One of the great joys of writing is it should encourage your reading.  Some of my favourite characters are listed below but they're not in any particular order.

1. Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice) - for being lively, quick witted, knowing her own mind and being prepared to hold on for what she wants and not settle for second best.
   
2. Sam Vimes (Discworld) - For the way he develops throughout several novels.  Is also courageous and more honourable than he gives himself credit for.
   
3. Miss Marple - For being a shrewd old biddy (the kind I want to be when older!).  Favourite book where she features is probably Nemesis.
   
4. Hercule Poirot - Is a great detective with absolutely no time for false modesty (or moustaches!).  Favourite book he features in is probably Murder on the Orient Express.
   
5. Atticus Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird) - A true anti-racism hero.  I've not read Watchman as yet though I have heard Atticus is not the same man in that book but based on the original Harper Lee book, I think he is decent, honourable and yes I love characters like that.
   

Will continue with my list over next couple of days but thinking about what I like about other authors' characters helps me focus more and develop what I like in mine!

My latest Chandler's Ford Today post is called National Theatre Live in Chandler's Ford and Eastleigh Areas and discusses the joys of National Theatre, as well as highlighting some local shows. 

I've watched three NTL productions in the last few months, The Importance of Being Earnest, Hamlet and, only this past week, As You Like It.  I've loved all three. 

Oscar Wilde's wit in Earnest is obvious (and delightful) but I did wonder how, having enjoyed one of the Bard of Avon's best known tragedies, how I'd get on with one of his comedies.  I hope to write a review soon about As You Like It but wanted to say that, though this happened for me comparatively late in life, I have developed a great appreciation for Shakespeare's command of language and his stories.  (I disagree with his portrayal of Richard III but I do hope to see this play at some point and will just treat it as an entertaining yarn.  Let's just say I like my roses white and would urge all with any interest in the Wars of the Roses to read Josephine Tey's The Daughter of Time). 

I also like Shakespeare's portrayal of women with strong minds of their own.  I really liked Rosalind and Cecilia.  But what has impressed me is that, despite the Elizabethan English, the plays are easy to follow and those words which don't seem to make sense to modern ears (at least to mine anyway!) I can interpret in context and via the actions of the actors.  My late mother would have been delighted I've finally taken an interest in Shakespeare, she had the collected works, though I maintain the Bard is meant to be watched or listened to rather than read.  (The exception there obviously being his sonnets).

Creativity, the use of imagination and so on shouldn't be confined to fiction writing.  I've found myself planning writing out as much for my Chandler's Ford Today posts as I do for my fiction.  (Ironically the second post I've written this week called Beware of Thieves Using the "Distraction Technique" in Chandler's Ford is one of the few exceptions being a report on a factual event).

But I'm always thinking about how best to present my posts, what images would be suitable to go with the posts, whether You Tube clips could enhance the writing and so on. 

When interviewing other writers, I try to ask the questions I would like to be asked about my writing if the positions were reversed.  I read a lot of interviews with writers (which I love doing as I always learn something) and I think you do learn from absorption (i.e.  you take in how an interview is set out amongst other things).

I love reading non-fiction books, being particularly fond of history.  The really good ones show plenty of imagination in how they present their facts.  The use of images is well thought out too. 

I  never expected to write non-fiction but really enjoy doing so.  I guess it shows you need to be open to ideas as a writer and be prepared to take your writing in unexpected directions.  But that applies to fiction too...

Much as I love fairytales and fantasy, I'm glad visiting the magical world is confined to the pages of a magazine, a book (in print or electronic) or to the big screen.  Why would you want to go to any world where you are likely to be confronted by:-

1. Dragons.  Not known for their vegetarianism.
2. Ogres and Giants.  See Point 1.
3. Witches.  Some are partial to shoving kids in an oven.  Others will just curse you.  Unless you are lucky enough to come across a good witch, this group probably is best avoided.  The problem is you will not know who is a good witch until you do meet them and it could be too late for you to change your mind and hot tail it out of there when you do.  These ladies are fast with their spells!
   
4. Wizards.  Will either be treacherous (aka murderous, best avoided), cowardly (see The Wizard of Oz for more on this) or heroic (see The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit for more on this aspect though bear in mind they are likely to want companions for an epic, dangerous quest.  Would you be better off taking a nice day trip somewhere?  Almost certainly I would have thought).
   
5. Fairy Godmothers.  Some are stroppy so you don't want to cross them (see Eileen for this). Others will be busy coming to the aid of an ill-treated step-daughter.  Either way these ladies are usually on a mission and will not want tourists getting in the way.
   

1. Write because you must.
   
2. Write to show your unique take on the world and what matters to you.
   
3. Just as you’ve read stories and skipped the “boring” bits, make sure there aren’t any “boring” bits in your own work.  Use your experience of what you like to improve your own writing.
   
4. Write true to (a) yourself and (b) your characters.
   
5. Why write unless you love doing so?  It’s the only thing to get you through all the rejections.  Try to see rejections as stepping stones to improving what you write.
   

Writing can be like driving in that you need enough confidence to do it well but not so much you come across as an arrogant tit.  I don’t believe in writers’ block but do accept there are days when the words simply refuse to flow well.  I think that’s a normal part of being a writer. 

We’re not robots - there are bound to be times when life, difficult circumstances or whatever prey on our minds and that’s bound to affect the writing.  What matters is you keep writing - anything at all, seriously, it does work - and remember every writer has had their day when they felt like packing it in.  The world would’ve been poorer had they done so.

The great joy of writing is in
Setting up your heroes to win
Only after a decent fight
With a villain who’s not just might.

No cariactures then!  The most interesting villains are those with depth to them, where you can see why they’re acting the way they are without agreeing with them of course (unless you prefer villains to heroes!). 

Heroes also need to be realistic - no supermen/women, you want to see their flaws and virtues.  I’ve sometimes found heroes aggravating for being too perfect, which is exactly what you want to avoid. 

And what they fight about has got to be worth fighting over.  Something that’s going to hurt someone badly if they lose...

One great thing about creating your own fictional world is you decide what goes on and in it.  The things you don't like about this world you can correct in your fictional one.  How would that play out?  What are the downsides of your utopia (and there are bound to be some)?  Who benefits from your utopia?  Does your utopia work only if, say, one species is downtrodden and exploited?

Comparing cultures can be a good way of working out what you want to put in your fictional world.  Perspectives are different.  Some cultures are very "now"orientated, others are more laid back so what would you have in your creation?  How does time work in your world?

What kind of geography would you have?  There shouldn't be just one kind, as there isn't here on Earth, but what species lives where and how have they adapted to make the most of their environment?  Does the climate vary?  Has it been damaged by pollution (and if so how)?

Asking questions is a great way to work out what you want to create.  And asking further questions is a good way of testing whether those initial ideas (a) work at all and (b) are they strong enough to "carry" a novel?

One of my great loves away from books and stories is swimming.  As well as being a great all round exercise, I find it helps with my writing in that while I am swimming up and down lanes, I have thinking time which I use usually to work out what I'm writing next. 

Sometimes this thinking time will generate future ideas for stories or blog posts.  But mostly it is working out what I'm writing and when.  My latest Chandler's Ford Today post looks further at this.

Many writers including one of my favourites, P.G. Wodehouse, also adored swimming.  And I have found that having thinking time like this clears my mind of mental clutter such as thinking about all the jobs I haven't got around to doing at home yet!

So how do your characters clear their mind of clutter getting in their way? Everyone needs a way to relax and unwind so how do they do this?  What do they worry about?  What are their methods of losing their worries (if only for a while)?  And what happens to those characters who cannot unwind, where worries and tensions defeat them?  What is your fictional world's reaction to those who suffer mental breakdown?

Perhaps clearing your mind of clutter can help inspire you to work out how your characters do so!

One of the best things a writer can do is to read in and out of their own genre.  Writers need to feed their mind/imagination so reading from a wide range of sources is bound to boost said imagination.

I will always love fantasy/fairytales above any other genre but I also read detective fiction, historical fiction, the odd thriller, some poetry and non-fiction (especially history and books like The Folklore of Discworld and Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable.  The latter is perfect for dipping into and I can't think of a better way of finding out where favourite phrases come from).  Favourite authors of mine include Jane Austen, P.G. Wodehouse, Terry Pratchett, Charles Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie.  A nice mix I think!

One of my favourite non-fiction books  is a slim volume called People of the Palace which looks at the role of royal servants over the centuries and how in some cases the roles have changed.  I also read some wildlife books, Scrivener for Dummies has been really useful and I love books of letters too.  Spike Milligan's Man of Letters  is hilarious.

This is something I do love about writing. You get to improve your reading as well!

I can't stress the importance of thinking time for any writer.  I find when lane swimming my mind is free enough to work out my writing schedule, think about any problems I'm having with a particular story and  so on.  But that time is crucial to help resolve said problems. 

I think it can be forgotten writers are not robots.  Ideas need to develop and grow.  That needs time.  I don't think it can be rushed either.  I've found some stories do simply take longer to write than others.  This can be because I haven't outlined properly (again you need time to think out your outline).  Sometimes the outline isn't an issue but the idea just needs thinking out for that big longer. 

So whatever way you can develop your thinking time it pays to do so as I think it will improve your work longer term.  Thinking time is part of the creative process.  It shouldn't be seen as an annoying irritant.  Stories need working on and thinking time is part of that work.

I write fantasy because it is the genre I love reading the most, the genre I am most attracted to and know best but I also write it because it is a great genre for reflecting reality. 

Fantasy worlds can be like ours in outlook and attitude, they just come with "added magic" but given we manipulate and abuse power, that too can happen in fiction.  The magic can be abused in itself in order to control others but it can also be a complication for those who want to right wrongs in that fantasy world.  Do they use magic to achieve their objectives?  If so, how can they overcome those who are equally magically powerful but who do not share those objectives?  What do they do about those who fear magic and abuse its practitioners?  Can they themselves be tempted to go to the "dark side" and abuse their own powers? 

So many stories can come out of answering those questions and I love reading those tales where characters struggle to do what is right but get there eventually.  (The Lord of the Rings for me is the example here.  I love the way Frodo gets tired and wants to give it all up,  you just would, but keeps going and keeps going and so on.  Sam has a crucial role to play in helping here.  I have a very soft spot for really good sidekick characters too).

Equally a fantasy world can be totally different from ours and it can be huge fun to build your own world and set your own rules.  (They've got to work though!  Also magic should never be the answer to everything otherwise you will have no conflict and without that there is no story). 

What every fantasy world should have then are characters that make you care about them to keep reading their stories, a world you can picture whether it is like our own or not, a classic good -v- evil theme (it has to be there somewhere, almost all stories regardless of genre boil down to this eventually) and a decent ending.  (Nobody said it had to be happy.  Have another look at the classic fairytales.  The Little Match Girl has a tragic ending and so has Hans Christen Andersen's The Little Mermaid.  Disney simply could not have filmed that story the way he wrote it.  Why?  Because it is violent, grim and as for the ending...  well go on and read it.  Suitable for kids at bedtime?  Yes, if you want to give them nightmares!  But HCA is to be applauded for writing true to his characters and not flinching from an ending which is the logical outcome of all he has prepared beforehand.  Ultimately that is the duty of every fiction writer - be true to your characters).

How is daily life portrayed in your fictional world?  Are you focussing on just one class (usually the political/ruling class) or are all sections of your societies shown in your stories?

What are the causes of clashes between the different groups on your worlds (there's bound to be some)?

What is technology on your fictional world (even in a magical one, there's bound to be developments that improve spells, crystal balls etc) and does everyone have access to it?

Is daily life a reasonably pleasant one for most of your peoples or is it a hard slog?  What are the reasons for the latter if that's the case?  (People could be deliberately kept downtrodden so rebellion is never a possiblity).

Answer at least some of these questions and not only will you generate stories, your tales will have depth to them as you will be looking at the "why" behind  how things are on your fictional world.

My current Chandler's Ford Today post looks at How Your Reading Habits Have Changed? This led to me thinking about how reading and literature is treated in fiction. 

In my Fairy Kingdom, writing and reading is considered to be phenomenally important.  Literacy rates are perfect - everyone in the realm reads.  Okay the material varies from Play Pixie Monthly to serious works on history but everyone has at least one book on the go at any one time.

The realm doesn't officially ban books though it discourages anyone from reading Eileen's alternative history.  The classic fairytales are studied at school.  Those taking an interest in other worlds, which they may or may not get to explore, tend to read biographies and auto biographies of prominent folk from those worlds.  They usually study the geography of those worlds too.

So reading then is considered vital for keeping informed as well as for entertainment.  And all of that is just in my fictional creation.  Prophecies, usually on scrolls, form an important part of a lot of fantasy novels.  Fictional schools, like Hogwarts, have their own libraries.  So how is reading treated in your fictional world?  Can anyone read or is it limited to those of a certain class?  What books are read or banned? 

Is there room for things to go wrong in your created worlds?  This could be anything from having a character plot to take over the government to a species within your world being discontented because of how they are treated and then they rebel against that.

However your world is run, there are bound to be malcontents (as there are with any system) so how do your authorities handle this?  Is there a press/media base?  Is it freely run or is it controlled by the goverment and whichever way you answer that, can you have things go wrong by someone seeking to impose control or by coming out with something they know the authorities won't approve of?

What is the source of energy in your worlds?  How is that controlled?  Do you get criminal activity and, if so, how is that handled/punished?

What happens when the entire world is threatened?  Who is capable of doing that and why would they want to do so?   

Think about why you write the way you do. Can you improve it?  Look for favourite phrases - they will creep into your writing unbidden!  Mine do! 

Is your style appropriate for what you’re trying to produce?  For example light, easy sentences might  not be apt for a dark piece where I’d expect the words to be heavier, darker, to conjure up the right mood.  Wodehouse stuck to what he knew - humorous prose - for a good reason.  And his light style is perfect for it.  Likewise horror writers write in a very different style appropriate for their work.  So make sure your style matches. 

Are you getting into the heads of your characters well enough?  If someone asked you an unexpected question about any of them, could you, based on your knowledge of them, answer it? 

Is there enough going on in your story?  Do your characters change?  Do you show how and why?  That is the story after all!

How well do your characters adjust to circumstances and/or other characters as they change?  How your characters react to and handle changes reveals a great deal about them.

What relationships do your characters have?  Do any fall foul of your world’s rules?  What does your world do about it? 

Does your world interact with other worlds or avoid them?  Are there reasons for their policy (ideally it shouldn’t just be prejudice.  For example the Fairy Kingdom despites humanity for its warlike and polluting qualities.  Difficult one to argue against, isn’t it?  We can hardly claim not to be guilty of that). 

Having good foundations for your world doesn’t just mean showing how it works and runs, important though that is, but good reasons behind their policies will make your world and stories that much more convincing.  You don’t want anything to sound an odd note, anything that might interrrupt your reader’s enjoyment of your work and think “Nah!  Would never work!”. 

Could your world’s attitudes change (for worse or better)?  Say your world is anti any kind of interaction with other species but changes it mind later as it realises it could trade (for example) with this other species for things it itself is short of, who would take on an ambassadorial role?  What mistakes would your world make (there's potential for both comedy and tragic misunderstandings there)?

Can people “see” your world?  Does it make sense?  Even the most fantastical world must have its rules to be able to function properly.  Do your readers and characters know what these rules are?  There must be something in your world your readers can identify with. 

Does anything threaten those rules being followed (outside forces perhaps)?  Is there a police force?  What does happen to criminals in your world?

Is the government of your world accountable?  Based on an earth system or is it unique to its situation?  What happens to those who question it, rebel against it or do both, as in Eileen’s case? 

Are the people or other species of choice able to vote?  Are certain species barred from voting?  Why? 

What happens when your world faces external threats?  Is there the equivalent of a UN or NATO?  Does your world have traitors and who do they seek to betray and why?

One of the great things about short stories is if, for some reason, they are not suitable for one place, they can always be reworked and submitted elsewhere.  I have done this several times, the most recent example being with Three Wishes, which is now up on Scriggler.com.

Sometimes it can be a case of your story not being quite right for the initial market you thought it would suit.  That can be due to personal taste by the publication or because they've accepted another story on the same sort of lines as yours (both of which you as the writer have no control over). 

The important thing is not to give up, always take a good hard look at the story and try again elsewhere.  I would add if the story is then rejected another time, put it aside for a while (ideally at least a week) and then look at it again with fresh eyes.  I've "suddenly" spotted things when I've done this that I hadn't done when I'd submitted the tale.  I've then realised those things I hadn't initially spotted almost inevitably were the reasons the story was turned down at all.

I always put stories aside for a while before looking at them again, editing and then submitting them.  It doesn't matter whether it's a flash fiction piece, a short story or a novel but I take this approach with whatever I write.  The length of time I put a piece of work aside can vary but it is usually at least a week.  The advantages of doing this are:-

1. You see your work with fresh eyes (and suddenly spot the errors!).
2. Coming back to a piece of work after a break makes it easier for you to read that work as a reader, as if you yourself had not seen it before.  That shows up weaknesses in plot/characters beautifully giivng you time to put these things right before submitting a much more polished piece of work with a greater chance of acceptance.
   
3. I've often found reading a piece of work after a break I can spot the things I like, which can often spark further story ideas. 
   
4. A break means you can judge better whether the plot really does work, is it strong enough, are you saying what you meant to say and so on.
   
5. You know professional writers put work aside for a while so if they need to do it, everybody else does too!
   

When entering competitions if you can get feedback (at a reasonable cost, beware some places do charge a lot) it can be helpful in terms of pointing out what your reader thinks.  It’s not always what you as the writer think!!!  That can help you improve your writing in itself.  You can see for yourself whether your reader “got the point”. 

Also when you’ve produced a good story and the feedback reflects that, it’s a great ego boost!  Always look for constructive criticism.  Remember you don’t have to agree with all of it (or indeed any) but if your feedback makes you think “ah I had wondered that” (and this has happened a few times to me) then act on that.  It can be confirmation you should trust your instincts when writing and should help sharpen your skills. 

Beware of groups (online or otherwise) where cliques seem to develop and be aware there are other writers who will seek to criticize destructively (whether from jealousy or insecurity is hard to say).  When seeking and getting feedback you should be able to work out “well has this helped me?  Can I use this to improve what I do?”.  If the answer is no, ignore!  And destructive criticism reflects the person making it, not you.

I find competitions can be a great way to get started on a new tale, knowing that if the stories don't succeed in the competition concerned, I can always rework them and get them out elsewhere.  Competitions can vary from those that give a theme to those that give you an opening or closing line but that initial place from which to start/aim for can be a great way to trigger your writing.