Tag Archives: stories

Valentine’s Day

Is there someone who you are secretly in love with?  Someone who you could never tell about your feelings?  Someone who you think about even though you know nothing will or nothing could ever happen between you?

Write a letter to that person.  Write everything that you’ll never say.  Don’t hold back  a word.

Because you’re never going to give this letter to the person you love.

And then put that letter in a file on your computer called FOR MY EYES ONLY.

That’s what you have to do every time you write – write as if no-one’s ever going to read it.  Be honest and true.  Sometimes the pieces you write will go into FOR MY EYES ONLY.  And sometimes they’ll go out into the world to be read.  You’ll feel vulnerable and exposed.  It’s always going to feel like that as a writer.  And that’s okay.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

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A little something for the weekend

I’d like you to open your ears this weekend. You’d be amazed at what people say around you – and how inspirational it can be. So, have a listen to what people are talking about. Notice if someone says something extraordinary or weird or funny or strange or delightful or scary or fantastic over the next couple of days.

Listen to the people who are talking to you, but also to the people who are talking around you. There are words filling the air and your job as a writer is to get a hold of those words and wrestle them onto the page. Once you’ve heard something great, get it down on paper. It might be a sentence or maybe two. Once I heard a guy say to his friend in the park, “Have you any idea what it was like to be in jail for eighteen years? It was great.” Really, honestly, that’s what he said.

When you’ve got your sentence down, see where it leads. Is there a story there? A poem? A prose poem?

Get listening.

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A great place for you to get your writing seen

I’ve just found out about this website: www.inkpop.com and it’s great.  Here’s what they say on their homepage – inkpop is an online community that connects rising stars in teen lit with talent-spotting readers and publishing professionals.
Our social networking forum spotlights aspiring authors and the readers who provide the positive springboard for feedback.
inkpop members play a critical role in deciding who will land a publishing contract with HarperCollins. Whose work will you help rise to the top?

Check it out!

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