It’s Friday afternoon and I’m sat at my desk at work; a.k.a. bored and daydreaming about the weekend. And an email pings up on my computer screen. It’s from Chris Jones at Create50 saying the deadline for ‘Twisted50’ is that very weekend.
Hm? My interest is piqued. I read further and discover that Chris’s latest creative community project isn’t a film but a book. A book of short horror stories. He’s looking for writers, but to have a chance of being one of them I’ve got to get my entry in that weekend. With a 2,000 word limit I almost close my browser there and then. I can write 2,000 words easy enough in that time, but write them well enough is another matter. Then I notice how Chris says he’s happy to receive work that’s much shorter – a challenge to see if horror can be achieved in just a few words.
The gauntlet is thrown and my brain is whirring, in moments I write the opening sentence. But then what? I haven’t read much horror since I was a teenager and it’s not a genre I ever saw myself writing in. So, I push it about a bit, but soon it’s time to leave my desk and go home for that weekend I was so eager for. And how do I spend it? Glued to the computer, of course. It starts that evening when I scribble and fret and throw my toys out of the pram (this is my process) and, realising it’s a dead loss, go to bed feeling sorry for myself.
However, like many creative-types, much inspiration comes in that space between being asleep and being awake; it’s often when I find answers to my problems. Overnight I come up with the ‘hook’ for my story and, as soon as I do, I know I’ll get it finished and submitted on time. And I’m so glad I did!
Being selected for Twisted’s Evil Little Sister has been a massive thrill. I’ve never had anything published before, so it’s a major confidence booster that’s already having an impact. Suddenly, I’m less shy about saying ‘I’m a writer’ and much more keen to write, submit and see what happens.
So, I’d like to say a big thank you to Chris Jones and the team for coming up with such brilliant projects and to the community of writers for taking the time to read and feedback. Where else could you find so many talented people willing to help other writers develop their work? I recommend Create50 to everyone I know who writes and look forward to watching it grow and grow.
Mary Stone
My Profile HERE.
