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Writing Workshop news and a BIG IDEA

Posted by on Jan 4, 2010 in Creative Writing, Writing, Writing Workshop | 33 comments

Here’s something you maybe didn’t know about me: I have some of my best ideas when I’m up against a wall. If I’m upset, or angry, or exhausted, I find my creativity flows in a way it never usually does when I’m just feeling ok.

I have spent all day today feeling sad and confused. So I worked, I threw myself into new ideas and new thinking to distract myself, and I got a huge amount done.

I’ve finished my Big Assignment – a 2,500 word short story which I think may be one of the best things I’ve ever written, and it’s a good job too as it constitutes 30% of my coursework mark for my OU Creative Writing course.

And I spent some time thinking through a rather excellent idea.

Next Monday will see the return of the Writing Workshop and its weekly prompts to inspire your blogging/writing for the week, drawn from some of the best of the blogs in my reader, or any I may not know about that you’d like to suggest. Before Christmas this had started to prove really popular with you all which has been wonderful, and I hope all of you that enjoyed joining in last year will return to share your posts with us as we get back up and running again after the Christmas break. If you haven’t seen what this is all about yet, then check out our last workshop to find out more.

But I’ve been rolling an idea around my head to build on the workshop and perhaps set up something for people who want to pursue creative writing a little more seriously. People, like me, who are just starting out and still learning, looking for a bit of support and opportunities, perhaps, to showcase our work, open it up to critique and pursue possible avenues for getting our writing noticed and published.

So. I’m thinking of setting up a writing community, a blog definitely, which pretty much anyone can contribute to, and possibly a forum too. I’m sure something like it already exists but sod it I’m going to make my own. And make it better.

It’s a New Year, I like new projects, and this is something that I think could be of benefit to lots of us.

If you’d be interested in being involved, would like to hear more about what I have planned (I will send a round-robin email soon), or have ideas you’d like to suggest then I’d love to hear from you. You can leave your email address in the comments if you don’t mind doing that kind of thing, email me directly using my contact button in the sidebar, or DM me on Twitter.

I look forward to hearing from you x

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  • http://www.kidstart.co.uk/livingwithkids Liz (LivingwithKids)

    Yep, I’m in. Really want to work on my fiction this year (in addition to my day job – journalism, obv!)You have my email Josie x

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  • http://www.hotcrossmum.blogspot.com Hot Cross Mum

    Love this idea so please keep me posted. Will DM u email address. Here’s to continued and even greater success in 2010. HCM x

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  • http://www.wholeselfleadership.com Kate

    Sounds like a great idea and may be just what I am looking for. Will DM you.

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  • http://itsasmallworldafterallfamily.wordpress.com Victoria

    Excellent idea, count me in! I’ll DM you my email address.
    .-= Victoria´s last blog ..I think it’s really happening… =-.

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  • http://www.dovefarm.co.uk jane stretton

    Hi Josie
    you sound like my kind of gal. have always wanted to write- never sure what – and decided that 2010 would be the year to move things on a bit – but I also have a lot of other stuff going on. would be interested in following you online – and one of my aims is to host writing workshops here at the farm. THis could be something you may like to be involved with

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  • http://www.gotyourhandsfull.com Linda

    I’d be up for it. I’m a member of a forum but don’t get much out of it as my type of writing is out of step with the younger, dark-fantasy loving members.

    Did you know Mslexia have a short story contest, deadline Jan 31? Their wordcount is 2,200, in case you want to edit and submit?

    Please don’t burn yourself out with this though!

    Good luck.

    I’d also be interested in a real life writers’ group as me and you aren’t so far away and would love to get that going? I visited one in Lichfield. Nothing too ambitious, just monthly meetings?

    Oh go on. xxx

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    Josie Reply:
    January 4th, 2010 at 10:00 pm

    @Linda, No burning out I promise. I thrive on projects and things to sink my teeth into and I’m hoping this can be something we call do together.

    I’m already thinking regional groups might be a good way to go. We can start the first one!!

    P.S. Thanks for the comp details – don’t think I’m allowed to submit coursework but will have a look all the same x

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  • http://www.gotyourhandsfull.com Linda

    Oh and I would give you a big smacker when we met. So there. Possibly with tongues.

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    Josie Reply:
    January 4th, 2010 at 10:00 pm

    @Linda, Haha right back atcha lovely xxx

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    Maternal Tales Reply:
    January 5th, 2010 at 9:56 am

    @Josie, Don’t believe her Josie – Linda once promised me a big smacker with tongues and I’m still waiting!
    .-= Maternal Tales´s last blog .."Mummy, why is Cinderella marrying a woman?" =-.

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  • http://westonsupermum.blogspot.com Weston-super-Mum

    Fabulous – I’m in.
    And if one already does exist, I have no doubt that we can make it better :-)
    .-= Weston-super-Mum´s last blog ..Set in Stone =-.

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  • http://BumblingAlong.wordpress.com Bumbling

    I’d be interested – sometimes have trouble keeping up with all of these things, but I’m keen! Although I haven’t had a chance to participate in a workshop yet – roll on Monday ;-)

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  • http://www.mumsrock.com gigi

    I’m in great idea x

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  • http://insomniacmummy.com Insomniac Mummy

    Fab idea. You have my email so keep me posted!
    :D
    .-= Insomniac Mummy´s last blog ..Fundraising – Nottingham Queen’s Medical Centre Paediatric High Dependency Unit =-.

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  • http://lifeslightlyused.wordpress.com/ april

    Definately in – have been writers blocked for ages – so can’t wait for the return of the workshop and this new site sounds brilliant. You are amazing hon.
    you have my email too :) *HUGS*
    .-= april´s last blog ..10 things that Make me Happy… =-.

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  • http://notesfromlapland.blogspot.com/ Heather

    How could I possibly resist. Will DM you with my email address x
    .-= Heather´s last blog ..The Parrot Eating Debacle =-.

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  • http://hearth-mother.blogspot.com/ Theresa

    Love it – I’m in. Will email my address. X
    .-= Theresa´s last blog ..Life’s Little Pleasures =-.

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  • http://spongebobforpresident.blogspot.com Kelly

    Oooo sounds great! Would love to hear more – saphiresaxe@gmail.com (im not shy haha)

    And congrats on completion of your story!
    .-= Kelly´s last blog ..Trust =-.

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    Josie Reply:
    January 5th, 2010 at 9:13 am

    @Kelly, You were, in no small way, partly behind the inspiration my sweet xx

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    Kelly Reply:
    January 5th, 2010 at 11:03 am

    @Josie, Little old me? :O

    Awww cool beanage! *big grins and silly giggles*
    .-= Kelly´s last blog ..Trust =-.

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  • http://emilybassin.blogspot.com Maternal Tales

    As usual, a fab idea. Your creativity knows no bounds. Count me in. Have been unbelieveably crap with my writing for the whole of Dec but I’m hoping that it will pick up now school has started again! Will DM my e-mail address. x
    .-= Maternal Tales´s last blog .."Mummy, why is Cinderella marrying a woman?" =-.

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  • http://www.withenay.blogspot.com Catharine Withenay

    Count me in! Sounds fantastic and I definitely need a kick up the bum to get going again.

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  • http://kicami-alythebean.com Aly

    I wish you every bit of luck with this.I would like to say yes, but the Writing Workshop is enough for me.I have promised myself that I will teach myself to use a sewing machine this year which is only possible in the evenings.I will look forward to reading everyone’s work though

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  • http://www.angelsandurchins.co.uk/blog angelsandurchinsblog

    Love the thought of a community of mentors – please add me to the list!

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  • http://mummywriter.blogspot.com Platespinner

    Great idea – count me in! You can email me at platespinner AT hotmail.co.uk (remove spaces)
    .-= Platespinner´s last blog ..So that was 2009… =-.

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  • http://amumssurvivalguide.co.uk Ang (A Mum’s survival guide)

    I’m definitely in. One of my aims this year is to start my book, and a couple of nights ago as I was drifing off, an idea popped into my head. Miraculously I remembers it the next morning and I have actually written a first paragraph that I am pleased with, so will be cracking on with that this year.
    .-= Ang (A Mum’s survival guide)´s last blog ..Moroccan Chickpea Soup =-.

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  • http://www.mummymania.blogspot.com Mummy Mania

    Count me in. Sounds perfect for us lonely writers who need a bit of feedback other than “Don’t like that idea, try another” from various editors! Just a thought – but there’s a great book I read last year – a true story about a group of women who got together through an advert in 1935 and created a writing magazine that continued until their various deaths 50 years later. It was called the Cooperative Correspondence Club and they would each contribute a piece then send it on to the next, and so on, all by post, through marriages, divorces, children, the war. An amazing story of female solidarity and creative companionship. It’s called Can Any Mother Help Me, by Jenna Bailey. Can any mother help me was the wording of the ad the first woman first put in because she was isolated and lonely. You could be starting the new cyber CCC club…
    .-= Mummy Mania´s last blog ..Certainties of Parenting =-.

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  • http://rosiescribble.typepad.com Rosie Scribble

    I like the idea, I think it’s great and will really take off. My area of ‘expertise’ is non-fiction writing but I would love to try fiction writing. I’d be quite nervous about posting it on the internet but would love the idea of posting it under a different name or even anonymously. I wonder what you thought about this?
    .-= Rosie Scribble´s last blog ..Scribble Vs Beaufoix Wars =-.

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  • http://www.froginthefield.blogspot.com Frog in the Field

    This sounds like a great idea.
    My teenager has written two novels and is really keen to be a professional writer.
    We have two friends who are writers and they say it’s very tough out there at the moment so this really is spot on in timing.
    .-= Frog in the Field´s last blog ..On the Plus side…. =-.

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  • http://www.battleplan.wordpress.com Paula Robertson

    I’d love to join! I write for a living, working in marketing communications, but have come to a place where I’m frustrated with it all and think that 2010 might be the year to challenge myself to do something more personal – and terrifying!

    Look forward to hearing more about it….

    Px

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  • http://www.jhsiess.com JHS

    I would love to hear more about your idea . . . please include me in the round-robin discussion.

    Thanks!
    .-= JHS´s last blog ..Writing My Life =-.

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  • http://www.jhsiess.com JHS

    I would love to hear more about your idea! Please include me in your round-robin email discussion.

    Thanks!

    JHS
    Colloquium
    The Rising Blogger
    Writing My Life
    .-= JHS´s last blog ..Writing My Life =-.

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  • http://destinyisdeafening.blogspot.com/ Mare

    Lurker here, but I would love to be part of something like that!

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