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There are practical writing tips, links to blogs and a large list of magazines whose editors buy or use short stories. A fantastic resource.

Writing Short Stories by Ailsa Cox.

I always borrow books from the library partly because I've run out of space to store them and mainly because I don't want to spend money on a book if I don't like it or it's not what I need. When I've had a book out three times I reckon it's good enough to buy.
The Oldham Library copy of Writing Short Stories by Ailsa Cox has three dates stamps from when I loaned it. It's a great read for writers. Full of ideas, tips and sources. I've bought a copy for my kindle where it takes up hardly any space and doesn't need dusting.
If you're looking for books that help with writing, have a look at this one. Written by a story writer and teacher who has been generous with her knowledge, it is a good read as well as being one of those books you can dip into when you need ideas.  

Well worth the overdue fees.

First published by Routledge in 2005.
ISBN  0-203-96262-1

French Field

This photograph of a field in Brittany, France, was taken at 7.45am on a late August morning. Mist had gathered in the air and no one other than me was there to see it. Beyond the trees there is a hamlet with fewer than thirty residents, living in old style houses. At this time they would all be up and ready for the day ahead.

Write several sentences about this photo.
Imagine the dwellings that are nearby, just out of vision. Write about who lives there.
Write about how this picture makes you feel.
Write about the imagined owner of the field?
What is the field used for?
Imagine the identity of the person viewing the filed. Is it you or an imaginary person?
Write about the purpose of their journey.

Use your notes and musings to create a poem. You could try something small and disciplined such as a haiku which contains 17 syllables divided over three lines. The first line has 5 syllables, the second line has 7 syllables and the third line has 5 syllables. Punctuation can be placed where you think it's needed.

You could also write free verse. Use half rhymes, poetic language and metaphors to transform your notes into something poetic. Get rid of superfluous words. Write as many lines as you need.

Put the first draft of your work away for a couple of weeks before revising it. That way you get the chance to see the work as though for the first time and have a good chance of seeing flaws that can be erased.


How far do you need to travel to see a field like this? Write about the journey to that field.

Quaint Quilt

Look at this quilt top. This is just a small section of a huge cover that would fit a double bed. It's also something of a conundrum. I don't know who made it or when it was made. Or why. Some of the hexagons included in the design are made from worn material, others from clothing and others from soft furnishings such as cushions and curtains. A few materials have been repeated but on the whole almost all of the 700 hexagons are made from different pieces of fabric which appear to be from the 1950's and 1960's. Some pieces are older. I can't imagine where the fabrics came from, who donated them or how the maker or makers of this quilt got their hands on them.
Whoever started this cover didn't get to finish it and one of the things on my 'to do' list is to add a wadding and backing to it, get someone to quilt and bind it and make it usable.

People in my groups have used this quilt to write stories, usually from the point of view of a person who once owned one of the fabrics. Some have written poems. Some have loved the cover with its vintage quirkiness. Others have not liked it, saying it's odd, a lot of work for an indifferent result.

There might be hundreds of stories, real and imagined, connected to this quilt.

Find one.

It could be a mystery, a romance, a comedy.

It could be the story of the maker or makers.

It could be the story of one of the people who donated a bit of fabric.

Maybe the pieces of fabric represent events or incidents. Write about them.

Quilts can sometimes evoke work based on memory or historical events. Try to keep the work fresh and relevant. If you choose to write in the past, avoid whimsy or over use of nostalgia. Instead, if going into the past, create a world as real and vibrant as the world is now.

Do you have a quilt with a story attached to it?

Stories hidden away in garages.

This is my garage. It doesn't really matter if I vacuum it, tidy up, throw things away or organize stuff into logical categories - this garage always looks the same.

A few weeks ago I used the idea of a scruffy garage in a creative writing class. I asked everyone to write a story of approximately 1000 words about 

'An item  hidden in such a place.' Describe the garage, the person who hid the item, the reasons and so on.

The exercise produced some good results in the form of humorous stories and mysterious yarns. I could see that there was a lot of material to go at so I asked for another story - 

'that of the person who goes into the garage and finds the hidden object when they are looking for something else.'

The second stories thickened the plot and there were good results in the form of dramatic ideas and outlines.

So, give it a go. 

Write a story about a person who stashes something away in a garage. What have they stashed and why? Where is it? What do they hope to gain? When will they return for their item? The story can be funny, edgy, sad, serious, crazy....whatever you choose.

Next write another story about another person who goes into the garage and finds the hidden item mentioned above.

Aim for two stories that work together but that also stand alone. You could aim for a word count of 1000 words per story if you like but if the idea takes off don't limit yourself. If it evolves into a drama for the nine o clock spot let me know.

What does your garage look like?


Carmen Walton