Today’s online writing groups’ poetry and story exercises: 27 February 2015

Every weekday I post a set of poetry prompts on poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com and a set of story prompts on the script, novel and short story blogs (and poems, script / novel extracts, stories at the weekends, when I get them). As you’ll see by the headings, you’ve missed a few but they’re listed on the relevant group’s Exercises page so you can always find them there…

Poetry Writing Exercises 554: Friday 27th February

Here are your four poetry exercises for today. Time yourself for 15 minutes per exercise, having a break in between each one or move on to the next.  When you’ve finished, do pop over to this blog’s Facebook Group and let everyone know how you got on.

Below are the four – you can do them in any order.

1. Keywords: schedules, stressful, throat, house, update
2. Random: front and back
3. Picture: what does this inspire?
4. One-word prompt: step

Have fun, and if you would like to, do paste your writing in the comment boxes below so we can see how you got on! Remember though that it counts as being published so don’t post anything that you would want to submit elsewhere (where they require unpublished material).

See below for explanations of the prompts, they do vary…

• Sentence starts = what it says on the tin. You can use it at the beginning of the poem or include it later, and being poetry it doesn’t have to be exact – just be inspired by it.
• Keywords = the words have to appear in the poem but can be in any order and can be lengthened (e.g. clap to clapping).
• Single-word prompt = sometimes all it takes is one word to spawn an idea. Sometimes it easy, sometimes hard but invariably fun.
• Mixed bag = an object, a location, a colour.
• Picture prompts = nothing other than a picture. What does it conjure up?
• Title = The title for your piece.
• Haiku poem= 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables
• Random = whatever takes my fancy!

*

Story Writing Exercises 558: Friday 27th February

Here are your four story exercises for today.

 

Flash Fiction Friday 156: 6-word stories

Welcome to Flash Fiction Friday and the one hundred and fifty-sixth piece in this series. This week’s is the nineteenth bunch of 6-word stories by a variety of authors, together with their 6-word biographies!

6-word stories

by Chong Teck SIM – aspiring Singaporean writer

• Small lamps. Rangoli floor paintings. Deepavali.
• Re-igniting old pains. Past love.
• Sweet innocence. Ever-lasting marriage. Golden anniversary.
• Creaking doors. Pitter-patter footsteps. Mischievous poltergeist.
• Every morning. Unexpected roses. Secret admirer.
• To my beloved: no refund permitted.
• Tear-soaked face. Photograph. Departed lover.
• Two students. Holding hands. Puppy love.
• Anonymous donor. A blank cheque. Charity.
• Love misses a stop: my heart.

by Sal Buttaci finds humor in life

• Words of kindness transcend all tongues.
• In sleep no one is harmed.
• Life is measured with a thimble.
• The last great war was not.
• Counting to six, use both hands.
• Can “I do” be empty boasting?
• Find your purpose and live it.

by Mark K – a writer? Trying hard.

• Snail racing: Not an exciting sport.
• Twenty-twenty vision but he’s deaf.
• My Teddy bear died last night.
• Airline stewardess joins mile high club.
• When she went, my world stopped.
• Then diamond tears track furrowed cheeks.
• I’ll so miss her child-like smile.
• Her voice is like an angel’s.
• The door closed, my lips trembled.
• Sweet silence reigned, she’d left me.

by Samantha Wilcox, navigates life through writing

• Mix up, mothered the wrong child.
• Two men, three girls, one sigh.
• Her assistance declined, she left carefree.
• Ignored his call and walked away.
• Colorado snowfall brightened the dark firs.
• She failed and so I won.
• Excited, needed to share, chose you.
• Icy, moved fast, bad move, dead.
• Wrote this and more inspiration came.
• Degree’s done, job’s unfulfilling, still searching.

by Awen Thornber. Creative dreamer. Cancer survivor.

• Flash fiction. Short story. Became novella!
• Flees England, becomes Huguenot. Flees France.

by Geoffrey Iley: hedonist, romantic, aspiring wordsmith

• Will you… please? No! Goodbye.
• I demand your money! No! Bang!
• Where? Just here? ¾ enjoyable? Ooooh!
• Help! What? Can’t hear, sorry. Aaaaaargh…
• Candle snuffed… whose hand grips mine???
• (Enriched plutonium) + (psychopath) = extinction.

by James Holden works as a geek.

• But you were beautiful, back then.

by Mary Annie: writer at her best.

• The car screeched. And she screamed.
• Sang, danced, dined. To no avail.

by Suzanne, Pear-shaped, pushing 50, risking all

• Daughter bride chooses hyphen, maintains identity.
• Matriarch flees. Ocean restores. Family rejoices.
• Boy turned man. Loved her back.
• Grampa spoiled us flea market Sundays.

and then some from yours truly… Morgen Bailey, Morgen With an E

• Valentine’s Day. I’d expected something else.
• Generous lover, lonely wife, guilty feet.
• Concerto plays as he proposes. “No.”
• I love AC/DC. The band too.
• Watching movie, sinking into the sofa.
• Bought duct tape. Lover or killer?

*

Thank you, everyone.

If you’d like to submit your 6-worders (up to ten per blog post, although you can send as many as you like and I’ll either pick the best ones or if I like most / all of them, schedule ahead) and / or 500-word max. stories for consideration for Flash Fiction Friday take a look here.

 

Today’s online writing groups’ poetry and story exercises: 26 February 2015

Every weekday I post a set of poetry prompts on poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com and a set of story prompts on the script, novel and short story blogs (and poems, script / novel extracts, stories at the weekends, when I get them). As you’ll see by the headings, you’ve missed a few but they’re listed on the relevant group’s Exercises page so you can always find them there…

Poetry Writing Exercises 553: Thursday 26th February

Here are your four poetry exercises for today. Time yourself for 15 minutes per exercise, having a break in between each one or move on to the next.  When you’ve finished, do pop over to this blog’s Facebook Group and let everyone know how you got on.

Below are the four – you can do them in any order.

1. Keywords: time, plus, someone, own, walls
2. Random: decision made
3. Picture: what does this inspire?
4. Thursday Title: Renovating the Shack

Have fun, and if you would like to, do paste your writing in the comment boxes below so we can see how you got on! Remember though that it counts as being published so don’t post anything that you would want to submit elsewhere (where they require unpublished material).

See below for explanations of the prompts, they do vary…

• Sentence starts = what it says on the tin. You can use it at the beginning of the poem or include it later, and being poetry it doesn’t have to be exact – just be inspired by it.
• Keywords = the words have to appear in the poem but can be in any order and can be lengthened (e.g. clap to clapping).
• Single-word prompt = sometimes all it takes is one word to spawn an idea. Sometimes it easy, sometimes hard but invariably fun.
• Mixed bag = an object, a location, a colour.
• Picture prompts = nothing other than a picture. What does it conjure up?
• Title = The title for your piece.
• Haiku poem= 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables
• Random = whatever takes my fancy!

*

Story Writing Exercises 557: Thursday 26th February

 

Here are your four story exercises for today.

 

Today’s online writing groups’ poetry and story exercises: 25 February 2015

Every weekday I post a set of poetry prompts on poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com and a set of story prompts on the script, novel and short story blogs (and poems, script / novel extracts, stories at the weekends, when I get them). As you’ll see by the headings, you’ve missed a few but they’re listed on the relevant group’s Exercises page so you can always find them there…

Poetry Writing Exercises 552: Wednesday 25th February

Here are your four poetry exercises for today. Time yourself for 15 minutes per exercise, having a break in between each one or move on to the next.  When you’ve finished, do pop over to this blog’s Facebook Group and let everyone know how you got on.

Below are the four – you can do them in any order.

1. Keywords: progress, dry, installing, clear, cable
2. Random: the last three weeks
3. Picture: what does this inspire?
4. Sentence start: If there are things…

Have fun, and if you would like to, do paste your writing in the comment boxes below so we can see how you got on! Remember though that it counts as being published so don’t post anything that you would want to submit elsewhere (where they require unpublished material).

See below for explanations of the prompts, they do vary…

• Sentence starts = what it says on the tin. You can use it at the beginning of the poem or include it later, and being poetry it doesn’t have to be exact – just be inspired by it.
• Keywords = the words have to appear in the poem but can be in any order and can be lengthened (e.g. clap to clapping).
• Single-word prompt = sometimes all it takes is one word to spawn an idea. Sometimes it easy, sometimes hard but invariably fun.
• Mixed bag = an object, a location, a colour.
• Picture prompts = nothing other than a picture. What does it conjure up?
• Title = The title for your piece.
• Haiku poem= 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables
• Random = whatever takes my fancy!

*

Story Writing Exercises 556: Wednesday 25th February

Here are your four story exercises for today.

 

Book review – for readers and writers – no.103: Morgen Bailey reviews Settling a Score by Michael Ross

Today’s book review, of a short story collection, is brought to you by yours truly, Morgen Bailey. If you’d like your book reviewed or to send me a book review of another author’s book, see book-reviews for the guidelines. Other options listed on opportunities-on-this-blog.

Being a writer and editor, I read and review books with both hats. If you’re a writer reading this review and found it useful, do let me know.

Twenty Short Stories: Settling a Score by Michael Ross

Synopsis: What does it feel like to take another person’s life? Will the good deeds we do come back to us in different forms? Should we always trust our instincts? Is it ever too late to turn back? These are of some of the questions posed in this imaginative collection of short stories involving amongst others; a public executioner, a super hero who’s half man-half wolf, a failed celebrity writer, a disillusioned taxi driver, a father and daughter facing the end of the world, an ugly journalist, and a policeman seeking justice. Some of the many characters in this intriguing and imaginative collection of stories where all the characters have a tale to tell. A collection that will surely leave a mark on the reader.

This collection is available via http://www.amazon.co.uk/TWENTY-SHORT-STORIES-Settling-Score-ebook/dp/B00G4E5038 and http://www.amazon.com/TWENTY-SHORT-STORIES-Settling-Score-ebook/dp/B00G4E5038.

Review (of the eBook, using Mrs Kindle’s text-to-speech function)

The collection, as the title implies, has twenty stories (listed and reviewed below). I love titles and often with short story collections, I pick and choose the order in which I read them, leaving the most intriguing to last (these being the third, twelfth, thirteenth, fifteenth and seventeenth).

 

Book review – for readers and writers – no.102: Morgen Bailey reviews Samantha by Kevin Morris

Today’s book review of a single short story is brought to you by yours truly, Morgen Bailey. If you’d like your book reviewed or to send me a book review of another author’s book, see book-reviews for the guidelines. Other options listed on opportunities-on-this-blog.

Being a writer and editor, I read and review books with both hats. If you’re a writer reading this review and found it useful, do let me know.

Samantha by Kevin Morris

Synopsis: Samantha tells the story of a young girl forced into prostitution in the city of Liverpool. Can Sam’s love for Peter, a man she meets in a nightclub, save her? Or will Sam end her life in the murky waters of Liverpool’s Albert Dock?

This story is available via Amazon UK (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samantha-K-Morris-ebook/dp/B00BL3CNHI) and Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Samantha-K-Morris-ebook/dp/B00BL3CNHI), and Kevin’s website is www.newauthoronline.com.

Review (of the eBook)

The story starts in Peter’s point of view where he’s at a club with his friends, Mark and Lisa, but he goes off with Sam when she invites him to leave and Mark and Lisa have apparently disappeared.

Although Peter and Sam know each briefly, the attraction between is obvious, if not a little gushy at places.

Barry, Sam’s pimp, is horrible and well-written so we can’t like him. Some antagonists have redeeming features but Barry has none and his description felt realistic.

I enjoyed the narrator saying that Peter hated the Wetherspoon’s pub chain (‘They signified all that was wrong with modern society’) because it’s my partner’s favourite.

Although we don’t see much of him, Billy is probably my favourite because there’s a ‘reveal’ around halfway through the story, which I won’t spoil for you.

 

Book review – for readers and writers – no.101: Morgen Bailey reviews From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually by Ali McNamara

Today’s book review of a contemporary women’s novel is brought to you by yours truly, Morgen Bailey. If you’d like your book reviewed or to send me a book review of another author’s book, see book-reviews for the guidelines. Other options listed on opportunities-on-this-blog.

Being a writer and editor, I read and review books with both hats. If you’re a writer reading this review and found it useful, do let me know.

From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually by Ali McNamara

Synopsis: Scarlett O’Brien, utterly addicted to romantic films, has found her leading man. She’s convinced Sean is Mr Right, but the day-to-day reality of a relationship isn’t quite like the movies. With Sean constantly away on business, Scarlett and her new best friend Oscar decide to head to New York for the holiday of a lifetime.

From one famous landmark to the next, Scarlett and Oscar make many new friends during their adventure – including sailors in town for Fleet Week, a famous film star, and Jamie & Max, a TV reporter and cameraman. Scarlett finds herself strangely drawn to Jamie, they appear to have much in common: a love of films and Jamie’s search for a parent he never knew. But Scarlett has to ask herself why she is reacting like this to another man when she’s so in love with Sean . . .

This novel is available via http://www.amazon.co.uk/From-Notting-Hill-Actually-Series/dp/075154745X and http://www.amazon.com/From-Notting-Hill-Actually-Series/dp/075154745X.

Review (of the audiobook)

The novel picks up a year after where ‘From Notting Hill with Love… Actually’ left off and gives us occasional reminders, just enough to work as a standalone.

There are ups and downs, and Scarlett’s analysis of Twitter is spot on (although Hugh Jackman has never replied to any of my tweets) and I loved her comparison of Top Gear with Last of the Summer Wine as ‘with engines and a bit more hair’ and ‘It’s not long before it’s my chassis that’s demanding his attention’.

Partway through, as the title implies, Scarlett ends up in New York and as expected, she (accompanied by the wonderful Oscar initially) and takes the reader on a variety of adventures.

Being picky (and picky is the most I can be with Ali’s writing), there were some clichés (including ‘gripping my arm like a vice’, ‘going great guns’, ‘swivels on his / her heels’) but fewer surplus adverbs than the previous novel. Other surpluses included ‘”Again?” I ask in astonishment’ (although that’s redeemed by the super ‘Sean takes so many trips abroad that he might as well be a bird’), ‘asked in surprise’, and ‘mouth open in surprise’ where we know the context so don’t need the explanatory addendums.