• Markets For Writers

    Those who follow my Markets For Writers weekly blog post will know that I regularly feature Writing Magazine competitions. They have several currently inviting entries, but it’s also worth taking a look at their website. They’re offering writers all sorts of support in these current times, including current writing news, expert advice, coffee-break writing exercises…

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  • Funny Of The Week

    At last, someone can tell me why my child just can’t stop leaning!

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  • It’s Monday morning and limerick time! Send in your own or here’s a prompt for you – SULK Here are a few limericks to make you smile this Monday. The prompt was MOON: Keith Channing: I wanted to fly to the moonBut my grandmother said, “It’s too soon.There’s no-one to fire usLocked down with this…

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  • A few months ago, I ran a writing competition to win a copy of my latest book of short stories, A Walk in the Woods. I had some super entries and so, as it’s coming up to the sixth anniversary of the release of my first book of short stories, The Siege, I thought it…

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  • Your new five-word challenge is here. Last week, it was all about the MEDIA. This week, I want to know what makes you SCREAM. So can you tell a story in five words, using the word SCREAM in it somewhere? Here are your MEDIA moments from last week: Kim Smyth: The media influences us all.…

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  • Markets For Writers

    The Derby Book Festival is inviting entries on the theme of ‘Home’ for their flash fiction competition. The word limit is 50 and the closing date is 2nd June 2020 so you just have time to enter! There are three age categories: 11 years and under12 – 17 years18 years and over There will be…

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  • Funny Of The Week

    It seems everyone and everything needs ID these days…

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  • It’s Monday morning once again and limerick time! Send in your own or here’s a prompt for you – MOON Here are a few limericks to make you smile this Monday. The prompt was LOOK: Keith Channing: The redoubtable captain named CookThought Canada well worth a lookAt great risk of failureHe sailed to AustraliaThat’s what…

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  • Next week I’ll be announcing the launch date for my latest book, Publication Guaranteed (well, almost!). Here’s an extract from the beginning of the chapter on writing competitions: Is it a dream of yours to win a writing competition? To have your writing truly recognised? To know your story was the best? As a winner…

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  • I met the talented author Roz Watkins at an author meet-up which took place before lockdown. I knew Roz from when she studied with The Writers Bureau many years ago, so it was lovely to renew our acquaintance and to hear how successful she has been. Here she talks about her latest book, her lead…

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