Sally Jenkins

Win a One Day Writing Workshop

13 July 2014

What does the word SHINE mean to you?

I’ve been having a little brainstorming session because I fancy entering this FREE competition. It’s organised by the Reading Agency and the winning ten entries will be invited to London for a workshop with Joanna Rees. Twenty shortlisted entries will win a copy of The Key to It All by Joanna.

The brief is to write 1500 words of original fiction on the theme SHINE.

So what ideas did I come up with?

Sunshine
Shining & polishing the furniture (an OCD cleaner perhaps?)
Shining as in ‘being the best’ (for example shining at school)
Moonshine (possible fairy/fantasy story?)
A shiny piece of jewellery or metal

But none of the above immediately forms the basis of a story for me.

What about you? Any better ideas?

We need to be quick, the closing date is 31st July 2014. Entries should be submitted by email to competitions@readingagency.org.uk

17 responses to “Win a One Day Writing Workshop”

Keith Havers

13 July 2014

I could take a shine to entering that competition.

Reply
1. Sally Jenkins
  
  13 July 2014
  
  Very clever, Keith. Wish I was that quick off the mark!
  
  Reply
susanjanejoness

13 July 2014

Hi Sally, it’s free, so I’ll be having a go. You know me, I like a bargain. Shine on, or shine a light being said instead of swear words come to mind. I say that if I accidentally tip my mop bucket over. Or shoe shine boy, makes me think of a lad on a Spanish Island cleaning shoes to help his mum feed the family. Now I’m off to think of some more. Thanks for the link.

Reply
1. Sally Jenkins
  
  13 July 2014
  
  Shoe shine boy – brilliant idea, Susan. Good luck with it!
  
  Reply
scribblingscribes

13 July 2014

Sounds like a good idea. I’ll get brainstorming.

Reply
1. Sally Jenkins
  
  13 July 2014
  
  Me too, Scribbling scribes. Do you use one of those spider diagrams with the theme in the middle and all your ideas radiating out?
  
  Reply
shirley stow

13 July 2014

What about a shoe-shine boy? Or ‘moonshine’ illegal distillery? Rise and shine.

_____

Reply
1. Sally Jenkins
  
  13 July 2014
  
  Hi Shirley – another shoe shine boy suggestion. And I like the illegal distillery.
  
  Reply
Debbie W

14 July 2014

Thank you for this, Sally. I’ve looked at the website and can’t find any more rules I need to be aware of when sending in my entry.

Is that all the rules are do you think? The theme, the close date, the wordcount and to send the entry by email?

Thanks.

Reply
1. Sally Jenkins
  
  14 July 2014
  
  That’s all I could find, Debbie. It seems a very straightforward competition to enter. Good Luck with it!
  
  Reply
  1. Debbie W
    
    20 July 2014
    
    Thank you!
    
    Reply
hilarycustancegreen

14 July 2014

I’m thinking of beetle’s wings, grains of quartz in the sand, things that glint in unexpected places.

Reply
1. Sally Jenkins
  
  15 July 2014
  
  Lovely, Hilary. Sounds like a poem in the making!
  
  Reply
P. Douglas Hammond

15 July 2014

‘Shine’ is the nickname of a follicly challenged young man. He doesn’t mind the nickname, and indeed is enamoured of his naked head.
His mates call him Shine because they think its a bit of a laugh, but they don’t know the story behind Shines baldness.

Reply
1. Sally Jenkins
  
  15 July 2014
  
  I like it, Douglas! I can see Shine in my mind already. I hope you’re going to enter the competition with this!
  
  Reply
Patsy

16 July 2014

That’s odd, my writing group were talking about this comp last night and although we could think of several meanings for shine, none suggested a story for me. You’d have thought it would be a good prompt though as it can be used in lots of different ways.

Reply
1. Sally Jenkins
  
  16 July 2014
  
  Yes, Patsy, it can be used in a lot of ways so it should be easier to come up with a ‘unique’ idea …
  
  Reply

Win a One Day Writing Workshop

17 responses to “Win a One Day Writing Workshop”

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