When I set my first mini-competition (a flash fiction story on the theme of The Discovery), a month ago, I thought I’d just have a few entries, but they didn’t stop coming in from the minute the competition was underway, until the very last moment on the closing date. I’m thrilled with the response and there’s certainly some brilliant writing in there.
So, to whittle it down, I’m going to compile a short list over the next few days. To see if you’re on it, watch this space!
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Curiouser and curiouser – fab you had so many and I really like that quote I’m actually going to do that
I think it’s wonderful that there are so many entries. Wishing each entrant the best of luck.
Like Sacha I love that quote – a very useful tip 🙂 And good luck sorting out all those entries – how wonderful that you had so many xx
It’s a great tip.
For the book I’m currently writing, I made lists of over 100 questions each for both of my main characters, from obvious things such as what job they do and what papers they’d read to childhood memories, what sweets they’d like and what they were like at P.E at school! Most of it isn’t creeping into the novel, but it gave me a good idea from the start what they were like instead of having to write my way ‘into’ the characters as I went along as I have before.It’s like cramming years of getting to know someone into a few hours – character speed dating. 🙂
I’d always do this from now on.
Brilliant. That will help you to bring them to life for your reader in the book itself 🙂 Would you mind if I quoted this on my blog? I think it’ll help a lot of my Writers Bureau students and also other writers 🙂 It’s great advice.
Of course – my pleasure. It was a lesson learned through bitter experience, having previously written a YA novel, getting close to the end and finding the protagonist still felt like a stranger to me!
My list of questions was pretty random – from how the MCs feel about each other to whether they prefer new Star Wars or old and whether they’d be any good as members of a pub quiz team 🙂
Esther Chilton 
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