We are a long established Writers Circle based in Felixstowe, Suffolk. This Weblog will be about us, Writing, Writing Competitions, Writing in Felixstowe, life and generally what we are up to as a Group and individuals and what interests us.
We are based in Felixstowe but our membership comes both from a wide area within Suffolk and we also have many 'online' members from around the UK, Europe and the US.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Please note our New! contact address is scribblers@btinternet.com . Please note all previous email addresses are now defunct.
Friday, November 28, 2008
OUR NEXT MEETING - AND AN UPDATE ON THE SOCIAL
Just a few lines to remind you that our next meeting takes place this coming Tuesday, 2nd December starting at 7.30pm in the Café Libra at Felixstowe Library. Our homework assignment is for 500 words on 'Pain' or 'Joy' or even both! of them. Down to provide the 1,500 word open themed work are Caroline and Kay.
Ruth has provided an update on our social :
SCRIBBLERS SOCIAL
JANUARY 24TH & 25TH
EVENING EVENT
VENUE: The Castle Lodge Hotel arrival 6.30 for 7pm
We will have the whole dining room to ourselves, and there is a small bar. There is also a lounge area. We will have a 3 course meal (starter/main course/dessert), followed by coffee and mints for £15. Partners / friends are invited too. A £5 deposit is required, with full payment prior to the event, please. There will be a choice of starter and dessert on the night, but the main course will be roast beef with Yorkshire pudding or cheese & parsnip roulade with sage & onion stuffing(v) or Scottish salmon supreme. Please let me know your choice.
GUEST SPEAKER: Our guest speaker, Maureen Blundell, who writes as Roz Colyer, has self-published 3 novels. She is an editor who runs courses in Greece & Suffolk. She would join us for our meal and give a brief talk (20 mins?) entitled Polishing your Prose.
DAYTIME EVENTS SATURDAY: On Saturday afternoon Maureen will be holding individual editing sessions at a cost of £15 for one hour. This could be to look at a short story or part of a novel. Sessions: 1.00 (available), 2.30 (Jane) & 4.00 (Sue)
SUNDAY: On Sunday from 10 – 12 Maureen will run a small group session looking at narrative structure / character / plot development etc. The cost is £10.
Please let Ruth know if you wish to book for the meal and/or a daytime event. Remember to give your choice of meal.
Hope you can all decide on your meal and let Ruth know on Tuesday!
It was a low turnout for Judy's talk at Woodbridge Library. Unfortunately bad weather and a bout of colds and flu zipping around didn't help. We are reliably informed by Morag that it was, once again, a brilliant talk and copies of Judy's book 'Like Ships That Pass In The Night', cost" £12.99. It is a fascinating read!
It is a long time since Kate was able to attend Scribblers but good news is that she has had a short story accepted for publication and details are still awaited. Kate has been spending her time oil painting and has also had some of her work accepted by local art galleries.
It is always nice to hear how our old friends are getting on so if you have any news please let us know.
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Apologies: Ruth (whose husband is working away) Alex (in Cuba), Sue (unwell), Lauren (unwell).
Present: Morag, Jane, Tony, Dick, Trish, Liliane, Angela, Caroline, Peter, Barry, and Dave. There was a special welcome back to Les and Kay and a warm welcome extended to three new members, Joanne from Hadleigh, Connie from Felixstowe and Nicola from Ipswich.
SCRIBBLERS NEWS
It was welcome back to Kay who returns to the group after about two years whilst Les has been absent in recent meetings on health grounds. Great to see them at Scribblers again!
It is always nice to welcome new members and attendance was boosted by Joanne coming along for the first time. She is a member of the Hadleigh Writers, whilst Connie is new to writing. Based in Felixstowe she has done some writing in the past and now would like to expand on her writing skills. Nicola has been a newspaper journalist in the past but is now a sub-editor on a magazine but would really like to get into creative writing and possibly write a book one day.
Dave reports that in answer to an a request in the Evening Star he wrote to Legend Publishing on memories of Ipswich Town F.C. that are to be published in a book entitled ‘Ipswich ’Til I Die’. Like a nightmare he recalled two Boxing Day matches in 1962 and 1963 when Town lost 5-0 at Tottenham and 10-1 at Fulham! He has been asked to expand the memories for inclusion
There is still no news of Morag’s book “Green Wellies and Wax Jackets” that has adapted for filming. The original producer/organiser died and his replacement has yet to follow the project through.
Don’t forget this Sunday at 2.00pm, Judy is giving a talk at Woodbridge Library on her fascinating adventures that are recalled in her book ‘Like Ships That Pass In The Night’.
A Message from Chris (Now back in Cairns)
“Hi Dave, it was good to see you and the gang. Yes, sad! Lots of emotions sloshing about and making appearances at unexpected times. You may have caught up with the article in the Evening Star or the East Anglian by Richard Cornwell, the Felixstowe editor. “As for the book, my appraiser culled the 30+ stories I sent her to 18 and said the ones left had merit, but that no publisher would go near them, so she thought I should self publish. That was in Jan 2008. I started thinking about this around July (an East Anglian being careful!) In the 3 months from August I assembled a team to help me produce a professional product — Graphic artist, Website creator, Narrator, Sound engineer, Wordsmith (loosely, someone to stop me making a complete idiot of myself), Editor and Printer. “For such a small tome, the cost is not exorbitant. Also they don’t know they are a team as I deal with them individually. I have set no dead-line, which lowers the stress levels when there are the inevitable glitches e.g. my narrator has a jewellery business and can’t spent time at his busiest time of the year i.e. Christmas, and the sound engineer is booked solid for November, so my plans for a Christmas market have just walked out of the door. Worried? No! “I’m very aware that self publishing a small book of entertaining stories can, in most cases, be doomed to failure. I know there will be no advertising or promotion from publishers, only what I do myself. But I have some marketing skills, which I believe will make this project a success. E.g. I have called it ‘It’s all Relative: Stories to shorten your travel time. Book One.’ Of course there is no Book two but the website will have a tick box for further information about the release of book two, thus creating another market when the numbers are sufficient to produce one. “I have to say that this whole experience has been a stress less learning curve, and very enjoyable. Not knowing what I should be doing and in what order, has produced a fascinating three months or so, and I have in excess of 50 pages of the progress I have made, in the hope that I can facilitate the next one quicker, cheaper and easier. “It’s going to be imperative that I self-promote the book as well, so my fear of public speaking will have to be exorcised, which will come with practice, no doubt. As we say in our family, ‘Yet another bloody learning curve, will it never end?’ The answer is ‘No’ and it helps to keep the ‘Oldtimers’ away too. “Thanks from our family for your kind thoughts, and if Mother can hang on to the ‘twig’ until September 2009 when she will hit her 100th I will be over then. If she doesn’t then I will over to help my sister cope with all those things that have to be done. “Keep scribbling! “Our best from Chris and Rebecca”
We’ll all be looking out for ‘It’s all Relative: Stories to shorten your travel time. Book One.’ Best of luck with it.
OUR NEXT SOCIAL:
Further details will be revealed as soon as possible.
All scribblers ntl accounts and addresses are no longer functional..
The Platform:
The 1,500 Open themed assignments:
Morag: The Coach Trip (chapter 5) Barry: Springfield 30.06 (chapter 44) End of the Road Las Vegas
The 500 word assignments on “Concrete or Nightmares or both”.
Nicola: Nightmares Peter: Cavorting Mayors Caroline: Contemplation Joanne: Trapped Angela: The Power of Words Liliane: Christmas Recipe for Disaster Trish: Unchristened Kay: Small Acts Dick: Tell No Secrets Les: Into the Smoke Tony: Where Hood Revisited Jane: Jane Eyre (The Epilogue) Dave: Concrete Nightmare
Next time:
The next meeting will be held on 2nd December with the subject for the 500 word assignment either ”Pain” or “ Joy)” or both!” The choice is yours!
The 1,500 Open themed words will be provided by Caroline and Kay.
I have been inundated with requests to broaden the Kaixin Competitions to include poetry and photography.
So there are now three regular competitions – writing, photography and poetry, plus the annual competition.
The main purpose of these competitions is to foster a better understanding of China. In particular, to see China through many different 'eyes'.
As this is the first competition for the photography and poetry, it will be free to enter and a first prize of $100 will be awarded for each. They close on December 31st.
Just a few lines to remind you that our next meeting takes place this coming Tuesday, 18th November starting at 7.30pm in the Café Libra at Felixstowe Library. Our homework assignment is for 500 words on 'Concrete' or 'Nightmare(s)' or even - if you're brave enough to attempt it, both! Morag and 1,500 word open themed work will be undertaken by Morag and Barry.
Please don't forget to let Ruth know about your choices for the January social.
Dave attended the latest Writers’ Café at Starbucks, in the Buttermarket, Ipswich on what turned out to be a really good selection of diverse topics and genres. A really good evening's entertainment and - it was free! If you are interested in learning of the next events, probably in February and then, of course, the Ipswich Arts Festival in the summer, please email Andrew Burton aburton@wolseytheatre.co.uk There is another plug for Judy and her talk that takes place at Woodbridge Library on Sunday November 23rd at 2pm about her book, "Like Ships That Pass In The Night" Wouldn't it be nice for her to have a few familiar Scribblers faces in the crowd.
Angela came from from a pleasant time in Italy to learn that she has been shortlisted for a short story competition in the Writers' News - for the fourth time! That is a great morale booster that will hopefully be another step towards winning!
By the time you read this, Alex will be on his way to Cuba, whilst Ruth has retruned from a great time in Russia.
Hoping to see you at Scribblers on Tuesday when Dave will chair the meeting. Until then,
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We would like to tell you about the Kaixin Writing Competition, which is held every three months.
First, Kaixin is pleased to announce the winner of the inaugural Kaixin Writing Competition.
It was Cathy Doheny from the U.S. with her touching story - 'Awakening to the whisper': http://kaixin.com.au/winning-entry-kaixin-writing/
Cathy won the $A250 first prize.
There were three highly commended: http://kaixin.com.au/highly-commended-kaixin-writ/
The next competition will end December 08.
For details please go to: http://kaixin.com.au/kaixin-writing-competition/
****
Welcome to the BBC writersroom newsletter.
Russell T Davies ---------------- Read our interview with Russell T Davies, showrunner of Doctor Who. http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/russell_t_davies_1.shtml
Radio Drama ----------- Sarah Daniels and Kwame Kwei-Armah will answer questions about Radio Drama in London on Thursday 20th November. Book your free tickets now. http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/radio_drama1.shtml
Caligari - Sue Roberts ---------------------- Read our interview with the producer of the radio adaptation of silent film The Cabinet of Dr Caligari. http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/caligari_sue_roberts.shtml
Caligari - Amanda Dalton ------------------------ Poet and playwright Amanda Dalton talks about her new radio adaptation of the silent film The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari. http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/caligari_amanda_dalton.shtml
The Wire -------- Kate Rowland tells us how to write for The Wire on Radio 3. http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/the_wire.shtml
BBC writersroom roadshows ------------------------- We're going on the road over the next twelve months... Find out where we'll be and how to hand over your script in person. More dates will be added in the next few weeks, so check back soon. http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/roadshows.shtml
New Scripts ----------- This month's new script is from New Tricks, and is by series creator Roy Mitchell. As always, scripts are in PDF format - if you can't read them, download Adobe Reader from http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/categories/plug/acrobat/acrobat.shtml?intro
New Tricks: Mad Dogs by Roy Mitchell http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/downloads/scripts/new_tricks_s5e8.pdf
Don't forget you can browse through all of the scripts in our script archive. http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/script_archive.shtml
Submitting your script to BBC writersroom ----------------------------------------- Want to write for the BBC? Find out what to send us on our script submissions page. http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/writing/submissions_writersroom.shtml
Blog ---- Abi talks about the art of montage and being baffled in Casualty, while Micheal delves into dialogue and describes the process of getting a comedy series commissioned. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/writersroom/
Opportunities ------------- Comedy Toboggan Deadline: 14 November 08 Ten in a Bed theatre are looking for comedy sketches for their annual Christmas show at the Clerkenwell Theatre, London. http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/comedy_toboggan.shtml
Son of the Pitch Deadline: 14 November 08 Win free tickets to the International Screenwriters Festival at Cheltenham, and a meeting with Film4 executives. http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/son_of_the_pitch.shtml
Recorded for Training Purposes Deadline: 17 November 08 An open-door sketch show for BBC Radio 4. http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/recorded_for_training_purposes.shtml
The Tony Doyle Bursary Deadline: 30 November 08 Prize of £2,000 and a residential course for writers with an Irish background. http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/tony_doyle_bursary.shtml
Skins Opportunity for a writer between 18 and 23 to write a web episode of Skins for Channel 4 http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/skins.shtml
STAGE International Script Competition Deadline: 15 December 09 $10,000 prize for a play about science and/or technology http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/stage.shtml
Theatre Trail Writers Competition Deadline: 31 January 09 Short plays required for the Arundel Festival Theatre Trail http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/theatre_trail_writers.shtml
Apologies: Ruth (whose husband is working away) and Jane (attending a firework display in Woodbridge) whilst Kay was intending to visit but is unwell.
Present: Dick, Dave, Peter, Barry, Tony, Liliane, Rosie, Trish, Angela, Alex, Morag, Caroline, Sue, Stephen and a flying visit from Chris.
SCRIBBLERS NEWS
Back to usual for the usual format this meeting with the lights well and truly on!
There was a fleeting visit from Chris who had just flown in from Cairns in Queensland, this time on a very sad journey. His father died at the weekend aged 101, truly a great innings. Chris mentioned that he is self publishing some of his stories and will send details to us when details have been finalised.
It was welcome back to the fold for Sue after some three years. A children’s writer, Sue has been kept busy in that time not least by becoming a grandmother twice over this year!
Now that her mother is safely accommodated in a care home, Morag has been able to return to Scribblers and has resumed her new book “Coach Trip” which is based on many of the characters and incidents she ahs witnessed on her travels.
Whilst on the subject of books, our friend Rochelle has her new book “Witch” due for release very shortly so watch this space! An extract was available at Scribblers for viewing, and anyone interested is welcome to see it and perhaps give a little feedback.
Judy will be giving a talk at Woodbridge Library on Sunday November 23rd at 2pm about her book, “Ships That Pass In The Night”. Wouldn’t it be great if some familiar Scribblers faces could go and support her?
It was nice to see Caroline from Hadleigh again, her colleague Angela (number 2!) was unable to attend this evening. Caroline has suggested to members of the Hadleigh group interested in creative writing that they might like to attend Scribblers in the future.
Tony reports that the Rushmere Players entered the Brantham Drama Festival and came away with four awards including the best play for Rhinoceros that starred Tony and best actress, our own Ruth! So very well done to them!
Tony also says his night of Musical Mayhem was slightly down on numbers of previous years but even so, a really good time was had by all.
Did anyone spot the Felixstowe photo in the Evening Star recently that was taken by a former member, Ann?
Bumped into former Scribbler and reporter Gilly Maddison recently. Gilly wrote a very interesting feature that was published in the magazine “Yours Fiction”. It compared two writing groups, one of course the Felixstowe Scribblers, the other the Wolsey Writers’ Group alongside two reading groups, from the Ipswich Institute and the University of the Third Age.
Led by playwright Sally Wilden there is a Playwriting workshop run by Tree of Life on Saturday 8th November in the Harkstead village hall. £12 including a light lunch & drinks. Details from marian.carter@btinternet.com
There is a WRITERS’ CAFÉ at Starbucks, in the Buttermarket, Ipswich on Monday 10 November 2008, starting at 7pm.
Places for this free event are limited and there are a maximum of 15 reading slots available. Please email aburton@wolseytheatre.co.uk if you would like to attend, making it clear whether you would also like one of the reading slots – which are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Word has it that our Scribbling fraternity are becoming travellers and are fully expected to join Judy as a travel writer in the future. The international journeys coming up are Ruth visiting Russia, Angela off to Italy, Alex off to Cuba, Dick going down to Landguard Fort and Dave to Ipswich!
OUR NEXT SOCIAL:
Consensus of opinion at Scribblers was for The Castle Lodge Hotel on Saturday 24th January next year. The cost is £15 per person but will be subsidised from our tea and coffee fund! Letter is attached at the bottom of the page and you are requested to email scribblers@btinternet.com with your preferences as soon as possible. We await details from Ruth concerning Maureen Blundell.
The Platform:
The 1,500 Open themed assignments:
Rosie: Snow Storm: An extract from a longer work “Fairy” cleverly incorporating a host of fairy tale characters.
Angela: The Further Adventures of Mavis and Dot in which Mavis Discovers the Cruel Madness of Love: The story was written for her best friend who was seriously ill in hospital and sadly passed away two years ago.
The 500 word assignments on “Fairies”.
Dick: First Aid for a Fairy Trish: The First Fairy Liliane: The Fairy Tradition Morag: An extract from “Coach Trip” Caroline: Fairy Grandma Sue: The wrong Job Peter: That Golden Stardust Barry: BSF Dave: In an English Country Garden Stephen: A Chapter from “The Novel” Tony: Where’s Hood Forest Revisited.
Next time:
The next meeting will be held on 18th November and the subject for the 500 word assignment will be ”Concrete” or “ Nightmare(s)” or both!” The choice is yours!
The 1,500 Open themed work will be by Morag and Barry.
We are thinking about doing something a bit different for our January meal, and wanted to canvas your views. The alternative suggestions are:
1. The Castle Lodge Hotel. We would have the whole dining room to ourselves, and there is a small bar. There is also a lounge area. We could have a 3 course meal (starter/main course/dessert), followed by coffee and mints for £15. (Note: It is possible this price may be subsidised from the Scribblers account).
Another option would be a buffet, with quiche/meat/salads/puddings.
As this is a more `formal` do, maybe we should have it on a Saturday rather than a Tuesday?
Partners would be invited too.
2. A guest speaker. Maureen Blundel, who writes as Roz Collier, has self-published 3 novels. She is an editor who runs courses in Greece & Suffolk. She would come to our meal and give a brief talk (20 mins?) about a chosen subject. (self publishing? How to self-edit?)
As she would be staying in the hotel, she would also be available during the day for 1 to 1 editing, at a cost of £15 for one hour. This could be to look at a short story or part of a novel. Alternatively, she could run a small group session looking at narrative structure / character / plot development etc.
So, please can you let us know your preferences:
1. Keep the January meal at The Grosvenor as usual.
2. Go for the 3 course meal at the Castle Lodge Hotel.
3. Go for the buffet at the Castle Lodge Hotel.
4. Suggested day (Tuesday 27th January 2009 or on Saturday 24th or 31st January )
5. Suggested subject for Maureen to talk about………..
6. Would you be interested in a 1 to 1 session with Maureen?
7. Would you be interested in a group session on editing?
I am writing to introduce The Oxford Editors a literary consultancy based in Oxford but offering services to writers worldwide. We carry out manuscript assessments, provide mentors for writers, provide interesting speakers and run a variety of writing workshops. You can get a better idea of exactly what we offer on our website at www.theoxfordeditors.co.uk.
Toe was set up by two women who are authors and journalists to help aspiring and established writers improve their craft and to sell their work more effectively. We are very keen to work with writers and writers' groups and to that end we thought we would approach you to see if there are any ways we > could co-operate more closely.
To start with, we would like to offer a 10% discount on all our services to any of your members. We also run writing workshops from time to time and could put together an interesting programme for groups online and throughout the UK. If you feel this would be of interest to your members we can provide a code which they should quote when taking up one of our services.
It would be great to talk further about the way forward, so do feel free to email us at info@theoxfordeditors.co.uk or telephone us on 01865 358737
Interested? Then why not join us at one of our meetings?
We meet on the First and Third Tuesday of each month at the Felixstowe Library in Crescent Road, Felixstowe, IP11 7BY., meetings start at 7.30 pm and we endeavour to be finished by 10pm.
The New!2009 programme is:-
All meetings are held at Felixstowe Library
Start at 7.30 pm and finish by 10.00 pm.
Suggested 50 pence donation per meeting, includes tea or coffee
January
20 Bill Budner Trophy – Anonymous competition for attending writers only
24 Social meal at Castle Lodge Hotel
25 Group session with Maureen Blundell at Castle Lodge Hotel
February
3 Meeting
17 Meeting
March
3 Meeting
17 Creative writing exercise
April
7 Meeting
21 Meeting
May
5 Meeting
19 Bill Budner Trophy – Anonymous competition for attending writers only
June
2 Meeting
16 Meeting
Beach Party Social to be arranged June/July
July
7 Meeting
21 Creative writing exercise
August
4 Meeting
18 Meeting
September
1 Meeting
15 Bill Budner Trophy – Anonymous competition for attending writers only
October
6 Meeting
20 Torchlight Halloween Meeting
November
3 Meeting
17 Meeting
December
1 Meeting
15 Creative writing exercise followed by the Christmas party.
Remember, membership is FREE, so why not come along? We ask for an optional donation of 50p per meeting to help towards running costs but that does include tea or coffee and a biscuit!
New!IMPORTANT - you can help.....do you know information or content that would help other readers of the Felixstowe Scribblers Weblog?...mail us at Dave Feakes, scribblers@btinternet.com with your comments, additions and suggestions TA! The Scribblers.
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The Felixstowe Scribblers are an initiative created with the support of Suffolk County Council to help, support and encourage writers living in Suffolk.
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