January 3, 2016
Happy New Year! Welcome to my first blog of 2016.
One of my favourite television dramas in the run-up to Christmas was series three of The Bridge. Everything about it was excellent–the performances, the lighting, and particularly the script, which was full of twists and turns that kept the viewers guessing, and taut dialogue. No doubt the writing was top notch in this and other Scandinavian crime novels and series, but does this alone account for the explosion in their popularity? Do all these writers spring fully formed from the slush pile?
Having listened to the Book Programme on BBC Radio 4 on 20th December, I think not. Norwegian authors receive a government grant for one to five years to help them hone their craft, the government buys 1,000 copies of each book published that meets its quality control or 1,550 copies of children's books. It's also required to keep a copy of all published material in its libraries.
Given all this, I have to ask myself whether I'm living in the wrong country. How much easier it would be to justify spending time writing instead of getting a 'proper' job with a guaranteed income. Without the distraction of wondering how you're going to pay the bills, concentrating would be a doddle. Getting your work noticed wouldn't be a problem either when you have at least 1,000 readymade readers. Or would my time be frittered away dreaming, changing my mind and procrastinating? I'm unlikely to get the chance to find out. However, in the last few days my copies of the 12th Binnacle Ultra-short competition anthology have arrived, which include my Editors' Choice entry, 'Harvest-time', and more than 50 other entries. That's enough to encourage anyone.
Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Competitions
December 20, 2015
It's been a while since I took a look around the new markets and free competitions, so it's high time I did a round-up. What follows is a mixed bag of creative non-fiction, travel writing, plays, novels and themed science fiction. Check out all of them, because even if a genre isn't normally your thing, you might just find something that sparks your creative instincts and gives your brain a work-out while you're digesting the Christmas dinner. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year!
* If you'...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Competitions
December 14, 2015
Following the excitement of last week's performance of my one-act play, Antarctica, I have some more good news to report: I have a feature in the January issue of Writing Magazine. It covers ways in which you can break the accepted rules of writing successfully.
Anyone who knows my attitude to misplaced apostrophes and similar slips might think this makes me a hypocrite, but I assure you I'm not advocating sloppiness or turning into a grammar rebel. For proof, I'm afraid you'll have to get...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley.
December 6, 2015
On Friday (4th December), the premiere performance of Antarctica took place. It was on a terrific programme of Walter Swan Trust Playwriting Award winners and runners-up at Ilkley Playhouse. Sadly, I wasn't able to attend, nor will I be able to get to the Courtyard Stage at West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds for the second performance tomorrow. I know if I'd been there I would have gained far more than an evening's entertainment.
Scripts, whether for stage, screen or radio, are never a comp...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Coming Soon
November 19, 2015
Have you ever heard the saying: 'May you live in interesting times'? It's often understood to be as much a curse as a blessing. This week has been an 'interesting' time for many, if not downright tragic. Thankfully, my week hasn't included any tragedies, but it has been interesting in ways that haven't always been comfortable, and it's included some fun and good news too.
My entry in the On the Premises mini competition on a theme of amnesia was placed second. The boost to my ego was far ...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Coming Soon
November 10, 2015
The UK has many national treasures besides the Crown Jewels–the Queen, the National Health Service, Wimbledon, fish and chips–scrapping any of these would be unthinkable, yet there's another national treasure that's constantly under threat–our public libraries.
I loved going to the library as a child. It never worried me that I was expected to be quiet, I was too enthralled by all the worlds I could enter on the shelves, even though the nearest library was little bigger than my livin...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley.
October 31, 2015
In case you hadn't noticed, tonight is Hallowe'en. If you thought about it three or four months ago, you could now be celebrating winning a ghost story competition or having an article on the scary season accepted. If so, congratulations! There are certain themes and events that are popular every year, yet it's all too easy to forget about them until it's too late. Bonfire Night is less than a week away, and while it might still be possible to write something for a competition about it, there...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Inspiration
October 16, 2015
I couldn't decide what to blog about. It's been that sort of week. I haven't been blocked exactly, I've just had so many odds and ends of things to do (such as emails to respond to, like the one from Bruce Harris letting me know that Writing Short Fiction appears to have found a new editor) that I feel as if I haven't really done anything.
Indecision is a real killer for any sort of writing. Sometimes it might be choosing between two words that apparently are equally apt that brings you to...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Inspiration
October 10, 2015
Today I've got good news and bad news. First, the bad news. The excellent Writing Short Fiction site, which is full of news and tips, may soon be no more due to the ill-health of the man behind it, Bruce Harris, who has decided he needs to save his energy for his own work. Unless someone offers to take it over in the next week or two, it will go. Find out more at
http://www.writingshortfiction.org.
The better news is that Plasma Frequency Magazine is probably going to be resurrected. The m...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Coming Soon
October 2, 2015
This is a difficult blog to write, because I can't say what I want to. For the time being I have to keep Mum and zip it. It's a shame as I'm bursting to tell you the news. I won't even be able to drop hints just in case–you readers are a clever lot and might be able to guess if I give you a clue.
I suppose I could tell you what hasn't happened. I haven't won the Booker Prize or suddenly shot to the top of the best-seller lists. No one's begged to buy the film rights to Discord's Child ye...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Coming Soon
