At this month's forum meeting, the membership present discussed the Ezine and how we could best promote writing for its sections. It was unanimously decided that giving writing for it a competitive edge could add an extra dimension and increased relevance to content.
Each month, we will be running a competition for writing in two different Ezine categories. The winning entries will be selected by the Ezine category host and either Michael or Ian. That entry will be starred in the Ezine, and the winning entrant in each category receive free forum entry for the month in which he/ she won.
This month's categories are:
ARTS and ENTERTAINMENT
Write a review of a film or book, or a play. How about a music cd, or a performance that you recently went to? Or you might decide to describe a trip to an art gallery, or a museum. Think outside of the box, and put some personality in your piece. 300 or 400 words should be more than ample.
SPOOF
Write a spoof letter to the editor. You decide the subject, just make it a little light hearted, maybe even tongue in cheek. Or could you write a letter that describes an "actual" happening? Remember the Panorama Spaghetti April Fools? The choice is yours
Send entries to wordplaycompetitions@mail.com as a word document attachment by April 1st!
Monday, 19 March 2012
Monday, 5 March 2012
Upcoming Forum and Ezine
Hi everyone,
Ezine
with the Ezine deadline approaching, just a reminder that we are looking for submissions in all categories. Of particular interest this month is the opinion and comment category:
Next Week's Forum
Lots to bring you up to date with, including:
Don't forget the Your Shout section: anything you want to discuss, bring your topic along!
Anyway, that's it from us for now, see you all soon,
Michael and Ian
Ezine
with the Ezine deadline approaching, just a reminder that we are looking for submissions in all categories. Of particular interest this month is the opinion and comment category:
- What do you think about he state of football, especially the goings-on at Rangers?
- How about the Middle East, with Iran and Syria trying to outdo each other as bully boys?
- Is the elongated presidential battle in the US already getting you down?
- Any TOWIE fans out there want to own up?
- And surely Jeremy Kyle has upset you these last few weeks?
Next Week's Forum
Lots to bring you up to date with, including:
- Electronic book lending
- Update's on members' publication plans
- 2 more anthologies in the pipeline
Don't forget the Your Shout section: anything you want to discuss, bring your topic along!
Anyway, that's it from us for now, see you all soon,
Michael and Ian
Friday, 17 February 2012
WordPlay Update 18th February 2012
Hi everyone, here's a few bits and pieces from the last week:
EZINE
As ever, submissions for the quarterly ezine are needed in all categories. If you've got something to say, write it down and send it in!
Here's the timetable:
March 9th Last date for submissions to be received by email to wordplayezine@mail.com. These will then be collated and sent to the hosts to do their bit.
March 16th Hosts to send their completed sections back to Ian
March 19th Formatting etc
March 26th Publication
FORUM
We held February forum at the Emerald Isle, La Florida on Monday 13th.
News:
WordPlay Open Mic Prose Champion 2011: Evie Barton
WordPlay Open Mic Poetry Champion 2011: Margaret Rowland
WordPlay Competition Judge of the Year: Yvonne Diamond
Most Improved Writer: Kathy Rollinson
Member of the Year: Michelle Edwards
Georgia asked if members and readers of the Ezine could send in their thoughts on what they would like to see in the poetry section to wordplayenquiries@mail.com so that she can ensure that it meets needs. We think this is a great idea, and want to ask for comments band suggestions on the whole Ezine, not just the poetry section. So get your thinking hats on, and send in those suggestions!
CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOPS
Our latest workshop was held after the Forum, and covered Themes and Inspiration, Genre, Planning and Structure, Point of View, and Strong Opening
The next workshop is to be held on Monday March 10th, at 1:30pm in the Emerald Isle, and will cover Character, Conflict, Protagonists and Antagonists, Situation and Circumstance, Plot Development, and Denouement.
If you want to come along, email us at wordplayenquiries@mail.com for more information.
OPEN MIC
The next Open Mic night at Chadwicks, Villamartin, is to be held on April 24th at 7:30pm.
Competition theme for the night is '3 Random Words', and the words to be used in your piece - poetry or prose - are:
Purple, Blacksmith, Dusk
Entries to be sent to wordplaycompetitions@mail.com by Friday April 20th.
EZINE
As ever, submissions for the quarterly ezine are needed in all categories. If you've got something to say, write it down and send it in!
Here's the timetable:
March 9th Last date for submissions to be received by email to wordplayezine@mail.com. These will then be collated and sent to the hosts to do their bit.
March 16th Hosts to send their completed sections back to Ian
March 19th Formatting etc
March 26th Publication
FORUM
We held February forum at the Emerald Isle, La Florida on Monday 13th.
News:
- Ian said a few words about the Birthday bash, and was able to present the (joint) Member of the Year award to Georgia Varjas who had been absent on the night. Other award winners were:
WordPlay Open Mic Prose Champion 2011: Evie Barton
WordPlay Open Mic Poetry Champion 2011: Margaret Rowland
WordPlay Competition Judge of the Year: Yvonne Diamond
Most Improved Writer: Kathy Rollinson
Member of the Year: Michelle Edwards
- Barnes and Noble have taken the decision to stop displaying Amazon published books on their bookshelfs
- London Book Fair is at Earls Court on 16th to 18th April. Further info here: http://www.londonbookfair.co.uk/
- Our new Facebook page is here: http://www.facebook.com/groups/243107339094353/ Why not join the group and invite your friends? We want this to be an open forum for all things writing, and will be using it to help promote the group and its members' work
- Precinct 25: Stories have started to come through to Michael, who will start collating what he's got and set a meeting date for the next Precinct 25 get together. Emails will be winging their way to the P25 writers!otagonists
Georgia asked if members and readers of the Ezine could send in their thoughts on what they would like to see in the poetry section to wordplayenquiries@mail.com so that she can ensure that it meets needs. We think this is a great idea, and want to ask for comments band suggestions on the whole Ezine, not just the poetry section. So get your thinking hats on, and send in those suggestions!
CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOPS
Our latest workshop was held after the Forum, and covered Themes and Inspiration, Genre, Planning and Structure, Point of View, and Strong Opening
The next workshop is to be held on Monday March 10th, at 1:30pm in the Emerald Isle, and will cover Character, Conflict, Protagonists and Antagonists, Situation and Circumstance, Plot Development, and Denouement.
If you want to come along, email us at wordplayenquiries@mail.com for more information.
OPEN MIC
The next Open Mic night at Chadwicks, Villamartin, is to be held on April 24th at 7:30pm.
Competition theme for the night is '3 Random Words', and the words to be used in your piece - poetry or prose - are:
Purple, Blacksmith, Dusk
Entries to be sent to wordplaycompetitions@mail.com by Friday April 20th.
Monday, 30 January 2012
Upcoming Events
After our successful annual awards evening we at WordPlay are embarking on our third year of 'encouraging writers to write and getting them read'.
February sees the second of our Creative Writing Workshops taking place, in addition to the first Open Mic night of the year.
It's full steam ahead on the publishing front, too, with the group anthology 'Precinct 25' progressing nicely and Ian Alexander/Joy Lennick's collaborative novel in the final phase of editing. We anticipate a further 10 books to be published through WordPlay during the course of the year.
Open Mic Night
On Tuesday 7th of February 7.30pm at Chadwicks, Villamartin.
Competition theme is 'The 29th Day'. Poems limited to 40 lines maximum, with Prose at no more than 600 words. Pleas email entries to wordplaycompetitions@mail.com by Friday 3rd of February.
See you all there, don't forget to bring a friend!
Creative Writing Workshop
On Monday 13th February starting 1.30pm at The Emerald Isle, La Florida.
This month we look at: Themes and Inspiration; Genre Selection; Planning and Structuring; Creating a Strong Opening (to your story).
There will mid-afternoon refreshments, served as usual.
The cost is 25€ for this workshop, or, a discounted rate of 80€ for the remaining five workshops in the series.
For further information email wordplayenquiries@mail.com
February sees the second of our Creative Writing Workshops taking place, in addition to the first Open Mic night of the year.
It's full steam ahead on the publishing front, too, with the group anthology 'Precinct 25' progressing nicely and Ian Alexander/Joy Lennick's collaborative novel in the final phase of editing. We anticipate a further 10 books to be published through WordPlay during the course of the year.
Open Mic Night
On Tuesday 7th of February 7.30pm at Chadwicks, Villamartin.
Competition theme is 'The 29th Day'. Poems limited to 40 lines maximum, with Prose at no more than 600 words. Pleas email entries to wordplaycompetitions@mail.com by Friday 3rd of February.
See you all there, don't forget to bring a friend!
Creative Writing Workshop
On Monday 13th February starting 1.30pm at The Emerald Isle, La Florida.
This month we look at: Themes and Inspiration; Genre Selection; Planning and Structuring; Creating a Strong Opening (to your story).
There will mid-afternoon refreshments, served as usual.
The cost is 25€ for this workshop, or, a discounted rate of 80€ for the remaining five workshops in the series.
For further information email wordplayenquiries@mail.com
Monday, 16 January 2012
Birthday Celebration
WordPlay is two years old this week, and there is plenty to celebrate. Membership is up, our on-line magazine WordPlay Quarterly grows apace (now available at www.issuu.com), we are publishing books on behalf of our members, and we have now started running our own creative writing workshops, the first of which was enthusiastically received.
Our purpose of encouraging writers to write and getting them read has certainly been achieved, and continues to be built upon.
We look forward to further expansion over the next twelve months, and welcome you all, members, or otherwise, to be involved in our success.
Join us on Facebook:
WordPlay on Facebook
Our purpose of encouraging writers to write and getting them read has certainly been achieved, and continues to be built upon.
We look forward to further expansion over the next twelve months, and welcome you all, members, or otherwise, to be involved in our success.
Join us on Facebook:
WordPlay on Facebook
Friday, 6 January 2012
WORDPLAY ANNUAL DINNER 2012
Our Birthday Bash this year is to be held on January 22nd, at The Emerald Isle, La Florida
Arrive 6pm
Bubbly and Presentation of Awards
7:30pm
Dinner Served
Starter:
Home made Vegetable Consomme
Home made Pate
Bruschetta
Ham and Melon
Main Course:
Goats Cheese and Red Onion Tarte Tatin
Sweet and Sour Chicken and Rice
Steak and Ale Pie and Mash
Ham and Mushroom Quiche and Salad
Served with a selection of vegetables and chipsert
Dessert:
Baileys Cheesecake
Bakewell Pie and Custard
Fruit Salad
Ice Cream
After Dinner, tables may join in the quiz.
Then its dancing all the way to the sounds of Nick Gold through to the finish! (He may even let you have a sing if you want!).
We need numbers and menu selection asap.
Attendees will be seated at tables of eight.
Friends, family, all welcome.
Cost is €18.50 per person, with a €5 deposit payable.
If you are coming, please let us know by email (wordplayenquiries@mail.com), and tell us your choices of starter, main, and dessert.
If you have a few in your party, let us know names and menu choices, and we'll ensure you are at the same able. For extra large parties we can extend table size.
Arrive 6pm
Bubbly and Presentation of Awards
7:30pm
Dinner Served
Starter:
Home made Vegetable Consomme
Home made Pate
Bruschetta
Ham and Melon
Main Course:
Goats Cheese and Red Onion Tarte Tatin
Sweet and Sour Chicken and Rice
Steak and Ale Pie and Mash
Ham and Mushroom Quiche and Salad
Served with a selection of vegetables and chipsert
Dessert:
Baileys Cheesecake
Bakewell Pie and Custard
Fruit Salad
Ice Cream
After Dinner, tables may join in the quiz.
Then its dancing all the way to the sounds of Nick Gold through to the finish! (He may even let you have a sing if you want!).
We need numbers and menu selection asap.
Attendees will be seated at tables of eight.
Friends, family, all welcome.
Cost is €18.50 per person, with a €5 deposit payable.
If you are coming, please let us know by email (wordplayenquiries@mail.com), and tell us your choices of starter, main, and dessert.
If you have a few in your party, let us know names and menu choices, and we'll ensure you are at the same able. For extra large parties we can extend table size.
Monday, 2 January 2012
Forum Agenda and Workshop Confirmation
Agenda for the Forum at the Emerald isle, La Florida, Monday 9th january 10:30 am:
News:
Birthday Bash
U3A
Ezine Update
Blog and new Facebook Page
Ian will be updating all on a current book project, that could be copied by all.
Michael will be updating on freelance opportunities, and the value of a back catalogue
We will be giving all the Birthday Bash menu options. Only 3 weeks to go and we want to make it even better and bigger than last year.
We'll also be picking another theme 'out of the hat' for discussion, and rounding off with 'your shout'.
Also some big news about how WordPlay will setting up our 'pseudo publishing' arm, and how its going to make publishing far easier for all our members.
Hopefully see you all there, and please feel free to bring others along,
Michael
News:
Birthday Bash
U3A
Ezine Update
Blog and new Facebook Page
Ian will be updating all on a current book project, that could be copied by all.
Michael will be updating on freelance opportunities, and the value of a back catalogue
We will be giving all the Birthday Bash menu options. Only 3 weeks to go and we want to make it even better and bigger than last year.
We'll also be picking another theme 'out of the hat' for discussion, and rounding off with 'your shout'.
Also some big news about how WordPlay will setting up our 'pseudo publishing' arm, and how its going to make publishing far easier for all our members.
Hopefully see you all there, and please feel free to bring others along,
Michael
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