Middleway Words - a free book festival

I might have seemed a bit quiet on the Scribbles recently, but that doesn't mean that things aren't busy behind the scenes!

To give you an idea of what's been going on;

* I've been working with the lovely Chris at The House Agency, because he's creating a new website for me which will enable me to have the Scribbles, book info, sales links, anthology links etc all in one place. Sneaky little preview...

* I've also been working on Tilda #4 and finally have the shape of the whole story under my belt, though there's still work to do to build it up.

* I've knitted myself a top which included lace and knitting-in-the-round (something I've not done before and which made a change from socks!)

And...

* I've been preparing for the Middleway Words online Book Festival! 

This has included creating short videos about my books, which you can view on the festival YouTube channel; getting to know my 'Tete-a-tete' author, Marilyn L Rice; researching other book people because I'm hosting them in the closing panel; and organising a 'Creative Writing for Children' session. 

The festival exists to promote authors and other book-related industries to book lovers in the Midlands, so there's lots to sink your teeth into - and it's all FREE. You just need to book a ticket via Eventbrite to allow you access to any of the programmed sessions. 

Here's the timing of each session in the programme, but there are lots more details and information to be found as to who is appearing when on the Middleway Words facebook page and YouTube channel - including the videos many authors have created to tell you about themselves and/or their books. 

The sessions I'm involved in are; 

Writing for Children.  4pm on Monday 6th - note, it's an interactive 45 minute session for children (and other budding authors) to find out about me and have a go at plotting out their own story using one of my favourite prompts, not a 'How to Write Children's Stories' session, which you might think from the title. All Scribblers welcome!

Tete-a-tete. 2pm on Wednesday 8th, with Marilyn L Rice. 45 mins of us chatting to each other about books and life for you to be a fly on the wall for! (And ask questions if you have any). There are all sorts of people in the other tete-a-tetes, so do check the information links above to see which take your fancy. 

Closing panel. 11am on Saturday 11th. I am so excited about this - I get to ask questions of some of the people who aren't necessarily authors but who help to bring books alive; a storyteller (which is a totally different skill to writing a story. I know, I've tried it!), an illustrator and a translator. 

Other sessions include an opening by Kit de Waal; information about all aspects of writing; libraries; writing session for adults; and a poetry showcase from students at Wolverhampton University. 

SO - the festival starts tomorrow and runs until the 11th. It's completely free, so what are you waiting for? Hope to see at least some of you Scribblers there - and if not, I believe you'll be able to access the sessions afterwards!

Super Stories Launch Competitions!

You know how much I love my competitions!

Well, if you come to see me in The Literature Village at the Newark Book Festival on the 10th or 11th July, there will be a chance to win an e-version of Super Stories if you find a gold pencil in my Pick-a-Pencil game (50p to have a go!)

But if you're not going to be anywhere near Newark that weekend, then here's another competition anyone can enter. 

As Super Stories is all about...writing Super Stories...then to enter, I'd like you to write a very short story (between 500 and 1000 words long) using one of my favourite and most-used prompts - Three Things.

If you'd like to enter, simply pick three of the following objects, and write them into a story. Interpret them as you wish - for example, the police car could be a toy, like the one shown in the photo, or real; it's entirely up to you.

Once you've written your story, email it to me as an attachment with a message title 'Super Stories Competition Entry'. Only put your name and age (if under 18) in the body of the message, and please tell me which three objects you chose. I'll then print out the stories and judge them anonymously. Closing date - midnight 31st July. 

The winner will receive a signed copy of Super Stories and some of my favourite writing prompts. Two runner-uppers will receive a signed copy of the book. Fingers crossed, they will be announced - and maybe even read out - when I hold an online launch for Super Stories, most likely in August.

So get scribbling! And spread the word to other writers or budding authors you know...

Squidge's Guide to Super Stories (and Becoming a Better Writer)

I've mentioned my 'little' non-fiction project a couple of times, and that I've signed a contract for it with Bink. I reckon the time's right to tell you a bit about it!

I've written a guide to creative writing.

Called Squidge's Guide to Super Stories (and Becoming a Better Writer), it's aimed primarily at younger and/or novice writers, and captures the kind of advice I give on school visits or when giving feedback to novice writers. 

I wasn't sure about it to begin with. I mean, I write, yes, but was I really qualified to give advice? When I think of all the 'How to' books I own, written by BIG name authors with many more publications under their belts than me, how would anything I could offer ever stand up next to their advice? How could I dare to lump myself in with some of the amazing editors and writers I know personally, who offer writing advice to paying participants at conferences and workshops?  

I felt like an imposter. Unworthy. 

But gradually, I began to see things differently. I've watched writers I've given feedback to, or helped with editing, go on to be published and win competitions, even before I was published myself. On school visits, the things I've said about how to improve written stories has made a difference to the pupils and what they've managed to produce. And in more recent times, my help has been actively sought for and - to my surprise - I am being paid for it. I've enthused, supported, and enabled many other writers.

So maybe, just maybe, what I have discovered for myself over these years of writing can be of use to others, too.

I pitched the idea to Bink, and they said go for it. 

And I have! Not only have I written, I have drawn - the book will have little sketches dotted through it. 

Like these: 

I have covered idea-finding, process, structure, characters, world building, editing, and writing groups. I've provided prompts to work with, and examples of the kinds of things that I feel improves my own writing and which I hope will help others to make theirs better. It's not an instruction manual though - it focuses very much on the reader finding their own way to be a writer. 

I hope it will be fun to read, and make a difference to those who choose to read it.

Who knows, maybe it'll help write the next bestseller? Exciting times!

Squidge's Writing Prompt #4

As well as writing, I also quilt... The picture is of a quilt top I made entirely by hand a few years ago using 'hexies'.

Your prompt this time is... 

Imagine a scrap quilt, made from clothing. The clothing can be real (ie you or someone you knew wore it, once upon a time) or imaginary (belonged to a fictional character). 

Describe the quilt using memories associated with the clothing. 

Squidge's Writing Prompt #3

One thing I struggled to use at first for writing inspiration was Story Cubes.

There are lots of different ways to use them - pick three, use all of them, take one cube and use all the pictures on it, use one at a time and add to the story as each new dice is thrown... You can interpret any single picture however you'd like. For example, take the key; it could be a physical key, something locked, the key to a code...

Anyway, for this third prompt I've thrown all nine, and will leave it up to YOU to decide how you're going to use them. Happy writing!

Squidge's Writing Prompt #2

Today - 22nd April - is Earth Day. Apparently. So Writing Prompt #2 is being posted early to take advantage of that fact.

Using my favourite writing prompt EVER, choose one or more of these paint samples and use the colour or its name as inspiration.

In case the text is too small to see in the photo, they are described as (working left to right from the top row down)

Rainforest Retreat

Eco Friendly

Shifting Sands

Periwinkle Dream

Purple Hibiscus

Smooth Pebbles

Meteor Dust

Deep in in Ice Cap

Pop of Poppy

Squidge's Writing Prompt #1

I realised I haven't written much about writing recently. You can thank CV-19 and my current fixation on knitting socks for that!

However, I have been posting prompts in our NIBS (writing group) facebook page as we can't meet in person under current UK restrictions. And there have been some surprising results. I received two emails out of the blue from folk who either don't or can't attend meetings due to distance; they were sharing what they had written as a result of the very first prompts I posted. They were lovely pieces, too - bowled me over!

Now, although there are lots and lots of prompts out in the world already, (just search 'writing prompts for...' and you'll see what I mean!) I've decided that I will start a habit of posting a weekly writing prompt here on the Scribbles. I will endeavour to try to write something myself based on it and share it with you. There's no pressure to share what you write yourself unless you want to (if you do, either post a short piece (200 words max) in the comments below or post it to your own blog if you have one and paste a link below) however it would be good to know if you find the prompts helpful.

Here goes...have fun.

Squidge's Scribbles Writing Prompt #1

There were two stark choices. 

One : open the box. 

Two : don't.