Welcome to Erskine Writers Test Site.
Use the headings above to navigate the Site.
Scroll down this page for the latest Blogs.
Writers' Workshop at Fruin Farm, Weds 20th June 2018
Save the date! A full programme of writing workshops has been organised for next month at a ridiculously low cost of £10, which includes refreshments and a light lunch, in a picturesque setting.
The venue is Fruin Farm at the Cross Keys roundabout on the A818, Helensburgh, G84 9EE(www.fruinfarm.co.uk)
Programme
10.15 am Robin Lloyd-Jones Building a character
11.15 am Coffee
11.30 am Mary Edward Editing
12.45 pm Lunch
01.30 pm Ann MacKinnon Poetry Workshop
02.30 pm Tea break
02 45 pm Paul Kelbie Features and Articles - Preparation and Pitching
The fee for the day is £10. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Bookings should be made in advance.
Please email alexwriters1@gmail.com or telephone 01389 729279 for any queries, details of payment and full directions.
Editing workshop with Joan Fleming, 8th May 2018
Joan gave the group some insightful pointers on this challenging and thought-provoking topic and provided members with a comprehensive handout on publishing to study in their own time. She presented several examples, including one from her own novel, and expanded on the headings from her notes on publishing.
Joan urged the group to try the writing competitions site txtlit.co.uk for practice on the art of concise and precise writing within 160 characters.
She reminded members that, to improve their writing, they should always check grammar and style and not be satisfied until they have honed it to the best of their abilities, not forgetting to read it aloud.
Web tools also have their place and can be used to help in the editing process; however, they do have their limitations so we shouldn’t rely on them too much.
Joan recommended keeping up to date with new trends in publishing but stressed the importance of being consistent, whatever we did.
The session concluded with a practical exercise involving editing a few sentences Joan had provided for the purpose. We then had the option of checking against Joan's suggested solutions.
Although not all members totally agreed with the proposed solutions, the exercise had at least made everyone think about the importance of editing.
All in all, a worthwhile workshop - thank you, Joan!
(This report was compiled by Diana Devlin from notes taken on the day by Hilary Stevenson.)
500 Words or Poem – First Impressions. 28 Nov 2017
500 Words or Poem – First Impressions. 28 Nov 2017.
Eight members submitted 1200 word features/articles to Kate
on current affairs; for the Erskine Bridge Hotel Cup. To be judged by Jean
Rafferty. (Results in two weeks time).
Hilary reminded attendees about the ‘Mince Pies’ meeting at
1pm 12th December. Indications needed for next week of ‘who is
contributing what.’
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week’s topic was “First Impressions.”
Diana’s short, unfinished poem ‘Gatherers’ sparked off a
welter of comments and suggestions.
Senga’s hundred word Jeffery Archer story did everything but
reach the competition organisers.
Pete tried to wind a story around childhood barbs regarding
people’s faces.
Joan Fr.’s free verse told us the story of a happily
poignant moment in her life.
Morag wrote of a ‘not so welcoming’ first visit to a writing
group.
Kate’s piece showed a real lack of appreciation for unreal
cooking programmes.
Hilary told us of her and her friends’ fascination for
ducks. It later became a metaphor for folly.
Joyce gave us an article on how we are often deceived by
first impressions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Joan Fr. and Pete read their (also ran) pieces from the 2000
word General Short Story competition.
21st Nov 17. - Adjudication and Readings of the General Short Story
21st Nov 17. - Adjudication and Readings of the General Short Story.
A change to the syllabus – Feedback from the SAW Conference
is put back until 17 April 2018.
Fifteen members were present including a returned Sandra McGruther
who was able to tell us of success with her “Still Dark” paper backs and provided
anecdotes from her promotional tours in North America.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ann MacKinnon had selected her ‘first five’ from the fourteen
entries for the 2000 word General Short Story Competition. For the first time,
the Erskine and SAW selection of 2000 as the numbers of words coincided; These
same entries are therefore also available to enter competitions at the Scottish
Writers Association Conference in March 2018. As a result of that, no details
of the authors, titles or subjects are being included in this blog.
The five stories were read out in order of:- commended,
highly commended, third, second and first.
With readings and comments, there was only sufficient
time for those five entries. If the quality of the first five is anything to go
by, we can still look forward to hearing the remainder at another time.
Jean Rafferty - Features Workshop
Members discussed possibly suitable topics from recent newspapers.
e.g. Italy's despair at its departure from the soccer world cup, Brexit, Social Housing in Kilbarchan or Day dreaming as a key to fame.
For each topic Jean was looking for a unique HOOK which would attract an editor. Apart from the internet, what research would you carry out, WHO would you speak to and which different aspects could be addressed?
PLAY with ideas, find NEW ANGLES, do not necessarily present ALL sides of the argument - have a RANT. Maybe take the opposite position to the one normally portrayed.
Jean condensed a normal day's lecture into a hard two hours. It is hoped that members absorbed sufficient material to be able to produce a 1200 Current Affairs Article for 28th November 2017.
More about Jean Rafferty at http://www.jeanrafferty.com/default.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Members are reminded of the Saturday 18th November deadline for entries to the SAW 2018 Conference open competitions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Members are reminded of the Saturday 18th November deadline for entries to the SAW 2018 Conference open competitions
Meeting 7th November
Eight interesting topics today, which allowed the group to
contribute with memories, questions and debates. Jack being the sole male put a
positive spin on several of the more controversial stories.
Midwifery, “Prologue” to the new Bute Noir (Myra), Glasgow
the friendly city, Do you remember where you were when Kennedy was shot and
Kathleen’s story about visiting her daughter, which was on “hold that thought
mode,” as her printer would not print out more than the first paragraph. We
wait in anticipation for the rest.
New members, who are going to S.A.W conference next March. Or
contemplating going. Are asked to please mark on your registration form "First
time delegate."
Posted by Hilary Stevenson
Myths and Legends followed by Open Manuscripts
Myths and Legends followed by Open Manuscripts
Today was the deadline for entries to the 2000
word General Short Story Competition. These same stories can still be eligible
for entry to the March 2017 SAW Conference short story competition.
The theme for this meeting was set to coincide
with Halloween. As to be expected there were some truly terrible stories and
poetry. The President had to appeal for light relief at one stage.
Topics covered included illegal immigrants, guardian angels, smarties, death and dreams in many forms, Robin Hood, guisers, St Mungo's fish, Hieronymus Bosch, dementia, the Flintstones and the emotional roller coaster of spouses, families and cockatoos.
A massive seventeen pieces were read out and
still with time for comment and critique in between.
Had it been a competition between Dark 'n Gloomy
Rovers versus Light 'n Ridiculous United, the Rovers would probably have won 3
- 2 in extra time.
We were left to ponder; in these days of equal
opportunities, is it still correct for 'death' to always be portrayed in the
guise of a man?
The Annual Dinner at the Fox and Hounds.
2017 marked the 100thanniversary of the opening of the Erskine Hospital for Veterans.
The subject chosen for the readings was a poem or 500 words – “Lest we forget”.
A wide range of topics were covered ranging from actual childhood memories from the time of WWII,
stories of based round the events following the first and second world wars and further back, from the Napoleonic wars. We learnt of the origin of the term ‘Vanishing willows’.The tone took on a whole gamut of emotions from simply recalling the history to remembering the horrors.
-----------------------------
The entries to the Betty Munnoch Poetry Competition had been judged by Nalini Paul.
First Kate Gordon Scents
Second Kate Gordon Granda
Third Elspeth Munro Kim’s Game
H. Commended Pete Marrison Special Days
Commended Morag Moffat Death and Laughter
All of the submitted works were read by their respective authors together with Nalini’s somewhat-difficult-to-read-but-appreciated, handwritten comments. Members speculated on the possibility of using ‘plywood’ to improve their poetry.
The theme had been “Memory” with a cross-over in some cases to the earlier topic of “Lest we forget”.
There was some laughter, regret and bitter-sweet stories and verse. How the Memory works imperfectly and how it can be triggered by the different senses.
---------------------------------
Donnie thanked Hilary for her tremendous work as President and for taking on the hopefully temporary role as stand-in secretary. Hilary was presented with a ‘spalted’ wooden platter.
Sandra was unable to come to the Dinner following her adventures in Canada. We hope that she will continue to convalesce to a complete recovery.
Everyone enjoyed a successful evening which included a 60 seconds electricity power cut just as we were leaving.
The Cheesecake
Ann MacKinnon - Short Story Workshop
Two existing short stories were analysed at length to see how the author had used few words and dialogue to describe the characters and what the reader was meant to interpret from it.
All the participants took part in an exercise to first build the nucleus of a story by initially creating and describing two contrasting characters; then to provide them both with dialogue for a first encounter and finally to set out a thumbnail list of a plot.
We worked through a checklist to see we had all the essential elements of our story.
Ann explained that was necessarily a natural or the only way of creating a story and led to the age old question of “where do ideas for stories come from?
Ann’s preferred element is Poetry and she suggested ways that a piece of poetry could be reconstructed and made into a short story.
It was an interesting, hardworking and seemingly short two hours.
More about Ann MacKinnonat http://www.tapsalteerie.co.uk/product/nae-flooers-by-ann-mackinnon/
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)