Perth Words… exploring possibilities.

I’ve read thousands of “page ones.” Very often I don’t read page two.

Sometimes all I read is that first page and I make judgements based on what I see there. As an agent and a reader my practice is that if I’m not connecting with the material I move on–and quickly.

I wish I had time to give writers (and their books) more of a chance but I can tell a lot by one page: sense of dialogue, setting, pace, character, voice, and writing talent–yes, usually all from one page. Five at the most.

So how are you supposed to get us past one page?

6 Tips To Hook A Reader on Page One

1. Learn how to balance what readers need to know vs. what you, as the writer, want to tell us. I can sense a writer who is trying to show off very quickly. It really only takes…

I’m very pleased to announce that I had a short story published in The Irish Times on Saturday, as this month’s winner of the Hennessy Short Story of the Month.

Which is very nice.

You can read the story here, if you want.

A movie of Dad’s Army?

With Toby Jones, Bill Nighy, Michael Gambon, Tom Courtenay, Bill Paterson, and Catherine Zeta-Jones?

Okay, this could be great … or it could be an embarrassment.

Series creator Jimmy Perry is one of the Executive Producers, so at least with his involvement, perhaps they’ve kept some of the charm of the original.

Oh, I am calling it now: Zeta-Jones has to be the spy, right?

My daughter and I ate pancakes and drank tea at The Blue Duck on iconic Cottesloe Beach today – she needed a special treat.  Although the breeze was strong, we enjoyed listening to the very small waves kissing the beach.

It’s the same beach where Heather Locklear married the good-looking one from Kiss, quite a few years ago now.

Also more recently stars from all over the world formed a circle in the surf at sunset, to say goodbye to WA actor Heath Ledger, following his wake at the famous Indiana Tea House.

The Blue Duck

Three container ships

queue on Fremantle’s

horizon; Gage roads.

Two lifeguards in

red and yellow patrol

Cottesloe beach.

One blue writer

drinks inspiration from

white cup and rolling surf.

Frances Macaulay Forde © 2005

@FrancesMForde  #FrancesMacForde  #TheBlueDuck  #CottesloeBeachWA  #IndianaTeaHouse  #HeathLedger  #HeatherLocklear   (Weird they have the same initials…)

Being introduced at the Avon Valley Writers Festival, 2012.

Talk about booking well in advance: the West Australian branch of the Society of Women Writersasked me at the beginning of the year, to run a workshop ‘Writing for the Screen’in October.

I’m told they expect around 60 people to attend the General Meeting and stay for my presentation – so I’m looking forward to the challenge.  🙂

Well used to presenting to an audience either in person, on a stage or on screen, I’m not really worried about showing a short film made from my script then talking about my experience.

Some of the audience for my Avon Valley Writers Festival workshop having a go at a one pager, 2012.

The intention is to also get them to have a go at a one pager, then pick a couple to read out and critique. A similar workshop during the inaugural Avon…