An Apology and the Creative #Writing #Contests Table Updated

The above is a small version of a much larger picture file you can access by clicking here. (There's a small charge for its use: photography is an expensive activity!) Here’s this month’s second reminder that the writing contest table has been updated, because, as those of you who use it will have noticed, I …

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Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

https://read.amazon.co.uk/kp/card?asin=B0749NW6W8&preview=inline&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_qMbkAbQM8TNAS&tag=stuartaken-21 Last week I reported I had 11,985 words. As a result of the notes I made, I’ve now added another 3 characters to the cast of players (I need to add another 5 for future chapters, but I already know their names and have an idea of their natures and ambitions, so I only …

Continue reading Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

How to be a Fantastic Writer, by Danuta Reah & Penny Grubb: #BookReview.

https://read.amazon.co.uk/kp/card?asin=B076QFZY9S&preview=inline&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_YHalAb3WREYPG&tag=stuartaken-21 Subtitled ‘A Handbook for Writers of Commercial Fiction’, this book is precisely what it says it is. As a reader, I’ve tended to shy away from what I saw as ‘commercial’ fiction, but, in practice, I now realise I’ve actually read a good deal of it. As a writer, my fiction veers toward the …

Continue reading How to be a Fantastic Writer, by Danuta Reah & Penny Grubb: #BookReview.

Creative #Writing #Contests Table Updated

Here’s your monthly reminder that the writing contest table has been updated. I update it frequently, in fact; whenever I come across new contest details. I also subscribe to a few sources for information to pass on to you here. I have a new batch to explore and apply to the table, which I’ll be …

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Looking for the Best Word? Tip #66

A series of posts for lovers of words. Offering help for writers and language learners, these posts look at different aspects of the world of words to stimulate curiosity and enhance creativity. This week’s words: Rabid, Paradox, Quite, Needless to say, Tarab, Rabid - Roget’s thesaurus lists the following headers for this adjective: furious, frenzied, …

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Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

Dare I say it? Have I scaled the final barrier to creating the first draft? Last week I reported I had 11,985 words. I also noted that certain details were missing from my memory and I needed to read the first two books again to aid my failing powers of recall. I’ve now done that …

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November 2017 – Read the best of NEW poetry from around the world

I rarely write poetry, but one of my efforts was recently included in the results of a competition I entered. If you scroll down to ‘Flowing Form’ you’ll find it there.

WILDsound Festival's avatarWILDsound Festival

Scroll, click, and read the best of new poetry from poets from around the world: 

SHATTERED, by Annie M.
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/29/read-poetry-shattered-by-annie-m/

THE OCEAN THE WIND, by Vikky Lonie
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/29/read-poetry-the-ocean-the-wind-by-vikky-lonie/

MIDNIGHT, by Chisala Kataya
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/29/read-poetry-midnight-poetry-chisala-kataya/

IN A ROOM NO LOVE ONLY LUST, by Prince Kutch
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/29/read-poetry-in-a-room-no-love-only-lust-by-prince-kutch/

FEAR OF THE UNKNOWMS, by Gibson Kuria Chege
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/29/read-poetry-fear-of-the-unknowns-by-gibson-kuria-chege/

WHEN YOU WAS IN THE WORLD, by Linda Hay Gibbs
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/29/read-poetry-when-you-was-in-the-world-by-linda-hay-gibbs/

THE LADY IN PURPLE, by Kat Fankhauser
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/29/read-poetry-the-lady-in-purple-by-kat-fankhauser/

SPREAD YOUR WINGS, by Lana Rafaela Cindric
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/29/read-poetry-spread-your-wings-by-lana-rafaela-cindric/

BIRDS FROM THE EAST, by Sharon Mo-sh
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/read-poetry-birds-from-the-east-by-sharon-mo-sh/

INSOMNIACS LULLABY, by Ruthie B.
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/read-poetry-insomniacs-lullaby-by-ruthie-b/

POETRY BY, by Tiwari Vikas Kaiv
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/read-poetry-by-tiwari-vikas-kaiv/

MY WORLD, by Semih Bilgic
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/read-poetry-my-world-by-semih-bilgic/

POETRY BY, Charles Howe
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/read-poetry-by-charles-howes/

POETRY BY, Pamela Hobbs
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/read-poetry-by-pamela-hobbs/

POETRY BY, Eddiee Gomez
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/read-poetry-by-eddiee-gomez/

POETRY BY, Anannya Uberoi
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/read-poetry-by-anannya-uberoi/

FLOWING FORM, by Stuart Aken
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/read-poetry-flowing-form-by-stuart-aken/

PRECIOUS LITTLE GIRL, by Murna Safford
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/poetry-reading-precious-little-girl-by-murna-safford/

THE PAINTER, by Theresa Pio
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2017/10/18/poetry-reading-the-painter-by-theresa-pio/

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Naked Good Reads, by Gisela Hausmann: #BookReview.

  https://read.amazon.co.uk/kp/card?asin=B075R4VPNB&preview=inline&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_0NalAb4XD8Z81&tag=stuartaken-21 Subtitled ‘How to Find Readers’, this is another of Hausmann’s writing books crammed with common sense and down-to-earth advice. First, I must pose a question: ‘If you’re a writer, do you belong to Goodreads?’ And, if you don’t, a supplementary question: ‘Why not?’ Goodreads may boast a membership of ‘only’ 65 million, but …

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‘Work Hard And You’ll Succeed’: The Biggest Lie?

You’ll have heard the cry: ‘Work hard and you’ll succeed.’ Almost from infancy, we’re brought up to believe this mantra. It follows us through school, often reinforced by loving and caring parents, and is ingrained in our very personas through repetition and a form of example. The successful, in the terms of our current society, …

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Looking for the Best Word? Tip #65

A series of posts for lovers of words. Offering help for writers and language learners, these posts look at different aspects of the world of words to stimulate curiosity and enhance creativity. This week’s words: Pace, Metaphor, Merge together, Know the ropes, Opia. Pace - Roget’s thesaurus lists the following headers: synchronise (vb), long measure …

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Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

I fear I missed this update last week. Put it down to a mixture of advancing years and a rather busy schedule: I have. So, currently I’m at 11,985 words, which, given I had a target of 10,000 for today is a pleasing result. It’s always a bit slow for a pantster at the start …

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Non-Invasive Health Benefits: Hema-Ties Reviewed.

Do you suffer headaches, migraines? Feeling stressed, anxious, or just worn down by modern life? I don’t know about you, but I prefer not to take medication for such situations. I seek something less invasive to put me back in a relaxed and creative state. For the past few weeks, I’ve been wearing a device …

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Looking for the Best Word? Tip #64

A series of posts for word lovers. Offering help for writers and language learners, these posts look at many different aspects of the world of words in the hope of stimulating your curiosity and enhancing your creativity. This week’s words: Go, Isocolon, Most unique, Caught with his/her pants down, Contronym: Go: belongs to an odd …

Continue reading Looking for the Best Word? Tip #64

Looking for the Best Word? Tip #63

    A series of posts for word lovers. Offering help for writers and language learners, these posts look at many different aspects of the world of words in the hope of stimulating your curiosity and enhancing your creativity. This week’s words: Kaput, Erotesis, Absolutely necessary, Cross that bridge when you come to it, Anecdoche. …

Continue reading Looking for the Best Word? Tip #63

Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

It hasn’t been the most productive week. But I’ve made some progress. Still having issues with my Mac following the corruption of the OS and installation of Lightroom 6 by Adobe. I have a lot of photographs; the current count is 17,661. Some of these, for Picfair, are close to 30MB each. Lightroom has a …

Continue reading Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.