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Post by fetchinghat on Jun 3, 2020 9:51:29 GMT
Hello all, I love how supportive and helpful everyone is. I stumbled across this forum whilst researching for my entry into the Paul Spragg ST competition. I know there will be lots of people entering but it is great fun and a an even greater opportunity for someone. I have started my story but am a little concerned that it may not be exciting enough - very much about the doctor and one other character, but no monsters - although there is some nice trippy time travel stuff. Hello and welcome! That sounds great. To me, short trips feel more intimate and they often explore a single theme. Focusing on character is a fair shout and I hope it turns out well. I'm having similar worries. Mine feels quite talky. That said, I believe that as long as a story has conflict and a clear direction, anything you'd care to imagine can be engaging. I hope that you enjoy writing and your work pays off. Maybe we could discuss it after the competition ends?
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Post by dapperdoctorno3 on Jun 3, 2020 14:38:45 GMT
Hello and welcome! That sounds great. To me, short trips feel more intimate and they often explore a single theme. Focusing on character is a fair shout and I hope it turns out well. I'm having similar worries. Mine feels quite talky. That said, I believe that as long as a story has conflict and a clear direction, anything you'd care to imagine can be engaging. I hope that you enjoy writing and your work pays off. Maybe we could discuss it after the competition ends? Thank you fetchinghat, hopefully the story will be strong enough without the monsters. It was only after I drafted it out and started writing that I noticed that there were no 'baddies' as such, which is a good sign I hope as I don't think it misses them. I certainly can’t see an issue with plenty of dialogue, it is good that you are able to do it, it is the area I struggle with most. Keep going and yes it would be good to discuss in more detail when the competition entry date passes.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2020 21:50:37 GMT
Hello and welcome! That sounds great. To me, short trips feel more intimate and they often explore a single theme. Focusing on character is a fair shout and I hope it turns out well. I'm having similar worries. Mine feels quite talky. That said, I believe that as long as a story has conflict and a clear direction, anything you'd care to imagine can be engaging. I hope that you enjoy writing and your work pays off. Maybe we could discuss it after the competition ends? Thank you fetchinghat, hopefully the story will be strong enough without the monsters. It was only after I drafted it out and started writing that I noticed that there were no 'baddies' as such, which is a good sign I hope as I don't think it misses them. I certainly can’t see an issue with plenty of dialogue, it is good that you are able to do it, it is the area I struggle with most. Keep going and yes it would be good to discuss in more detail when the competition entry date passes. Welcome to the forum, dapperdoctorno3! You know, I heard that premise and the first thing that popped to mind was "An Unearthly Child," that first episode of the classic series. I think you're in safe territory. A lack of monsters is a-okay. Not every story necessarily needs them. One of my favourite Short Trips in the past has been the Doctor trying to track down whosoever stole his coat. Wonderfully charming, no arch-villains to speak of. Hope you enjoy the experience and happy writing!
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Post by SG. on Jun 4, 2020 0:30:06 GMT
I was toying with using my unfinished idea from last year, but inspiration has suddenly struck - I think tomorrow's going to be a straight writing day.
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Post by horatiowatson on Jun 12, 2020 12:05:44 GMT
Hi all, this was my fifth year entering and I sent my entry off nearly a month ago.
Last year I went two months, right up to the deadline, refining every single tiny detail of the pitch and, looking back, I reckon I overthought it. This year I already had an idea in my pocket, I knew how I wanted to execute it so I spent two days working on my entry, proofread it and pinged it off before I could second-guess myself.
I just looked back at my pitch and...yep there's a big typo.
My advice: proofread twice.
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Post by nucleusofswarm on Jun 12, 2020 13:02:25 GMT
A little over two weeks to go: hope everyone's battening down.
If anyone's stuck, do check out previous pages and threads for writing advice, but I'll reshare one of my favourites, courtesy of Cargill:
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2020 13:04:27 GMT
Hi all, this was my fifth year entering and I sent my entry off nearly a month ago. Last year I went two months, right up to the deadline, refining every single tiny detail of the pitch and, looking back, I reckon I overthought it. This year I already had an idea in my pocket, I knew how I wanted to execute it so I spent two days working on my entry, proofread it and pinged it off before I could second-guess myself. I just looked back at my pitch and...yep there's a big typo. My advice: proofread twice. I agree. But might I suggest that proofreading at least twice would work better. Maybe five times?
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Post by Ian McArdell on Jun 18, 2020 22:40:07 GMT
I prefer PDF since that avoids the (very small) chance that there will be some incompatibility between Word versions that will make it look wonky. Yep - I too put my submissions into a PDF. Somehow it feels more finished that way. After a couple of dead ends, or at lease impasses, I'm pretty much finished with an idea I'm content with. Inspiration during the enforced car commute during lockdown, of all things. Have just passed it out to a trusted pal for a sanity check! Fingers crossed and good luck all!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2020 15:40:44 GMT
From Harry Draper himself:
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Post by doctorkernow on Jun 23, 2020 5:14:31 GMT
Hello again.
Thanks Harry, that's really good of you. Really practical help. Best wishes to fellow wordsmiths honing every word and sentence. I hope new entrants will have enjoyed the experience.
It will be touch and go if I make it this year. I've actually written it up to halfway, mainly because I was intrigued by the idea I had and how it would go. However, now it's really focusing on synopsis and opening extract.
"She knew she should have stayed in bed. There was a knock at the door. A man wearing a panama hat and carrying a question mark umbrella was standing on her doorstep clutching a strange electronic device..."
And no it's not an IPhone! 🙂
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Post by butler on Jun 25, 2020 4:25:53 GMT
Hello again. Thanks Harry, that's really good of you. Really practical help. Best wishes to fellow wordsmiths honing every word and sentence. I hope new entrants will have enjoyed the experience. It will be touch and go if I make it this year. I've actually written it up to halfway, mainly because I was intrigued by the idea I had and how it would go. However, now it's really focusing on synopsis and opening extract. "She knew she should have stayed in bed. There was a knock at the door. A man wearing a panama hat and carrying a question mark umbrella was standing on her doorstep clutching a strange electronic device..." And no it's not an IPhone! 🙂 Is it a Zune? I feel like the 7th Doctor would be the only person in the universe still using a Zune.
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Post by butler on Jun 25, 2020 4:46:26 GMT
Excellent advice from Harry there. Though for my excerpt, I didn't end it on a cliffhanger so much as a punchline. I hope the judges like dad-jokes!
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Post by whiskeybrewer on Jun 25, 2020 10:01:51 GMT
The Crow Chasing The Butterfly has been Sent I double checked and its not stuck in drafts this time lol Thank Rassilon
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Post by mark687 on Jun 26, 2020 18:56:26 GMT
Regards
mark687
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Post by Deleted on Jun 27, 2020 12:29:28 GMT
In case I don't get the opportunity to say it later, good luck all!
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Post by doctorkernow on Jun 27, 2020 23:42:52 GMT
Hello again. Well, I managed it. A very odd idea with hopefully an interesting character at its heart. I will now go on and finish it. I am halfway through and if, as I expect it gets nowhere as others have said the experience of writing another short story will have been invaluable. All the best to everyone entering this year. Take care and you know what Wolfie always says, Keep Writing!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 28, 2020 0:18:15 GMT
Hello again. Well, I managed it. A very odd idea with hopefully an interesting character at its heart. I will now go on and finish it. I am halfway through and if, as I expect it gets nowhere as others have said the experience of writing another short story will have been invaluable. All the best to everyone entering this year. Take care and you know what Wolfie always says, Keep Writing! Get it finished and submitted doctorkernow. The last time I tried to type up a Dr Who tale was on an early 1900's Underwood about 35 years back and gave up! Mechanical limitations and all that.... It's got to be a good exercise of the grey matter to write up decent fiction and for all the academic pieces I have written over the past 23 years, something drawn from the imagination still seems another ball game altogether, because it is so personal. And therefore the fear of criticism is paralysing. So I never commit.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 28, 2020 5:35:08 GMT
Hello again. Well, I managed it. A very odd idea with hopefully an interesting character at its heart. I will now go on and finish it. I am halfway through and if, as I expect it gets nowhere as others have said the experience of writing another short story will have been invaluable. All the best to everyone entering this year. Take care and you know what Wolfie always says, Keep Writing! Get it finished and submitted doctorkernow . The last time I tried to type up a Dr Who tale was on an early 1900's Underwood about 35 years back and gave up! Mechanical limitations and all that.... It's got to be a good exercise of the grey matter to write up decent fiction and for all the academic pieces I have written over the past 23 years, something drawn from the imagination still seems another ball game altogether, because it is so personal. And therefore the fear of criticism is paralysing. So I never commit. Oh, that's very human. Don't worry, it happens to all of us, newcomer and alumni alike. My policy is that if I'm going to be my own worst critic, I have to be my own best champion as well. All things in balance, and that's served me very well over the years. And, in an editorial role, I am there to believe in the merits of a submission, especially when the author themselves are having doubts. That's what makes a good editor to me.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 28, 2020 7:00:23 GMT
Since we have only 2 days left, here's an excellent writing tip from The Doctor's Wife writer Neil Gaiman: "If you are an aspiring writer, write. Don't think about writing, don't plan to write, don't hope to write. Just write."
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Post by Deleted on Jun 29, 2020 8:56:41 GMT
Just found this interview with one of the Short Trips: How the Doctor Changed My Life anthology winners Dr Arnold T. Blumberg, if anyone's interested.
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