Different doors, different viewpoints

If I lived in a town or a city and when opening my front door I heard gunshots, I’d run for cover and immediately phone the police. But where I live I regularly open my front door and hear gunshots and think nothing of it. Those guns aren’t threatening me, but causing serious concern for the bunnies in the fields.

It’s important when you’re writing to decide which viewpoint you are writing from and to stick to it. As you can see, same scenario but different viewpoint and you have a totally different story.

Chairman's Challenge

Last month's Chairman's Challenge was 'battlefields'. Our treasurer Bryan had the unenviable task of judging it. When he sent me the results his comment was

'It was really hard actually, I was staring at the last 6 for ages, and eventually just had to go with my gut feel.'

So, in the nicest possible way, well done Wrekin Writers for giving Bryan such a hard time.

1st - Di Perry

The atmosphere had already started to build even though the battlefield was empty. They waited, impatient for it to commence, but the pushing and shoving had begun. Eye contact had been made and now there was no going back. The desire to achieve their goal was obvious.

They all held their breath as the huge sword was lifted into the air and sliced down onto the blood red ribbon to officially open the W.I Jumble sale.

2nd - Nicola Vincent

Milan, January 1995. In the narrow confines of the apartment, five hundred miles from the battlefields of Yugoslavia, a truce is called . Serb and Croat recognise diplomacy as the only way to co-exist.

In a language foreign to both, courtesies are observed and, if unavoidable, the briefest of conversations.

The shared experience of destruction and loss counts for nothing. Only recently they were neighbours, if never quite friends. Now, there is only distrust; an unspoken hatred.

The world watches as tensions between Belgrade and Zagreb blaze out of control, while behind shutters in Milan a nervous peace is found.

3rd - Dorothy Vincent

Go on I dare you!

Take a peak in Simon’s bedroom. No you don’t need to leg it over to his place, all you need to do is get this month’s copy of Writer’ Forum. Featured in this month’s ‘my writing space’ is our very own Simon Whaley and yes you’ve guessed it, his writing space is in his bedroom.

An expose it is but don’t worry your blushes have been spared. The photograph shows Simon sitting at an incredibly tidy desk with the ubiquitous mug of tea clasped in his hand. The article tells how a small corner of his bedroom has been turned into his workspace and how his filing system works.

Does it matter where you work? No it doesn’t, what is important is that you write. Simon, when he saw my cupboard, said he envied my space, away from house and all mine. Sadly though, and now it’s confession time, I don’t do half as much work in there as I should. Which goes to prove the old saying ‘it’s not what you’ve got, it’s how you use it’ and look at how successful Simon has become from the corner of his bedroom.

Food for thought.