Hobbies and Crafts

Stella, I am away for the weekend and can't easily do that on the IPad so will do it on Monday evening. You may have to remind me. Whose have you not got? I am not sure why you didn't get them all though.

well you haven't actually sent me any Ann..... :-)

:-D :-D :-D :-Doooh dear, sorry, I have sent yours to everyone els! Must do better :-(

Sorry Ann, got the e mails.

Next lot

First line or title prompts.

It had to be done.
It was never going to be an ordinary day.
I knew what I'd done as soon as the door closed.
The old woman turned and smiled.
I remember the day.
(Name) threw her bag on the floor and burst into tears.
"After the door shuts and the footsteps die..."
under a canopy of green


Write a story/poem with the title Great Expectations.


Soon I think we should start moving round everyone (probably alphabetically) to give others a chance to come up with the choices. :-)

As I walked back from the shops, ( having looked at some of the paperbacks on sale on the 'charity shelf' in the Co-op and decided they weren't for me), I was having a little muse on the 'writer's voice' that we all know about lol.

Now far be it from me to say it, but I could easily recognise at least one of our member's work if it had no name on it :-D and some authors that I like have a very particular voice also that you would say "oh that's so and so' if you heard it read out. By the same token there are excellent writers whose 'voice' just doesn't appeal, though they are best sellers or critically acclaimed.

And of course there is that moment when you're reading someone else's work and you think, why am I trying to do this? lol everything has been said before and much better than I can say it and you metaphorically tear up the page you have written and look at a blank white expanse willing you to write on it......perhaps it's better not to read if you are writing? What do you think? Or is it just a mistake to analyse too much instead of just doing lol!

Some quite interesting comments on
http://grammar.about.com/od/advicefromthepros/a/The-Writer-S-Voice.htm

Strangely I find I am often reading a book (usually one written for the internet) and I think to myself. 'I could have written this'. Does that mean that author is writing with 'my' voice? Or am I just envious?

RamblingRose: 'Everything that can be said has been said but not by everyone'.

I cannot remember who said this!

Interesting link, Rose. I think it is best to separate the two...the books we admire and would aspire to write and our own desire to write. To me it is like singing. I love to sing in my Group but cannot compare my voice to Maria Callas for instance! Each of us has something to express. The same with writing. As for the 'voice' I think I write as I would speak and that includes a lot of rubbish sometimes! :-D <3

I think what writing in the group has done for me is that I appreciate what has gone into crafting some of the more clever novels.

Just want to make sure everyone has seen the next lot of suggestions.

yes thank you Ann..i have my thinking cap on... :-)

Thanks Ann I have it. Is it me late or has everyone sent out early this week? I'm only halfway through my story eek....

Lol Mau, everyone has been enthusiastic this week and sent out early, but it is only a 2 week guideline so doesn't matter, as long as we get something.

For those who are concerned at not hearing from Errol, he very much still wants to join us but has other calls on his time away from GR. We shall be patient and wait with baited breath.
However I don't know what has happened to ChAoTic who we didn't hear from last time. Anyone 'seen' Julie around? :-)

hi, got the new suggestions...........so who will be 1st ?

I do not seem to have chaotics e mail or i have mislaid/deleted, can you help out ?


Jan

phew that's alright then lol Ann :-)

And sorry to be picky :-S but have we not had these set pieces before? but should say not The Great Expectations story/poem

Mau xx

You may well have done Mau but if so I doubt if we tackled all of them. #suggest one yourself if you have an idea. :-)

hmm * dons thinking cap......I could be some time ;-) :-D x

Sorry didn't get back after you posted Mau. I have done a check and you may be right that we had these prompts but back in 2010 which is probably why nobody else remembers.

I'll give you 3 bonus options as well then, don't think we've had these.

11. A man elbows your character in a crowd. After he is gone, she discovers her cell phone is too. She calls her own number, and the man answers. She explains that the cell phone has personal information on it and asks the man to send it back to her. He hangs up. Instead of going to the police, your character decides to take matters into her own hands...

12. After your character loses his job, he is home during the day. That's how he discovers that his teenage son has a small marijuana plantation behind the garage. Your character confronts his son, who, instead of acting repentant, explains to your character exactly how much money he is making from the marijuana and tries to persuade your character to join in the business...

13. At a garage sale, your character buys an antique urn which she thinks will look nice decorating her bookcase. But when she gets home, she realizes there are someone's ashes in it....

think i might go back in my comfort zone this time and just submit a poem if that is ok.... :-)