Esther Chilton

  • It’s five-word challenge time again! For this week’s challenge, can you tell a story in five words, using the word Scandal in it somewhere? Last week, your story needed to contain the word Aliens. You sent in some great stories. Here they are: Trent’s World: It wasn’t me! Really! Aliens… Sanandi-jacq: Aliens permeate fabric of…

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  • Markets For Writers

    I know that many of you are inspired by a theme so here’s one for you from The Fiction Desk: Houses and homes. Want to know more? Here’s what they have to say: ‘There should be plenty here for short story writers to get their teeth into: from domestic dramas to haunted houses, it’s an…

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  • Funny Of The Week

    Cows never listen, do they? Photo credit: Ivman’s blague

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  • It isn’t easy to write convincing dialogue and it’s something many writers struggle with. Even if you get the words right, there seem to be so many rules and regulations concerning how it should be set out, the punctuation etc. Over the following few weeks, I’ll be giving you some tips on how to build…

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  • I don’t know about you, but I love browsing a good bookshop and choosing a new book. And there are so many to choose from. So how do you pick a new book from the plethora out there? Are you drawn to the cover? Or do you always go for a particular author/genre? Perhaps you’ve…

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  • For this week’s challenge, can you tell a story in five words, using the word aliens in it somewhere? Last week’s challenge was to write a five-word story where one of the five words had to be flabbergasted. Here are your clever stories: Keto For Beginners: Two pounds gone? I’m flabbergasted!! Sanandi-jacq: May resignation. Dumbfounded.…

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  • Markets For Writers

    Are you looking for a market for your short stories? Then Prima may be an option. They like touching, uplifting stories. Here’s what they have to say: ‘Do you have a way with words and want to win £100? We’d love to receive your creative short stories to publish in the ‘Your Winning Short Story’…

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  • Funny Of The Week

    Well, don’t say you weren’t warned…

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  • By e-mail or post? Most publications accept work by e-mail but some still prefer postal submissions, especially from someone writing for them for the first time. Even if you have had a few pieces published by a magazine, if they ask for submissions to be sent by post, send your work by post. You could…

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  • Book Or Film?

    In my blog post last Friday, I asked you what books you were reading and you had plenty of interesting answers. One thread to come out of the comments was whether you like to see the film of the book, after you’ve read the book, or do you prefer it the other way round and…

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