Topic Task - Week Forty-four

I'm looking forward to a weekend full of writing. I've set aside time, have scribbles to type up and a novel to get back on track. I've been writing the odd scene and developing a couple of plots, so there are no excuses not to get my head down over the winter months and finish at least one of them. If you notice me slacking, please shout. 

For this weeks topic task I've delved back in my topic tin and come up with the following.

1. Random words: Melon - Monster -Vesper - Tibbs - Dope - Rice pudding - Spade

Use all of them, some of them or just one to trigger a piece of writing. 

2. I remember...

Show us what you remember and make us feel your emotions.

3. Have the witches all gone or just hiding somewhere?

Use this to inspire a piece of writing.This could be creative fiction or non-fiction.  

I hope one of the above prompts stimulate your writing. So go on, get writing. 

Topic Task - Week Forty-Three

I hope you’ve had some fun working on last week’s topic task.  For this week we are going walking. You are going to drop your character off in a place they wouldn’t normally go. They will have to deal with whatever situation you drop them into. You need to know how that character would react in every possible circumstance. So firstly, select your character. Draw then well and make them complete. Then drop them into the following places.

1.       University freshers event.

2.       The middle of a dark wood.

3.       In a fancy dress shop.

4.       Grand banquet in Knebworth House.

5.       A monastery.

6.       In a naturist beach.

The character you’ve created will/should react differently in each situation. It is up to you to show this through the development of your storyline.

So what are you waiting for, get writing. 

Topic Task - Week Forty-Two

It is so beautiful out there this weekend, I don't want you missing any of it. So I'm sending you off on a picnic. You are going to have three picnics this weekend. Each will be vastly different. You have to pick your locations to enable you to write the back drop to what is going on the picnic blanket/bench/table. Each picnic must start with the same characters, but doesn't have to end that way. The picnic could be fun, dire or completely mad. You select the situation you want your characters to be in and take it from there. Remember to think about the surroundings and how they impact on your story line. Who else is around or are you completely secluded, and if so is this a good or bad thing.

I'm off now to enjoy the sun with my laptop and my glass of iced water.

Have fun with this and get writing.

Topic Task - Week Forty-One

I’m really looking forward to early September and the York Festival of Writing. So if you are attending I’ll see you there. If not, why not? It is a great place to immerse yourself in all that is creative, productive and developmental about writing. You will get to talk writing all weekend and leave with ideas buzzing about your head and so inspired there will be no stopping you.

This week we are looking at characters by way of the shoes. We will be creating characters around the shoes they are wearing. Think of unusual twists to the way your characters wear their shoes. Are they the archetypical wearer? Is there something not quite right in the eye of the reader when they first discover the characters identity? How do you want your reader to feel about the person wearing the shoes? You must think about this when you start to work. Start from the shoe and work your way up to the person and then show us your fully rounded character.

To help you here are some prompts.

1. High stiletto
2. Wellington Boot
3. Diamante trainers
4. Doc Martins

Have fun with this. Don’t be boring inject some life into these shoes. Are they for walking in or admiring? Don’t ask me, you’re the writer so, get writing. 

Topic Task - Week Forty

I can’t believe we have reached topic task week forty. I hope you have found the tasks both engaging and inspiring. I’ve enjoyed posting them and receiving your comments, most of which have been emailed to me. However I’ve not had any reports of publications from the work you are doing. Therefore, if you’ve been published recently and would like to share it with other writers please let me know.
My writing is coming on nicely. I’ve had some interest, but still have a lot of writing, editing and re-editing to do. I’m having great fun with the surprise plot twists that are appearing. And yes, they are working.
So for the fortieth week, we are going to write about one scene from three different perspectives. The first is from the person/persons involved. The second is the parents or children of the person/persons involved and thirdly from the point of view of the authorities.

To get you going you have the prompts below.
1. A rock festival.
2. A house party.
3. A ball at the Grosvenor House Hotel - London.
What happens, where you take it is completely down to you, but make sure the reader feels the passion.

So enjoy writing your fortieth piece. Once you’ve completed it, why not pull out the first few pieces you attempted and discover how far your writing has come.

Go on, get writing. 

Topic Task - Week Thirty-Nine

It's Sunday and I'm only just catching up with myself. Sorry for the delay in posting this weeks topic task.


The Olympics are under way and sun has let us know it is still up there and can shine down upon us when it wants to. I think this makes it a perfect time to get outside and write. This week I thought it might be nice to go back to writing a piece prompted by five simple words. 


Prompt words: 
1. Pimms - Mobile - Raid - Comfy Chair - Iguana.
2. Weights - Corrugated roof - Vision -Tipper - Scissors.
3. Vacuum - Drill - Ghost - Jug - Alarm.

Use one of the selections of words above to create a piece of writing. Think about where this work might be published and target your market. You need to use all the words in the list but choose the tense that is best for you. I think you will be surprised where these prompts can lead your writing. 
So go on, get writing.

REVIEW: I'm Dougal Trump and It's Not My Fault!

The first time I met Dougal Trump he was a mere 500 words – an idea – a brilliant idea. Now he has grown into an amazingly well written humours book with a unique voice. Which is full to bursting with laughs, well not laughs, but fantastic words that make you laugh out loud. The great use of different font types and illustrations throughout the book are a perfect back drop for the story, which push the narrative forward. And as for the story it’s self, it goes a bit like this: Our dear Dougal Trump has a problem, he has a big problem. In fact the problem is so BIG he has decided to make a will. His family have all threatened to kill him and they do it often, but that isn’t what is worrying him. What is worrying him is the DEATH note attached to the shed and the monster lurking within. He has to take care of it, but how? It is a big hairy, long clawed creature that growls deeply and terrifies Dougal. He daren’t open the shed door. He can’t do it alone, but dare he ask friends for help? This wasn’t a good idea. Things start to go wrong. With the new neighbours next door and Stan, Dougal’s life just keeps getting worse. He panics when a hole appears in the back of the shed. Pets living in the area start to go missing! Strange noises are heard in the night. And all the time Dougal Trump is getting the blame. He is terrified someone will open the shed door and be eaten alive!  No one believes anything he says and the blame for everything keeps falling on him. Even his friends don’t want to know him now. He is telling the truth, but it is too late! He is going to have to live his life being grounded and it is never his fault. He is about to get the blame for the fire, when ...
I can’t tell you the ending or you wouldn’t get the chance to read this amazing book by Dougal Trump with a bit of help from Jackie Marchant. A great summer read for kids of any age.

So what are you waiting for? Go and get your copy. You won’t be disappointed. Available at all good book shops and on Amazon.