Shutterstock / 13_Phunkod©The Writing Hour is a place for writers to get together and chat all things writing, reading and everything in between.
We love to see everybody each week – the regulars and the new faces!
Now, for those who couldn’t make it this week, here’s a roundup of the questions we asked and your answers.
Give us your positive news from the last week.
This week, you’ve been busy as usual. On top of writing, there have been plenty of visits to see family and friends, as well as attending writing and dance clubs!
Do you listen to audiobooks sometimes? Do they give you the same experiences as reading a physical book?
It’s a tie! Possibly the first draw we’ve ever had during a Writing Hour.
The verdict is that audiobooks are fantastic for those who can concentrate on them . . . without daydreaming . . . or falling asleep . . .
Are you a fan of writing/reading flash fiction?
Flash fiction is a type of story that is told in just a few hundred words or less.
The verdict is that most of you enjoy writing and reading it. As well as being a good writing challenge, they can also pack a punch to read.
Perhaps the most famous piece of flash fiction is attributed to (but not actually proven to be written by) Ernest Hemingway.
Allegedly, his colleagues challenged him to write a complete story in only six words. He wrote, “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”
The shortest story length we publish in the “Friend” is 1000 words, which is counted as longer flash fiction depending on who you ask!
How do you make sure your fiction feels fresh? What challenges do you set yourself?
As usual, there are some great pieces of advice in this thread which will be useful for any writers out there looking for help with this subject.
The answers cover a variety of solutions. It’s about experimenting and finding what’s best for you and your own particular way of working.
Novels! Have you written any? Have you submitted them anywhere?
So many of you have written novels and submitted them, some have even had them published.
To those of you who are on the journey – good luck and happy writing!
How tricky do you find it to stick to our guidelines when writing a story for the “Friend”?
Guidelines can vary from place to place depending on the needs of the publication. It’s good to read that you find our guidelines easy to follow!
We’ll see you at our next Writing Hour on Twitter — 11 a.m. on Tuesday 15 March, 2022.
Or click here to see our previous roundups.
Abigail Phillips Abbie is the newest member of the fiction team at the "Friend." She loves how varied the role is - every day is different and there is always a new story to read. She is keen to work closely with established writers and discover new writers, too.
