General Chat

I think you are all very talented and I am enjoying reading everything.I don't normally like poetry but have enjoyed those Love Poems lol,especially the first one !!!

When I was a child I wanted to be a writer (or a librarian lol) , but from the age of 16 to 35 I wrote very little, apart from one year when I went to evening class to sit an English O' level.When i was 35 I went to college on a 2 year diploma course ( A levels basically ) in History and English ..and found I COULD actually write 2000 word essays :) Both my English tutors on the course are published writers, one poems and plays, the other poetry and now 3 books ( a series) .

I write for pleasure , or more accurately because something just has to be written .

I want to write what I prefer to read I suppose , a novel, but maybe that is too ambitious and that is why I have lots of unfinished 'starts'...maybe short pieces suit my temperament better?

In case anyone doesn't know I'm 52 :)

Rose xx

Really good Helen, it tests you, but there is plenty of feedback and guidance to help you. Choose carefully though. If you can get this month's Writers Forum magazine, there is an article about creative writing courses, as there are a variety of them to choose from.

I'm with the Writer's Bureau, doing the full comprehensive writing course, which covers all sorts of writing, from non-fiction articles and books, through short fiction, novels, writing for TV and radio, plays, childrens books, and others. The tutors are brilliant, and are all accomplished writers themselves.

The thing is, anything that stretches you is good for you. I took up card making, and enjoyed that and slowly (so I am told) have got better at it. I then took up scrap booking, firstly to scrap pages of my Family History and I enjoyed that and still do. I wrote my life story, not to get published but to give to our Grandchildren later on and I enjoyed that. Although not published it has been well read on GR. And I keep going back to it to 'polish it'. Every time I go on holiday I write an account of what we have done and that is used in the two correspondence magazines I belong to. And therefore could not resist the chance to join in the writing group to see if I can write/learn to write.
I am learning a lot from advice given and from all your contributions. Am struggling at the moment to write poetry but we will see how that comes out, my first love is prose and mainly non fiction.

Hi Teresa, I thought about a Creative Writing course, what was it like?

I'd always wanted to write, but never felt I could seriously. I was often intimidated by good authors, especially the likes of Stephen King, who ironically actually inspired me to write after reading his book 'On Writing'.

I've had a couple of letters published, and years ago a piece in the parish magazine which I was particularly proud of. I couldn't even tell you what it was about now lol. But none of my actual writing has ever been published.

I decided to take a creative writing course to learn the craft and hone what skills I have, and to see if I 'have what it takes'. I'm now writing way out of my comfort zone and struggling a bit with it, but that is down to confidence. I can't wait to progress from non-fiction to fiction, but it will be some time yet.

It's taken me 50 years to take the plunge, but I think it's never too late to start, or start again.

30 years Jen...wow ..wish i had discovered writing 30 years ago...

i will be 65 in August and have been writing for about 18 months, never submitted anything to be published.

xx

I shall be 63 next Saturday.....and have been writing for just over 30 years. It just sprang up from nowhere really after serious illness. I needed to get a lot of things out of my system at the time and it just progressed from there. I'm happy just to go with the flow and send out anything that takes my fancy at the time. My story 'The girl' is a heavily veiled autobiography and I have the beginnings of a novel which was inspired through my family research, so I would like some opinions on that if possible please, at some point. I also love writing poetry and have completed a childrens story which does need some polishing and maybe updaing a bit, as that was done some time ago. I've never submitted anything for publication, I write mostly for pleasure. I've really enjoyed reading all your work and found much of it refreshing which has added to my own renewed interest in my writing. If I had not joined the thread, I suppose it would all still be collecting dust lol!

An anthology is a thought Teresa, some of the poems especially are very good.

I have never really seen myself writing poetry although I did write one poem about 3 years ago and seem to have lost it somewhere amongst pcs.

I am not sure why I am doing this, not necessarily to publish, more perhaps to stretch my brain, do something different, express what is lurking in my head.

I think those of us who are happy to submit more than one piece should continue to do so while those who prefer to concentrate on just the one piece should not worry that they are 'not keeping up'. It is not a competition.

Joy, I am 69, 70 in August, have always liked writing bits and pieces such as holiday accounts, The story of my life and loads of letters. I have had letters published in magazines but that is all.

Read it and replied Stella.

We'll all get round to reading and replying, and there's no pressure on anyone to send anything out, so relax everyone!

Joy, what do you mean ONLY some articles published. Some is more than I've had published, and I have written a few. (though to be fair, I've not tried to have anything published since I became unemployed, as that will really mess things up if I have to start declaring payments and so on, so until a job comes along I dare not look at it) The important thing is, you have had articles published, and I'd love to read some of them.

I wonder what everyone's ultimate dream is re. their writing. I know BC is doing it for herself, and not for publication, but how many dream of getting that novel done and accepted or maybe a short piece in an anthology somewhere.

And that gives me another idea, perhaps, over time, we could build an anthology of our work, just for ourselves, or perhaps to raise some funds for a charity. What do you think?

Hi everybody,

i have just sent out another of my love poems.

Sorry if i haven't replied to all the work that was sent to me yesterday,my brain was getting overloaded so i will be reading everything today and thank you for all the lovely work that i have received so far

Stella xx

Good morning everyone...I don't want you to think that I have forgotten any of you. I have been reading through some of the work and I must say you are all very talented. I shall get around to emailing you all but today I shall be busy.
Take care and keep them coming. xxxxxxx

morning Joy ~~~~

lol BC just stick all mine in a corner until there's nothing on telly and then read it :)

I think there will be a flood of writing going out for the first few times, and then it will slow down as we all get back to doing the housework instead of scribbling or typing :) then it will be one piece every two weeks if we're lucky .

xx

age, location, what sort of writing you do, are you published or not, do you perform your work, share it with others, etc.


Think I am 35, but birth certificate disproves that, so am 62. Live in the south of England. Have only had articles published in family history society magazines.

Oh dear I am afraid I won't be able to keep up with all the lovely writing which I have found in my Inbox!, was entertaining last night and will be out most of the day! Just in case anybody thinks I am ignoring them:-) Are we sticking to the originaal 500 words or free flowing? How many pieces should we submit or does it matter.. Help me!! I need a structure!! lolol BCXX

Thank you Jen

:o))

Hi all, Ann yes you have the second installment, I sent it off to everyone.

Sorry your're not feeling well Deanna, hope you feel much better soon, I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

I have several stories here to get through and am looking forward to reading them all shortly.

Stella........go to the top of the class girl! Wow! What a piece of writing, I loved it, such feeling, so simply unfolded in so few lines. Wonderful.

That's the main thing Ann, just enjoy it.