It's raining, it's pouring and the old man is snoring. Some would argue this is the perfect weather to make a cup of tea, flirt with an addiction to choc-chip and ginger stem cookies (delicious) and write your little heart out. And what do you do after writing your little heart out? Oh, that's right, submit it to Vibewire.net and enjoy the thrill (and it is a thrill) of seeing your name in lights (pink ones).

So, this week.

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COMPETITION

Perhaps most exciting of ALL this week, is the launch of our own, brand new competition. Yes, that's right Ladies and Gentlemen, Creative Writing at Vibewire is kicking off it's own writing competition. You read it here first. We're not launching officially until May, so that gives us 9 days to generate buzz and you guys 9 days to fire up those laptops, crack open those notebooks and get writing. There is criteria, and there are rules ... so check out the subheading to make sure you're on the same page. But, apart from that, you don't have to do anything else except get excited and, most importantly, get involved.

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FORUMS & THE SYDNEY WRITER'S FESTIVAL

If you want to use the Sydney Writer's Festival as the dating service it really is, let us know what seminars you're planning to attend, in the SWF thread of the forum. Kidding, kidding (although, I won't tell anyone if you do). What we're going to try and do, is get as many people along as possible and then start an online discussion in the forum, of what you did and didn't enjoy and, most of all, what you learnt. The SWF is a hotpot of activity and inspiration, so grab your best friend or writing buddy, pack snacks and make a day of it (snacks are very important). If you want to win free passes, head to www.newmatilda.com to find out how.

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WORD OF THE WEEK

Check it out, and don't forget - it's this little guy that is your ticket to our competition (see subheading article on the new comp) so use it for practice. Don't be shy ...

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WRITING TIP

This week Jerome Stern tells us what not to do in an excerpt from Making Shapely Fiction (can I say, a must have for new writers. It's fantastic).

 ... Don't try to tell too many stories at once. Some writers, full of ideas and excitement try to do too much in a single story, have too many incidents, too many plots. ... A story that is too complicated uses up its energy just to explain what's happening. Complication is not complexity. A story that renders a single moment convincingly is a complex achievement. The complexity lies in the richness, the rendering, the texture, the subtlety of observation, the experience created for readers. A beautifully complex story is often complex not because of a complicated surface, but because of an impressive depth.

Copyright Jerome Stern, Making Shapely Fiction, 1991.

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As always, sending our love vibes and our writer's-luck vibes. Don't forget to check out the competition details, the word of the week and, most importantly ... KEEP WRITING

Love,

The Create Team

create@vibewire.net