Saturday, 1 March 2008

A real step...

I've just booked myself on a writing course run by Writers Holiday and I'm so excited!

It's six days long, in a lovely setting in Wales and includes lots of seminars and workshops given by some fantastic authors.
I found it because it's the top prize in a writing competition I recently entered, and though I made the long-list, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to win so I thought I'd take it upon myself to get a piece of the writing action!
I've never done anything like this before, the last time I was taught anything about writing was ten years ago at GCSE time, when the height of my literary skills was an essay on what exactly contributed to Macbeth's downfall (his wife, by the way- what a beeyatch)...

I've had some trouble getting to writing recently, piles of Uni work and illness has put me back somewhat, but this has really given me something to aim for- I mean, if I turn up without a substantial amount of decent writing examples I may well be ousted as a fraud and stabbed to death with a selection of high quality fountain pens.

I've also been trying my hand at flash fiction, which I'm finding to be a great deal of fun, so if anyone would like to chuck me a theme and a wordcount- I'd appreciate it!

Tatty-bye for now ... x

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Thanks for the blogging help..again : 0 ).
I should have known about the Save As ... oh well!!! Good luck with the course and over in Wales, well, if the right setting you will be well away, plus a few beers! back in the 80's I started with Writers Bureau but stuff got in the way and the course was unfinished - BUT, contacted them and although 2 decades has passed (gulp) I can finish the course, yippee!!! Just hope they let me start at the travel and kids module.

Little Rambling Angel. said...

Hi Kirsty

Very nice to meet you. I am still to get the hang of this blogging thing.
This writing seminar sounds lots of fun. What are the details.
I hate the term but i suppose i would like to write a 'chick lit' novel. I have a two page beginning but that is about it. I love writing flash fiction too and brought a brilliant writing thing when I was in America. Little lolly pop sticks with themes and first sentences on them. It's fab!
What novel would you like to write. I also am trying to do Uni work and a full time job and am feeling very tired.
xx

Here is a first sentence for you.......
'The only way John could pass his exam was by cheating....'
Word count: um lets say 1500. I'll have a go too.
x

PrincessPolly said...

Oh that sounds like fun!

Little Rambling Angel. said...

Hi Polly,

Are you going to have a go as well?

Laura :0)

Roland Hulme said...

Wales! I went to uni there!

Have fun. Hope it doesn't rain! Wales is beautiful when it's sunny and dry.

Kirsty Novelicious said...

Lesley - Your welcome, and thanks!
Well done for getting back on the course, wouldn't worry about the time lapse, you're doing it now which is the main thing, good luck!

Laura - It does sound like fun, it's actually a holiday, filled with seminars and workshops for all genres and levels of writing. You should check it out, there's a link in the main post.
I would call mine 'chick lit' too, although it's more comedy based. Kind of Chick lit without the shoes, high powered job and glam social life!
What are you studying?
Thanks for the flash sentence, the lollipop things sound ace! Will have a go when I've got my next essay out of the way!

PP- I can't access your blog and I miss it! Can you send me an invite, my address is kirstygr@hotmail.com

Roland - What did you do at Uni?
To be honest I wouldn't care if it rained, it will just add to the atmosphere (Thats me trying to improve my positive attitude a la 'The Action Plan')!

PrincessPolly said...

i actually thought I'd already sent you an invite but it's still outstanding on my list! Did you check your spam? I'll make sure I have got your email address right and try again. Be warned though, it's a bit monotonous at the moment as I was dumped on Friday and a bit single minded!

PrincessPolly said...

evidently i must have somehow pasted it wrongly, someone just called kirstyg has got an invite instead! you should be invited now though, sorry about that!

Anonymous said...

Hi Kirsty,
I've come here from the wannabeawriter website (got the book, joined the board) and thought I'd say hello.
I've never heard of flash fiction but, once I get past the dirty old man image, it sounds great! Being stabbed to death with high quality fountain pens would make a great theme (probably a fairly low word count if you're writing in the first person).
Keep writing!
Juliet xx