As I finish up the first half of Twisted 50 stories, organising the spreadhseet for the judges, and offering my thoughts, for what they are worth, I’ve started to pick up an some patterns and have some suggestions for your future writing self (and I will be using these insights too). All written with love in my heart and a wooden stake, just in case.
What Did I Learn Reading The First Half Of Twisted50 Entries? Read More »
‘Just to add, a huge thank you to you and your team for organising this competition. Whatever the outcome, it has given me an unexpected kick to start writing again after a long fallow period and I have thoroughly enjoyed the process and engaging with the other writers. It is a great initiative and I know you put a huge amount into making it work.’ David Fisher // Writer
Twisted50 Writers Share Their Thoughts On The Process… Read More »
I always search for horror short story competitions when the summer ends. This is a logical step with Halloween getting close. But the changing of the seasons kicks my brain into horror mode in a way that is beyond mere ghosts and demons. This is a desire to harness the characteristics of a specific time of year. Gripping spooky stories can of course take place at any point in the calendar. But my annual search has made me consider quite how effective seasonal writing can be. By looking for inspiration in Autumn itself, you can create some brilliant fiction.
Embracing The Seasons: How Seasonal Writing Can Help You Create Better Stories Read More »
We had no idea what we were getting into. How do you start writing in a new genre when your life has been consumed by another? Do you approach it… philosophically? Theoretically? With force and later fix the scrambles with duct tape? What’s the right amount of blood? Can it just be mysterious or psychological? Does that qualify as a horror? It’s a rabbit hole that goes around in circles, and we just kept running.
What is a horror? We had no idea, now we do. Kind of… Read More »
For most people, horror is a genre that offers thrilling entertainment or a good scare. For me, horror is something I’ve spent years avoiding. This is because I experience both hypnagogic (falling asleep) and hypnopompic (waking up) hallucinations. Essentially, I ‘see’ my dreams for a minute or two after I wake up or as I’m falling asleep, meaning nightmares sometimes follow me into the waking world.
Why Writing A Short Story CAN and DOES Lead To New Opportunities Author, screenwiter and past Talent Camper Mark Renshaw just posted about a recent thrilling journey that began with a short story he wrote – we don’t know which, but it could well be the one he wrote for Singularity50. Here’s what he said…
Why Writing A Short Story CAN and DOES Lead To New Opportunities Read More »