Tag: writing prompts

writing opportunities

What is a Writers’ Lock-in?

carolyncordon

A writers’ lock in is when a group of writers all get together for a set period of time, and they write! Simple, yes? Yes it can be, if the group has a place available that has tables and chairs, and with food, drinks, and toilets available. Such a place is where my writing group meets every week.

It’s a hotel in Gawler, the Prince Albert Hotel, where the Adelaide Plains Chapter and Verse group catches up for our meetings at 4-6 every Thursday afternoon, and again on the last Sunday of every month, for the Gawler Poets at the Pub event, which has been going for over twenty years.

And every now and then, our group holds a Lock-in, and today is the day again, hooray. Personally, I have several writing projects I wish to work harder on, and not be bothered by chores at home, so today will be a great day for working on those projects, I can knuckle down and write, knowing that the other people there with me are doing the same thing, on their own projects.

The vibe in the room will be all about getting our words written, that’s it. There will be some talking too, of course, because that’s what humans do, but it won’t be lame rubbish nothing talk. Or hey maybe some of it might be, but that can help with the writing too, to have a joke too, so the pressure level doesn’t get too high. And there might well be some things the executive of the group needs to work on, and this will be a good opportunity for that too.

We’re very lucky to have this great hotel to work in,and work with, and they’re very lucky to have us there too. We have food and drinks there, and bring other people in too, when we have our events at the P/A. Many people have commented on what a lovely hotel it is, very historic, and with fine food, and a great range of drinks.

So I know the Writers’ Lock-in will be starting when the hotel opens at 11.30am, and will go through to 4, for our usual group meeting, and then there might be dinner after, for those interested in that. I hope to get lots done, but even if I don’t dramatically improve my work count, I will definitely get some sort of a start on all three projects.

If you live in or around Gawler, and you write, why not come and join us, you’ll be most welcome!

Cozy Mystery, meaning in life

From Poet to Writer of Cozy Mysteries?

carolyncordon

OK, so I’m relatively well known, in certain circles, as a poet, with two published poetry collections, and single poems published in various places, as well as a good many unpublished poems written. I like writing poetry!

I also have a first draft of a novel for children, that may never go anywhere, which is a little sad, I think, but not sad enough for me to actually do anything about it, not at the moment, anyway. I also have an unfinished novel, a thriller, that I have decided, just a few days ago, that will never ever be sent to a publisher, and I am not unhappy about that, not at all.

I love my main character (Meredith Webster) from that unfinished novel, and I love my other characters, and I absolutely adore the setting. I just don’t feel the ‘thriller’ genre is one that will work for me, it’s a little bit too much for me, getting the thriller aspects written. It isn’t a genre I’m drawn to as a reader, so the idea of doing it as a writer was probably not a great idea.

I do like murder mysteries though, to read. I started my serious reading life as an eleven or twelve year old lover of Agatha Christie’s cozy murder mysteries, but never thought of writing anything in that genre, until just the other day, when I had a brilliant thought. What about, I thought, I have Meredith, my main character in my thriller, as an amateur detective, solving murders that happen in her little town of Talloola? This feels to me like I have a new meaning in my life!

I did a little bit of study (ie, googled it) and discovered the name of the ideal genre for this, “Cozy Mystery”, and BANG! I had my answer on what to do with my failed wannabee Thriller, and all of the work I’ve already done with it. I have thousands of words written with my main character, other characters, and my setting, and if I can find ways to use them, I won’t have been wasting my time, I’ve simply been exploring my options.

So, at the beginning of this week, I began my proposed new career as a writer of Cozy Mysteries! I’ve got a list of over ten books, with ideas for most of them, and the order of publication organised for the first few books already. I’ve even begun writing the first two books, have planned how many words there will be for each book, how many chapters and how many words in each chapter. This feels like it’s going to work, and I’m excited!

I’ve been an avid reader of Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone series of books, and I’m looking forward to becoming known as Carolyn Cordon, with my series of Meredith Webster books, set in the fictional town of Talloola in the mid north region of South Australia. If this sounds exciting to you, it feels a gazillion times more exciting to me!

I love doing this writing, it flows along easily, and I am so much enjoying my writing of this. I loved doing the little pieces I’ve been doing at my weekly writing group, my friends there were always interested to hear what I was writing using the prompts given at the group, that I would write about, thinking on how they could relate to my thriller main character, and others in that unfinished book.

So now I can think about possible cozy mystery ideas and Meredith from now on, and it will be an easy way to get bits of writing done, with stories fleshed out, and new ideas played with. I’ve change the point of view too – the thriller was in Third Person POV, the cozy thrillers are in First Person POV. I’m very much enjoying pretending I’m an amateur sleuth!

dog pet cute
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Some of Meredith is like me, some isn’t, but she’s someone I can imagine being friends with. We both love dogs, although she’s never actually had one of her own. She has  special way with them though, and that is an asset in her mystery solving, at times. It also means she has someone to talk through her ideas with, which means the reader, as well as the dog currently with her, can follow her thought processes too, as she works on finding out who done it!

New Ideas, Writing

A Writerly Confession

carolyncordon

This is  little bit embarrassing, but I have a confession to make. I have been writing a book, a thriller in fact, for a long time. A very long time. I think about my main character sometimes, and especially when I’m at my weekly writing group, where I usually use the writing exercise prompt, to write some more of my novel.

I have many of these little snippets of my novel in (not much) progress, each snippet anywhere between 200 to 1000 words or more. If I gathered up all of the snippets, I might in fact have enough words to make a novel, in word count, anyway. But mere words do not a novel make. You need a coherent plot for that.

I have a kind of a coherent plot, I know what is happening, so some extent, and I have an idea of how it is all going to go. I have characters I love, and I have a snippet (or maybe more) of a love interest. I’ve written bits about the main character chatting to the love interest character, and I have little bits about other characters, including the bad guy.

This novel in progress is a thriller, did I mention that? Anyway, I have a bad guy, I have secondary bad characters, I have an interesting surprise person from the main character’s younger years, I have a wise older character, and a flamboyant and lovely transvestite.

So I have all of this stuff, but what I don’t have is the will to get on and get a thriller written – I have a plot idea, with the mayor being a bad person, doing terrible things, but I’m not feeling the passion for writing that story, because I know that a good thriller has many words, and I don’t feel like writing one story with all of the necessary words. I have ideas for dead bodies, though, and other interesting ideas (I think they’re interesting, anyway).

Now though, I’m thinking about and have done a tiny bit of looking into the idea of writing cozy mysteries, rather than thrillers. Cozy mystery sounds twee and sweet, doesn’t it? I have fond memories of reading many of Agatha Christie’s books and gee, I wonder if I could get into writing them?

It seems these kinds of books have become bigger these days, and while Ms Christie may have gotten away with a mere 40,000 to 60,000 words, publishers these days are looking for at least 65,000 to 90,000 words … So much for an easy little few months to write my mystery … Ah well, given that I already have a setting, and characters, as well as some ideas, and interest in the project, who knows.

From further investigation, it seems a Thriller Mystery could/should be in the 70,000 to 90,000 word range … So lots of words, but hey, I’m a writer, so I love words, yes? Yes, in moderation, that’s true. A further thought, as I sit here typing, bearing in mind that my m main character is a youngish, but not too young woman with a career, I could think about a genre cross Chick Lit/Mystery novel or series of novels.

The idea of having a series of books with my main character/setting I already know much about, is certainly appealing to me. I’ve been writing about this person and this place for I don’t know how long really, five to six years? maybe longer, not sure. It’s funny, I am using a different bag than usual today, and I found yet another snippet about young Meredith, and the town of Talloola, where all of my action takes place!

So, there’s my confession, I am going to abandon my book because of lack of interest. But my interest in the people in the book, and the town it’s set in are certainly still very strong, so that doesn’t mean I’m giving up on them. So don’t worry Meredith, there will still be much more action to happen for you! You and young Travis, who I’m very fond of too! And who wouldn’t be fond of a dark haired, blue eyed, very buff man, who knows how to keep his favourite lady happy!

 

poetry, writing exercise

Creative Writing Workshop 2 – Writing an Ode

carolyncordon

An Ode is a celebration, a lyrical poem praising something. It can be something wondrous, or it may be something so-so that the poet can make wondrous through their words in praise of it. John Keats has a well known Ode – Ode to a Grecian Urn, and another titled Ode to a Nightingale. They are both fine Odes, but today we are going to look to more contemporary times with the odes we will write. When writing a ode, you have permission to go overboard with the imagery and metaphor!

 

 

And that’s it. With an Ode, you can rhyme or not, as you choose, you can be as silly or serious as you wish, it’s all up to you and your thoughts. The most important thing is to go beyond the obvious, and take your love of your chosen thing as far as you can, lauding it all the way to the sky and stars!

Ode to the Op Shop

Oh wondrous home to much –

glorious treasure trove  

Of love and possibility

Staffed by precious volunteers

Those whose freely-given time benefits many –

Small-time hoarders like me,

Or those in the know who buy much

Then onsell to many

But a delight for those searching

Looking for their next fashionable fancy

And when finding such, our joy

Is met with smiles.

Named junk shops by some

Those who think a label

Rather than a look, is the fashionable thing

But limited new ‘range’ to choose from

Is just the so-called latest thing

Ignoring the clothes of yesteryear –

The best of their time, made best again,

At a bargain price, when payment gives back

To those who have little.

My wardrobe & drawers

Are filled with many found treasures

from within your worthy walls

And walls of other stores like you,

Clothes that have lived a life

Before they came to me,

That could tell such stories!

Each item willingly given up

To be worn again with pride and thanks

Is testament to the love shared

In one of these slices of community

And humanity, wonderful Op Shops,

Shared spaces, filled with memories of the past

And hopes for the future.

Op Shops, oh how I love you, Op Shops

Fine resting places for my unwanted items,

That I bring to an Op Shop such as you,

Knowing that when my need for them is over,

They will be with those who understand

The Op Shop’s fine and long tradition

And who realise the wonders to be found

In the taking up of clothes, both pre-worn and pre-loved,

Knowing the impermanence of such clothes

And relishing it. What has been with one,

Can be again with another, and once lived with

For a while, can move on again, via an Op Shop

And so it goes on, treasure donated by one

Found by another, one who in time,

May donate again, and so it goes,

Op Shops building community,

Community loving Op Shops,

All sharing the love, and the clothes.

We are many, those who share the love

of these wonderful Op Shops –

Treat them well, care for the treasures

found within, and share them with others

at an Op Shop when the proper time comes …

                                                         © 2017 Carolyn Cordon

 

 

You could choose to write an ode to your football team, your pet, a flower, anything, just as long as it’s something you love and have many thoughts about!

 

So think of the subject of your Ode, and start writing down thoughts about why you love it so much, then get working!

 

Carolyn
Carolyn Cordon, kittycordo@gmail.com

Writing

As A Writer, I …

carolyncordon

In my blog post before last, I wrote about the idea that what writers are simply people who write. Whatever genre or form they write in, if they write, then they are writers. I’ve been doing some research this morning (by research I mean – wandering around the internet). What this ‘research’ has made me think, or realise, is that people are strange, and they are normal, and they are wrong, and they are right, and that I am all of those things too.

access app application apps
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I read a Facebook post, a random one, where someone posted a comment telling she had breast-fed her two children for twenty months each, and by her calculations, she had produced a particular number of litres of breast milk. This statistic seemed weird for a number of reasons, but there were other people on that Facebook page who didn’t seem to think what she’d written was odd.

So that got me thinking – if they didn’t think it odd, what right did I have to think it was? And then that got me thinking, hmm, I could write something about that, because I’m a writer, and having things to write about is one of the things I am always looking for. And that led me to the heading for this particular blog post “As A Writer …”.

Because as a writer, I sometimes do things that most other people may never think about doing. I look at things quite deeply, sometimes, with no other aim but to know more about it, and how it may affect an invisible person or thing that is in my head, ie a story character I have.

And as a writer I actively don’t want a full time job, because that would completely take away too much potential writing time. I know there are some writers who have full time jobs, people are different, I know that. And as a writer, I am thrilled that people are different, because that means I can make my characters do all kinds of different things, sometimes things I’ve never done, but want to know more about.

As a writer, it can be my job to find out about such things, find out for my characters, and for the story, or for an article or a blog post. That breast feeding mother I mentioned before had a job title that completely surprised me, and as a writer, I will probably look further into that job, and what it entails, well, I might do that anyway.

As a writer though, I may find some other eye-catching job title, and research that one instead. I have a novel I’m working on at the moment, and I can’t see how that snippet of information would fit in, so I may just leave it and follow up if it ever feels relevant. As a writer, I can wander the world, online, or for real, and I could be working as I travel. As a writer, I am always working, potentially, even if it looks like I am being a tourist.

I’ve been reading about Stoicism lately, and as a writer, I am finding many worthwhile ideas there, especially the ideas about having meaning and purpose in life, beyond the day to day things. The Stoics believe in wisdom, ethics, having courage, justice, and temperance. I feel these things are the best way to go personally, if I am to be the best person I can be.

As a writer, I feel that part of my task with my writing is to teach, to interest, and to inspire my readers. I may not write directions on how to be a better person (although some of what I write may help there), what I am doing, or aiming to do with my writing is to open up hearts and minds, to the millions of ways to be, and ideas for leading a better, or more worthwhile life.

So really, the point of this blog post is to reinforce the idea that if you are, or want to be a writer, the world the there waiting for you, so pick up your pen, or your keyboard, and, as a writer, do your thing!