Happy New Year

HI,

Have you made a New Yer’s resolution this year?

I wondered if it was worth it as I don’t keep them and I’m not sure if anybody does. However, I have made one this year which I aim to keep, that is to write something, anything every day; longhand or on the old pc I don’t mind as long as I get the words  down.

Since 2011 began I have written ten thousand words, plus more. So I am still on the right track and it’s only 9th Jan. Today I copied my notes to my documents and was surprised at just how much I had done without sweating the small stuff. It is mostly research but I am not agonising over each and every word just yet – after all this is only the first draft of my w.i.p so I can go anywhere with it.

I enjoy the process of researching and discovering some gem, quite by accident, which will take the story in a different direction. So the first idea for a new story is not necessarily the finished article.

Sadly I had to relinquish my membership of the RNA this year as I have been under enormous pressure and was unable to make the deadline to re-join. I will miss the friendly camaraderie but I will still be able to communicate with my RNA friends in other places, so all is not lost.

I wish you all you wish yourself.

All the best

She

Hi All,

Well, the bad news is that the weather is about to take another turn for the worse, so what better time to stay indoors and get on with the story that’s been tantalising me for weeks.

I’ve completed the character profiles, I’ve scribbled the outline over time so I know what should happen and when, I’ve even jotted down various dialogue for given plotlines so now all I have to do is get going.

I love this part of the process where I have an idea and I am impatient see how it evolves. It’s like going into a building where I’m not sure what is behind each door; some can be quite obvious but others… Sorry I can’t wait any longer, I’m off on a voyage of discovery – wish me luck.

Stay warm and have a great day

She

Win

Hi All

It’s getting cold again but one thing did warm and cheer me this winter’s day and it was the news that my winning entry of Another Time Another Place was up on the North West libraries website and here is what it says

And the winner is…

Pages Ago logoSefton winners of the Flashback Fiction short story competition have been announced.

 

The competition, which was part of the Pages Ago promotion of historical fiction in North West libraries, was run by Sefton Library Service in conjunction with Time to Read.

Pages Ago competition winners

Zoe Clarke, Principal Development Manager (Community Cohesion) is pictured below awarding prizes to competition winners Sheila Riley and Zara De Belder.

To read the winning stories in full click on the link below, but here is a taster…

Sheila Riley’s winning entry “Another Time Another Place” evokes the sights and sounds of Liverpool docks after Annie disembarked from a hospital ship.

“Touching terra-firma at Princes Dock, the jetty was jammed with jostling crowds eager to catch sight of the great liner bringing England’s heroes home.  They’d come to marvel at the brave men from the Front as Annie struggled to push the terrible images of war out of her mind” 

Sefton Flashback Fiction short story competition winning entries (Word document 25.5kb).

Happy reading and if you have any comments on my winning story please don’t hesitate to let me hear them I look forward to hearing from you

All the best

Sheila

Welcome to the rambling blog of a pre-published writer

Hello, and welcome to my blog, it’s lovely knowing you are here.

This isn’t my first blog, I updated my system and couldn’t log into the last one http://the-writing-ladder so if you want to catch up with the things I’ve done in the past, please feel free to browse.

Since my last blog, I entered and won the local round of the Time To Read short story competition with Another Time Another Place and when the library people put it on their website I will put a link up here. My story has now gone forward to the regional final, and I should hear something before Christmas.

I will keep this blog short and simple for now as I am still finding my way around, so if you have any comments or just want to say ‘hi’ then I would love to hear from you.

Enjoy your weekend and let’s hope the snow stays away.

Speak soon

She.