Author archives: cheltenhamstories.com

For the group on Sunday 29th, we’re going to have a look at the perennial topic of “showing and telling”. Remember, you need both, but they do different jobs. If you don’t always grasp the difference, here are some useful links I found: https://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/showing-and-telling-the-basics.htmlhttps://www.autocrit.com/editing/support/showing-vs-telling-indicators/https://www.novel-writing-help.com/writing-a-narrative.htmlhttps://jerichowriters.com/show-dont-tel Anyway, our exercise for next week is to write a little scene or […]

For our group on Sunday 22nd September, I thought we could try an exercise that comes from the FutureLearn course in Creative Writing that some of you may seen.  You have to write a piece about yourself, a relative, a friend, a historical figure or some subject you are interested in and it has to […]

Next Sunday we’re going to have a look at characterisation and character. As Tony rightly said, ‘characterisation’ is all the stuff about your character’s favourite colour and the books he likes to read. ‘Character’ is about what he does in a crisis. There are loads of questionnaires online to help you with characterisation. I have chosen this […]

This week Rod is going to lead a session on Writing to a Prompt. We will practise the art in the group, so there’s no need for any preparation.

This coming Sunday we are going to try something different. I’d like you to write a short story or scene using two different types of narration: choose from First Person, Third Person or Omniscient. Keep the total length down to about 800 words. If you’d like a prompt to get you going, you can try […]

Our theme for this week will be A Love Story. I’m looking for stories up to 750 words with a beginning, middle and end. Give it a try.

The task for this week, should you choose to have a go at it, is to write a piece of thriller narrative, in the style of a favourite thriller author. Among those who have been suggested are Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, Ian Fleming, John Le Carré, and just about anybody else with a few stylistic […]

Let’s think about imagery this coming Sunday. By that I mean metaphors, similes, analogies and so on. Try and bring along a story (no more than about 750 words) with one or more images at its heart. Look forward to seeing you. Meanwhile, Rod has sent me a link to the Hour of Writes competition […]

Normal meeting this Sunday, with a prompt 10.30 start. There may be a few new arrivals. We still have time to think again about the Dark Tales competition, for which the deadline is August 14th. Over the horizon, some people are already thinking about the next Stroud Short Stories competition, which doesn’t open until August […]

There really isn’t a lot of time to enter Curtis Brown’s competition, but it is worth doing. I sent mine off this morning. Here are the details.