CREATIVE WRITING MATTERS
  • Home
  • What We Do
    • CreativeWritingMatters Guides
    • Mentoring
    • Manuscript Appraisal
  • Competitions
    • Our Winners
    • 2021 Exeter Novel Prize >
      • 2021 ENPrize Judge's report
    • 2022 Exeter Story Prize
    • 2021 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award >
      • 2021 ESP Winning Stories
    • 2020 Exeter Novel Prize >
      • 2020 ENPrize Judge's Report
    • 2020 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award >
      • 2020 Winning Stories
    • 2019 Exeter Novel Prize >
      • 2019 ENP Judge's Report
    • 2019 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award >
      • 2019 ESP Winning Stories
    • 2019 Exeter Flash Competition >
      • 2109 Flash Winners
    • 2018 Exeter Novel Prize
    • 2018 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award >
      • 2108 ESP Winning stories
    • 2018 Exeter Flash Competition >
      • 2018 Flash Winners
    • 2017 Exeter Novel Prize
    • 2017 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award
    • 2016 Exeter Novel Prize Award Ceremony and Judge's Report
    • 2016 Exeter Story Prize
    • 2015 ENP Award Ceremony and Judge's reports
    • 2015 ESP, Award Ceremony and Judges' Report
    • 2014 ENP Award Ceremony and Judge's Report
    • 2013 ENP Award Ceremony and Judge's Report
    • 2017 Flash Winners
    • 2016 Flash Winners
    • 2015 Flash Winners
    • 2014 Flash winners
    • 2013 Flash Winners
    • 2012 Flash Winners
    • 2011 Flash Winners
    • 2017 Wow! Winners
    • 2016 Wow! Winners
    • 2015 Wow! Winners
    • 2014 Wow! Winners
  • About us
    • Sophie Duffy
    • Cathie Hartigan
    • Margaret James
    • Contact us
  • Blog
  • Links
  • Privacy Policy

The long and short of it

31/7/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
Two photos today. Both secured from a free photo site and on the first page of my search for images of 'creative writing'. I thought they were both rather lovely, but ever so slightly not anything to do with creative writing.
Unless you want to be metaphorical... 
In which case, the small image is, in my mind, the flash competition entries. Have you written yours yet? Only 250 words and a whole month before the closing date. Go HERE

The beautiful and burgeoning cloud below is how my mind is currently feeling about The Exeter Story Prize competition.  It's for a story of up to ten thousand words. I have yet to put the details up on the site - soon, promise! The closing date won't be until next April so there's a while to go. By then, the winner of the 2014 Exeter Novel Prize will already have been announced. Could it be you? Go HERE

If you want to give yourself the best chance with any competition, whether it's one of ours or not, then do your homework. So many times during judging do we come across great ideas and talent but the story can't win because of poor execution or a major error resulting of just not knowing! Read the previous winners. Go to a writing class or group. Read a creative writing text book (oh, how can I not give The Creative Writing Student's Handbook a plug here?), or at the very least, get someone else to read your story, if possible someone who writes too or knows more than your nearest and dearest.

If you're reasonably local you might like Friday Writers. Go HERE for more info about the course.

Happy writing and don't forget - you can't win if you don't enter!

Picture
0 Comments

Competition time

24/1/2014

1 Comment

 
Picture
In the last week I haven't won two competitions. This isn't surprising since one I didn't enter and the other had a great many entries. What have I learnt from this experience? Anything? 
I discovered this week that a writer I admire, Tracy Fells, had a competition success rate in 2013 of merely 33%. I was amazed at that because her name appeared in so many lists. But what I hadn't known was that she had entered eighty-seven competitions. Gasp! 
Note to self - write faster!
I am a firm believer in competitions. They are a godsend for the aspiring writer. Not only do others notice (illustrious others as well as friends and family) but a placing in any list provides massive self-validation. The lonesome writer needs lots.
That's the main reason that CreativeWritingMatters is launching another competition. We're calling it WoW! because it's for a short story of one thousand words (best to say it out loud), although we'll allow fifty either way. The closing date will be 31st May and I'll be posting a page with more information under the competition tab on February 1st. 
Tracy won second place in the H.E.Bates competition. Congratulations! And to Anne Corlett for winning. You can read both their stories HERE. I'm thinking of getting a dog (see pic).

Closer to home, I'm going to sing the praises of an Exeter Writer, Dan Knibb who has been short listed for the Harry Bowling Novel and Flash prize. When he's famous I shall tell anecdotes about his first term in my class.
Edit: I've since discovered that a 20% success rate is considered good! Keep sending 'em out, folks.


1 Comment

Opening the bubbly

20/8/2013

4 Comments

 
PictureHappy Days
Time to crack open the first round of bubbly, I think, for I can now share some very excellent news I've known about for a little while. In the Spring of next year, the Romantic Novelists' Association is to publish an anthology and one of my stories is to be included in the digital edition. 
I am so proud! I shall be rubbing page shoulders with so many illustrious names that I could end up as fizzy as the glass on the left. I sent off the story over a year ago now. It's quite long - nearly five thousand words but I remember writing it at some speed. Then there was the many months of waiting to hear and all the time trying not to think about it.

When I heard I'd been successful, I re-read it and couldn't help feeling deliciously pleased with myself. 
I'll let you know when it is published. There may be pictures, even a new frock - what?Another new frock? We'll see. It's a bit tricky to have a book signing for an ebook, but I'll think of something. In the meantime...cheers! 

4 Comments

Launching The Exeter Novel Prize

29/6/2013

3 Comments

 
PictureMargaret, Sophie et moi.
Do we look rather pleased with ourselves? I think so. We were at Thursday evening's launch of The Exeter Novel Prize and very successful it was too. Lots of people came, turning out in nasty weather more like October's than June. Thank you! 

It's quite a while since I posted my first competition entry. I sent my story to the Woman and Home competition in 2005. My mother had given me the magazine. 'You do a bit of writing,' she said. The theme of the competition was Presents. I read the magazine and thought about all the presents I'd ever been given. The lamp in this photo is probably the oddest. It also inspired the story and I shall never part with it. 

Picture'I saw it and thought of you,' she said.
The story reached the finals and my name and a little postage stamp picture was published in the magazine. I was so happy I cried. Since then, I've had a lot of success. Competitions abound for the short story writer.
But for the novelist, opportunities are few. Most novel competitions have restrictions of one sort or another. A particular genre perhaps, unpublished writers only, age and/or sex of the entrant are some. 
Margaret, Sophie and I want The Exeter Novel Prize to be an opportunity for as many novelists as possible, whether it be a first step on the ladder or a step back on the ladder having fallen off in the past. The thrill of being placed, that recognition of worth after those hours spent tapping away is better than any shot in the arm.

The very best of luck to all who enter.







3 Comments

An Earthless Melting Pot

5/6/2013

2 Comments

 
Picture
Surreal title + surreal image = Brilliant!
Old news now but hey! I still want to crow about it. Last Saturday evening I was drinking pink fizz in the Charing Cross branch of Foyles celebrating the launch of The Earthless Melting Pot. It's the prizewinners anthology of the 2012 Words with Jam competition. I'm very proud that my story The Scent of Lemons was second in the long short - as opposed to the short or short short - category. 
My fellow winners below: left to right
Barbara Leahy; Me; Ken Elkes (winner of the Fish Flash Fiction prize - wow!); Ruby Cowling;
Diane Jackman; Vikky Gemmell; Bo Crowder; Vanessa Savage. Thanks to Margaret James for being an ace photographer. 


It felt very whizzy to be in Soho on a Saturday evening. I used to buy my piano music from Foyles when I was a teenager although the shop didn't stay open until 9pm then. Afterwards Margaret and I really went to town and had another glass of fizz and an  ice cream in Carluccio's. That was in addition to the excellent nosh provided by Words with Jam and Triskele Books. Thanks to them and in particular Jane Dixon-Smith. Good luck with Tristan and Iseult. 
Picture
We're all winners!
2 Comments

RNA summer party

22/5/2013

0 Comments

 
PictureParty girls - Margaret, Sophie and Cathie
The team has been out partying again. Meeting up with old friends and yes, we did have a glass or two and quite a few canapés. The main focus of the evening was to applaud those shortlisted for the Romantic Novel of the Year and Joan Hessayon Award and to congratulate the winners Jenny Colgan and Leisel Schwarz. It was a very happy occasion. More information about the evening can be found HERE. There are more photos HERE.

Of course, the RNA summer party was also a great place for us to spread the word about The Exeter Novel Prize and everyone we spoke to was very enthusiastic. Our esteemed judge, Broo Doherty was also there and she is as keen as we are to discover new talent. The local launch of the prize is at the Writing Competitions: How to be a Winner event at Exeter Central Library on June 27th at 7pm. We're hoping for a big audience (to eat the cakes). 

PictureLater...
An RNA party has to have some mention of shoes but instead of the usual photos of stilettos, platforms and sparkly bone-crushers, here's what happens a little later in the evening. 
Phew! I can still hear the collective sigh of relief. 

0 Comments
<<Previous

    What they did next...

    Scroll down to find out about our previous winners.

    Archives

    March 2022
    October 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    November 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    January 2018
    July 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Benedict Cumberbatch
    Cats
    Creative Writing
    Exeter
    Exeter Writing Courses
    John Finnemore
    Novelists
    Rna
    Romantic Novelists Association
    The Exeter Novel Prize
    Writing Competition
    Writing Courses
    Writing Workshops

Picture
Picture
Picture
Photos used under Creative Commons from Noah Sussman, Noah Sussman, Noah Sussman, crosescribe, The hills are alive*, Dave_S., h.koppdelaney, twm1340, Cristian V., PoloGoomba, RachelH_, M Glasgow, wendati
  • Home
  • What We Do
    • CreativeWritingMatters Guides
    • Mentoring
    • Manuscript Appraisal
  • Competitions
    • Our Winners
    • 2021 Exeter Novel Prize >
      • 2021 ENPrize Judge's report
    • 2022 Exeter Story Prize
    • 2021 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award >
      • 2021 ESP Winning Stories
    • 2020 Exeter Novel Prize >
      • 2020 ENPrize Judge's Report
    • 2020 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award >
      • 2020 Winning Stories
    • 2019 Exeter Novel Prize >
      • 2019 ENP Judge's Report
    • 2019 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award >
      • 2019 ESP Winning Stories
    • 2019 Exeter Flash Competition >
      • 2109 Flash Winners
    • 2018 Exeter Novel Prize
    • 2018 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award >
      • 2108 ESP Winning stories
    • 2018 Exeter Flash Competition >
      • 2018 Flash Winners
    • 2017 Exeter Novel Prize
    • 2017 Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award
    • 2016 Exeter Novel Prize Award Ceremony and Judge's Report
    • 2016 Exeter Story Prize
    • 2015 ENP Award Ceremony and Judge's reports
    • 2015 ESP, Award Ceremony and Judges' Report
    • 2014 ENP Award Ceremony and Judge's Report
    • 2013 ENP Award Ceremony and Judge's Report
    • 2017 Flash Winners
    • 2016 Flash Winners
    • 2015 Flash Winners
    • 2014 Flash winners
    • 2013 Flash Winners
    • 2012 Flash Winners
    • 2011 Flash Winners
    • 2017 Wow! Winners
    • 2016 Wow! Winners
    • 2015 Wow! Winners
    • 2014 Wow! Winners
  • About us
    • Sophie Duffy
    • Cathie Hartigan
    • Margaret James
    • Contact us
  • Blog
  • Links
  • Privacy Policy