Hope you are all enjoying the brilliant weather we're having at present.
Georgina has returned from her week's break full of beans... the new WhatsApp prompt is "With Urgency..." Usual rules apply. Deadline Monday 14th June.
She reminds us that the Jack Wilkinson competition closes tomorrow (Tuesday) so please get your entries in.
Until next time,
Keep Scribbling and stay safe.
Dave
Hope you all enjoyed the Bank Holiday and the lovely weather it brought to us.
This week's WhatsApp prompt is:
"What on earth...?"
Up to 200 words please by the deadline, Monday 7th June.
Good luck with your stories!
Stay safe and Get Scribbling!
Dave.
Hi Scribblers.
The new Micro Monday prompt is “Sandwiched.” 200 words or thereabouts please and posted direct to the WhatsApp pages. Deadline is Monday 31st May. Happy Bank Holiday!
The Jack Wilkinson Competition for stories about children for an adult reader, is open for entries until 1st June. Stories should be emailed in the usual way to Georgina, making clear that it is a competition entry. Your entries can be in any genre of writing and should be no more than a maximum of 1,000 words.
Please note that the original posting stated the work should be 1,500 words long. Because of the error, all work, irrespective of length will be accepted without question.
When casting your votes, please remember that you should not vote for your own work.
Once all entries have been received, they will all be posted on the Repository. Members will have a week to read and choose their favourite three stories. Your top three choices should be emailed to Georgina stating 1st, 2nd, 3rd and the corresponding story titles.
Please don’t make any comments below the stories until the outcome has been announced.
All stories will be published anonymously, with only a story title and a corresponding letter of the alphabet. Once all votes are in (and scores have been double checked) the winning entries will be announced.
As we are unable to present the trophy due to the existing situation, an e-certificate will be awarded to the winner.
The more entries, the better, so get those scribbling sticks out!
Please email all contributions to Georgina
Dave
Sunday 27 June
11am - 1pm
WRITING AUDIO DRAMA (ONLINE) Capacity 16
Ever wanted to write radio/audio drama? Find out how with this interactive taster session led by Andrew Burton. With no budgetary constraints and an intense one-to-one relationship with your listeners, the only limitation is your imagination. All welcome - no experience necessary.
£10
https://felixstowebookfestival.co.uk/events/writing-audio-drama-workshop
Full festival details and booking on www.felixstowebookfestival.co.uk (online events available to view 25th June - 11 July)
I hope you are all keeping well.
First, let me pass on the latest Micro Monday prompt from Georgina. It is:
"Randomly Selected."
That could be a great theme for a short 200 word story.
Looking forward to seeing some stories on the WhatsApp site. It would be great to see a few from members who haven't contributed yet!
For the Repository we have another competition this time round. It is the Jack Wilkinson competition, a story about children for an adult audience. As this is a competition I would suggest a word limit of a maximum of 1,500 words. The deadline is 1st June. Further details will follow in due course.
Perhaps we are approaching the time when we will be able to meet again in person. I have to tell you that currently I am unable to make any journey to Felixstowe as my health isn't too good. This might be an appropriate time for someone out there to take over the organisation and running of Felixstowe Scribblers. I think I've more than served my apprenticeship and have done my time. It is time for one of you to step forward and take over the reigns. What does that mean? Basically it means arranging dates for meetings and liaising with the library (or any other venue) and maintaining contact and providing up to date information and news to our membership.
Any offers please? I'd hate to see the Scribblers fold after all these years.
Dave.
The new prompt for the WhatsApp group is:
"I could never trust somebody who..."
Up to 200 words for your stories that should be posted direct onto our pages. Deadline day is
Monday 17th May.
The current prompt is to write a story with a link to a board game.
It could be related to the name of a board game- draughts, monopoly, scrabble, sorry or any other you can think of, or it could be inspired by a scene where a board game is part of the action. You could take the rules of the game and apply it to the characters in the story. Take this prompt wherever you like!
Below is a link to a website listing some of the most popular board games, but there will be many that you may remember that are not listed…
https://www.listchallenges.com/92-best-board-games-of-all-time/list/
There is no word limit, and, as ever, if this prompt takes you somewhere entirely different, your story is still welcome!
Send your stories to Georgina by 18th May.
Stay safe and keep scribbling!!!
The new Micro Monday prompt is :-
"Limitless."
Guess what? There's a 200 word limit yet again!
Please post your stories direct to our WhatsApp pages by Monday 26th April.
New Repository prompt will follow in due course.
A little bit late this week but hey, it's better late than never!
This week's prompt is:
"Wakey, Wakey."
Your stories should be no more than 200 words long and be posted direct to the WhatsApp page by Monday 19th April.
Good luck everyone!
Award-winning poet Kathy Miles is judging this year. Kathy is a previous winner of the Bridport Prize as well as the Welsh Poetry, Second Light, Penfro and Wells Literature Festival Poetry competitions.This gives us an opportunity to mention David's suggestion that we incorporate a poetry homework sometime during the year. What do you think? I think it is a brilliant suggestion.
David has sent some sad news to us. Penny Cutler, a former chairperson of the Felixstowe Café Poets passed away at her home a few days ago. Thoughts go to her husband, relatives and friends.
Scribblers WhatsApp prompt for the week as usual is for a maximum of 200 words on "Doctor's Orders." Your stories to be posted directly onto the WhatsApp pages by Monday 12th April.
The theme for our Repository story is for a :-
Story based on a Biography, Autobiography or Memoir.
Whether you feel inspired to write something from your own life, or the life someone else, we want to read some interesting tales from real life.
Historic, heroic or modern, everyday happenings, be inspired by a life lived large or small.
There is no word limit, and no limitations on genre or style.
Email all contributions to Georgina by 20th April please.
Good luck everyone.
Stay safe, keep smiling and, don't forget, keep scribbling!
Just found an interesting email hidden away in my junk mail. Good job I check from time to time. The email comes from the John Peel Centre in Stowmarket and reads:
I’m Miranda, and I work in the marketing team at the John Peel Centre in Stowmarket.
This month, we’re launching a new initiative called JPC Create, which is designed to promote and celebrate creative work being done in East Anglia. While we’re mostly known for music programming at the moment, JPC Create will embrace everything - from creative writing, comedy and theatre, to visual art and dance.
I’m getting in touch because a big part of our plan is a regular writing competition, which is due to launch for the first time in April. The details will be released soon, but the important bits are -
The competition will be based around a prompt, and is open to poetry and short fiction up to 1,000 words.
It’s free to enter, and although we are not currently able to offer monetary awards, there will be prizes for the winners, as well as a permanent listing of winning entries on our website, and promotion via social media and our newsletter. Writers will retain full rights to all winning submissions.
We realise that this is a small competition and a new initiative, and while we of course plan for it to grow, the heart of the project lies in our amazement at the incredible creative work being done even under today’s intensely challenging circumstances, and a desire to encourage and celebrate that.
We will also be running regular, fun opportunities for people to create new work and share their experiences, and to hopefully to increase their feeling of connection to our local creative community.
If you or any members of your group might be interested in taking part, please feel free to share this email, our Instagram - @jpccreate / https://www.instagram.com/jpc_create/, Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jpccreate, or website - https://www.johnpeelcentre.com/jpc-create/. You can also get in touch with me at jpccreate@johnpeelcentre.com any time.
Thank you!
Miranda Overett.
This all sounds very interesting!
Dave.
Happy Easter Scribblers!
A late advice about the Micro Monday prompt... which is:-
"Nuts and Bolts."
Georgina says it is a strict 200 word assignment and should be posted on the WhatsApp group page by Easter Monday or, 5th April to be exact!
Meanwhile the Repository Soundbite theme is extended until Tuesday next, 6th April when a new prompt will be issued.
Despite these two assignments, I hope you all get plenty of time to yourselves this weekend and, hopefully, can re-unite with family and friends now the lockdown is being eased. Perhaps this may become a step closer to Felixstowe Scribblers meeting up again. Won't that be great when we can? Then the old writing habits will, hopefully, return to the heights of all those glorious words that have been written and read out in the past. Practise, they say, makes perfect so why not start your own practise with stories on either WhatsApp or the Repository? We'd love to see you posting there.
That's it for now. I've got to go see if I can find an Easter Egg somewhere but, methinks, some hopes!
Happy Easter!
The current prompt for this week's story is:
'Good for the soul.'
Please post your stories of up to 200 words
Don't forget the Repository story, the current work based on a song. Details on the Repository and the weblog. Stories to Georgina by 30th March please. Remember there is no word limit.
Good luck with your writing!
Stay safe and keep scribbling!
Repository:
The current homework challenge is to be inspired by a song. An example appears in the Repository. There is no word limit but your work on this or any other song that inspires you, should be forwarded to Georgina by 30th March.
WhatsApp:
This weeks prompt for up to 200 words is a story inspired by a list. Stories to be posted to our WhatsApp page by Monday 22nd March.
Bill Budner competition.
You will by now have discovered the winner of the competition, well done Derek! If your would like to find the authors of all the stories, then these are posted in the Repository.
Keep Scribbling and stay safe!
16th March 2021
The current homework challenge is to be inspired by a song.
Follow the link below for a suggested sound bite:
https://youtu.be/6l6vqPUM_FE
You could be inspired by the sound, the lyrics, the era that the song epitomises, a word or phrase from the lyrics, or another song entirely, that this song reminds you of.
Indeed, as ever, you could be inspired by and submit something entirely unrelated to this prompt. Whatever gets you scribbling!…
There are no word limits, and no limitations on genre or style.
Email all contributions to Georgina: gjsalmon@yahoo.com
It is a pleasure to announce the winner of the Bill Budner Competition.
It is Derek with his "Summer of '72." Many congratulations to him.
Runner-up was Georgina with "Avoidance of Death."
3rd place Dave with "Country Lanes."
The voting was close throughout. Every story had votes and Rani with 'Goodnight Sweetheart,' Morag with 'A Change of Heart' and Carole with 'Dead,' all deserve mentions for their entries in a very tight run competition.
Well done everyone!
Dave and the committee.
Keep Scribbling!!!
'A story inspired by a list.'
Please post your stories of up to 200 words
Time is running out for you to cast your votes for your favourite entries in this competition. There are still some members who have yet to vote, so, please hurry and make your selection.
The winner will be announced next Tuesday, 16th March.
May the best story win!
Good luck everyone!!!
Hope everyone is keeping well and looking forward to more positive times.
The new prompt for our Micro Monday tale is "Keep the lid on." 200 words please to be posted on our WhatsApp pages by Monday next, 15 March.
Also, as we haven't posted a prompt for the Repository, here's a quickie for you..."Running late" ... stories to Georgina by Tuesday 16 March please.
Meanwhile don't forget to vote for your Bill Budner favourite stories please. The new deadline is also on Tuesday 16 March.
Keep scribbling and stay safe!
Hope you are all well.
Micro Monday prompt... running a little late this week!
'Finders Keepers'
Please post your stories of up to 200 words
The Bill Budner Competition.
Members have a week to read and then choose their favourite three stories. The top three choices should be indicated by emailing Georgina stating 1st, 2nd, 3rd and the corresponding story titles.
Please don’t make any comments below the stories until the outcome has been announced.
All entries have been published anonymously, with only a story title and a corresponding letter of the alphabet. Once you have made your selections please email your top three stories stating 1st, 2nd and 3rd with story title to Georgina by Tuesday 9th March.
When all the votes are in and scores have been double checked, the winning entries will be announced.
Email your selections to Georgina: gjsalmon@yahoo.com
The 2021 Creative Future Writers’ Award is now open for entries. There are £10,000 in cash and development prizes available, plus publication and reading at an award event as part of the London Literature Festival (TBC). The judges are novelist Dorothy Koomson, poet Joelle Taylor, Aki Schilz of The Literary Consultancy and Sarala Estruch of Poetry School. This year's theme is ‘Essential.’
It is open to UK residents/UK citizens living abroad, over 18 years old, who have not previously published a single-author book. The Award is for under-represented writers—including those who lack opportunities due to mental health, disability, health, and from working class, LGTBQIA+, and Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds.
The key details are:
AN ODE TO SILVER LININGS by Anon
The virus came and scared us all, from Felixstowe to Senegal.
Hugs and kisses were forbidden, in case in these a bug was hidden.
“Stay indoors” we were all told, just keep family in the fold.
Boredom started to be problematic, but then the games came from the attic.
Ludo, draughts and Buckaroo; Cribbage, dommies and puzzles too.
Anything to keep things sane, families start to chat again.
Phones and iPads were laid to rest, as families found new interests.
Conversation came back once more, behind many a closed front door.
In July restrictions will be eased, but let’s carry on talking to each other – Please!!
The current prompt for this week's story is:
'A change of heart.'
Please post your stories of up to 200 words
Owing to unforeseen circumstances the deadline for voting has been extended by on week to TUESDAY 16 MARCH. This gives you a little more time to select your top three stories but, if you have already chosen, please send them in to Georgina. Thank you!
The Bill Budner Competition is open for entries from 16th February 2021 until 2nd March. Stories should be emailed in the usual way to Georgina, making clear that it is a competition entry. Stories can be on any theme, in any genre of writing, and should be a maximum of 1,000 words.
Once all entries have been received, they will all be posted. Members will have a week to read and then choose their favourite three stories. The top three choices should be indicated by emailing Georgina stating 1st, 2nd, 3rd and the corresponding story titles.
Please don’t make any comments below the stories until the outcome has been announced.
Stories will be published anonymously, with only a story title and a corresponding letter of the alphabet. Once all the votes are in (and scores have been double checked) the winning entries will be announced.
As we are unable to present the trophy, an e-certificate will be awarded to the winner.
The more entries, the better, so get those scribbling sticks out!
As it is an open-themed competition, why not enter whatever your latest story is? You may surprise yourself!
Email all contributions to Georgina.
The latest prompt for our WhatsApp community is:
"Formal Dress Code."
Now that seems a little more of a challenge than usual. Are you up to it...?
200 words to be posted by Monday 22nd Feb please.
Details of the forthcoming Bill Budner competition on the Repository will follow later.
Stay safe everyone!
I hope you are all coping with the weather and staying safe from the virus.
This week's micro Monday tales turned into Tuesday's tiny tales the new prompt being "Twisted."
It's the usual 200 words please to be posted on our WhatsApp page by Monday 15 February.
Don't forget the Repository suggestion for a story about "The Other Love" No word limit but your offering should be sent to Georgina by Tuesday 16 February please.
Good luck, happy writing and stay safe!
Hope all is well with everyone even under these circumstances.
Here is a writing resource received today and hopefully it might be one for you to check out.
https://sourceful.us/?tags=writing
There is also another Welsh Poetry competition ... view it at www.welshpoetry.co.uk
Now for our own prompts:
WhatsApp is
"Something clicked."
200 word maximum and to be posted on our WhatsApp page by Monday 8th February.
And the
Repository is:
"The Other Love"
No word limit but stories to Georgina by 16th February,
Hope there is something there for everyone.
Enjoy the challenges!!!
