Formed over forty years ago, our Writers Circle is based in Felixstowe, Suffolk. Meetings are held in The Room at the Top in Felixstowe Library, normally on the first and third Tuesday of each month commencing at 7.30pm and finishing by 10.00pm. Check this weblog for details of meetings.

There is an annual November to November fee of £30, April to November is £20 and June to November £15. For members preferring to pay at each meeting the charge is £5 per meeting. To contact Felixstowe Scribblers simply email scribblers.1@btinternet.com or the Secretary, catherine.stafford1@ntlworld.com

Friday 30 April 2010

Our Next Meeting

We next meet on Tuesday 4th May 2010 in the usual place, The Room at the Top, Felixstowe Library starting at 7.30pm. The 500 word homework theme is DUST. 1500 word work will be by Les and Jane.

We have received some lovely comments from Hazel Menehira via Cairns based colleague Chris who says :

"Hi scribblers, Just a brief email to say how much Hank (West) and I enjoyed reading the contents of Felixstowe Scribblers Anthology 2010.Wonderful collection of varied stories and poems...and the bios were a delight! All power to your pens and congratulations on producing such a great unpretentious volume that could benefit such a worthwhile cause. Hope you sell heaps....we thoroughly enjoyed the diversity of writing and look forward to the next anthology...blessings from .Hazel Menehira and Hank West...of Tropical Writers Cairns and B.C.C. where we often listen to mate Chris!"

Hazel is a writer, mentor and reviewer and has websites at http://hzlmenehira.atspace.com. and http://ipoz.biz/Titles/Voice.htm

Hope to see you all on Tuesday when we can also discuss any future plans to improve the group so until then, hope for nice Bank Holiday weather and have a good time.

Keep Scribbling!

BBC WRITERSROOM NEWS

Welcome to the BBC writersroom newsletter.

Ben Stephenson
--------------
Read the transcript of our Q and A session with the Controller, Drama Commissioning for the BBC.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/ben_stephenson.shtml

Television Drama - The Writers' Debate 2010
-------------------------------------------
A two day exploration of new writing in Leeds for writers with a television broadcast credit.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/television_drama_writers_debate.shtml

Writing for Continuing Drama
----------------------------
Question and Answer session about continuing drama series and the BBC Drama Writers Academy.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/writing_for_continuing_drama.shtml

Scallywagga
-----------
Interview with the producer and two of the writers of the BBC3 sketch show.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/scallywagga.shtml

Deborah Sathe
-------------
Interview with the producer of EastEnders online spinoff E20.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/deborah_sathe.shtml

Simon Ashdown
-------------
The lead writer of EastEnders talks to us about his work, including the recent live episode to celebrate the 25th anniversary.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/simon_ashdown.shtml

New Scripts
-----------
Our scripts are in PDF format - if you can't read them, download Adobe Reader from http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/categories/plug/acrobat/acrobat.shtml?intro

Five Days: Series 2 Episode 1 by Gwyneth Hughes
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/downloads/scripts/five_days_s2e1.pdf

Criminal Justice: Series 2 Episode 1 by Peter Moffat
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/downloads/scripts/criminal_justice_s2e1.pdf

Fresh: Series 1 Episode 4 by Dean Craig
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/downloads/scripts/fresh_s1e4.pdf

Off The Hook: Series 1 Episode 4 by Dean Craig
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/downloads/scripts/off_the_hook_s1e4.pdf

Spirit Warriors: A Warrior is Born (s1e1) by Jo Ho
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/downloads/scripts/spirit_warriors_s1e1.pdf


Don't forget you can browse through all of the scripts in our script archive.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/script_archive.shtml

Submitting your script to BBC writersroom
-----------------------------------------
Want to write for the BBC? Find out what to send us on our script submissions page.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/writing/submissions_writersroom.shtml

Blog
----
Which talks about - among many other things - why you should apply for the BBC Drama Writers Academy if you can, what happens when scripts get a full read here at the BBC writersroom, and how Dominic Mitchell spent his day.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/writersroom/

Opportunities
-------------

Fireworks
Deadline: 3 May 2010
Stage writers between 16-25 wanted for Tinderbox Theatre in Belfast.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/fireworks1.shtml

Drama Writers Academy
Deadline: 5 May 2010
The BBC Drama Writers Academy 2010 is now accepting applications.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/drama_writers_academy.shtml

Muslim Writers Awards
Deadline: 14 May 2010
Screenplays from Muslim writers are now sought for the 2010 awards.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/muslim_writers_awards.shtml

High Tide
Deadline: 15 May 2010
HighTide are looking for new plays to produce for their festival next year.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/high_tide1.shtml

Saturday 24 April 2010

Report of the Meeting

FELIXSTOWE SCRIBBLERS NEWSHEET

Incorporating
the

REPORT OF THE MEETING HELD 20th APRIL 2010


Apologies: Dick, Ally, Rani, and Barry.

Present: Peter, Liliane, Ruth, Tony, Sue, Jane, Les, Trish and Dave (chair).

SCRIBBLERS NEWS

It was nice to see Ruth, Sue and Les at the meeting although the attendance was again somewhat lower than the norm. We can blame the Icelandic volcano eruption and the clouds of volcanic ash that grounded aircraft for six days for at least one absentee with Barry being delayed in the USA. Dick was in Liverpool for the 25th anniversary of the Coast to Coast writing competitions that was hosted by Maurice James whilst Rani is back in London and Ally still on her course work.

Ruth tells us that Solidus Press is running an on-line writing competition. The idea is to finish off a story from the `starter` 300 words that are given. One of the starters is by some Felixstowe author you might know ... no guesses that it is Ruth! Continue the story in 300 word blocks, the best entries will be published in the ongoing story on-line and their work will be viewed by the public and the Solidus press publisher as well. Worth a go? Here`s the link: www.soliduspress.com

It is a reminder of the ongoing story that was run on the BBC Look East website a few years ago when several Scribblers added a paragraph to the original opening lines and resulted in quite a high profile appearance on television for Morag. Of course we have run our own ongoing stories in the past and they have always been very good fun!

Dave has had some work incorporated in the Ipswich Speedway website in memory of Billy Sanders who died twenty-five years ago. It is also understood that some of Dave’s memories will be published in the programme for the Billy Sanders Memorial Best Pairs meeting at Foxhall Stadium Ipswich on Thursday 29th April.

However, Dave has now stood down as Secretary after ten years in the post. Still with no-one appointed to take over control of the Scribblers, there needs to be a full committee meeting to fill this unpaid vacancy. Dave thanked those present for the card and a book from his colleagues.

The Ipswich Arts Festival Short Story Competition is rapidly drawing to a close with the deadline of 30th April, so if you are entering then the time to get the work posted off is now!!!

See previous postings on this weblog for news of The V.S. Pritchett Memorial Prize 2010 organised by The Royal Society of Literature and other updated information.

The Platform:

The 1,500 word open-themed work.

Tony: First chapter: Preparations for the Great Departure
Peter: Memories in the Night.

The 500 word work on Finish or Finnish.

Dave: Black Friday the Thirteenth
Trish: Untitled
Liliane: No Wine in the Cellar
Les: A Glass Half Full
Jane: Wardrobe Hell (poem)
Ruth: Extract from “Family Snap”

Our Next Meeting will be on Tuesday 4th May at 7.30pm in the Room at the Top, Felixstowe Library.

The 500-ish word homework theme is “Dust” whilst the longer 1,500 word open themed work will be provided by Jane and Les.

Until then,

Keep Scribbling!

Solidus Press : Collabrative Story Competition

Solidus have introduced a new competition: They have the beginnings of some short stories, written by established authors including our Ruth. You can build the stories in a weekly competition, submitting up to 300 words (a MiBiT) at a time.

See your MiBiT as it adds to a storyline. Stories will eventually be published in an anthology with all profits going to the Book Aid International charity.

To enter our exciting new collaborative story competition, click here

Friday 23 April 2010

Subject: Meteorology - Australian Style

It was April and the Aboriginals in a remote part of Northern Australia asked their new elder if the coming winter was going to be cold or mild.

Since he was an elder in a modern community he had never been taught the old secrets. When he looked at the sky he couldn’t tell what the winter was going to be like. Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he told his tribe that the winter was indeed going to be cold and that the members of the tribe should collect firewood to be prepared. But being a practical leader, after several days he had an idea.

He walked out to the telephone booth on the highway, called the Bureau of Meteorology and asked, ‘Is the coming winter in this area going to be cold?’

The meteorologist responded, ‘It looks like this winter is going to be quite cold.’
So the elder went back to his people and told them to collect even more wood in order to be prepared.

A week later he called the bureau again. ‘Does it still look like it is going to be a very cold winter?’

The meteorologist again replied, ‘Yes, it’s going to be a very cold winter.’
The elder again went back to his community and ordered them to collect every scrap of firewood they could find.

Two weeks later the elder called the bureau again. ‘Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?’ he asked.

‘Absolutely,’ the man replied. ‘It’s looking more and more like it is going to be one of the coldest winters ever.’

‘How can you be so sure?’ the elder asked.

The weatherman replied, ‘Our satellites have reported that the Aboriginals in the north are collecting firewood like crazy, and that’s always a sure sign.’

Source: Our friend Chris in Australia.

The 2010 V.S. Pritchett Memorial Prize




CLICK ON EACH IMAGE INDIVIDUALLY TO ENLARGE. FOR THE ENTRY FORM, SIMPLY COPY AND PASTE TO A WORD DOCUMENT.

Wednesday 21 April 2010

The New Writer

The New Writer magazine
No better time to subscribe - take advantage of our 8 for the price of 6 offer at the website

Out mid-May, TNW No.102
Outstanding and prizewinning new short fiction from Angie Farrow, Caroline Millar, Alison Moore, Tony Peake, Elizabeth Walter; highly commended poems and this issue's selection from guest poetry editor Sarah Jackson including work from Jocelyn Simms, K V Skene, Sarah Westcott, Jill Eulalie Dawson, Curtis Luckey, Harold Jones, Emma Lee, Alison Dunn, Abegail Morley, Idris Caffrey, David Grubb, Angela Long, Christian Wethered, Linda King, James Kilner; plus articles from Marina Oliver, Roy Stevenson, Sally Quilford, Simon Whaley, and Judy Darley who interviews Candida Lycett Green - plus all the regular columns neatly compressed into 56 pages.

The New Writer magazine Special Offer
INTRODUCTORY OFFER - TAKE OUT A SUBSCRIPTION and we will add TWO FREE ISSUES to the subscription that you require, whether 1, 2 or 3 year subs, in the UK or overseas. Just click on our secure online order form: http://www.thenewwriter.com/subscribe.htm
and specify which subscription you require and we will add 2 extra issues to the end of your subscription and confirm the duration by email. This also applies to any subscriptions taken out by post, paid by credit card, cheque, postal order while this offer lasts.

TNW - over 100 issues * over 1,000 contributors * full listing at:
http://www.thenewwriter.com/RollOfHonour.htm

For a free recent copy of the magazine send A4 SAE stamped at 81p (Large Letter) or 2 x first class stamps (UK) whatever's easier, or 5 International Reply Coupons (IRCs) to the address below.

You can buy a copy of our celebratory 100th issue online for a fiver (includes p+p) by scrolling down at: http://www.thenewwriter.com/subscribe.htm

The New Writer email News is included free of charge in our subscription package. This monthly emailing to our subscribers covers breaking news of urgent interest to writers, important announcements that we receive too late for the next issue of the magazine, and many other useful items including market updates, competitions and calls for submissions. If you would like to read the latest email News bulletin go to http://www.thenewwriter.com/ and click on the pink box.

*

Prose and Poetry Prizes 2010
from The New Writer magazine
Closing date 30 November
Established in 1997, one of the major annual international competitions for short stories, novellas, single poems, poetry collections, essays and articles; offers cash prizes as well as publication for the prize-winning writers in The Collection, special edition of The New Writer magazine each July (back copies available on TNW website).

Further information including guidelines and entry fees at: http://www.thenewwriter.com/prizes.htm
Writers can enter online at our secure credit card server at: http://www.thenewwriter.com/entryform.htm
Or, the entry form can also be downloaded from that page on the website and sent in the post with your entry.

Also, we can supply this years printed Entry Forms on request, and in bulk to writers' groups and organizations – just let us know, no SAE required.

The winners of the 2009 Prose & Poetry Prizes are listed on this webpage:
http://www.thenewwriter.com/prizewinners.htm

Saturday 17 April 2010

Our Next Meeting

Our next meeting is rapidly approaching and will be held this Tuesday 20th April 2010 in the Room at the Top, Felixstowe Library starting at 7.30pm. The theme for the homework assignment is either 'Whine' or was it 'Wine' ? Samples will greatly be appreciated!

Monday sees the 25th anniversary of the launch of the Coast to Coast competition by Maurice James. This takes place in Liverpool where Dick will represent the Scribblers. Don't forget that these competitions are ongoing and anyone is able to enter.


The latest edition of WritingRaw.com is also posted on our weblog along with details of the Fourth High Tide Festival at Halesworth.

Hope to see you all on Tuesday so, until then,

Keep Scribbling!

Writing Raw - new issue

The April 15 issue of WritingRaw.com is NOW online: Writing Raw is a FREE literary ezine dedicated to new and emerging writers. Our goal at Writing Raw is simple - to serve the literary community with the opportunity to have their work online and out in the world. In this world of disappearing literary magazines, Writing Raw is providing the blank pages for writers to fill.

We also support other sites that help writers: www.WritingRaw.com believes in reaching out to other sites, writing groups, forums, and organizations. Contact us on how you can place a FREE banner, announcement or link on our site!

Or, use the Writing Raw Book Store to promote your novel or poetry collection: If you have a novel or collection that you would like to place in our store, we would be more than happy to do so – for FREE. Just send us a copy of the cover of the book, a brief synopsis, and a link as to where the material can be purchased.

Also, be sure to check out the NEW announcements on WritingRaw.com’s Home page from writer’s group and organizations worldwide. Discover meeting places, organizations offering fellowships, contests, and a variety of other useful websites all dedicated to writers of every level.

Romantic Writing Workshop

CWC are hosting a romance writing workshop day
at
Chilworth Manor on the 1st of May
with
5 well known local authors.

Romance at the Manor

May 1st 2010

A whole day devoted to Romance

And how to write about it!

· Four choices of workshops

· Five authors

· 1 to 1 sessions with an author

· Two Discussion Panels

· A superb 3 course lunch

All in the gracious surroundings of Chilworth Manor

(www.chilworth-manor.co.uk)


Beryl Kingston

Adrienne Dines

Catherine King

Allie Spenser

Nicola Slade


What better way to kick-start your writing after the long cold days of winter!

Prices start from £45

Visit www.creative-writing-courses.co.uk for more details and how to book your place.



High Tide Washing In

Click on image to enlarge

Friday 9 April 2010

Word Perfect

Be Word Perfect!


Uncover this treasure chest from the bargain basement of £7.00 per 1000 proofread or £6.50 per 1000 typed words!

· Success story books and scripts

· Fully finished articles

· Traffic to your website

· Star performing business reports and brochures

I can also smash the French to English language barrier at £8.00 per 1000 word

All come with gems of precision, professionalism and commitment from a graduate and semi-professional writer.

The proof is in my reading! Look for Sarah Morgan on Linkedin, then contact me via 07880 940087 or sajamor@yahoo.co.uk!

Report of Our Meeting

EMAIL ADDRESS
scribblers@btinternet.com

FELIXSTOWE SCRIBBLERS NEWSHEET
Incorporating
the

REPORT OF THE MEETING HELD 6th APRIL 2010

Apologies: Ruth, Jane, Trish, Barry, Ally, Ros, Debbie and Sue.

Present: Dick, Liliane, Rani, Linda, Simon, Tony, Peter and Dave (chair).

SCRIBBLERS NEWS

Welcome back to Rani who was making one of her visits to see her Mum Liliane in Felixstowe. We were pleased to see Tony up and about after his recent operation.

It was a very low turn out for the meeting, probably the lowest for several years but, following on from the Easter Bank Holiday when many people were on holiday it was quite understandable.

We had a pleasant evening and time to catch up on events. It was nice that Maureen Blundell came along and also very pleasing to hear that Ally was really motivated from her one to one session. Maureen had eleven writers attending her sessions and there are high hopes that she will arrange another weekend in the future.

Some news from Dick that his ghost tours on a Sunday afternoon have started once again. Whilst the tour is free of charge there is a collection bucket at the end of the tour for donations that will be passed to EACH’s Treehouse Appeal.

Their hospice bungalow in Ipswich is inadequate for the demands of children’s hospice care services in Suffolk and North Essex. There are not enough beds and rooms to meet needs, and there are no dedicated spaces for the specialist services required by families. Initially intended for a maximum capacity of 50 families, the current hospice now cares for more than 80 families, which is why a new purpose-built hospice is needed. Go to the EACH website at http://www.each.org.uk/how-to-help/treehouse_appeal/

Dave will be resigning as Secretary after ten years in the post. Despite many months notice it seems that nobody is interested in taking on the position. Dave says “Ten years seems like a lifetime, and I am getting no younger. My decision was made before my recent heart scare and that now strengthens my resolve to take a back seat.” His last meeting as Secretary is scheduled for April 20th. We wait and see who will take over.....

The Ipswich Arts Festival Short Story Competition will close on 30th April – details have been circulated at Scribblers and are available on our weblog.

The Platform:

The 1,500 word open-themed work.

Dick: Devon or Bust
Dave: Linking Worlds

The 500 word work on Finish or Finnish.

Liliane: The End is Nigh
Rani: From Start to Finish
Linda: Let’s Call it a Day
Simon: Blub!
Tony: The Things that are done for Timothy Whiteboots
Peter: Beautiful Language

Although fewer in number than usual, Dave’s work provoked a lengthy discussion on ghosts and all things paranormal. ‘Linking Worlds’ was based on something that happened to him on Wednesday 31st March. His opening paragraph read:

“Strange things started happening in the household one Monday evening...It was just before six when the first thing happened. I was sitting at the desk in my study, answering emails on my computer when there was a sudden ‘crack’ to my right and a memento of mine suddenly upped off its stand on the bookshelves and landed upside down about a foot away.”
The rest of the work was fiction.

The item referred to was the railway carriage memento that was presented to him by the Scribblers on his 60th birthday. The significance was that his friend John – one of the four old railway colleagues who met every two months in London for a meal and a drink or two – died from Motor Neuron Disease three days earlier....

Our Next Meeting will be on Tuesday 20th April at 7.30pm in the Room at the Top, Felixstowe Library.

The 500 word homework theme will be ‘Wine’ or ‘Whine’ – the choice is yours! The longer 1,500 word open themed work will be provided by Tony and Peter.

Until then,

Keep Scribbling!

********

Wells Festival of Literature


Winchester Writers' Conference


For further details check their website at www.writersconference.co.uk

Click on image to enlarge

Tuesday 6 April 2010

Prole Books

A message from Prole

Prole issue 1 is now available from our website: http://www.prolebooks.co.uk

We are open for submissions for future issues.

We would appreciate it if you'd distribute this information with your members.

Brett Evans.

Co-editor, Prole

Sunday 4 April 2010

Our Next Meeting

Wishing you all a belated Happy Easter!

Our next meeting is this Tuesday 6th April 2010 in the Room at the Top, Felixstowe Library starting at 7.30pm. Topic for the homework assignment is either 'Finish' or Finnish' which should make it interesting.

We hear from our friend Chris in Australia that he sold one of our anthologies to Hazel Menehira, a much published and multi-talented person in the field of literature, who praised its quality of content and lack of pretension. Chris says he 'was chuffed on our behalf.' Go to www.bookcreatorscircle.com to find details of Hazel.

We received a note of thanks from Maurice James for the card we sent wishing him after being diagnosed with cancer. Maurice, who runs the Coast to Coast writing competitions, continues his course of chemo this week. On the competition side Maurice says the adjudication process of the writing competitions is now back on track and he invites Felixstowe Scribblers, especially those who have never entered before, to 'have a bash' at becoming a Suffolk winner. Details of the competition are posted on this weblog.

The latest edition of WritingRaw.com is also posted below.

Hope to see you all on Tuesday so, until then,

Keep Scribbling!

Now available online:

Writing Raw

The April 1 issue of WritingRaw.com is NOW online: Writing Raw is a FREE literary ezine dedicated to new and emerging writers. Our goal at Writing Raw is simple - to serve the literary community with the opportunity to have their work online and out in the world. In this world of disappearing literary magazines, Writing Raw is providing the blank pages for writers to fill.

We also support other sites that help writers: www.WritingRaw.com believes in reaching out to other sites, writing groups, forums, and organizations. Contact us on how you can place a FREE banner, announcement or link on our site!

Or, use the Writing Raw Book Store to promote your novel or poetry collection: If you have a novel or collection that you would like to place in our store, we would be more than happy to do so – for FREE. Just send us a copy of the cover of the book, a brief synopsis, and a link as to where the material can be purchased.

Also, be sure to check out the NEW announcements on WritingRaw.com’s Home page from writer’s group and organizations worldwide. Discover meeting places, organizations offering fellowships, contests, and a variety of other useful websites all dedicated to writers of every level.

NEW this month

NEW column: Between the Sheets – an email book chat/review with Ditch and Weeb. This month’s book: Horns, by Joe Hill

NEW FICTION AND NONFICTION BOOK REVIEWS: By Rib and www.allbookreviews.com

NEW Writing exercises and inspirational quotes

For the next 4 issues of WritingRaw, we will be profiling sections from Shawn Inmon's upcoming book, A Perfect Fit. Chapter 1 is highlighted in the most amazing thing that happened to writing raw in 2009: A Perfect Fit: Chapter 2, by Shawn Inmon