Category Archives: Writing

Flirting with Flash Fiction

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I’m a newbie when it comes to Flash Fiction, but the lure of a quick writing fix got the better of me last week.

Writer Unboxed announced its ‘7 Sizzling Sundays of Summer Flash Fiction’ contest, for stories up to 250 words, and the idea of finishing something, actually finishing something, and someone else reading it… was irresistible.

I rattled off a story in response to this prompt.

by Debbie Ridpath Ohi

That was it. My teeny tiny tale was out there. To be read by strangers. Yikes!

But a couple of hours later I checked the site, and I had 1 Like!  I was so chuffed, I wrote another one and put that up there too.

There are no plans to divorce my current manuscript, we’re in it for the long haul, but times have been hard of late, so I think I can forgive myself for this brief and satisfying dalliance.

And maybe… who knows…I might have another fling next week.

Update 

I got an Honourable mention in the 7 Sizzling Sundays of Summer Flash Fiction competition!

I really loved the story by Gail Mackenzie-Smith, which was one of the winners last week. Link to that story here.

 

 

If manuscripts were dogs….

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Learner bloggers are often advised not to write about their pets. No one’s interested in your cat or dog unless you’re Neil Gaiman or (insert famous author name),* though I guess if you have a pet crocodile or armadillo, that makes a good post.

Apologies then, as in my case, Bertie serves as a living canine reminder of how long I’ve been writing. He was there at the very beginning, making him roughly the same age as my manuscript.

black cocker spaniel puppy, bertie Back then, he was a messy little distraction, dashing about all over the place and constantly craving attention; meanwhile, on the computer, my children’s novel was much the same.

But unlike the manuscript, Bertie grew up quickly.

He now looks like this…..

Black cocker spaniel, Bertie

And if my manuscript was a canine….

….

….

it would look like this.

Serious editing required!

If your current manuscript was a dog, what would it look like?

* (worth clicking on the link, lovely black and white photos of famous authors and their dogs)