WOWO 10 November 2022

This week we continue with the new series of Write-On Challenges. The set task was to write a character description of no more than 100 words. We look forward to interesting and enlightening examples of this technique.

A futher challenge for next week will also be introduced and explained. Using the Write-On Sessions to broaden our writing skills is a welcome addition to our range of activities on Thursday nights!

The MOTM deadline is November 20, with the keywords WATCH and PLAN, which allow a myriad number of interpretations.

Presentations:

Challenges

  1. Character development Anne Murray
  2. Character development Jutta Rosen
  3. Character development Kathleen Phelan
  4. Character development Mary Hodson
  5. Character development Celia Scully
  6. Character development Geraldine Warren
  7. Character development James Conway
  8. Character development Mary Rose Tobin

Short Story The Story Snatcher Frank Fahy

Discussion Writing intimate scenes in poetry, short stories and novels All members

WOWO 3 November 2022

After the close contest for Mug of the Month last week, this week sees a new challenge: What Happened on Tuesday? The Tuesday in question being the day before the Beatles’ teenager left home on ‘Wednesday morning at five o’clock’. Her parents had given her ‘everything money could buy’, so what made her leave? Answers were requested in the form of a text no longer than 2000 words, and the five entries will be presented tonight. An interesting challenge to look forward to!

Left over from last week is Michael O’Dowd’s video about Charlotte Brontë’s honeymoon. In addition we have three poems, including two by our new member Kathleen Phelan, a short story by Frank Fahy, and a follow-up to the popular new exercise on writing techniques.

We can look forward to an intensive, entertaining and instructive session.

Submissions:

Non-Fiction Charlotte Brontë Honeymoon – Video Michael O’Dowd

Challenge 1 The Sound of Silence Anne Murray

Challenge 2 Two Shillings Jutta Rosen

Challenge 3 Castledictat Kathleen Phelan

Challenge 4 What Happened on Tuesday Mary Hodson

Challenge 5 Far Away Hills Mary Rose Tobin

Poem End of the Yellow Brick Road Kathleen Phelan

Short Story The Story Snatcher Frank Fahy

Poem Workhouse Child Kathleen Phelan

Poem Like Magnetic Stars James Conway

Discussion Writing Exercise: ‘Character Development’ Frank Fahy

wowo 27 October 2022

‘Show Don’t Tell’:

Last week, we began a series of short writing exercises. Exercise 01 was about ‘show don’t tell‘. This week a further discussion will be initiated about this aspect of writing with examples of good practice.

Some writing exercises will be suggested and there will be an opportunity for questions and answers from all participants. It should be an interesting and informative session.

This Thursday, the last in the month, brings us the regular Mug of the Month Competition. With eight entries using the keywords MISS and LEAD, selecting the winner will be a tough job!

In addition, with poems by Celia Scully, fiction and non-fiction contributions by Frank Fahy and Michael O’Dowd, we can look forward to another full and fulfilling evening.

SCHEDULE:

MOTM:

  1. Kindly Light Elizabeth Hannon
  2. Charity Dip Anne Murray
  3. Like Magnetic Stars James Conway
  4. This I leave Behind Nollaig O’Donnell
  5. Missionaries Frank Fahy
  6. Earth’s Cry Richard O’Donnell
  7. An Cailín Deas Marty Rose Tobin
  8. In the Clearing Jutta Rosen

HAIKUS: Three Haikus Celia Scully

SHORT STORY: The Beginning of the End Frank Fahy

POEM: Grandma’s Latest Assisted Living ‘Spin’ Celia Scully

NON-FICTION: Charlotte Brontë Honeymoon Video Michael O’Dowd

DISCUSSION: Further Exercises ‘Show Don’t Tell’ Frank Fahy

WOWO 20 October 2022

Besides a story and a poem, in our next meeting we will be offering a question and answer session on technical issues involving presentation of our work in Word, PowerPoint and Zoom. Experienced users will be demonstrating how to tackle formats, margins, font size and so on.

Schedule:

Story Uncle Jim Elizabeth Hannon

Poem Thinking About Judith Davitt Geoghegan

George Saunders Challenge 1 Anne Murray

Q&A Your Questions Answered: Word, Zoom, PowerPoint Frank Fahy

Down Memory LaneA selection of stories and poems from the Archives Various Authors

Update on Novels in Progress Various Authors

Have and enjoyable and profitable evening, everybody!

WOWO 6 October 2022

After a full list of entries for Mug of the Month last week, our writers are drawing breath for the new challenge, which is due on October 23. The Words for October are: MISS and LEAD – lots of ambiguity here to spur the imagination!

Is this why our list of contributions for this week’s Whats On Write-On is shorter than usual? Two prose texts and a poem are included, with a mystery item called ‘Extras’ to whet our appetites and raise our expectations for the night.

Congratulations to Celia Scully, winner of MOTM September 2022 with her stringent, graphic yet tender poem on ‘Childbirth’. Well done!

And congratulations to all contributors to our Culture Night 2022 Video, which has achieved over 1800 viewings (Wednesday morning). A wonderful result, and no end in sight!

WOWO 6 October 2022

Prose Almost Human James Conway

Poem Untitled Poem Seamus Keogh

Short Story Papa’s Mystery Frank Fahy

Extras Extra items will appear on the night Various Authors

Looking forward to a lively session!

WOWO 29 September 2022

Welcome to our first session after last Friday’s Culture Night. We can expect the Write-On Video, which showed examples of our work and introduced many of our members, to be an informal topic of comment and discussion in this night’s meeting. The number of viewings and likes (937 and 62 resp. at 8.30pm Wednesday 28th) are also an exciting issue, and an interim result that we can already be proud of.

In addition, last Friday saw the launch of our Anthology 2023 and Seamus Keogh’s collection of poetry, ‘Sisters’, and judging by the posted comments, sales of both can be expected to rise after the airing they received. Congratulations!

A main item on tonight’s agenda is the first Mug of the Month competition after the summer break, and with eleven entries we anticipate neck-to-neck voting! Will there be a clear winner?! Below is the list of poems and texts.

The subject of haikus was broached last week and will be continued this Thursday. And Brian Ó hÚrdail’s ‘Steppes Around Astana’, held over from two weeks ago, will, we hope, finally be presented!

We look forward to an exciting session!

Mug of the Month:

1 Barlach’s Hovering Angel Jutta Rosen

2 Dismantling a Dream Frank Fahy

3 Childbirth Celia Scully

4 False Teeth James Conway

5 Break the Mould Brian Ó hÚrdail

6 Food for Thought Anne McManus

7 Future Child Elizabeth Hannon

8 Leaving Cert Points Anne Murray

9 Meghan Geraldine Warren

10 Out of Control Mary Rose Tobin

11 The Can Can Seamus Keogh

Further topics/texts:

Haikus Various haikus Elisabeth, Nolaig, Jutta, Brian et al

Non-fiction Steppes around Astana Brian Ó hÚrdail

Enjoy yourselves!

WOWO 22 September 2022

This week promises a colourful session with a mix of different genres: novel, short story, poem, non-fiction.

The subject of Haikus came up on the Write-On WhatsApp recently, and there will be a discussion about this type of poem, which, hopefully, will inspire our members to produce examples for future meetings.

The highlight these days is the upcoming Culture Night on Friday, 23 September, when a 2-hour video will present our group and examples of our work. The link for the film, which can be seen on YouTube is:

https://youtu.be/uANjPB5H_wg Make sure not to miss it, and to send the link to all your friends!

And not to forget Mug of the Month. The closing date for this month’s entries is the coming Sunday 25 September. If you haven’t yet written your fifty words, you still have a few days’ time! All contributions will be presented next week, after which excitement will mount as votes for the winner are taken. The words to be included are CAN and MOULD, and entries should be sent to annemurraypost@anne-murray

Novel extract: A Normal Couple Jutta Rosen

Story: Draft Short Story – untitled Frank Fahy

Poem: Stars Tara Lane

Non-fiction: Steppes Around Astana Brian Ó hÚrdail

Non-fiction: Fado, Fado Brian Ó hÚrdail

Discussion: Haikus Frank Fahy

Update: Write-on Culture Night, Friday 23 September 2022 Frank Fahy

Trailer: Write-on Culture Night Event

WOWO 15 September 2022

Write-On moves back into full gear this week with a fine list of poems, stories and non-fiction submitted by members old and new.

In addition, the deadline for Mug of the Month is drawing near – 25 September – so that we can expect feverish creative activity around the words CAN and MOULD in the coming week! A text of only 50 words, title not included, to be sent to annemurraypost@yahoo.ie, as text or in Powerpoint. Good luck and have fun!

Here are our items for this Thursday’s Zoom meeting:

Story: Cornucopia – The Horn of Plenty Brian Ó hÚrdail

Story: Draft Short Story – untitled Frank Fahy

Poem: Looking Closer James Conway

Poem: Simple Prayer 1 Celia Scully

Poem: Night-time Reflection Seamus Keogh

Poem: Memories Seamus Keogh

Non-fiction: Covid-19 Letter Tara Lane

Non-fiction: Fado, Fado Brian Ó hÚrdail

Update: Write-On Culture Night Friday 23 September 2022 Frank Fahy

Looking forward to an inspiring and rewarding session!

WOWO May 19, 2022

MEMORY LANE 2019 POEMS AND SHORT STORIES

With Frank taking a sabbatical to recover from Covid, the programme this week will be presented by Mary Rose, Anne Murray and Jutta. And with one exception, we’ve dipped into the history of Write-On for past contributions which are well worth a second showing. The result, we expect, will bring back happy memories for those who read the stories or poems in the past, while more recent members can discover what treasures they missed by joining the group so late! Needless to say, there are hundreds of stories and poems waiting to be reissued in this manner in the coming weeks.

At the same time, we are eager to receive new scripts, so keep writing and sending in your offerings! Please email them to Mary Rose, Anne Murray or Jutta – for details of addresses see the WriteOn WhatsApp group.

Jutta will be reading the continuation of her novel, A Normal Couple, which has been on the agenda in the past few weeks. The War has begun, and the wedding date is due ten days later. What will happen?!

Next week will bring us MOTM – the closing date is next Sunday, 22 May, and the key words are BREEZE and BLOCK. We look forward to a rich crop of entries!

Presentations:

Poem The Currandy Cake by Frank Fahy

Poem My Happiest Memories by Frank Fahy

Poem What If by Geraldine Warren

Story Johnny the F-Word R.I.P. by Geraldine Warren

Story The Intrusion by Mary Rose Toibin

Story An Inconvenient Time by Frank Fahy

Story A Normal Couple. Sept 1-5, 1939 by Jutta Rosen