writing

  • Reeling In Your Reader

    An enormous thank you to the wonderful Writers Bureau for allowing me to be their guest blogger yesterday. If you’d like to read my guest blog on ways to draw readers into reading your short story, then you can take a look here.

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  • Markets For Writers

    Want to try something different? Then why not give the Writing Magazine ‘Genre Mash-Up Short Story Competition’ a go? ‘Smash conventions and cross boundaries with your short story for this month’s competition, for a genre-defying (or defining) mash-up. It could be the likes of urban fantasy or domestic noir, but we’re really looking for a…

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  • For this week’s challenge, can you tell a story in five words, using the word biscuit in it somewhere? I previously set you the challenge of writing a five-word story where one of the five words had to be phone. Here are your fabulous stories: Ritu: A phone ruined my life… Mobile phone – friend…

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  • Happiness In Harrogate

    Mum, Dad and I first visited the beautiful spa town of Harrogate in North Yorkshire some years ago. Move forward a decade or two and we were back there for a week’s break. We stayed in the charming Cairn Hotel, which dates back to Victorian times when many a visitor came to the town to…

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  • Bite Size Writing Tips

    The TV – a source of inspiration for writing? In many houses, the TV is the focal point of the room and we spend a lot of our relaxation time watching it. Visit your local newsagents and you’ll see a lot of shelf space taken up with TV magazines. Most of these have letters pages…

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  • It’s Launch Day!

    It’s finally here! My book of short stories, A Walk In The Woods, is available to buy today! Thank you to all of you who have pre-ordered the book. I hope you enjoy it. If you haven’t, why haven’t you?! You can order it through Amazon worldwide. Here’s the blurb to entice you… An autumnal…

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  • Bite Size Writing Tips

    Not sure how to end your short story? Well, don’t do it this way! Finishing your story with a cunning twist can make for a very effective ending and leave your readers admiring your brilliance. However, a lot of magazine editors and competition judges complain that they see the same twist endings again and again.…

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  • It’s a week to go until the launch of my book of short stories (A Walk In The Woods). Last week, I gave you a sneak peek of part of the first story. Would you like some more? Here’s part of another story for you: William Mummy has gone mad. I don’t like her like…

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  • Here’s this week’s challenge for you – can you tell a story in five words? The word phone must appear somewhere in the story. For this one, you have two weeks to get your entry in 🙂 Here are your stories from last week. They had to feature the word old. Paul Mastaglio: Old joke?…

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  • Markets For Writers

    Palm Sized Press has several opportunities for writers, from flash fiction, to articles on writing, to art. They also have a monthly prompt for flash fiction pieces. Please visit their submissions page to find out more. ***

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