Well, it seems that you've all given up on this one, so I'd better come out of the closet and confess that 'twas me. IB got the POV dead right - well, just about - a sort of East End hard man, a little like Frank Butcher perhaps. I think he could well have said 'a bit of a naughty boy' but I've been known to be wrong in the past, so...

Still, it was great fun writing it, and I found a funny site called http://www.the-phone-book.com that actually pays money for this sort of thing (very short fiction), so I cut it down to 150 words and submitted it. They even ask for fiction of 30 words and some of even less - 9? Now there's a challenge.

Congratulations, Nell on you fooling 3 out of 7 of us. It wasn't just the 'naughty boy' for me, it was something about the sentence structure too, but exactly what I find it difficult to say. Great stuff! Hope you're successful with your submissions to the web site.

I think the game was/is? (are we carrying on)? great. It certainly shows that a man writing from a female point of view, and a female from a man's point of view, within the framework of a story is possible, but it is an immensely subtle process. (can something be immensely subtle?)

Andrew )

Andrew, thanks, I do hope this exercise continues - it's such fun! It tends to get a little overlooked though, which is a shame, perhaps we should carry on posting and keep it at the top of the topic list.

Nell

I agree perhaps it would be useful to have a few more excercises in addition although I can think of any at present.

david

David, Anna did mention that the next exercise was to be a group story in which we each carry on from the last piece posted. Should be interesting.

I suppose the topic could be widened a little to include more of a general discussion on the ways that women and men's point of views differ? Although I do hesitate somewhat to go down this route, as there is a danger that it could easily get off track, however it is important area.

I was contemplating starting a separate forum topic, (if there was sufficient interest?) on male and female sexual symbolism, which is certainly a different topic, but nevertheless one which is closely linked.

Any takers?

Andrew

*flexes muscles*

Oh yeeeaaah.

This seems to be a pet subject of yours, Andrew. Personally I believe men and women may be of different species, but I'm up for it nevertheless...

I thought it may be a good excercise for say Anna to give a topic or phrase and we all have a week to come up with say 250 words prose or poetry about around including that phrase and then post it to see the diveristy of work wopuld be interesting based on us all in theory starting from the same premise

just a thought

take care
david

Intersting coincidence I have just read a short synopsis provided by the Sunday paper of a book in silence and didnt take much notice of teh author until I had finished reading it my impression was that it had been written by a male although the central character is a female

WRONG it is written by Erica Spindler

Ha, David - wrong forum - you should be in coincidences!

Nell that's a coincidence I wondered about posting it there as well

david

And Erica is the name of Andrew's character in The Icera Stone! Now there's another!

The 250 words sounds like a neat idea, David.

Yes David, it does indeed.