And just like that, the third and last guest session for the current batches of my online writing programme is over. It doesn't feel like very long ago that I announced the programme, wondering whether there would be enough participants. I did not promise guest sessions because I knew it would depend on the response I received. It needed to be feasible to invite guest speakers, both in terms of the number of participants and in terms of my ability to pay the speakers. But here we go, two batches for two age groups are nearly over!Sophie's writing workshop was my third guest session, and it was lovely. Sessions where I learn something about methodology are always extra special. For instance, Sophie worked with excerpts from the classics, something I've never imagined doing. She chose tiny sections from Persuasion, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, The Lord of the Rings and Boy, amongst … [Read more...]
Characters at the Writers’ Club
Excitement is so contagious! The Writers' Club was full of energy today because of two activities we did based on the idea of how characters come alive to readers.A week ago, I asked the girls to think of a character they would like to present to the rest of the club. We had a few rules and then, because we had about a thousand questions, we had a few more rules.The bottom rule was this: try to make it fun for everybody. To work towards that, we had a few 'suggested' rules:Don't say too much; don't say too littleDon't choose obscure charactersDon't make your speech more than two minutes longDon't read out a speechAs we went on, more rules were added, but eventually, today, many of the girls had (of course) forgotten everything. Some had forgotten to think about a character at all, and two were too shy to come forward unprepared.Yet, we had Harry Potter, Geronimo … [Read more...]
My Favourite Female Characters in Fiction
A question that always bothers me when I'm writing is whether I should concentrate on plot or character. Plot has the power to transport me, make me gasp and thrill me. But characters... Ah, they're the people who become lifelong friends.1) Pollyanna: Too good to be loved, but how I love her! She should be a saccharine goody two-shoes, but she's not. Her glad game changed my world.2) Anne: Anne in Anne of Green Gables is the best of the lot. That's where my beloved "Carrots" emerges as the imaginative and dreamy spitfire I long to befriend.3) Deborah Grantham: Faro's daughter - she won my admiration the very first time around. Independent, headstrong and dignified - the woman in control of her life. What's not to fall in love with there?4) Darrell Rivers: No, I no longer think she is magnificent, but I cannot deny the role she played in my life as a ten-year-old. Passionate and … [Read more...]