We might only be into November a couple of days, but already it feels dull, dark and dreich most of the time. Yesterday a dull day was brightened considerably by being back at Coney.
We caught up on each other's news - it seemed much longer than a month since we'd all been together. We talked about memorable characters, shared our 'homework' - (yes - sometimes we get homework - and sometimes we even remember to do it!) and then completed some writing exercises thinking about our characters and how they might clash with others in our stories. The results kept us entertained.
Over seasonal apple and cinnamon muffins, biscuits and coffee, we shared some of our work and made plans. I also thought about what makes a story work. The previous evening I'd been to see 'The Vanishing Elephant' at Belfast's Grand Opera House. It was an amazing performance - brilliant acting, music and puppetry, but at the core was good storytelling.
That's what's most important - having a good story. So later, while I waited for inspiration to strike, the muffins were finished off as I delved into the latest issue of my writing magazine.
