Tag: musings

Another Story

I didn’t realise how much what I was reading influenced what I was writing until this week.

I read a short story to our writing  group and accepted that the ending was weak. That’s what these groups are all about- helpful criticism to encourage improvement.

But, at home, I was reading Philip Dick short stories which resulted in my turning a gentle romance into a fatal time travel story. I read this to the group yesterday and they all complained that the heroine should not have been murdered. I blame Philip Dick.

I’m not sure I’ll rewrite it again. Each time I read it I find flaws. I’ll leave it and investigate scriptwriting courses. It’s time I had a go at something new.

Happenings

News about the panto and the poetry anthology yesterday. The anthology is with the printer and I should see a draft next week. I had great fun looking at potential borders on the computer but left it to him in the end as I could have been there for hours. He showed me how to drag and drop in windows. I wish I knew more about computers!

Then the technician at the talking newspaper gave me some advice about turning a panto into something for audio. I need to add a lot more that I assumed people would know was happening by putting it into the dialogue. It turned out that not everyone has seen the film ( a very common children’s story that I took from the book) I’ll let you know which one nearer the time. The film was a musical but I’m not having music – just sound effects!

Then, last night we were treated to a splendid evening with the Blue Coconut Orchestra at the Willows Folk Club. Brilliant musicians.We are singing again tonight with the surgery group – must be good for us!

Pantomime

After a discussion with a technician about sound effects I began to realise that producing a pantomime, even if just in audio form, is going to take up more time than I anticipated.

I need to get the cast together for a preliminary reading and then find a date that suits everyone when we can record. I am afraid there are not enough parts for everyone who wants to participate and, because the readers are all so well educated and have lovely voices, some of the volunteers sound alike.

The Sea Scribes, our local writing group, are designing their own website so , as soon as that is up and running I will try to link with it. In the mean time, I have just begun to read “We need to talk about Kevin” and the writing knocks me out. I’ll do a review when I have finished it.

Conference

As a reader for the talking newspaper in Littlehampton  I attended a South of England Talking News Conference at St Richard’s hospital in Chichester with  about 14 other groups, some from as far afield as Norfolk.

The programme was well balanced with speakers from The British Wireless Fund for the Blind, the Talking News Federation, 4Sight and Chichester Area Talking news.

The march of mobile technology and its use in communicating with blind and partially sighted people to allow them to feel part of the community was at the core of all our discussions. The future is digital.

I just hope we don’t lose our faithful listeners on the way.

Dog news and hoarding.

Our little terrier was hungry. He settled after being given a whole tin of dog food.

I really couldn’t concentrate on writing while I was worried about him and so I have been trying to destroy unwanted paper. I’m afraid I am a hoarder and have to decide whether to keep old manuscripts or throw them away. Once they are in book form do I need to keep the originals? Also minutes from meetings and letters from people who like my talks or read my books. Do I need all that, especially as my filing system is carrier bags?Must try to find a competition to enter or I’ll have to do housework! UGH!