This month's story is by Val Chapman. Val is one of the founder members of our writing group, The Whittlesey Wordsmiths. No Stone Unturned Val Chapman Barbara sat back on her heels and tilted her face to the sun. She had spent the last half-hour on her knees weeding her garden, and her back was … Continue reading Story Chat for September
Category: writing challenges
August Story Chat Summary
A Dress for a Princess by Wendy Fletcher If you missed Wendy’s story, read it at https://cathy-cade.com/2021/08/03/story-chat-for-august/ Twist in the tale Janis @ RetirementallyChallenged wrote, “I love a story with a twist, and this one definitely provided one – both to my heartstrings and to my pre-conceived idea." Phil thought that “the twist at the … Continue reading August Story Chat Summary
How Do I Miss Thee?
One recent challenge for 12 poems in 12 months (at deadlinesforwriters.com) was to write a sonnet. I chose the Shakespearean sonnet form. How do I miss you? Let me count the ways now we’re apart. I woke up late this morn, No pillowed head beside me this fine day, To snore throughout the night till … Continue reading How Do I Miss Thee?
But is it poetry?
The challenge was to write blank verse: not something I really understand, but - hey, I joined this challenge to learn, didn't I? My poems scan, their lines carefully rhymed and of a length, with syllables aligned. Its beats are bars in a melody’s score. Its rules are like bars of a cage. If words … Continue reading But is it poetry?
Broken Blue
The invitation from Carol J Forrester in her blog, was to find an object lying around me and write a verse about it. I bought it as an outdoor clockwith blue tit perching on a log, intending it for garden use.But when I took it from the boxit threw itself upon the floorand in four pieces … Continue reading Broken Blue
Recapturing the Muse
It's easy to get out of the writing habit. If you've been busy with other things, it can take an effort to get back into writing mode. Last week we were visiting relations in Cornwall, and I let go of my muse. The result was similar to letting go of our puppy on the beach: … Continue reading Recapturing the Muse
The Last Post
My short story, The Last Post has been approved for Reedsy's weekly story competition. Each week prompts are sent out on a Friday for story submission by the following Friday. Last week's prompts incorporated the challenge to write the story in third person. The winner will be decided later this week. You can read and … Continue reading The Last Post
What’s in a name?
titles matter. So how can I find a killer title?
Villanelle
No, nothing to do with that* TV programme! A villanelle is a poem with a very specific rhyming structure. (The most well known villanelle in English is probably Dylan Thomas's. . . Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, Rage against the dying of the light.) I have taken up the challenge to … Continue reading Villanelle
Things To Do, 3: Spark Their Imagination.
Storytelling Even the most artistic of children will want to put down their paintbrush sometime. Offer them a prompt (or a choice of prompts) to write a story. This could develop in several ways. For instance, when everyone's applauded the story, suggest a 'What If' related to it. . . (What if the cat got … Continue reading Things To Do, 3: Spark Their Imagination.
