The word Oulipo is an acronym of a French group, Ouvroir de littérature potentielle. This is usually translated as Workshop of Potential Literature, although given its association with the sharing and critique of work on creative writing courses, the word ‘workshop’ might be ditched in favour of ‘work room’.
Read MoreOne of the techniques employed by the Oulipo is known as N+7. This is where you take each noun, and replace it with a word that is seven words on in the dictionary. Of course, results vary according to what dictionary you use. The following article is an N+7 version of my review of the Penguin Book of Oulipo. Enjoy!
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Under Waterloo Bridge, by Terry Freedman
I like the ‘noir’ feel of this picture.
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ALCS and SoA Educational Writers Awards 2019 by Terry Freedman (2).JPG
The shortlisted books for the annual ALCS Educational Writers’ Awards were as beautiful and informative as ever this year.
Read MoreI’ve spent the last term on a course called Great European Short Stories. Here are my views on the course, the tutor, and the other courses of his that I’ve attended.
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Lloyds Building, London, by Terry Freedman
Not every day for the writer has to involve actual writing.
Read MoreThere’s nothing wrong with legitimate criticism — in fact, it should be welcomed. But don’t mistake nasty put-downs for useful advice.
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Steps, by Terry Freedman
What sort of story or article does this conjure up for you?
Read MoreYou've successfully pitched the editor, so the hardest part is over. Now what can you do to maximize your chances of getting further work from the same outlet? Here are 12 things I've been doing for years with quite a bit of success. Maybe they'll work for you, though there’s no guarantee of course -- they don’t even work for me 100% of the time! But hopefully they’ll give you a better than average chance of continuing commissions.
Read MoreShort-form writing is neither quick nor easy, but the effort is, in my opinion, worth it. This book explores the form with useful information, challenging exercises, and interesting examples.
Read MoreMy first foray into the world of Oulipo.
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AZZCardfile screenshot, by Terry Freedman
Writing in your head, or prewriting, can be a good idea -- and you don't always need to type it out.
Read MoreIf you fond it difficult to stay focused on your writing, then maybe this is just the boot up the backside you need....
Read MoreI feel a bit like the first person in Khalil Gibran’s story of The Gravedigger. It’s taken me years and years, but I am finally getting rid of boxes and boxes of my clippings, ie the articles I’ve had published.
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No photography, by Terry Freedman
Another photo to act as a writing prompt, this time of a sign.
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Baffled, by Terry Freedman.jpg
A recent conversation I had with a cab company has left me completely baffled.
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Click the pic to be taken to this book’s Amazon page. (This is an Amazon affiliate link.)
Perhaps a useful aim of writers is to lead the reader to put the book or article down, and disappear in a flight of imagination. After all, surely one measure of success is that what you’ve written led someone to think of something, or to make connections, that had not occurred to them before?
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Bricked-up window, by Terry Freedman
Evidence of what must be one the most ill-conceived taxes of all time (apart from the poll taxes in 1381 and 1989 (Scotland) and 1990 (England and Wales).
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