I was just over at Killer Year, which is a murder mystery site, reading the article ‘Bruised Egos’, which is about the impact of critics on a writer.
The Killer Year article made me remember an email I received from a reader of a short story I’d put on one of my free online short story sites which I was quite proud of.
The article dealt with the question of who was the ultimate arbiter of quality and how different were people’s opinions of the same short story.
For me, at the end of the day, it’s the feeling of “Oh my God, did I write that … yes!” when I go back and read my stories after the passage of some time, that tells me I’ve done a good job.
Some stuff I read the other day, that I’d written a long time ago, almost moved me to tears … (on the other hand, maybe the story is just a mental fit because I wrote it).
My worst experience by a critic was a reader who emailed me and accused me of plagiarising Agatha Christie. I wrote back saying I’d never actually knowingly read her stuff because I’ve never really been able to get into it. On the other hand, I admitted her stories had been on television lots and maybe I’d picked up a story line without being aware. I ended up by saying how hurting I found her comments, when all I was trying to do was put free original short stories online for other people’s pleasure.
She wrote me back saying maybe she’d been over harsh and said to call it quits but that was years ago and the memory still stays with me.
Maybe there’s a good murder mystery based around killing a critic … but then Agatha Christie has probably done it already 
Bye for now
Rob
(Rob Hopcott - online author … and oh so sensitive )
My New Year’s writing resolution is to leave behind my work at home office to work in as many countryside locations as I can legally find in my new (preloved) used RV / campervan.
Hopefully, working from my RV/ camper van in different daily rural locations each day will also enable me to explore many new lunch time walks and I intend to record these in my new walking blog
Read all about my first day writing in my new RV / camper van parked in the beautiful English countryside.
If anybody knows beautiful free places to park up and work for the day for an impecunious online writer, I’d love to hear of them.
Bye for now
Rob
(Rob Hopcott - online author)
Published on December 5, 2006
in Writing.
Every year, I write a short story especially for Christmas instead of sending a card to my friends.
My Christmas short story for 2006 is called ‘Three Christmas Lovers‘. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it and have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Bye for now 
Rob
Published on November 29, 2006
in Writing.
Without a doubt, everyone has a story in them, even if it is the story of their own life.
But, if you want your readers to read past the opening sentences, you’ll need to give them a really good reason to read more of your novel or short story.
Building your reputation is naturally vitally important for authors and your reader must want to remember your name so they can return to read more of your short stories, novels or novellas later.
All this is tough, challenging but rewarding, when you get it right and your readership grows.
Here are some ideas to help you write the perfect story.
Published on November 27, 2006
in Writing.
Golden age for writers and writing is about writing online.
The article describes how search engine algorithms have become so sophisticated that they can now identify, by one means or another, good writing from the rest.
This means that authors can concentrate on improving writing rather than formal marketing and the search engines with the help of the online communities will do the rest.
Of course, some would argue that creativity is the hardest thing 
Rob
Published on November 15, 2006
in Writing.
Painting pictures of the mind is a stream of consciousness creative short story by Rob Hopcott which examines living paintings and the stories they contain which bring art to life for artists and viewers.The reader is drawn into a tangled web of creativity hosted by a series of interconnected characters presenting different realities from different vantage points.
The perceived world undergoes rapid changes throughout this short story and readers may find this unsettling until the story is over, tensions are resolved and the final picture is painted.
Painting pictures of the mind is copyright Rob Hopcott 1999 - 2006, all rights reserved. All characters are fictitious in the story and no reference is intended to any person living or otherwise.
Published on November 9, 2006
in Writing.
Authors of short stories and other fiction love creating exciting relationships between their important characters. In Smart Touch of Spice, Alice is cross with her husband because he claimed Alice, his wife, was less adventurous than his secretary who had taken steps to spice up her relationship with her boyfriend.
Alice is a character who is always up for a challenge and, in preparing a spicy surprise for her husband when he gets home, she takes a while out to deal with other matters.
I hope you like it
Rob
This short crime and relationship story is copyright Rob Hopcott 1999 - 2006, All rights reserved. All characters are fictitious and no reference is intended to any person living or otherwise.
To read more free stories by popular online fiction author Rob Hopcott, check out Rob’s Hopcott fiction blog.
Published on October 25, 2006
in Writing.
Lost Souls and Tickled Trout - a fishing and Halloween short story from the Rob Hopcott fishing short stories
Halloween is nearly upon us and people’s thoughts will be turning to things strange and unexplained. Here is my contribution to the world of strange, weird, ghostly and unexpected. I hope you like it.
The story is nice eery Halloween story set in the West of England countryside in an old inn between the hills and by a dark river. It involves lost souls and tickled trout
Some graphic links to social book marking site are provided below for your convenience.
All best
Rob
Published on October 16, 2006
in Writing.
This writing blog is for news, information, discussion and opinion about the subject of writing.
I have posted many online short stories, novels, novellas and other kinds of writing online but writing has a philosophy all its’ own. It is a difficult process to write but also fascinating.
This weblog seeks to understand the process of writing with the aim of perhaps being able to write better.
I hope you enjoy it.
Rob
