A writer need never be bored. Whether waiting in a café, for a train, or stuck in traffic, you can always observe people or things. Sometimes this will give you an idea for a whole new piece of work, or maybe just some detail to enrich an existing piece. Can you read the expressions of people? Or dogs? Which trees colour first in autumn and which come into leaf last in spring. Pay extra attention to sound, smell and touch.
The Temporary Gentleman - by Mike Smears
We had a lively and, at times, intense discussion of ‘The Temporary Gentleman,’ by Sebastian Barry. The structure of this story is fascinating, complex, and skilfully done. It has interweaving narrative sections on present events, as the protagonist, Jack McNulty, reflects on his life, but it’s the flashbacks that form the major part of the story.
All about Character - by Mandy Hobart
As we know, compelling and believable characters are vital for any story. I wanted to get the group exploring some of the elements that help to breathe life into our imaginary friends.
We each developed a new character called Sam. The techniques used can work well for brand new inventions, but can of course also be applied to revise characters already in our writing.