Belated May Comp list

Belated

(be - lay - tid) Adjective

The art of sending things after

the fact, so yours is noticed more.

May 31st

British Fantasy Society Short Story Comp

Up to 5,000 words, lots of prizes.

email: shortstorycomp@britishfantasysociety.org

See full submission details www.britishfantasysociety.org

Coast to Coast Comp

For poetry up to 40 lines, short stories up to 2,000 words.

email: ousevalleypoetry@yahoo.co.uk

Frogmore Poetry Prize

Poetry up to 40 lines.

Prize of 200 Guineas and two year subscription

See website for more details: www.frogmorepress.co.uk

Ted Walter Short story, Poetry, and Playwriting Competition

Poetry up to 40 lines, stories up to 2,000, and 1 act plays up to 20 minutes.

email: thomas.mcbrid2@sky.com

Yeovil Literary Prize

Poetry up to 40 lines, short stories up to 2,000 words, and novels (opening and synopsis) up to 15,000 words. Prizes £1000, £250, and £100.

email: penelope@marstonmagna.eclipse.co.uk

website: www.yeovilprize.co.uk

War Poetry Contest (USA)

Prizes totaling $5000

Submit 3 unpublished poems up to 500 lines.

See www.winningwriters.com/war

Diary Comp 2011: A day in the life

Submit a single diary entry of up to 500 words.

See www.leafbooks.co.uk/New/For%20Writers/CurrentCompetitions.html#Diary for more details

Brighton COW Fiction Competition

For fiction up to 3000 words

See www.brightoncow.co.uk

Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!

Tomorrow night's topic is Mayday!

It seems to me this could be interpreted as this...

Or this ...

Only attendance will set the story straight.

Apologies for period of silence...

My having spent a couple of weeks in hospital and since recovering, has let the blog become neglected. My apologies.

Starting tomorrow we will look at the competition listings for May, well the remainder of May, and look towards some wonderful spring writing prompts.

Duck, duck, duck, goose...

I our house all things duck rule. My son's first word quack has led me to look up every available duck pond in Worcestershire. You can be sure, we have visited them all. It's funny what I once saw as what is for supper, or a plastic toy in the tub, has now begun creeping into other aspects of my life.

Driving down the M5 yesterday I received a full assault, by duck, as this dear son launched his collections of quacking toys into the front seat pelting me. 'Quack! Quack! The captain directed orders to his crew. It seriously scared the wits out of me.

Now the ducks have crept into my writing. The ducks have tripped main characters when the have gone on first dates, snuck into homes and soiled furnishings with sentimental value, and they have invaded the chef's kitchen...

So what is sneaking it's way into your writing this week?

Story line?

Can a story line or plot ever be used too many times? Do they ever get old?

Now I have read about there only being:

1 real plot (conflict),

7 real plots (man vs nature, man vs man, man vs environment, man vs machines, man vs supernatural, man vs self, man bas god/religion),

20 plots (Quest, adventure, pursuit, rescue, escape, revenge, the riddle, rivalry, underdog, temptation, metamorphosis, transformation, maturation, love, forbidden love, sacrifice, discovery, wretched excess, ascension, and descension)

Or the very wordy 36 plots.... (Supplication (in which the Supplicant must beg something from Power in authority), Deliverance, Crime Pursued by Vengeance, Vengeance taken for kindred upon kindred, Pursuit, Disaster, Falling Prey to Cruelty of Misfortune, Revolt, Daring Enterprise, Abduction, The Enigma (temptation or a riddle), Obtaining, Enmity of Kinsmen, Rivalry of Kinsmen, Murderous Adultery, Madness, Fatal Imprudence, Involuntary Crimes of Love (example: discovery that one has married one’s mother, sister, etc.), Slaying of a Kinsman Unrecognized, Self-Sacrificing for an Ideal, Self-Sacrifice for Kindred, All Sacrificed for Passion, Necessity of Sacrificing Loved Ones, Rivalry of Superior and Inferior, Adultery, Crimes of Love, Discovery of the Dishonor of a Loved One, Obstacles to Love, An Enemy Loved, Ambition, Conflict with a God, Mistaken Jealousy, Erroneous Judgement, Remorse, Recovery of a Lost One, Loss of Loved Ones.)

Which theory you subscribe to, may sway your views on how over used a story line need be. Sadly the point of contention which brought this entire argument into engagement was my viewing of 'Hop' labelled an excellent family movie, featuring a bunny, chicks, and sweets just in time for easter.

Thus I inflict upon you the trailer, and ask who can I speak to about abuse/ overuse of plot. There ought to be a helpline for this sort of thing.

Inspiration generators...

So I went off in search of inspiration. I came across a webpage full of inspirational writing prompts.

The ones it offered me:

- Define long suffering

- Make art or babies, not both

- How would you change how you look

- We are all on the highway to die

At that point I pretty much ran away, uh sobbing.

So here are my own writing prompt to offer, and hope that they do not cause anyone to drink a bottle of wine, while hiding beneath their bed.

- Hard times are real, everyone has their own hard row to hoe, but the sun is still shining even when you close your eyes. -

- I am exactly where I am meant to be, staring at my favorite coffee cup. -

- I was only 16 back then and I thought that I knew more than I know now. -

Some days come easier than others