ve selected has inspired you. Why not try doing this with a friend and share your work. How can you improve it, rework and share.

Do let me know how you get on with this and if you like this type of challenge.

Go on, get writing. 

A task for you.

I'm writing this quickly before my computer decides to power-down on its own. Need to go to the doctor, but the doctor went back to Uni. HELP!

I've just driven through the snow to get home and thankfully only slipped once on the crossroads. A car ahead of me did a little bit of stationary acceleration, but eventually got up the hill. I'd dropped down a gear and hoped that going slow would allow him time to sort himself out, thankfully it worked.

Today's task will be to use the following items to create a few pieces of writing.
These are the words: Stink - Itch - Plastic-bag - Steering wheel - False teeth - Winter white.
Now you need to use these words to inspire you to create:
1. A Poem/song
2. Short story/flash fiction
3. 15 min sitcom.

I know this will be a challenge, but give it a go and see what you came produce.

I'm looking at doing a fortnightly interview with authors, editors and agents. Let me know if this would be of interest to you as a reader of this blog.

Go on, get writing.

Pick a page ...

Sorry for the delay in posting this week, but I've been rather busy taking my son back to university. The busy part was the preparations for the provisions he wanted to take with him - home baking. I've been making chicken curry, pasty pies, liver casserole and beef stew which all needed to be made and frozen before the journey to Portsmouth. He is now back and the house is very quiet. Which I guess gives me much more time to write. At least, that is what I am hoping.

I've been writing a journal every year since 2000. Many of the entries are awful but some are little gems. When I first started writing many years ago it was suggested to me to keep a dream diary, which I did for a while, but I ended up with very little sleep due to waking and writing and not getting back to sleep, so I'm advocating you do that. However if you don't keep a journal, why not? It is a place to put down  your own thoughts and ideas and to note down funny incidents you have encountered during the day. It is quiet interesting to go back over the old ones and read, you might be very surprised how many of your thoughts can produce a good storyline or plot.

I've titled this post as 'Pick a Page' which relates to a page from your journal. If you don't yet write a journal than that is another task for you to start. Purchase yourself a beautiful not book and start it helps to train your thoughts, focus your life and will in time hold a plethora of wonderful writing ideas.

So, find the first journal you wrote, count in twenty pages read your work. From that embellish and create a piece of writing. If you haven't started your journal writing yet then go to your book case and  from any shelf select the twentieth book and go to the twentieth page and read what is there to inspire a piece of your own writing. Please remember when using another book to inspire you make sure your finished work is original and unique.

So go on, get writing.