Three years ago I embarked on a creative writing course with the
Open University. I must admit that this was the hardest, most challenging thing
that I've ever done. I was used to being assessed and marked on my academic writing, but when it came to my creative writing, I didn't find it so easy. I was really demoralised by the mark I got for my final
assignment. The most cutting comment was that the storyline was ' poor'. It's
based on a true story of a man I met on a plane a few years ago, who had been
in the north tower when the planes hit in 9/11, but the woman is a complete fiction. For a couple of years I let this get to me and apart from writing my blog, I stopped writing anything else.
Then last year I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself and do something about it. So after a few changes, an author never thinks their work is completely finished anyway, I submitted the story in a Writer's Magazine writing competition. I wasn't placed, but I was given some really encouraging feedback that led me to believe that, with a few more changes, I might stand a chance if I resubmitted it. So, armed with a renewed feeling of optimism, I did just that. This was the result.
A Twist of Fate
Thanks for entering the Writers’ Forum competition.
Presentation: Manuscript layout is good. When
someone is addressed in dialogue there should be a comma before and/or after
the name.
Title: Apt for the story on more than one
level.
Opening: This is good scene setting, introduces
the main character, and contains a hook to grab the reader’s attention, giving
us a reason to read on.
Dialogue: Good – the dialogue aids
characterisation and helps to drive the story onwards.
Characterisation: The characters are well drawn
and credible.
Overall: You have a lovely style and I enjoyed
reading your work very much indeed. I’m short-listing this – congratulations!
Should the story move forward to the top three, someone will be in touch to let
you know.
Shortlisted
No one did get in touch with me, so I didn't make the top three. but I didn't really mind. As far as I was concerned I'd done what I set out to do and changed it from being a 'poor idea' a story was that was highly commended. This was confirmed when in the March edition of the magazine, was listed as having been shortlisted and highly commended.
This has done so much for me on so many levels. It's restored my confidence for one thing. Unfortunately, I'm a bit too busy with my Open University degree to do much writing at the moment, but I fully intend to take it up again when I finish, hopefully in May 2018. I'm a bit annoyed with myself that I let myself be affected by this in the first place, but I'm proud of myself for picking myself up and turning it around.
Since becoming a part of WOAPA Adult Singing Group, my life has become quite exciting at times. So far we've performed at music festivals, made a couple of Cd's and videos, including the Diggy, Diggy Hole video for Oxfam, and helped raise a lot of money for charity. We've even been awarded a couple of distinctions at the Chipping Norton music festival and, this year had the honour of being asked to close the festival.
A few weeks ago, Brian announced that we had been asked to sing in the Great Hall at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, as part of their run up to Christmas celebrations. Normally I'm not a great fan of singing Christmas songs before December, but I was very happy to make an exception in this instance.
Great Hall at Blenheim Palace.
On Saturday, 14th November, around 12.30pm, I, along with around 70 others of the WOAPA Adult Singing Group, began to gather in the Great Hall for the first of two performances. The hall had been decorated for Christmas and it took my breath away when I entered and saw the two Christmas trees, each standing about 40 feet tall, that flanked the area where we would be performing. Any nerves I had grew even more intense at the sight, and I'm sure that I wasn't the only one.
WOAPA Adult Singing Group
At 12.50pm, we began to take our places ready for the first performance. There was a lot of shuffling and murmuring, but finally Louise signalled us that it was time to begin and we gave her our full attention. We started with a Jingle Bell Rock/White Christmas medley. The acoustics in the Great Hall are amazing and the sound of the choir singing resonated along the corridors and up into the rafters. One of the palace staff who was working in an office along the corridor told us that she could even hear us in there. When we finished singing, we were enthusiastically applauded by the crowd that had gathered to listen.
Feelimg a bit less nervous , we waited for the intro to the next song to begin. It should have been, Somewhere Only We Know. Instead the unmistakable opening chords of Let It Go started to play. There then followed a lot of frantic page turning, as we all tried to find the right song. Fortunately, it's one we're all familiar with and we managed to sing it without a hitch. Being a bit unnerved by this, we waited with bated breath to see what song would come next. It turned out that the ipod had inadvertently been put on shuffle and instead of playing the songs in the order that we'd rehearsed, the rest of the songs appeared at random. But, being the consummate professionals we are, we managed to complete the rest of the performance, without any further mishap, It was quite a challenge trying to identify which song was coming next, and find the words in time to start singing. I was very thankful that I knew most of the songs by heart. But I don't think it affected our performance too much. The audience still seemed to enjoy it.
The ipod having been taken off shuffle, the second performance went according to plan, I had goosebumps at times, especially when we sang, Real Love, and Somewhere Only We Know, and at the end of Let It Go, I observed one lady with her hands clasped in front of her mouth, with tears in her eyes and a huge smile on her face. After we'd finished, a couple of ladies asked me at what time we'd be singing again. They were very disappointed to find out that we wouldn't be. I would quite happily have done it all again.
After the performances, I decided to have a wander around the palace, and quite a few people stopped me to say how much they'd enjoyed our singing. One German gentleman, actually stopped my friend and said, "You have a beautiful voice." then in typical German soldier fashion, clicked his heels together, bowed and said,'Perfect singing'. Says it all really.
WOAPA afternoon school
The next day it was the turn of the WOAPA school children. I decided to go along and support them. They were also performing twice but what I hadn't realised was, they were splitting into two, with the morning school singing at 1pm and the afternoon school at 2pm and I only managed to catch the second performance.
The children were actually better behaved than the the adults. They sat quietly on the floor until Sian, their tutor, signalled them to stand up and didn't talk between songs. They started by singing a couple of songs that the adults had sung the day before, including Let It Go, although they sang a different arrangement of the songs. The children were amazing. They put on a very polished performance and someone remarked to me that they sounded like angels. Looking around at the crowd I saw a sea of smiling faces and proud parents.
Sian.
The only little hiccough was when one of the youngster's passed out towards the end of the second last song. But Sian acted quickly and managed to catch him before he hit the floor. The others again showed their professionalism by going on to sing the final song, as if nothing untoward had happened. The youngster soon recovered and Louise said to the audience that this had happened to her in the past. One of the joys of show business.
It was a wonderful experience.We couldn't have asked for a more stunning setting and, as I've already mentioned, the acoustics were fantastic, which enhanced the sound of our singing. I'm eternally thankful that I found WOAPA and really appreciate all the hard work put into by Brian, Louise and the WOAPA tutors, making it the success it has become. Who knows what WOAPA will be asked to do next. but it'll have to be pretty special to top this.
Here are a couple of video clips:
Photographs courtesey of Isabel and Diane Iverson Mullinger.
Where is your escape? Do you
have somewhere either real or imagined that you can go when you need some Isabel-time?
This is a blog challenge I was set by a fellow Open University student quite a while ago. I've had a couple of attempts at answering this question, but gave up as I didn't really know what to say.
The real answer to this question is the bath. I love to pour myself a deep, bubble-filled bath and either, lie there with my eyes closed and just relax, or alternatively read. The bath seems to be the only place where I seem able to switch my mind off completely from my studies and other activities. But who wants to read a blog about someone having a bath?
Over the past couple of months life has been a bit stressful for me and my family. Both my sons had health issues, one concerning his heart and the other his lung. At the same time my hubby was going through a difficult time at work and was very stressed about it. I've reached a point in my life where I'm realising that worry is a waste of time and energy and doesn't actually change the outcome of anything, so I try not to do it. But when it comes to my children, as any parents reading this will know, that's easier said than done.
But it was during this period that I discovered that I do have a place, a real place, where I can go to escape, and it's on my doorstep.
Manor house from cafe courtyard
Those who've read some of my previous blogs will know that I'm a volunteer at Cogges Manor Farm in Witney. For those not familiar with this place, it's a heritage site consisting of a manor house and grounds. The house is stunning and is beautifully set off by the walled garden and lawns surrounding it. There's an orchard, with a variety of apple trees and fields where some sheep and a couple of Shetland ponies graze. Down in the woodland area you can still see the the double moated area that surrounded the original Cogges Castle that was built there in the eleventh century. It's now the site of a castle themed adventure playground and is often ringing to the sound of children of all ages, enjoying themselves. you can even build your own den.
Timmy, Louis and Jonathan, Cogges' goats
There are a variety of small animals, including pygmy goats, pigs, rabbits, guinea pigs plus a variety of chickens and ducks. Three rescued cats have made their home on the farm and one of my jobs is to pop in almost every day and feed them.
Most of my time is spent in the house on my own, either writing or studying and, as you may well imagine, that wasn't really very helpful during this worrying time. I've always known how special Cogges is to me. But over the past couple of months I've come to realise just how special it is. There is a peace and tranquillity about the place that is hard to describe. No matter how bad I'm feeling, a visit to Cogges always has the power to lift my spirits.
I feel very privileged to have this special place on my doorstep, it takes me less than five minutes to walk there. Even just writing about it makes me feel good.
Cogges farmyard.
Life has settled down for the moment and I've got one or two special occasions coming up that I'm sure I'll be writing about. But it's good to know that Cogges is there to weave its magic spell whenever I need it.
Where is your escape? Do you have somewhere either real or imagined that you can go when you need some you-time?
This has done so much for me on so many levels. It's restored my confidence for one thing. Unfortunately, I'm a bit too busy with my Open University degree to do much writing at the moment, but I fully intend to take it up again when I finish, hopefully in May 2018.
