The Word Runs Through It

As I'm writing this on a train, I remember back to a few editions ago where we had an article or two on writers working their craft on trains.  It does have its good points I admit. Not many interruptions and the changing landscape can spark a few ideas.  

Along with a mixture of articles to pique your interest, our guest contributor Bruce Harris gives more suggestions on where ideas can come from.

Also,The Word... will be taking a bit of a summer break with the next edition coming out on the 22nd of July.

GUEST POST
What To Write About? 6 Places To Get Story Writing Ideas So you want to write but some times you get stuck on what to write about.  If your imagination isn't kicking in, Bruce gives a small but useful list of places you can go to get ideas.  Check it out and start getting inspired.  Have you already tried any of them?
Read the Full Post & Leave a Comment
LITERARY ROUNDUP
Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize Winners Announced This prize's aim is to promote "writers who really deserve the attention of a wide number of readers" and has recently announced its eight winners.  See who they are and discover new authors.

The 2014 PEN/Pinter Prize Goes To...Salman Rushdie
Salmon Rushdie was very moved to receive the award named after his friend Harold Pinter.  Pinter's widow said that Harold much admired Rushdie's work even before he met him.  Sounds like a perfect choice. 

The Creative Competitor 7 Day Creative Writing Challenge 

With a 1st prize of £250 and a closing date of the 5th of July, The Creative Competitor will email you a writing challenge once you sign up.  There is no set word count, with the emphasis being on imagination and the quality of writing.  

Flash 500: Novel Opening Chapter & Synopsis Competition
This annual competition which closes on the 31st of October, accepts opening chapters of up to 3,000 words with a one page novel synopsis.  The 1st prize is £500.

FAVOURITE READS
Bleak House by Charles Dickens Having recently been involved in a legal dispute over a property that lasted for almost 10 years, it's no wonder the short hand for it was Bleak House.   Charles Dickens does not pull his punches as he highlights the misery that the indifference of the Victorian legal system causes to the lives of all those who are unfortunate enough to become involved in the Jarndyce and Jarndyce dispute. Dark, threatening, funny and full of complex characters, Bleak House made Dickens reputation.

Also visit our selection of favourite books and tell us your top choices. 

INTERESTING TIDBITS

One-Hit Wonder Novelists - Who Are They? Some writers have written many books that people keep on reading over the ages while others are just known for one book.  Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird"is a perfect example of an author who wrote a well-known and controversial book, never to be heard from again.  Can you guess 6 others?

Unconventional Marketing Ploy Used to Sell Books 

First editions of Haruki Murakami's latest novel, "Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage" will come with stickers designed by five Japanese artists.  Tsukuru means "to build" or "to make" so it follows that the purpose of the stickers is to "encourage the reader to decorate the novel themselves".  Stickers in adult fiction may not be the norm, but they do seem to gain a lot of press coverage. 

Decorate Your Walls with Digital Library Wallpaper 

If you have an empty wall space in your home that you want to jazz up a bit, here's an idea that's quicker than filling an actual bookcase - create your very own digital library wallpaper.  With an online tool, buyers can choose the bookcase design and books.  Once the wallpaper is up, they can then scan and download each book using their phone or tablet.  An interesting concept with the drawback that you can't add any more books after the wallpaper is bought. 

"No One Reads Poetry Any More" - Really? The Poetry Archive Shows Otherwise
With 350 poets and 200,000 unique monthly visitors on this site, The Poetry Archive is a wonderful place to go and listen to your favourite poets or discover new ones.  It has recordings of "historic" and "contemporary" poets along with introductions, biographies and other educational tools to ensure that poets' voices don't get lost.  After their recent relaunch, visitors can now download practically everything on the site.  

NEWS PICKS

Homeless Man Reviews and Sells Books on the Street Instead of Begging How many times have you walked by a homeless person with a look of pity, disdain or worse still, looked right through them like they weren't even there.   Well, I'll guarantee that you'll take notice of this homeless South African man.  Philani goes to a different corner every day with his constantly changing library and sets up an improvised literary discussion group and bookshop.  He raises money by reviewing his books to anyone who will listen and then sells them.

Film Adaptation of Philip Roth's "American Pastoral" to Star Ewan McGregor 

Since the book won the Pulitzer Prize, the film adaptation was whispered to be not long in coming.   So many years later, it's now going to happen with filming beginning in 2015.  Ewan McGregor will play the lead role as Swede Levov, continuing his trend of working in adaptations of major American works of literature.  Roth's other novels that have been made into films have only gotten mixed success which makes one wonder if this will be have a more rewarding result.  

The Biggest Find in Spanish Literature 

Pablo Neruda has been deemed "the greatest poet of the 20th century in any language".  Now we can enjoy even more of his poems after 20 unpublished ones were found in his manuscripts that were kept in Chile at the Pablo Neruda foundation. They are of "extraordinary quality" and range from love poems to ones about everyday objects.  News of the discovery comes as a Chilean judge orders new tests on Neruda's body which was exhumed last April to determine if he had been murdered by the Pinochet regime.  The poems will be published later this year in Latin America and in 2015 in Spain.

Sir Conan Doyle's "Sherlock Holmes" Officially in the Public Domain
Doyle's heirs had insisted that a license was required on the whole Sherlock Holmes character and were successful in getting it granted until a lawsuit was filed against the Doyle estate.  A 7th circuit judge ruled that there is no basis or law for extending a copyright after its expiration especially if it means a "nearly perpetual copyright".  

INTERACTION 

submitted Writing & Writing Challenges
We're very happy to announce that we have a  story submitted by Paul Williams for this month's writing challenge.     Time: Entry #1 - The Clock She said the present was special, that it was much more than it looked.  To me it was special because it was given when she had no money.  Was it for my 18th or 21st?  I can't quite remember.  However it was one of those significant times, a supposedly awe-inspiring life changing moment. "Now you're a man, start acting like one.  Finish that pint and I'll get you another". All the significant times before were only truly great if you couldn't remember them; if your mind had become blurred by drink and some gloriously stupid act had been performed.  Something to look back on, for old friends to warm themselves by in later, more stressful times.
Please give Paul your support by leaving feedback.

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. 

Leave your comments for  past writing challenges here. 

 If you'd like to submit your own writing, you can always do so here. 

Virtual Readers' Group
Have you read our book for this month "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" by Ken Kesey? Tell us what you thought about it.  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
Special thanks to Bruce Harris for his post: "What To Write About? 6 Places To Get Story Writing Ideas"    If you'd like to contribute an article or write a book review, please visit "Add Your Words".

SIGNING OFF WITH: Theodore Roosevelt 

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."