Don't forget--there are 2 ways to listen to Sherry's Shorts on Friday: via the Listen Anytime link ⬇️ & *live* at 12 noon UK time on hhr.scot. Catch the tense 'Mountain Sunrise' by @ruthabrandt.bsky.social & the stunning 'Stupid Lovely Confidence' by Nazifa Islam + 2 more gems by Highland writers! 😁

Honoured to have my story 'Mountain Sunrise' included in @uksherka.bsky.social 's Sherry's Shorts on @highlandhradio.bsky.social this month.

Write Away! Writing Retreat – 28-30 Nov, Woking Weekend of thinking about your writing and talking to other writers? Suitable for all. Feedback includes: “Excellent tuition & a brilliant weekend. I also love your choice of venue.” Any questions or to book, please ask.

Heading home after a fabulous few days @edfringe. Saw some fantastic shows including Cadel, Lungs on Legs @cadeltheplay, Anthem for Dissatisfaction @skelpielimmerproductions, Alright Sunshine @wonder_fools_online and Glenn Moore comedian @glennrogermoore 🎭🤣

Thanks so much, Ruth. Just one place left if anyone wants it: www.mattkendrick.co.uk/wbtl-gloriou...

A NEW newsletter giving a round up of upcoming courses and events run by freelance creative writing tutors. Well worth a peruse!

Gosh, what an amazing read @tomkinsdeb.bsky.social Deborah Tomkins's Aerth! Looking forward to discussing it with the NiFTY gang on Mon.

So wonderful to take my time re-reading @laurabesley.bsky.social 's remarkable Sum of Her Parts. Many congratulations Laura on this thought-provoking collection. So many have stayed with me.

This year's Italian Writing Retreat at Hotel Leone, Montelparo is going rather splendidly. Great group of writers producing fab work. Plus swimming and enjoying Italian food and wine.

Art Inspired Writing, 26-28 September, @westdean.ac.uk Delighted to be returning to inspirational West Dean. The course investigates how paintings can be used to inspire stories and poetry. Feedback includes: "I enjoyed it immensely and have come home feeling inspired and buzzing with ideas."

"The lad is hot-headed. The lad is cool. He idolises Thatcher. He idolises Sartre’s philosophy" Wonderful use of parallelism to create juxtaposition and rhythmical intensity in this brilliant piece from @ruthabrandt.bsky.social

Delighted to have my dark flash fiction 'The Hot-Headed Lad' in the current Meniscus Literary Journal. This piece started life in @mattkendrick.bsky.social's Lyrical Writing course - Highly Recommended as are all of Matt's excellent courses!

😬😬😬 Apparently this is now in just three days time. I am... apprehensive / burying my head in the sand / slightly excited / slightly stressed / exhausted / super grateful to everyone who is supporting me... Mostly that last one - blown away by all the support I've had from the writing community 🙏

"It’s the phone she uses for her bookkeeping clients, utility companies, friends. Its number is the one she taught her son when he was four in case he ever got lost or worried. In case he needed her. Their emergency umbilical cord." Brilliant micro from @ruthabrandt.bsky.social

Inspiration from Experience - 16-18 May, West Dean College Still some places left on this course looking at how life's experiences can be used as the basis of fiction and creative nonfiction. And of course, @westdean.ac.uk is such a wonderful place to relax into creativity!

Delighted to have my flash The House Phone included in @fictivedream.bsky.social's MicroMonday this week alongside @kiptain.bsky.social's Morning Reflections. Many thanks!

What a wonderful piece, Kip. "When I step outside, a dying fragment of fog shivers at my feet, its shadow steaming and shrinking in the strengthening morning light." And killer final sentence! @fictivedream.bsky.social

An Easter Saturday sunset in Treyarnon Bay Cornwall. Happy Easter 🐣

One year ago today we feat. Let the Plate Lie by @ruthabrandt.bsky.social #oneyearagotoday #shortstory #writingcommunity. If you missed it the first time, here’s another chance (please follow the link) fictivedream.com/2024/03/10/l...

We've come to the end of another #flashfictionfebruary. Our sincere thanks to the stellar line up @sudhab.bsky.social @jtstories.bsky.social @sfreligh.bsky.social @bsherm36.bsky.social @lumchanmfa.bsky.social @francesgapper.bsky.social @grahammort.bsky.social @ruthabrandt.bsky.social

Great character & setting in this @fictivedream.bsky.social flash by @ruthabrandt.bsky.social. You will get swept away by the wild wind and fury of this teenage protagonist and her 'totally stupid' family on this crazy wild ride of a story.

"But he didn’t, so it’s none of Cara’s business, except Dad went to bed at nine-thirty and then Cara’s stepmother prissy-yawned" Great evocation of character, voice and relationship in this #FlashFiction from @ruthabrandt.bsky.social

❤️

"Arms and legs. How difficult can arms and legs be? Left arm forward, right leg forward..." If a Lamb Knew How to Play Hopscotch by Ruth Brandt @ruthabrandt.bsky.social #microfiction #flashfiction #flashfictionfebruary. Please follow the link and enjoy fictivedream.com/2025/02/10/i...

Find out how artist Claudia McGill's went about creating the artwork for If a Lamb Knew How to Play Hopscotch by @ruthabrandt.bsky.social by following the link to her blog #artwork #microfiction #flashfiction #flashfictionfebruary claudiamcgillart.com/2025/02/10/i...

So good to be back @westdean.ac.uk for a #shortcourse weekend on memoir writing. Lots of writing and some very moving memoirs.

Our thanks to our stellar lineup of January #authors: Mark Jacobs, @ruthabrandt.bsky.social Tim Pears, Patricia Fuentes Burns, @kerryhp.bsky.social @emilyrinkema.bsky.social Lindsay Hill and @gillistories.bsky.social. We'll be sharing these #shortstories again over the next few days

Great prompts here from Michael Loveday to help you get to know your main character.

So pleased you enjoyed The Dog and the Giraffe, Matt, and thank you for reading @mattkendrick.bsky.social @ruthabrandt.bsky.social #shortstory

"There’s a dog sitting next to the table leg with mud on its feet, all nose-pointy and growl-muttery" Love the voice in this wondeful piece by @ruthabrandt.bsky.social in @fictivedream.bsky.social - captures the child narrator and all her emotions so well

(...2/2) More Monday short stories: @mooninabucket.bsky.social in J Journal @ruthabrandt.bsky.social in @fictivedream.bsky.social @andrewbertaina.bsky.social in LA Review All the links here: www.turnandwork.com/weekly-short...

Thank you @fictivedream.bsky.social and Laura for giving this story a home!

Thank you so much Laura and @fictivedream.bsky.social !

Wonderful to be back @westdean.ac.uk for Flash Fiction Writing. Great group of writers and West Dean House is lookong beautiful all decked out for Christmas 🎄

Thank you @mrbullbull.bsky.social for giving this story a home!

Wonderful evening yesterday at the Short Story Showcase at Guildford Book Festival. Sell-out audience and a great Q&A. @alicefwrites.bsky.social @sarahhegarty.bsky.social Julie Evans and David Reading.

Flash Fiction Writing, West Dean College, 13-15 December: I'll be running a flash fiction course (telling stories in fewer than 1,000 words) this December at West Dean, which looks spectacular at Christmas time. To book visit the college's website www.westdean.ac.uk/short-course...

Another wonderful Telling Stories in Paint and Words workshop ran last weekend with my father, painter Bob Brandt.

Many thanks to WestWord for shortlisting and publishing my flash, 'Coffee with Harry Styles'

This Hobbies and Vices creative writing workshop tomorrow with @marthawrites.bsky.social looks fascinating. www.tickettailor.com/events/thefl...

We have the winners in the 2024 WestWord Flash Prize! Congrats to all and to the shortlisted writers too! Not many of them are on here but check out the brilliant stories by @joycebingham.bsky.social @ruthabrandt.bsky.social @fionaswriting.bsky.social!

Wonderful to be back @hotelleone for a week's writing retreat. Many laughs, refreshing swimming, fab food and excellent writing being done 😎

Art Inspired Writing, West Dean College, 13-15 Sept Discover how to use paintings as inspiration for stories and poems, creating characters, adding atmosphere, and more. Suitable for all. #creativewritingcourse #creativewriting

📣 2 days to go! 🚨 For those who eat lunch and like Flash fiction 😉 See you at lunchtime on Wednesday for this masterclass! What will be covering? Details and a new craft article from me, below... www.writersandartists.co.uk/events-and-c... www.writersandartists.co.uk/advice/flash...

Final day of another wonderful Inspiration from Experience #creativewritingcourse @westdeancollege. Fabulous group of writers producing wondefully moving writing.

Great opportunity to hear flashy insights from @hanakhalique.bsky.social !

Flash fictioners! I have a brand new 12-part course comin' up at The Forever Workshop in May and I would *LOVE* for you to join me ❤️🙌✍️ #FlashFiction #ShortFiction #ShortStory #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

I'm absolutely delighted to be running a new #workshop - WHAT DID YOU SAY? Writing Effective Dialogue - with The Crow Collective on May 4th, 4-6pm (BST). Please see link for details. crowcollectiveworkshops.com/2020/01/04/dia…#writingn#amwritingn#writingcommunityt#dialogueue @sagetyrtle.bsky.social

What a wonderful, and horrific, character study! So compellingly written. Many congratulations, Matt!