Month: April 2015

The 1000 club…

Posted on by Mark Draycott Author

So I have made it to over 1000 views on my blog…

  

This is just to say a huge thank you to all those who have signed up to follow me. Through WordPress, Facebook, colleagues and friends, word about my forthcoming book is slowly getting out there. With views from 29 different countries around the world, it has far outweighed my expectations considering that this time 2 months ago I hadn’t even started writing. Now I can’t stop!

Please do keep spreading the word as much as you can. As always your support means so much.

Have a great day. Wherever you may be!

Mark

The letter…

Posted on by Mark Draycott Author

Morning guys and Happy Friday!!
I have recently completed another ‘writing 101’ challenge which I thought I would share with you all.
Unfortunately page 29 did not exactly fill me with inspiration (tut tut author). ‘Charlie’ was the only word on the page which I thought I could do something with.
Let me know what you think!
Mark

Day Fourteen: To Whom It May Concern

Today’s Prompt: Pick up the nearest book and flip to page 29. What’s the first word that jumps off the page? Use this word as your springboard for inspiration. If you need a boost, Google the word and see what images appear, and then go from there.

Today’s twist: write the post in the form of a letter.

You have a number of options: you can write a letter to the word or an image, or an open letter to the world inspired by the word. You could pen a series of imaginary notes between you and a friend, or between two fictional characters, or between old you and young you.

Dear Charlie,

I am sorry it has taken me until now to write this letter. In all honesty, I am lost for words. The few words I have been able to find I will try to share with you now.
Diane was a great woman. A doting mother who loved her children very much. A loyal wife who’s mission in life was to please you and others around her. The world really will be lost without her.
I share your pain Charlie as do many others. We have to be strong for the children and believe that Diane is still with us. Looking down on us each day. Her beautiful smile radiant from above.
You will always be part of our family Charlie. You know where I am if you need me. A friend, a brother or a shoulder to cry on, I’m here.
Love to you all.
Dan

The next instalment…

Posted on by Mark Draycott Author

So as I sit here in my lounge writing this post after an interrupted nights sleep thanks to my gorgeous son, you will have to excuse any misspelled words and spiel that do not make sense due to my blurry eyes trying to focus on the screen in front of me.

So here we go! Since my last update just over two weeks ago, the book is coming on leaps and bounds. I have now almost finished chapter 8 and it’s getting more and more intense. You’ll have to trust me on that bit though! Another proclaimed author in Mark Edwards has been in touch (author of ‘The Magpies’) offering up another serving of sound advice. I am also racking up the followers through my blog and Facebook so thanks again to you all for jumping on board this literacy train. I am so excited and passionate about my book. I can’t wait to share it!!

The most exciting piece of news, and I’ve saved the best till last, is that my front cover is back from the designers and as soon as I saw it I knew I had to do it justice with its contents. It is incredible! Thank you to Kellie Dennis at ‘bookcoverbydesign’. MUCH appreciated!

So that’s it in a nutshell. Still a long way to go but every week I am making good progress getting closer and closer to that finished article. 

Please continue to spread the word. I still need as many followers as possible.

Until next time…..

Mark

A new challenge…

Posted on by Mark Draycott Author

So… What’s new I hear you ask? Well I thought I would start by bringing you another completed challenge from my course ‘writing 101’. The following challenge was presented to us along with the following twist:

Today’s Prompt: A man and a woman walk through the park together, holding hands. They pass an old woman sitting on a bench. The old woman is knitting a small, red sweater. The man begins to cry. Write this scene.

Today’s twist: write the scene from three different points of view: from the perspective of the man, then the woman, and finally the old woman.

And here is my finished article:

As they entered the park after what could only be described as the morning from hell, Nathan and Sarah prayed that this feeling of emptiness that engulfed their soul’s would soon evaporate. As he reached for Sarah’s hand, a smile if only brief, appeared on her face. Nathan was her rock and if anyone could make this better he could. As Nathan glanced to his right, he noticed a lady sitting comfortably on a bench. A needle in one hand and a ball of red wool in the other she appeared content. In her element. On her lap lay a small red knitted sweater which he assumed must have been for a small child. A doting grandma he thought. She looked up as they passed making eye contact with him. She smiled. A lump filled Nathan’s  throat which was soon accompanied by a tear rolling down his cheek. He envisaged his grandma in that same position all them years ago. Only it was his red sweater that lay on her lap. As he looked away she could tell of his broken heart. A three second glimpse into his tear filled eyes was all she needed to feel his pain. As she peered down at the un finished sweater and smiled, she was blissfully unaware of their loss. Her hand made creation would soon be warming a small miracle. A miracle that Nathan and Sarah had so selfishly had to part with that very morning.


Let me know what you think guys. Hard hitting I know. I hope I’ve done the task justice and created just a snippet of what the story could potentially become.

I will be following this up with a post over the weekend to give you an update as to where I am up to with the novel.

Thanks again to all who are following and please continue to spread the word.

Take care and happy reading!
Mark

Weekend Edition – Imagine A World of Writers Plus Good Reads and Writing Tips

Posted on by Mark Draycott Author

Hey guys! I had to share this with you all. A great article on writing and well worth the read. I will be back with an update on my book shortly. Take care. Mark

Live to Write - Write to Live

Imagine a World of Writers

"Dear Earth" by Katie Daisy via etsy “Dear, Earth” by Katie Daisy via etsy

More people should write. They should write about their days and their dreams, about their hopes and their fears, about their families and their histories and their possible futures. They should write lists and poems and wild ramblings that sound like the intoxicated rantings of a idiot savant. They should tell stories, wonderful, improbable, made-up stories. They should sink or dig or dive or fall or claw their way into that place inside where the stories live, and pull them out like blunt-edged gems from deep within the living, breathing earth. They should write lies that are true and truths that uncover lies. They should weave secrets into the spaces between the words, and then give those secrets gladly to the world. For those of us bitten by the writing bug, it is near impossible (and quite terrifying)…

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Writing 101 Challenge

Posted on by Mark Draycott Author

Good morning guys and Happy Easter!

Thank you to all the new recruits who have recently chosen to follow my blog.

I wanted to tell you about a new group/course that I have recently signed up to called Writing 101. In short, it is a course full of short writing challenges which are designed to give you practice in creative writing. There are thousands of people from all over the world signed up to it and the first assignment has just been given so here it is.

Assignment 1: 20 minutes of free hand continuous writing about absolutely anything. The aim is to not stop writing and to write about whatever comes into your head.

Here is my result:

As he approached the garage with a strong feeling of foreboding, the distinct smell of gasoline instantly filled his lungs. To his right, a car gently smoking. Burnt out from the inside. It’s shell like remains blending in to the already troubled scene. There she lay, next to pump two. As peaceful as she had ever been. His stomach curdling as he tried to process the image before him. It was like nothing he had seen before. Forensics scuttled around like ants making him feel uncomfortable. This was their day job. How anyone could get used to this routine day in day out he could not understand. Chris had been working for the NYPD for almost seven years but scenes like this no one could prepare for. He heard a faint cry coming from the attendants cabin. At this point he felt confused, tired and nervous. Nervous for what he felt was about to happen. This wasn’t over. There it was again. The crying sound which he now labelled as childlike. He walked towards the cabin. The crying getting louder and more intense as he edged closer. He muttered words of prayer under his breath. Whoever it was, he could now tell it was a girl, was alive at least. He reached for the handle and slowly opened the door. His stomach in knots, he gazed into her sunken, tear filled eyes. There she sat. Her arms wrapped tightly around her teddy. She didn’t take her eyes off him. Not once. He held out his hand and motioned her towards him. Without warning, she stood up and ran towards him. She gripped him tightly. Her head buried in his chest as she listened to his fast paced heartbeat. Comforted by its repetition. “It’s over now sweetheart. Daddy’s here”.

Let me know what you think. This was completely off the cuff.

Thanks guys!
Mark

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