So we have been doing some renovation works. First we have changed our name and we are now
We are hoping this new name will represent us better.
Then we decided to do some major improvements to the blog. To do so, we finally decided to move. Now you will find us HERE. With this move, we hope to be able to have a more dynamic place online and an easier way to connect with our visitors. We're still redecorating, but at some point we'll have everything set up there and we'll place a redirection here so that it's easier for you to find us. Please note that our contact email address has changed too. We'd love your feedback on our new site, so please come have a look!
wordcentral is a friendly, informal group who meet to read and discuss our work and share information, contacts and news. Writers of all genres are welcome – fiction, plays, poetry, non-fiction – come along and find out what we're like. We meet on the First and Third Thursday of the month from 6pm to 8pm at the St Sidwell's Centre, Exeter.
Prompts
Hello again, fellow writers! The days are longer, the weather is fairer, and yesterday we had our first meeting after the group's Annual General Meeting. One of the things that was decided in this AGM was to provide collectively a series of prompts or exercises for us to work on. We have got our suggested exercises box full now, and will be taking one out of it at every first meeting of each month so that those who so wish can give the exercise a go.
We are going to share the prompts here in this blog so that you can try them too. And if you want to share the results, you're welcome to do so!
Here it goes then:
"I listened to the distant thunder, the clatter of approaching hooves, a bodiless whinnying."
Happy writing!
We are going to share the prompts here in this blog so that you can try them too. And if you want to share the results, you're welcome to do so!
Here it goes then:
Prompt #1
"I listened to the distant thunder, the clatter of approaching hooves, a bodiless whinnying."
Happy writing!
Show, don't tell
This is one of the writers' tenets, but it can be difficult not to succumb to the temptation of simply saying what we want the reader to see. In the article Ten Tips to Help You Avoid Telling Writing, you'll find some interesting, useful suggestions to put it in practice.
Happy writing!
Happy writing!
Let's talk style
When we're talking literature, you know that form is important. First, you make sure you are using the grammar and punctuation properly so that it isn't just you (provided you do) understand what you have written, so that readers can enjoy the power of your words.
Another aspect is the choice of words: repetitions, ambiguities, cacophony... are some of the effects you want to avoid in order to make the reading more pleasant. Look out for those. Whereas you may feel proud of having produced a 500-page manuscript, if most of it is straw it isn't that great. Less is more. So get armed with some knowledge about what you can do with words. To begin with, here is an interesting list of superfluous bits that we tend to add to our writs. They're like sugar, the more you use the more you want to use, but then comes your guest, tries your dish, and the shock sends them into an insulin coma. Measure your ingredients.
Another aspect is the choice of words: repetitions, ambiguities, cacophony... are some of the effects you want to avoid in order to make the reading more pleasant. Look out for those. Whereas you may feel proud of having produced a 500-page manuscript, if most of it is straw it isn't that great. Less is more. So get armed with some knowledge about what you can do with words. To begin with, here is an interesting list of superfluous bits that we tend to add to our writs. They're like sugar, the more you use the more you want to use, but then comes your guest, tries your dish, and the shock sends them into an insulin coma. Measure your ingredients.
It's that time of the year again...
We're having our 2016 AGM in a couple of weeks, and we're excited about it, because we want it to be meaningful and productive. We're going to review what we've been up to, we're going to plan what we're going to do next, we have some interesting stuff lined up... We want the group to be more active and take initiatives, starting with the small bits -hoping to upload an updated group photo soon!- going on with the meaty parts, creating activities for development that will help our meetings be useful tools to keep our creative juices flowing; and then bigger stuff: events. We're preparing something special, so stay tuned to know more about it.
In the meanwhile, remember you're invited to join us in the fun at St Sidwell's every first and third Thursday of each month at 6pm. Refreshments provided!
Hoping to see you around soon.
In the meanwhile, remember you're invited to join us in the fun at St Sidwell's every first and third Thursday of each month at 6pm. Refreshments provided!
Hoping to see you around soon.
The Bard of Exeter
There is a tradition in Exeter in which a Bard is elected for a year and a day. The official title of this post is Bardic Chair of Caer Wyse, and those who aspire to fill it participate in a competition in which they perform poems, songs, or stories, and they also explain what they intend to do for Exeter as Bard, then the audience votes for their favourite. For instance, Simon Williams created in 2013 the Broadsheet, a newsletter brimming with work of poets from Devon and Cornwall.
This year the election takes place again at the Bike Shed Theatre, on Sunday, 12th March 2017 at 7.30 pm. That's this coming Sunday, so if you don't want to miss it go buy or book a ticket before they run out!
For details about this interesting part of Exeter history, read more at bardofexeter.weebly.com.
Work of our authors being performed!
Please pencil this in your diaries for an evening of fun and entertainment:
What: Short plays by Robert Joyce & Steven Petherick (& two other pieces)
Who: performed by actors from Cygnet Training Theatre
Where: at the Bikeshed, Fore Street Exeter
When: Monday 16th January, 7.30pm
How much: admission free (retiring collection)
The Phoenix Open Mic Events
Ruth Butler is passing us a reminder about the Open Mic event that takes place in the Phoenix bar on the third Wednesday of every month. This means the next session will be on January 18th, and Ruth herself is booked to do something. The sessions include poetry ( 5 minute slots, usually light and entertaining), music and stand-up comedy. It starts at 8pm and it is free!
Happy New Year from St Sidwell's
Here's hoping that you all had a great holiday time! We've just back and will have our second meeting of the year on the 19th, third Thursday of January, in our usual room in St Sidwell's Community Centre.
By the way, this year the Centre presented us with a beautiful Christmas card. Have a look:
Gorgeous, like last Christmas. But for this one there is a story that I would like to share with you. I was told that, during the Blitz, when so much of Exeter was destroyed, some of the stained glass work was damaged and fell down. For many years this artwork was thought to be lost, but actually somebody went and picked up the pieces, placing them somewhere safe. Only very recently, the pieces were rediscovered and now they are being restored. And so, we are so lucky to be able to admire again this stunningly beautiful depiction of St Sidwell, of which the card above is a detail.
To learn more about this amazing story, go visit the article about it in the Community Centre's website.
By the way, this year the Centre presented us with a beautiful Christmas card. Have a look:
Gorgeous, like last Christmas. But for this one there is a story that I would like to share with you. I was told that, during the Blitz, when so much of Exeter was destroyed, some of the stained glass work was damaged and fell down. For many years this artwork was thought to be lost, but actually somebody went and picked up the pieces, placing them somewhere safe. Only very recently, the pieces were rediscovered and now they are being restored. And so, we are so lucky to be able to admire again this stunningly beautiful depiction of St Sidwell, of which the card above is a detail.
To learn more about this amazing story, go visit the article about it in the Community Centre's website.
The end is near...
We're talking about the end of 2016, of course. The last meeting of this year will take place on the 15th of December at St Sidwells. Hoping to see you there!
Happy Holidays!
Happy Holidays!
Stepan the Bear
Our member John E Clarke, author of The Ancestral Warrior, received a message from two Australian readers who found a real-life counterpart of Boris, the friendly bear who is a main character of this fantasy novel (click on the link above to read more about it).
They sent John an article about Stepan, the Moscow bear who lives happily with his human adoptive parents. So here is a link where you can enjoy this story too, with lots of gorgeous photos and a video too. Isn't Stepan cute?
They sent John an article about Stepan, the Moscow bear who lives happily with his human adoptive parents. So here is a link where you can enjoy this story too, with lots of gorgeous photos and a video too. Isn't Stepan cute?
Gloomsbury
There is a series on Radio 4 - on Wednesdays at 11.30. Last one was part 4 of 6. But people can i player it.
It's called "Gloomsbury", and it is a parody of the adventures of the Bloomsbury Group written by Sue Limb. It is very clever and very funny. D H Lawrence is re-named D H Lollipop, a refugee from the Nottingham coalfields, and is portrayed as a boring, common Northener who has written a book called "Lady Hattersley's Plover". He is also about to write a book called "Men in Love" and is trying to persuade the men in the Bloomsbury Group to take their clothes off and have a wrestling match so he can take notes! There are of course lots of lewd jokes and references to naked picnics. Vita Sackville-West is re-named Vera Sackcloth-Vest and her husband is "something in the Foreign Office".
'Having declared that she would rather die than take any of Lady Utterline's advice. Vera opens her garden to the public as a charade just to deceive Henry. She even makes plans to dress up as a man so she can indulge in a secret liaison with Venus.'
There is a link with a further review: https://www.comedy.co.uk/radio/gloomsbury.
It's called "Gloomsbury", and it is a parody of the adventures of the Bloomsbury Group written by Sue Limb. It is very clever and very funny. D H Lawrence is re-named D H Lollipop, a refugee from the Nottingham coalfields, and is portrayed as a boring, common Northener who has written a book called "Lady Hattersley's Plover". He is also about to write a book called "Men in Love" and is trying to persuade the men in the Bloomsbury Group to take their clothes off and have a wrestling match so he can take notes! There are of course lots of lewd jokes and references to naked picnics. Vita Sackville-West is re-named Vera Sackcloth-Vest and her husband is "something in the Foreign Office".
'Having declared that she would rather die than take any of Lady Utterline's advice. Vera opens her garden to the public as a charade just to deceive Henry. She even makes plans to dress up as a man so she can indulge in a secret liaison with Venus.'
There is a link with a further review: https://www.comedy.co.uk/radio/gloomsbury.
Contributed by Elizabeth Vousden
Being Human
The College of Humanities of the University of Exeter celebrates his 2016 Being Human Festival with a variety of interesting events that you can check here. This year, the third this festival, the only one in its genre in the UK, is themed with 'Hope and Fear'. It will touch a wide range of subjects, from the football ground to Syrian culture, including a workshop on Golding's Lord of the Flies. Have a look at the programme in the link above and enjoy!
Andrew Marr's Paperback Heroes
I have just watched a fascinating programme on TV - BBC 4 at 9pm
(Monday 17 October 2016)
It is called "Sleuths, spies and Sorcerers: Andrew Marr's Paperback
Heroes" (Part one of three)
Each week he is examining a genre of Fiction. Tonight's was the
Detective Novel. He traced the history of the genre and the conventions
that have developed re format, plot and characters and how historical
events have changed how they have been written. He talks about/or
interviews Sherlock Holmes. Agatha Christie, in Ruth Rendell, Dashiell
Hammitt, Ian Rankin and Anthony Horrovitz. He then goes on to talk about
how Scandinavian detective series have changed the genre.
Next week's programme is about fantasy fiction and week 3 is on the
spy/espionage novel.
Tonight's programme is being repeated on Wednesday evening at 10pm.
There is also a website - BBC.co.uk/paperbackheroes, which is linked to
the Open University and has further advice on how to write these types
of fiction. For the OU article on this issue, visit this page.
(Monday 17 October 2016)
It is called "Sleuths, spies and Sorcerers: Andrew Marr's Paperback
Heroes" (Part one of three)
Each week he is examining a genre of Fiction. Tonight's was the
Detective Novel. He traced the history of the genre and the conventions
that have developed re format, plot and characters and how historical
events have changed how they have been written. He talks about/or
interviews Sherlock Holmes. Agatha Christie, in Ruth Rendell, Dashiell
Hammitt, Ian Rankin and Anthony Horrovitz. He then goes on to talk about
how Scandinavian detective series have changed the genre.
Next week's programme is about fantasy fiction and week 3 is on the
spy/espionage novel.
Tonight's programme is being repeated on Wednesday evening at 10pm.
There is also a website - BBC.co.uk/paperbackheroes, which is linked to
the Open University and has further advice on how to write these types
of fiction. For the OU article on this issue, visit this page.
Elizabeth Vousden
Festival of Local Writing in Cullompton
On the 14th-15th October, The Walronds is hosting this interesting event consisting of an evening of three superb short plays staged by Patterns Theatre Company and includes an opportunity to feed back your views to the writers and directors. The plays are The Digital Age by Christine Hardy, Letting Go by John Somers, and The Wrong Apples, a comedy by our member Elizabeth Vousden. Will you miss it?
Tickets are £7 and can be obtained calling 07885 475943. The venue address is 6 Fore Street, Cullompton, EX15 1JL. Doors open at 7 pm for a 7.30 pm start and we are told there will be a bar available.
And don't forget our next meeting will take place on the 20th October at the Old Chapel Room in St Sidwells Community Centre. See you there!
Tickets are £7 and can be obtained calling 07885 475943. The venue address is 6 Fore Street, Cullompton, EX15 1JL. Doors open at 7 pm for a 7.30 pm start and we are told there will be a bar available.
And don't forget our next meeting will take place on the 20th October at the Old Chapel Room in St Sidwells Community Centre. See you there!
Note about the meetings
Hello, fellow writers. Just a few lines to let you know that during the autumn we will be using a different room from the usual one for our meetings. The sessions taking place between the 6th October and the 1st December will be held in the Chapel Room of St Sidwells. So, if you come join us during those dates, just get into the very first room you'll find. We're looking forward to meet you!
Creative Writing Taster
Anne Marie is tipping us with information about an interesting event:
Exeter Central Library is hosting a taster session on the Foundation Degree in Creative and Professional Writing course developed by Exeter College in association with Plymouth University. It is taking place next Wednesday 6th July and tickets can be obtained at the library.
For more information, check the library's notice at their twitter account, or simply pop into the place and ask. You know you're going anyway...
Happy writing.
Exeter Central Library is hosting a taster session on the Foundation Degree in Creative and Professional Writing course developed by Exeter College in association with Plymouth University. It is taking place next Wednesday 6th July and tickets can be obtained at the library.
For more information, check the library's notice at their twitter account, or simply pop into the place and ask. You know you're going anyway...
Happy writing.
Free Workshop by Lucy Bell
Date:
Saturday 25 June
Time:
11:00 - 13:00
Award-winning writer, Lucy Bell, co-founder of Documental Theatre, will take you through the process of using documentary source material as a starting point for writing. Working with transcripts of research, we will talk about rhythms and figures of speech and how to create a sense of energy, character and dramatic motivation in a short spoken word piece.
Audience: Suitable for newcomers to writing or for more experienced writers.
Expect to leave with a new character buzzing around your head...
Cost: Free Event
Bookings: Tickets can be booked at the library
Partner: The Bike Shed Theatre
I haven't been able to find out whether this is at the library or at the Bikeshed. If you are interested, you'll have to find out when you book your place at the library.
Saturday 25 June
Time:
11:00 - 13:00
Award-winning writer, Lucy Bell, co-founder of Documental Theatre, will take you through the process of using documentary source material as a starting point for writing. Working with transcripts of research, we will talk about rhythms and figures of speech and how to create a sense of energy, character and dramatic motivation in a short spoken word piece.
Audience: Suitable for newcomers to writing or for more experienced writers.
Expect to leave with a new character buzzing around your head...
Cost: Free Event
Bookings: Tickets can be booked at the library
Partner: The Bike Shed Theatre
I haven't been able to find out whether this is at the library or at the Bikeshed. If you are interested, you'll have to find out when you book your place at the library.
Forensic Science course for free!
The University of Strathclyde is offering an online Introduction to Forensic Science course. So, if you like to write detective stories, police procedure stuff, or similar, and want to make sure that your depictions are true to life, follow the link and take a look. It covers an interesting range of evidence types, and it's bound to be very interesting. But hurry up if you want to sign up, because the course starts on the 18th of April!
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