The Serial Writer Competition

tVR magazine (The Verso Review) is running a writing contest!

To celebrate the launch of the magazine, tVR is on the search for a short story writer to pen a story for a year's worth of magazine issues (4)! tVR is looking for a short story of no more that 12,000 words in total, split into four parts (approx 3,000 words each) to run as a serial across the next four editions of the magazine.

One winner will have their story published, and along with two runners-up will receive an annual subscription to the magazine, as well as an e-voucher worth £10 for FirstWriter.com website. You can find more details about this competition, as well as about the magazine, on the website here.

So if you enjoy writing, or have ever wanted to see your work in print, please send in your submissions! There is no entry fee, and the deadline is midnight (GMT) on 31st January 2011.

Good luck!

Issue 1: Launched!

Hi everyone! Just a quick note to say that the first edition of 'The Verso Review' (see the sidebar) went on sale today! You can order this first edition, or take out an annual subscription via the webpage!

The theme for this first issue was 'Time', and the submissions we received were both phenomenal in terms of written content, and hugely creative when it came to interpretting the theme. It was so hard to limit the number of selections that made it through, there were some really brilliant works in there, but unfortunately only a limited number of pieces we could print. I'd really like to thank everybody who did submit work to tVR magazine, successful or otherwise - you guys rock! And I hope you'll consider submitting again in the future. The theme for our second edition will be 'Space'.

Congratulations to those that did get selected to appear in the debut edition of tVR magazine! The list of successful writers includes:

• Jim Bainbridge


• Cath Barton


• Andrew Campbell-Kearsey


• Lewis Humphries


• Simon Leyland


• Chris Sav


• Philip Webster

You can read the selected poems and short stories by the authors listed above, as well as a short biography on each writer, in the debut edition of tVR magazine ('Issue 1: Time'). Purchase a copy on the website, only £3!

Anyone for TEA?

One of the best things about taking part in NaNoWriMo over the last month, besides ending up with over 50,000 words of brand new written novel, is the meeting new people with similar interests. I can't begin to tell you how many times previously my announcements that I was to spend the whole day writing were met with a singular, and somewhat demotivational, "why?". So spending a few hours with like-minded fiction-writing fanatics as we all put pen to paper (or, more accurately finger to keyboard key!) was not only a novel approach to getting some work done (forgive the pun), but also a hugely enjoyable and effective one. On average, I managed to get down between 2,500 and 3,000 words a session. There's something about not being able to stop writing while everyone about you proficiently taps away the words. After all, nobody wants to be the one staring out of the window and mumbling something about 'writer's block'.

Having spent a fair amount of time looking for local writers groups, it seems that writing isn't the only thing that us Essex NaNo-ers have in common, either. Having chatted to a number of members at the different events, it seems that many of us have not had any luck with finding any groups locally at all. From this, there had been a few mumblings and mentions of continuing our own little NaNo Writing group throughout the year, and now one Essex NaNo-er has taken the full leap and has set something up.

'The Essex Authors' (or, 'TEA' for short) is a brand new writers group for authors (at both fledgling and sophisticat level) all over Essex. Made up of individual 'chapters' (that is, smaller groups at different geographical areas), the group is an amalgamation of writers from all over the county.

Fresh on the tail of my recent experience with ML-ing for this year's NaNoWriMo, I thought I'd give it a shot and volunteered to run the Maldon chapter (my nearest group area). TEA itself is still in its very early infant stages, so it will take some time to build up - but with a little publicity and enthusiasm, here's hoping it grows up to be a fully formed success. At any rate, as each chapter begins to build then automatically the group will. It's quite exciting to be a part of something so new. So, if anybody lives in the Essex region and is interested in joining a chapter of TEA, please don't hesitate to get in touch! You can also find the TEA website here.

Woo!

50,000!

NaNoWriMo Novel: Extract

...

Millie Battle fastened the last of the mismatched oversized buttons on her patchwork swing overcoat, and turned her face into the rain as the sound of a car motor breathing its exhaust fumes into the cool night air approached from somewhere in the dark.

The grey tarmac sparkled black under the spitter and spatter of the autumnal downpour; high gentle sprays of water casting thick over the pavements and pedestrians at every approach, and every passing, of vehicles on the road. Darkened shop window displays and worn painted bricks lined both sides of the street, humming out into the twilight with an odd sense of abandonment. This was the high-street after closing hours, with lofty metal streetlamps hanging their heavy orange haze, and casting the run of the street in a yawning glow.

Some of those passing would be on their way into town, Millie mused, back to the drone and hub where they would be reunited with loving homes and families; back to the burl and comfort of a thick carpet and a wallpapered living room, where greetings came in the form of a child's happy laughter, or the warm embrace of a lover's hug.

...

In the News

Four days in, and so far so good! As predicted, there has been an initial surge of activity as ideas and inspiration abound. I really want to get back to working on my wordcount just now, so this is just a quick update to share some news.

As part of this year's NaNoWriMo, my co-ML (Stu) and myself arranged for a Kicking Off Party to celebrate the start of this year's challenge. In hindsight, Hallowe'en perhaps was not the best choice of days to host it, but the party was held on Sunday 31st October a mere few hours before the frantic scratch and scribble of writing began. The location we chose was a local Caffe Nero shop, with staff who were both enthusiastic and accomodating, and who had an ideal space for us to use in a tucked away corner upstairs. And what a brilliant location it turned out to be. And the turnout was amazing - guests even included a journalist and photographer from the Essex Chronicle newspaper! And today, the article came out.

This screenshot was taken of the online story, but it's been printed in today's paper, too! We all had a fabulous time, and I'd just like to thank Caffe Nero for letting us use their premises for a few hours!

And We're Off!

"the time invites you; go"

- Hamlet, William Shakespeare

Good Luck!

Happy Hallowe'en!

Ghost House

by Robert Frost

I dwell in a lonely house I know

That vanished many a summer ago,

And left no trace but the cellar walls,

And a cellar in which the daylight falls,

And the purple-stemmed wild raspberries grow.

O'er ruined fences the grape-vines shield

The woods come back to the mowing field;

The orchard tree has grown one copse

Of new wood and old where the woodpecker chops;

The footpath down to the well is healed.

I dwell with a strangely aching heart

In that vanished abode there far apart

On that disused and forgotten road

That has no dust-bath now for the toad.

Night comes; the black bats tumble and dart;

The whippoorwill is coming to shout

And hush and cluck and flutter about:

I hear him begin far enough away

Full many a time to say his say

Before he arrives to say it out.

It is under the small, dim, summer star.

I know not who these mute folk are

Who share the unlit place with me -

Those stones out under the low-limbed tree

Doubtless bear names that the mosses mar.

They are tireless folk, but slow and sad,

Though two, close-keeping, are lass and lad, -

With none among them that ever sings,

And yet, in view of how many things,

As sweet companions as might be had.

Media

It's been all go this past month or so, what with planning and preparation for NaNoWriMo. One of the things I've been doing over the last few weeks is advertising: that is, sending out press releases and 'bigging up' Essex (or the Essex region, at least). Last week, I was contacted by one of the places that I sent out a release to: BBC Essex radio.

The lady who contacted me, Chris, was lovely and very helpful. We spoke a few times over the course of a couple of days, and arranged for an on-air interview scheduled for this morning. So, at about half past ten today, along with co-ML for Essex - Stu, we let the county know about NaNo. For anybody interested, you can find the interview on BBC iPlayer here. It's probably only available for the next week, so make sure that you check it out before it expires.

NP Day, part II

In recognition of today's poetry theme, I thought I'd share one of my favourite poems. My choice, Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken, is quite a well known poem, and is definitely one of the best. It's also one of the first poems that I ever really took to, and has gone on to inspire and influence my whole approach to poetry and writing. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And stared down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no foot had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the forst for another day!

But knowing as way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -

I took the one less traveled by,

and that has made all the difference.

- Robert Frost

National Poetry Day

Today is National Poetry Day!

Every year, NP Day is aimed at bringing poetry to the attention of the public, and at encouraging others to read - and write their own - poems. Each year there is a different theme, and this year's theme is: 'Home'. To read some poems on this theme, or to find out more about NP Day, you can visit the official website here.

BBC Radio 2 are also running a special 'National Poetry Week' this week in celebration of today. Listeners are invited to send in favourite poems and poems that they have written themselves - find out more on the Jeremy Vine page.

And, The Poetry Society are running a 'National Poetry Competition' for poems of 40 lines or under (excluding title). There is a £6 entry fee, an open theme, and the deadline is October 31st. Good luck!

The First Post

October opens with dry skies, and a glowing golden crescent moon. Not a bad start to the month, considering all of the torrential rain and terrible weather we've been having these past couple of weeks.

The roll of a new month seemed like a good opportunity to launch my blog. Here it is then - hello. And speaking of new beginnings, today also marks the 'it's-exactly-one-month-until-the-start-of-NaNoWriMo' point, and is therefore cause for serious alarm.

For those that are not familiar, 'NaNoWriMo' is an annual challenge in which contestents gather (online, for the most part) and attempt to write 50,000 words in one month (November). Crazy, right? Perhaps, but definitely worth it come December 1st and you have a brand new 50,000 page manuscript! Anybody can take part, from anywhere in the world, and nobody ever has to read anything you've written.

I've taken part in the challenge several times now, with each November throwing ridiculously unhelpful, time-consuming, and non-writing-based hiccoughs to distract me and hinder my word count. This year, I've applied to become - and have been appointed as - a (joint) Municipal Liaison for the Essex region. So I'm extra determined to have a good run. This next month will undoubtedly be filled with planning and preparations - both in terms of ML-ing, and in terms of planning for my own 50,000 words. I'm thinking I'm going to try a crime fiction story.

I'll keep you posted on updates as and when. If you're interested in taking part, check out the website for more information!

Catch you later.