Creative Writing Class

So we are back with the creative writing class, and I even managed to get it cheaper as I am a student!!!

The tutor John, suggested some ways of making up a story and one of them struck a cord with me.

my still temporary book case above, (i need to stop buying books I am running out of room)

so we all wrote a title of a book on a piece of card and then John shufled them and we had to pick two cards. Thus having the name of two books that we could use to make a title of a piece of work, and this evening my book shelve has inspired me of what titles I could make up with some of the book I currently own… I should find a random generator from somewhere and pick “two” books and see where we end up… Or maybe someone could randomly pick two books for me 😛

“evil games, a history of birth” has just made me chuckle

x

 

Week three

So at creative writing today, we did a mixture of things, we talked about openings of a story / good and bad and discussed why we had chosen the opening we did. I chose J M Hewitt’s Exclusion Zone and the first page on my kindle. I said that I liked it as I know / knew nothing about Chernobyl (including how to spell it) but the beginning of the book drew me in and I wanted to learn more. There was also some positive comments from the others in my “group” so that will be two extra sales for her.  They also asked me if I had read any of her other stuff which to date I sadly haven’t (too many books on my amazon wish list and not enough journey’s to work) The other two ladies had Career of Evil by Ronald Galbraith and The Forgotten Seamstress by Liz Trenow. Both sounded good and interesting from the first page, but now I have reached Amazon the second one doesn’t look as appealing.

I know that when I start to read a book, I usually go further than the first page when I decide whether I am interested or not, a book by Mark Billingham I gave up after 54%!!! So I think I probably give it a good go at least.

But the worry I now have is, is the first page of what I am trying to write any good? AH!

We also did some writing promotes, where I had to write down five words about my weekend (children, husband, parties, exhaustion and blogging) he then went round and got everyone’s answers. We then had to write a short piece using a mixture of the words from other people 5 word weekend.

The problem I find is that the class is for two hours and it’s just not long enough 😦 I’d of love to have read my bit on the Poppy I wrote last week but as there is more than me in the class other people have to have the chance to read. Though the good news is that we might be able to extend the course past the four week block 🙂 which will be good.

As for my heath I was okay up until about 2pm when I decided I need / wanted to sleep but alas here I am still having not made it back to bed yet.

Work tomorrow, so no late night for me.

 

Remembrance Day

Week Two

For week two we were presented with a box,and we had to first think and discuss what we thought was the connection with all the items. Each box had a range of things inside, our had some post cards which looked like were written from a husband to his wife. We also had a Spur and a badge from the Sherwood Foresters and a Poppy. We then had to brain storm idea using an item. I chose the Poppy.

The Poppy

Did the Poppy know what her significance would be as she grew in the fields of Flanders? That her imagine and beauty would yield a new meaning and would inspire generations to come.

That during the months of October and November her imagine would be reproduced throughout the UK, on tea towels, and badges and even little note books. Millions of people would stand out in the cold November winds to sell her that old men would chase after children with stickers of her image.

She never released how much she could raise for those she began to symbolised.

That overpaid footballers would argue that they should be allowed to wear them during football matches; the every football team and their fans would stand and hold a minutes silence before the game began.

That she would be the reason Cubs and Scouts had to get out of bed early on a cold Sunday morning to go on parade, where they would stand near a war memorial to pay their respects, for something they often too young understand.

She never knew that she would be connected to royalty and the ever increasing risk of terrorism as royalty paid their respects.

That she could ever be up that close to some of the rich and famous of each era, I bet most people are jealous of how close she has been to Brad Pitt.

What if has been a Rose or a Sunflower that had grown that day, would the effect still have been the same?

She is glad she grew when she did, beating the other plants to the patch, to be used to commentate such a bloody battle and battles that were yet to come.

Where It All Began…

I signed up for some Creative Writing Classes thorough Derbyshire Adult Education in Long Eaton where I live.

Week One

We were presented with a Pepper Mint cream and we looked at using our senses. We split a piece of A4 paper into parts representing Touch, Feel, Hear, See and finally taste. We then had to write something and I wrote the following

The Pepper Mint Cream

She sees Green and Purple wrapper and the temptation I hold.

She knows what I am and where I am from, but she spots the Thistle and her friends surname so she knows I must taste good.

I feel her pick me up in her warm clammy hands I feel her touch as she runs her fingers over the hard shell, searching for defects in my texture, she runs her fingers along my straight lines and scrunchy sides.

I know she wants to open me, but how long will she be able to resist my temptation for as she raises me to sniff my aromas…