South Manchester Writers' Workshop

South Manchester Writers' Workshop is a creative writing group based in Didsbury. We are open to writers of all types - novels, plays, poetry, short stories, journalism, wallpaper slogans (it did happen once)...

Meeting - 27 July 2010

Pete happens across some new information about unwanted developments at his place of work. Chris's characters varied in their response from insouciance to anger.

Phil gave us a classic chase across a frozen landscape with slavering jaws snapping at Sebastian's heels and doleful commentary from Max. And suddenly, out of breath, we were drawing up in Cornelius's home town, eager to discover at last what kind of trouble his parents are in.

It's been a long time since we caught up with Katy and her magically sedated squirrel, but Elaine had us right back in there as Lovernicus drew her out of her brush with supernatural terror.

Mark has recast one of his characters - no longer Edward's love-rival but still a powerful magician with a fearful warning about Laura's father and a cold determination that Edward should take notice.

Well, it can't be easy being a clone, especially when you're slagged off by your progenitor for being such a hopelessly weak copy and you've just returned from heaven with a brief to start a religion. Daliso has a tangled web to pull just a little tighter before the untwisting begins.

Ben gave us a tale which literally got nowhere, but managed to be both ordinary and sinister on the way.

Meeting - 20 July 2010

Where do you put up a bunch of dwarves in a police station when you don't want to let them get too close to the elf in the interview room? Andy will let us know some time soon.

Mark continued to explain the complex world his characters exist in. Edward's agreement to be trained by a dark magician takes the plot in a dangerous direction.

The fantasy theme continued with Peter's raiding party finally succumbing to its pursuers. Young Manas's horse may have saved him by bolting, but will he be back?

It was Ben's first meeting, but he gave us a complete story in the horror vein. Our hero is consumed by a book, and almost perishes in his attempt to put it aside.

Keith enlisted two readers for a sketch script he has submitted for the 24:7 theatre festival. We wish him luck.

Dan's short story was bleak but very human, and took place in a narrow and strangely washed-out world. Very affecting.

Just a few minutes remained, so we heard more of Bill's poetry - one very personal to him, the other a picture of someone a few of us recognised.

Meeting - 13 July 2010

Geoff has a new world for us in the Tales of Macaroonia, a place with a fierce reputation and denizens such as a flamenco lion tamer.

Back above the snowline, Phil starts Sebastian and his friends off on the long, last leg of their journey. Max doesn't much like travelling by sled, and you have to wonder what the mutts pulling his weight think about it too.

Gary's protagonist Gary is late returning home, and the tense interaction between his parents tells us much about him.

It's time for some miracles to be explained in Keith's near-future religious dystopia, and he kicks one of them off with some side characters setting the scene.

Fresh from his poetic triumph (see Publication news), Ian presented a first chapter in green and sepia tints, depicting the life of one Billy Swift up to the point when... Chapter 2 may zero in a little.

A short poem from occasional visitor Bill gave an impression of entering Aberystwyth and memories associated with the town.

Chris's egotist starts to give us some backstory, including a formative experience in Australia. In the present day times get a bit hard.

And finally, Daliso finished his alien visitation story with some circular logic which Red Dwarf would have been proud of.

Meeting - 6 July 2010

The egotist's name is Pete, and his egotism is built on weak foundations. Chris showed him in his normal working environment with a promising, disparate cast of co-workers.

Andy's Inspector Harris is beginning to feel that he's let himself in for something he can't control. This malapropistic dwarf and the 18 members of his family want looking after, and all they have to offer in return is a wheelbarrow full of dog food.

It's 1990 and Adnan tries desperate measures to find the money to recover his restaurant business and avoid humiliation in front of his mother. Kay took us right into his putative benefactor's home.

In one of his pre-war childhood memoirs Bill appeared as himself, singled out at school but only for thinking! The wonder in an eight-year-old's mind faced with massive engineering enterprise came through clearly.

Mark continued the story of his dark fantasy hero's mother. Periods of happiness and fulfillment dashed by the power of those she cannot escape from began to explain Edward's protective obsession with his sister.