Sophie's latest news WIN A TWO NIGHT STAY AT A WONDERFUL HOTEL WITH SOPHIE KING'S SHORT STORY/NOVEL COMPETITON
Write the first 200 words to a short story or novel and email it to janebidder@btinternet.com. I am looking for a great beginning and a story which makes me want to read on! Make sure you include your contact details. You could win a stay at wonderful Castle House in Hereford. Send your entries by October Ist. More details. HOW TO GET PUBLISHED - SIX WEEK COURSE IN THE SOUTH WEST OF ENGLAND
Do you live near Exeter? If so, I'll be running a six week course on how to write novels and short stories at The Phoenix Arts Centre in Exeter. There's a daytime course and and evening one to choose from every Tuesday, starting on September 7th. The cost is £65 for a six week session. To book, ring the Phoenix box office on 01392 667080
LOOK OUT FOR MY NEXT NON-FICTION BOOK : IT'S CALLED 'HOW TO WRITE YOUR LIFE STORY IN TEN EASY STEPS'.
Writing your life story is a great way of passing down stories about your life to your children and grandchildren. After all, how often did your parents tell you stories about their own childhoods which you have now forgotten? My book will help you structure all your memories and give you different ideas on how to write them and how to get them into print.
HOW TO WRITE YOUR LIFE STORY IN TEN EASY STEPS by Sophie King. How To Books £9.99. OUT IN OCTOBER.
THE AUSTRALIAN LITERATURE REVIEW COMPETITION
Recently I was asked to judge a short story competition for the Australian Literature Review. Here are the entries from the first prize winner and the runner up. Congratulations to both of them!
Winner: 'DADDY' BY SAM STEPHENS
Runner Up: 'NO MATTER WHAT' BY BRONWEN EVANS
CELEBRATE NATIONAL SHORT STORY WEEK!
I was delighted to be asked to form part of the steering group for the UK's first National Short Story Week. The week takes place from November 22nd to 28th but now is the time to start organising an event! There are lots of suggestions on the National Short Story Week website.
THIS IS WHAT ONE STUDENT SAID ABOUT MY RECENT COURSE ABOUT WRITING ARTICLES AT WINCHESTER WRITERS' CONFERENCE
You get what it says on the tin! In an action-packed day, Sophie guided us through simple interesting exercises in how to get inspiration for both articles and short stories, and showed how either can be used as fertile ground for ideas for the other! Using press newspapers and magazines, Sophie explained how to search for ideas by thinking laterally, with an emphasis on the human element, and how to make your work stand out from the crowd.
It was an inspirational action-packed day, and Sophie provided an invaluable handout, as well as top tips for individuals which could then be generalized to the rest of the group’s writing. Just one problem though … the day was too short! I would thoroughly recommend this workshop to anyone with a foot in both the short story and article “camp” (as I have). It might help you to decide which is your stronger suit, or alternatively how you can successfully combine story and article writing. It was also a great networking day and provided the opportunity to compare notes with other aspiring writers. Definitely an excellent way to offset the loneliness of the hobby writer!
Helen
TAKING THE PAIN OUT OF PLOT
Read my article about Taking the Pain out of Plot on the Australian Literary Review website. You can also enter their short story writing competition, with a chance to win a cash prize and an appraisal from me.
PODCAST INTERVIEW
Hear me being interviewed by Jackie King Turner on My SCR (link opens a new window). LOVE STORY OF THE YEAR!
Recently, I was lucky enough to be short-listed for LOVE STORY OF THE YEAR, an award given by the Romantic Novelists Association. I didn't win but it was a wonderful honour. See a photo of the event. HOW TO WRITE YOUR FIRST NOVEL ARTICLE
Part two of my monthly Writing Magazine feature, How to Write Your First Novel is now online.
HOW TO WRITE YOUR FIRST NOVEL BOOK
Look out for my new book HOW TO WRITE YOUR FIRST NOVEL. It will help you find good ideas; craft characters; understand how to structure plot; write dynamic dialogue and much more. Published by How To Books and available on Amazon £11.99. |
