Is it possible to be a writer or poet without being interested in people? As suggested in the article from the New York based writer James Vescovi, the knack for producing interesting stories is not necessarily having a vivid imagination or experiencing something exceptional, rather it is having an interest in everyday life.
And really you can only tune in if you are interested in people. There are stories all around us, we just have to be prepared to notice them.
With that said, check out the stories in this edition.
| GUEST POST BY JAMES VESCOVI | |
James' inspiration was his raconteur father. He grew up with eccentric and funny stories that were all around him. He soaked them up and created his own words. James shows that spotting a good story is not as hard as you think and gives hints on what makes a story sing. Have you ever thought of a story that seemingly came from nothing? If you get a chance, take a look at the book trailer on his site, it gives the background of his book and sets the tone perfectly. | |
| Read the Full Post & Leave a Comment | |
| WORD ON THE STREET | |
The Beach, Sun, Sea And Murder
Even though it may not always feel like it weather wise, we are nudging up to summer. For a gradual kick off to this warmer season, start thinking beaches and the role they play in novels. Begin by contemplating these four and add your beach moment books. | |
| Read the Full Post & Leave a Comment | |
| LITERARY ROUNDUP |
The Wells Festival of Literature
The Wells Festival of Literature organizers are offering three competitions with a deadline of the 31st of July 2014. Poetry and Short Story: First Prize £500, Second Prize £200, Third Prize £100. In addition there is the Wyvern Prize of £100 for entrants living in the BA, BS, and TA postcodes. Crime Novel (their fastest growing competition): The winning entry will be read by a major publisher and by a leading agent. In addition there will be a cash prize of £100. |
This is a new competition for short stories of up to 3000 words on any theme to be submitted by the 30th of September 2014. Prizes totaling £200 will be awarded to three stories judged to be the best by award-winning novelist Leigh Russell with ten of the short-listed entries being published on BWC' s website. BWC is a non-profit making organization and any proceeds will be donated to charity.
Hungry Hill Writing Announce Their Poets Meet Painters Competition
Hungry Hill has opened its latest competition - "Poets Meet Painters". The idea is to base your poem on a work of art which hangs in the Mill Cove Gallery or which can be seen on their website. The closing date is the 1st of July 2014.
BBC Radio 4 is Calling for Short Stories
Three short stories will be produced on BBC's Radio 4 and they are looking for new writers to submit their stories of no more than 2200 words. The deadline is the 18th of July. Don't miss out on your chance to get your story on radio.
Also visit our selection of favourite books and tell us your top choices.
| INTERESTING TIDBITS & NEWS |
The Song Remains the Same
Melvyn Bragg's radio programme "In Our Time" is always interesting and broad in its selection of topics. Here's an unusual one for those of you who are captivated by poetry, a 4000 year old poem from Egypt. What's surprising is that the poem is preoccupied with the same themes that still absorb us today about our own mortality. |
Near Wilder Heaven
Sage advice here from Billy Wilder, director and screenwriter extraordinaire who knew something about holding an audience's attention and in an intelligent and humorous way (the Apartment, Some Like it Hot etc.). Although some of this may seem relevant only to the movies it can be applied to any writing.
Fight The Power
So it seems that although Amazon employees have devices to tell them where to find items in the massive warehouses of stuff and how quickly it should take them, the control stops once off the Amazon premises. Again this article suggests that the death of bookshops is somewhat of an exaggeration.
Marian
Does Nottingham deserve Unesco City of Literature status? There is certainly a rich heritage which has continued to the present day, John Harvey's Resnick novels really capture the darker side of the city.
INTERACTION
| Submitted Writing & Writing Challenges | |
May's Writing Challenge is: A Recollection from Childhood I'm sure you have lots of stories to tell! | |
| Submit your story | |
Feedback to previous writing submission and challenges are always appreciated by the writers.
Leave your comments for any or all of the writing submissions here.
If you'd like to submit your own writing, you can always do so here.
If you live in the London area, why not try the writing group "Writers Together"? They seem very open and inviting.
| Virtual Readers' Group | |
Our readers' group book for this month is:
"A Kind of Intimacy" by Jenn Ashworth Annie is overweight, lonely and wishing for a more meaningful future. Putting her violent past behind her and setting out to be neighbourly, Annie embarks on a new 'her" oblivious to her wrongful actions. If you know anyone who belongs to a reading group that would be interested in profiling it on our site, please direct them here. | |
| YOUR WORDS | |
A very special thank you to our guest authorJames Vescovi for his post: "Believe It Or Not, You Are (Innately) A Storyteller" If you'd like to contribute an article or write a book review, please visit "Add Your Words". | |
SIGNING OFF WITH: Maya Angelou
"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song."
