WRITER'S BLOCK 2024

The Writer's Block challenge returned in the Autumn of 2024; and we are delighted to confirm the following results:

1st Place: Joanna Bawa - DeathDefy

2nd Place: Andrea Neidle - Cosmetico

3rd Place: Mike Lansdown - The Enemy Within

Photo right: Mike (Left); Joanna (Centre); Andrea (Right)

All 14 entries were judged by Creative Writer Tutor, Linda Spurr. Linda, whose career as a journalist covered newspapers and broadcasting, is the author of several books including the excellent A Beginners Guide to Writing Fiction.

Linda chose the theme: Tidying Up. Word count was set at 1500 - 3000 max; and the criteria was as follows:

1. I’m a reader who likes to know what’s going on as soon as I start reading. I don’t appreciate masses of build-up and scene-setting. Give me your main character and what their goal is – and then I know where I am. In media res is one of my favourite ways of beginning a story. (For tips on writing in this style, you may wish to check out Jericho Writers’ information on In Medias Res)

2. I love unusual settings, but they must be relevant to the story. And I don’t like masses of straight description. The setting must be seen through your characters’ eyes.

Our sincere thanks to Linda. 

Our sincere thanks to Linda for judging - we are hoping Linda will be able to present an evening of critique at Watford Writers in the New Year.

All entries can be read below. Congratulations to Joanna; and well done to all those who entered.

The 2021 Writer's Block challenge theme was crime fiction; and we are delighted to confirm the following results:

• 1st Place: Andrea Neidle - My Killer Blog
• 2nd Place: Rob Summers - Within
• Joint 3rd Place: Geoff Brown - Passengers From Hell; Liz Shaw - The Living Daylights

All 15 entries were judged by A J Park (Karl Vadaszffy), crime novelist, who visited us two years ago when his first novel The First Lie was published. He has just launched his second novel, Don't Speak.

Karl very kindly joined us for our evening on 28 February to announce the winner; but, also to provide constructive feedback on all the entries. The standard was incredibly high.

Thank you to all those who entered; and our sincere thanks to Karl. 

The entries below have the author's permission to be uploaded. Please note that full copyright is retained by the author and no part of the files below are allowed to be copied or used without the author's expressed permission.