Hi guys, I just recieved a tantalising offer for you you all to enter a fantasy writing competition.  Want to win a tablet PC, meet a top Irish literary agent, i-pod touches or a class pack of fantasy novels?? See link below.

Here is a short ten minute documentary on the life of Bruce Ismay, the persona in Derek Mahon's poem 'After the Titanic'. Feel free to leave a comment...

Do you like this short film that recites Mahon's poem 'After the Titanic'?
What do you think works particularly well?
If you were asked to recommend changes or additions, what changes or additions would you make?
Do you know how to use movie maker? If so, would you like an assignment to make a film from a poem?

Today we spoke about book bingo and how to write a review on a blog like this. I am interested to know what is your favourite genre of writing and why?

What to look for in a Short Story

SETTING

-          Often plays a crucial role in creating atmosphere/suspense

-          Gives a context for the action of the story

CHARACTER

-          we can learn a lot about a character in very few lines. Roald Dahl is a master of characterisation in one sentence.

-          What they are wearing?

-          Their physical appearance (features)

-          What they say and how they say it. (Similes)

-          What they do/physical gestures, etc

-          Animalistic adjectives; porcine/bovine/asinine/simian, etc

-          Eg. “she had a mouth that was puckered up like a dog’s bottom” - Dahl

 

CRISIS

 

-          Character faces a problem

-          Problem is often of their own making/caused by themselves

-          They have control over the outcome

-          Problem is all-consuming/ they can think of nothing else

-           

RESOLUTION

 

-          How the problem is “solved”.

-          The great story writers might have a twist: an ending we were not expecting

-          Irony: when the outcome is opposite to what was being built up

-          Often the resolution leaves us very satisfied, without necessarily being a ‘happy’ one.

Great Short Story writers:

Roald Dahl

Flann O’Brien

Frank O’Connor

Benedict Kiely

Saki

This is a random picture of a road in Autumn. I'm just experimenting, but a comment would be lovely!

Hi, welcome to our blog. This is a work in progress and I look forward to having you all help me decorate our new virtual learning environment with your spectacular work.