Wednesday 24 August 2016

Baking

It’s back today! Judging from Twitter I’m not the only one struggling to keep my excitement under control. I refer of course to The Great British Bake Off which returns to our television screens tonight. Weeks of fun lie ahead. Expect to see plenty of hard work and effort, creativity, histrionics, disbelief, despair and finally exultation. Just like writing really.



Last year I had a 75 word flash published on Paragraph Planet which was inspired by The Great British Bake Off. Today is as good a time as any to share it again. If you haven’t heard of Paragraph Planet pop across and have a look at their site. They publish a new piece of flash fiction every day, the only requirement being it has to be exactly 75 words, no more and no less, including any title. I find it an excellent way of warming up for a day of writing. Why not give it a go?

Now to get back to my own literary efforts, mixing up words and phrases in just the right proportions to create a tasty manuscript. Hope I can avoid the flabby middle and soggy bottom.

8 comments:

  1. Great blog and thanks for sharing both your work and the flash fiction website, very useful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. One of our Swanwick friends Heather Walker has her piece on the Planet today, Sue.

      Delete
  2. I'll have a look at the planet place, thanks, Bea. Loved your flash piece, and I'm sure no floppy middles or bottoms are in sight.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nothing a good girdle (or a strong edit) can't resolve!

      Delete
  3. I like your mini story. I used to like Bake off too, but it's become more of a soap opera than it is about cooking. I'd rather get some tips on getting my sponge to rise than watch people pressurised to the point they're in tears if theirs doesn't.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bring back Fanny Craddock, I say.

      Delete
    2. Not Fanny, Bea! She was so cruel to Johnny. Paul Hollywood has nothing on her for doing 'the look'. I got a soggy bottom the other day - on my apple & blackberry pie, I meant. I'm pretty sure it was BECAUSE I took The Hairy Bikers' tip about sprinkling dry tapioca over the pastry before adding the fruit. Next time I make a pie, which won't be long with so much fruit ripening in the garden right now, I shall go back to my tried and tested method - well-greased tin plate, 4 mins for pie bottom at pre-heated oven No. 8, fruit in, top on, milk wash, sprinkle of sugar and vanilla or maple mix, bake for 25-30 mins on No. 7.

      As for a soggy middle, my stories often have those at first draft. That's why I put them away for a while and come back to them; giving them time to bake properly. x

      Delete
    3. Looking forward to seeing some pictures of your fruit pie creations, Jackie. May your writing prove as fruitful as your pies.

      Delete