Month: March 2012

No Wrong Way to Do It by Arline Chase

Someone responded to my blog on outlines, by emailing me to ask how I could write a story without knowing what was going to happen first?

That’s a good question. Well, I never have a detailed outline, or even a Triple-O. But I do know what the main character wants and usually what the general outcome will be. If I know that, I can sit down and write and the sub-conscious will take over and create the obstacles and bleak moment that shape the story.

If toward the end of the story, I find I need a “telling detail” to foreshadow something that happens later, I just go back and put that in. Continue reading “No Wrong Way to Do It by Arline Chase”

Week 13 Flash Fiction Contest Voting

The time has arrived for IU readers to begin voting in this week’s Flash Fiction Competition. On behalf of the IU staff, I want to thank all the entrants for doing such a great job with the writing prompt and the merciless constraints of the exercise.

This week, there are eleven entries from which to choose. You may review the entries here. Please spread the word and encourage your friends to vote by using the share buttons at the bottom of the post!

The poll will be open until 5:00 PM (Pacific Daylight Time) Thursday

Choose the winner for week 13 of the Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Competition

  • 3. JD Mader (49%, 46 Votes)
  • 4. JM Cogdell (22%, 21 Votes)
  • 5. Shiri Sondheimer (10%, 9 Votes)
  • 6. Helmy Kusuma (5%, 5 Votes)
  • 10. Dick Waters (4%, 4 Votes)
  • 2. Per Holbo (2%, 2 Votes)
  • 8. Jenna Sebastian (2%, 2 Votes)
  • 9. A. L. Kaplan (2%, 2 Votes)
  • 11. Terveen Gill (2%, 2 Votes)
  • 1. Hope Welsh (1%, 1 Votes)
  • 7. Elisavietta Ritchie (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Voters: 94

Loading ... Loading ...

[subscribe2]

Impress Prize For New Writers 2012

Impress_Prize_Impress_Prize_for_new_writers_-_2015-04-23_14.15.22Entries are now open for the 2012 Impress Prize for New Writers. The prize is in its sixth year and its aim is to find exciting new, unpublished writing talent. The winner will receive a publishing contract from Impress Books and will be chosen from a shortlist by a panel of judges working in the book industry.

The prize is open to ANYONE aged 18 and over who has not published a book-length publication before. Entries can be both fiction and non-fiction. Submissions must be received no later than 15th June 2012.

For more information, visit their website.

Indies Unlimited is pleased to provide this contest information for the convenience of our readers.  We do not, however, endorse this or any contest/competition.  Entrants should always research a competition prior to entering.

Breaking the Rules (part 1) – by Lin Robinson

Author Lin Robinson

I’ll admit it’s contradictory. This is the first of a series of blog posts on the internet telling you the best way to keep your artistic integrity and sanity as a writer is to ignore all the lame advice you get from internet blogs. I can live with the irony if you can.

The woods are full of the advice I’m talking about. And not just the online neck of the woods either: all those books and seminars and webinars and conferences and retreats and coaches/advisors/mentors/gurus. All full of this stuff you just better not do. Much of it can be discounted because they are just rumors, passed on third or fourth hand by people trying to puff up their blogs and pretend they know diddly about writing. Which a glance at their profiles generally shows they don’t. Continue reading “Breaking the Rules (part 1) – by Lin Robinson”