motivation
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A number of you have contacted me to say how much you enjoyed this series so I thought I’d give you some opening words to help you shrug off the writers’ block and to inspire you into writing a cracking story: I’ve always had a thing about the cupboard under the stairs. You would think…
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Well, here it is – the last in the ABC of My Weekly Writing Challenges and yes, it’s Y and Z‘s turn. My themes for those are Yearn and Zombie. I can almost hear you shouting, “Eeek!”, so for some prompts and ideas click on the following link: https://esthernewtonblog.wordpress.com/2014/08/25/monday-motivationsthe-abc-of-short-story-ideas-part-nine/ Last week, the challenge was to…
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Some time ago, I added a cat magazine to my ‘Market’s For Freelancers‘ Page. So I thought it was about time I redressed the balance and added a dog magazine. ‘Dog Fancy‘ is a US publication, which uses mainly freelance contributions. They are always on the look-out for new contributors. They require articles of between…
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We’re almost to the end of the alphabet themed writing challenge. This week it’s ‘V‘, ‘W‘ and ‘X‘ that take centre stage, with the themes of ‘Victory‘, ‘Water‘ and ‘X-ray‘. For inspiration, you’ll find some ideas on these themes if you click on the following link: https://esthernewtonblog.wordpress.com/2014/08/18/monday-motivationsthe-abc-of-short-story-ideas-part-eight/ Last week’s writing challenge invited stories and poems…
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Many of you will be familiar with the writers’ bible that is The Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook. For those of you who aren’t, buy a copy!! It’s full of listings including book publishers and magazines. It’s also packed full of information on all aspects of writing. Most bookshops sell the yearbook but if not, you’ll…
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The fifth installment in my series of how to open a short story and hook your reader focuses on addressing your reader directly, which compels him to feel part of your story. In a monologue, the main character often does this, as if he/she is confiding in the reader and sharing his/her story e.g.: Just…
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Tiptastic Tips! Readers’ tips are big business these days. More and more magazines are publishing them. Add to that the fact that for only a few words and a photo, you can earn up to £60 and readers’ tips are certainly not to be ignored. A lot of the tips pages feature tips with or…
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If you’re looking for a way to earn some cash with a quick filler, take a look at ‘Love It!’ magazine. It’s a woman’s weekly packed full of real life true stories and filler slots. If you click on the website: http://www.loveitmagazine.co.uk/ and the title ‘My Love it’ you’ll see several opportunities. The first one…
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This week’s installment in my weekly series, on how to hook your reader’s interest in the first few words of your story, moves from last week’s humour to atmosphere. By building up a strong sense of atmosphere at the beginning of your story, you ensure your reader feels part of the story straight away. Here…
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Last week, I showed you how a short story, which opens using the shock factor, can capture your readers’ interest. This week, I take a look at how a humorous one can achieve the same result. We all like to read something, which makes us laugh and something amusing often comes as a welcome break…
Esther Chilton 