August writers group

So after nearly 6 years running the writers group today was my last meeting.  (more on why next week.)
It's been a real privilege to run the group and I have been constantly amazed at the quality of the writing the members produce.  It's a lovely group and I am sad to be leaving.  Everyone is always so nice about each others writing, but don't think for a moment that we don't critique each others writing; That is after all half the point of the group.
It's been a bit of a struggle to fine someone to take on the group, but I think we're there now so hopefully the group will continue, although I'm sure that it will change too.

So here is the last homework that I will set.  I'm sorry I'll miss hearing what they come up with, I know it'll be nothing like what I could come up with myself.

Homework: Use this as the title of your story or poem: Mystery at the University of Surrey. 

July Writers Group

A small meeting today, it is after all the start of the holidays, but still very interesting.

Some homework was read, then we had time for a quick 5 minute writing exercise on the subject of 'What he hadn't expected to find was...'  My poor chap found tigers on the London underground of all places.

Homework: Use the following as the starting point or inspiration for a story of poem: Why I love the coast…

(Inspired by the National Trust celebrating 50 years of the Neptune Coastline Campaign) 

June Writers Group

As summer kicks in so the writers group gets smaller.  I won't see some of them until September now, lucky things.
But it was still a good meeting, with some nice pieces read out, including one I wrote.  Yes I know, I actually finished a piece.  And I got some good feedback for it too, so feel that I can add to it and make it even better.
We also had a really good discussion about how to show not tell - the first rule of creative writing.  Its interesting how the script writer had a different idea from me, a prose writer.

Homework: Use the following as the starting point or inspiration for a story or poem: I had a black dog…

(inspired by the title of Matthew Johnstone’s book of the same name, which I haven't read - I just really liked the title)

Mays Writers Group

I'm not sure they appreciated last months homework.  There were many comments about how hard it was, maybe because it covered such a wide subject.  But the pieces people wrote were very insightful reminding us that freedom doesn't have to be a huge thing, but sometimes can be quite small, for instance having the freedom to choose the colour we paint our rooms.  
It might have been hard but it generated lots of discussion.

This months homework:

Change a historical fact, this could be big – Germany wins WW1, or small – your great grandfather never met your great grandmother.  

Now write your story based in 2015 but with this different past.

(inspired by Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series of books)

Aprils Writers Group

This months meeting was pushed back due to Easter and I guess the lack of attendees and writing might have been linked to this too.
But those of us who did attend had a really good conversation about writing, our motivation and the most important question - can anyone write?  I think we came to the conclusion that yes anyone can write but it takes time and effort - something a lot of us, including myself, struggle with.
Remember, the next time you see someone doing something and making it look easy - they probably spent a long time practicing and working at it before they got that good.

This months homework: 
Use the following as the inspiration for a story or poem: Freedom

March Writers Group

A smaller meeting today and a great variety of writing from poems to flash fiction and even a scene from a film script.  And can you believe it I actually had something to share this time.  Only a tiny piece of flash fiction, but still some writing.  Maybe now I've finished writing user guides at work, I'll have more appetite for writing fiction again.

This months homework:

In memory of Terry Pratchett who died last week, try giving life to an inanimate object.  If you get stuck use his Luggage as inspiration.

(The Luggage is a large chest made of sapient pear wood.  It can produce hundreds of little legs from its underside and can move very fast.  Its function is as both a luggage carrier and body guard for its owner.  Its mouth, the feature often remarked upon by those about to be consumed, contains “lots of big square teeth, white as sycamore and a pulsating tongue, red as mahogany.”  It does not appear to be constrained by its external dimensions – having just devoured someone, the next time it opens the owner will find his underwear, neatly pressed and smelling faintly of lavender.)

February Writers Group

The last month has wizzed by and I can't even pretend to have done any writing in that time.  I've got two story's half written, but I just don't know what to do with them so haven't touched them for a bit.  Knitting is much more appealing.

But the group have obviously not had any problems finished their story's and poems, with a great selection as always.  I loved the poem about a snail.  So cute.

This months homework:

Use the following as either the starting line or the inspiration for a story or poem: I think my first memory was…

January's writers group

After a small break from the group for the honeymoon I was back today.  We had a lovely mixed group of regulars and new writers, which got some good conversation going.

I loved the title of one poem - Cutting a diamond with a twig.  Wow!

I had started writing something new while we were away, but I'm not sure what happens next.  I know I need to keep going soon, otherwise I'll loose interest and it will never be finished, but I feel kinda stuck.

This months homework:

Find a sculpture whose story you DON’T know – either in person or in a book/on the internet.  Now write your own story or poem for it. 

Novembers writers group

So today was the last writers group meeting for me this year.  There is a meeting in December but I'll be somewhere else (more about that later).
Only three people got to read their work out as there was lots of discussion, but that's the point of the group and I think we all found it useful.

All three pieces were great, Avril's made me cry, but I loved the poem best of all.  A cheeky, rhyming, shocking piece which made us all laugh.

I didn't have anything to share today, and as I've got a bit of a cold, that's probably for the best.  I can't help but wonder if my writing phase is done?

This months homework: 

Use the following as either the starting line or the inspiration for a story or poem: Bah humbug!

October writers group

Wow what a turn out!  Its amazing what a little bit of advertising can do.
So on one hand not so good as less people got to read their work out - an hour isn't very long; but on the other hand we had some really good discussions, which I think can sometimes be more helpful.  After all although the group is here to help writers write better it is also here to help writers not feel quite so lonely.

The best past of the session, after all the good writing, was the comment from one lady who said she was stuck writing the big thing she's working on and starting to hate it.  But after the last session she started thinking about the homework and all these ideas came to her so she wrote them down and remembered how much she enjoys writing.  Hooray!  Now that is what the group is all about.

This months homework:  Use the following as either the starting line or the inspiration for a story or poem: And the blood red poppies flowed from the window and filled the moat…

September writers group

After a break for the summer it was great to meet up with the writers group again.
With lots of new faces we had a full room!  A little bit of advertising over the summer helped I think.

The last homework was to write about a celebration and it was great to see, once again, the great range in what was celebrated or not as the case may be.  I loved the story of a girl trying to win her last sports day race; although the lady who wrote it doesn't do much running, it felt like she'd captured all the things I think and feel when I race.

And I actually had something to share this time too, although it had nothing to do with a celebration.  Early morning writing really works for me.  I might have to start getting up at 5am and going to bed at 8.30pm!!  I think 'im outdoors might complain. 

With a little time left at the end we had time for an exercise, so we had 10 minutes to write from 'And then the lights came on...' which put some of our new writers under pressure, but created some intriguing starts; I hope they will revisit them and take them further.

This months homework:  Use the following as either the starting line or the inspiration for a story or poem:  A young girl walks down the High Street.  Clutched to her chest is a pair of bright red, extremely high heels...

July writers group

The day before the wedding I woke up at 6.30am from a really vivid dream.  I tried going back to sleep but the sun was too bright and the image from the dream wouldn't fade and I just had to get up and write it down as a short story.
I really like writing at this time of the morning.  It feels like its just you up and no one around to disturb you.  I guess that's why I like running at this time too.  The day feels like its just for you, with no one else about and plenty of unbroken cobwebs to run in to.

So having finally written something for the first time in ages, it was slightly annoying that turn up for this months writers group was so low we didn't run.  However if I look on the bright side it does give me a little more time to get my story polished.

This months homework:  
Seeing as I got married a couple of weeks ago and graduation is running at the university this week, write about a celebration.

June Writers Group

How has a month already passed by?!
I couldn't attend this months writers group as I was attending ITIL training, however I still set the homework.  I hope to hear from them next month about what a good meeting it was.

Junes Homework:
Use the following as inspiration for a story or poem: ‘Write about a family secret.’

May writers group

It was a very quiet writers group this month with only a couple of people able to attend.
Still we managed to have a chat about writing and life in general and I still set a homework.
I've got a few story ideas buzzing around in the back of my head but can't see me having time to write them down for the moment.  That was one good thing about the trip to Dublin last week, I found I had a little time between having a shower and going for breakfast which was great for writing in, in this case factual rather than fiction.  Its a shame I normally run at this time...

Homework:
Use the following as inspiration or the start of a story or poem: ‘I never wanted to be a hero…’

April writers group

We met a bit early for the writers group this month as Easter gets in the way.
Only a few turned up which gave us time to do a quick exercise - start with 'Not one of them believed me when I told them...'

Here's how mine went...
Not one of them believed me when I told them that my dad was a spy.
Not one of them believed me when I told them I'd seen wolves in the woods.
Not one of them believed me when I told them the school was on fire.
Not one of them believed me when I told them I'd seen David Beckham.
Not one of them believed me when I told them aliens had taken me away.
Not one of them believed me when I told them my mum was the next PM.
Not one of them believed me when I told them there was a land slip on the train tracks.  You'd think they'd have learnt to believe me by now!

For something that had no thought before hand I don't think its too bad.

For the homework:
Imagine you are going to visit someone who has lost their memory.  What will you take with your to help them remember and why?

March writers group

Last month I really felt inspired to put pen to paper, but what came out wasn't quite right.  Of course writing is a craft, something you have to work at - if everything came out perfect then everyone would do it!  So with a bit of work I'm sure my story will be ok, but I've lost interest in it now.  And if I'm not interested how can I expect anyone else to be interested?

So I turned up at the Writers Group without anything to read, again.
Quite a small turn out, but it did mean that we could look with real detail at the stories that were presented.

This months homework: Use the following as either the starting line or the inspiration for a story or poem: And although they were sad they rescued everyone. 

(Lyric from ‘A spoonful weighs a ton’ – The Flaming Lips)

February writers group

Today's writers group seemed to feature a lot of stories with death in them, but that didn't make them bad.  There were some attempts at last months homework, some more successful than others and one that I thought was perfect.  That one perfect story has inspired me to finally put pen to paper on a story that I have been thinking about all month but never quite seemed to find the time to write.

This months homework:

Write a fictional confession.  Start by thinking about what has suddenly made you ‘need’ to confess and who you are confessing to and why. 

January's writers group

Over Christmas with a little time to myself I finally managed to finish a story.

The start was easy, as they so often are, but then I got a bit stuck.  My character takes his dog for a walk in the park and they find a footprint in the snow.  But who's footprint?

I put it to one side and did something else.  

Just before Christmas I re-read The Shining by Stephen King.  I particularly love the hedge animals and I suddenly realised that my footprint didn't have to be from a 'living' creature.  Suddenly everything became clear.

I read it out to the writers group today to be greeted by silence.  They didn't seem sure but all agreed that it was sinister, which is kinda what I was aiming for.

I must try and keep the momentum up and write something else for the next meeting.

This months homework:

Try writing two short stories which interlink; this could be with characters who appear in both, or an event which is experienced in each, for instance.  The link can be quite brief – just something to make your reader excited that they have spotted a link.

Many writers do this, my example was David Mitchell in Cloud Atlas and Ghostwritten.

Last Creative Writers of the year

Today we had the last meeting of the year for the Creative Writers group.  
As many of the members are also members of the Poetry group, which meets the week after, and as that would be Christmas Eve we decided to mix the groups together.
What a success!  It was a really good meeting with a lovely mix of poems and stories and even a hymn (which was sung).  And there was Christmas food.
I didn't have anything to read, but I have at least started a new story and I have the idea for a second.  Progress.

No homework this month, but I suggested that if anyone had time for writing they could either use one of the homework's from the past year that they had missed or they could go back to one they had done and review it.

Novembers Writers group

Where has November gone?  I turn my back for 1 minute and suddenly realise I haven't blogged for weeks!

Today was the November writers group meeting.  Last months homework gave us a selection of stories about what we think the best things in life are; and my favorite was the description of a wood.  Sounds simple but she had really captured a wood in autumn, with all that colour and rain.  I could see it all quite plainly.
Of course I had nothing to read out myself.

This months homework could be Christmasy, or not, depending on how you feel.  I really will try and do this one.
Grandmother pulled the tray of gingerbread men from the oven and...