The Southern Counties Writers' Support Group

Fotis reflects on the impact of all his moves on his writing, Carina rejects the cliche of the coffee shop writer, and Josh realises what he's missing are other creatives around him

Do you keep a journal? Carina glosses her travel journals for her future self to enjoy, Fotis is determined to document his experiences during the move back to Greece, and Josh is curious to see where a bit of disciplined reflection might take him.

Carina ponders the issues involved in turning a book into a stage play. Issue 1 - what's on stage?

How far does the story need to match the medium? How easy is it to switch between different story formats? And why has Carina still not finished her play?

Wherein Carina muses on writing for an opportunity that then…disappears.

How best do we release the emotions of our characters into our writing? Josh resolves to chase down thoughts and feelings, Fotis enters the world of the soliloquy, and Carina is learning what it means to sit with a situation.

In Carina's absence, Josh and Fotis fill the gap with ease by bringing a silent partner into the podcast: Fotis's book.

Writers are lone wolves - right? Despite being alone today, Carina argues the opposite, as is her wont.

Following the trauma of a lost episode, Josh, Fotis and Carina contemplate what it means to let go of our work - deliberately or otherwise.

Wherein Fotis is fully immersed in the sociopoliticoeconomic context of his characters, Carina is busy burrowing inside her characters' minds, and Josh wants to learn how to set up as a cult leader. For a script. Honest.

What's the value of a writing group? For us, it lies in the accountability, the sharing of knowledge and experience, and having friends along for the ride who know exactly what the journey's like. It's where we nerd out!

Fotis prompts us to think more deeply about our creative process - the emotions, the inspiration, the development of it. Carina realises she's found the vision for her play, and Josh realises he needs to get one (a vision, not a play).

Wherein we discuss the nature of satisfaction as a writer: Josh loves the process of creating and the freedom to write; Carina loves fixing stupid sentences and getting into the flow; and Fotis awaits the satisfaction of finishing.

January is the time for resolutions, but how did we fare with last year's? Carina gives herself a couple of tentative ticks, Josh gives himself a beating, and Fotis gets SMART. And then we set ourselves up to do it all over again next year.

Do conventions inspire or constrain? Josh looks for the subtle nuances, Fotis wonders what originality is, and Carina declares Crime dead.

Carina is querying and it is a curious mix of pain and pleasure. The hope, the despair, the knockbacks, the hope again; it's a merry-go-round of emotions.

In a continuation from last episode, we delve more into the impact of first vs third person in our writing and even read some out: Josh goes for a third person piece, Carina plumps for first person, and Fotis decides to go for both!

Do you write in the first person? Third person? Does reading something in the second person make you feel weird? Fotis has perspective issues and Josh and Carina try to solve them, though probably not very helpfully.

Carina, Josh and Fotis return, to rake over the ashes of their writing achievements and think about where they want to go next. For Carina and Josh, this inevitably involves fame and fortune; Fotis would be grateful just to finish his book.

Carina and Fotis marvel at this, our 34th episode, and reflect on everything we've discussed in the previous 33. Editing was the most popular, proving that writers must all have a masochistic streak.

Fotis shares some of the writing and writers that have inspired him, and reads part of his own work to show these ideas in action.

Wherein Carina and Fotis discuss who has influenced Carina's writing, how do you know when you've improved, and doesn't there come a point when all writing is noise, anyway?

“The only advice, indeed, that one person can give another about reading is to take no advice, to follow your own instincts, to use your own reason, to come to your own conclusions' - Virginia Woolf. Carina and Fotis agree, and immediately contradict.

Carina's finished a book and wants to finish a play; Fotis has a fantastic idea for his next book, whenever he might get round to it, and Josh just needs to finish something. Too many ideas!

It's time for us to give some writing advice. Fotis recommends reading, Carina embraces the instruction to shut up and write, and Josh creates his own set of rules for a happy writing life.

Taking advantage of the modest Fotis's absence, Josh and Carina release their egos and imagine what they and life would be like as a hugely successful and famous writer. Brilliant - yes?

Wherein Fotis and Carina discuss what it means to write with a certain voice, and what that means, and how you do it, and who does it really well.

While Josh is busy being disrupted by a new baby, Fotis and Carina discuss their writing routines, and how not to feel wretched and empty inside when those routines fall apart.

Wherein Carina is struggling to write a synopsis that isn't boring, Fotis is ready to go with the blurb, and Josh campaigns to change 'elevator' pitches into 'gunpoint' pitches.

What's the value of a competion? Carina wants to enter NOW, Josh could be more discerning, and for Fotis...well, it's ready when it's ready. Why rush for a deadline?

Josh and Carina discuss all the benefits of belonging to a writing group, and some of the drawbacks, namely, the requirement to actually be writing.

Wherein Josh wants to break all conventions, Carina goes non-linear, and Fotis says do what you want, just do it well. Easy.

Wherein Carina adds to the plot, Fotis refines the characters, and Josh wishes he could just get a first draft done.

Wherein Carina wants to do terrible things to her characters to see how they react, and Fotis wonders whether an unredeemed flawed character can still be appealing to read.

Wherein Josh shares a few self-contained responses to wider events, Fotis writes a prologue to find out what's going on, and Carina needs to give a character a bit more time and space.

Wherein Carina finds the curious details that set up the story, Fotis goes for vivid imagery that combines brutality with beauty, Josh looks for humour and personality in first-person narratives, and all vow to do better in keeping to time.

Wherein Fotis shuns an unhelpful (and mean) editor, Josh craves editorial guidance (maybe...) and Carina wonders whose advice she would choose: an editor or the Crime Queen?

Real life inspiration is more than just an overheard conversation on a train. Fotis gets real with Greek protests, Josh isn't ready for COVID fiction, and Carina wonders if anyone ever writes anything that isn't based on something real. Also, happy birthday to the Crime Queen!

The Crime Queen herself joins us to discuss her love of all things criminal in fiction: the plot, the detective, the setting, and what Jack Reacher has in common with Hercule Poirot.

Fotis sets the autobiographical scene with a quote from Coetzee, Carina puts herself into her characters and Josh worries that other people will think he does.

What is writer's block? How do you know if you have it? And how can you get over it, if it really is a thing? Josh gets tough, Fotis shows compassion, and Carina rejects perfection.

Fotis reads his current chapter 2, demonstrating how a married couple can say so much without saying much at all. Josh and Carina are suitably impressed.

An extract of Carina's work in progress, with comments and questions from Josh and Fotis afterwards (and general praise, which is very nice)

Carina is enamoured with TV but can totally justify it artistically, Josh wants to inspire and Fotis is looking for the comedy in life.

Josh wants to finish something, Fotis wants to publish something, and Carina wants either all the awards going or just to get a few words down on a page, as the mood requires.

Carina wins the lottery, Josh needs some structure, and Fotis goes people-watching in the sun

Josh, Fotis and Carina discuss their writerly origins, and set some goals for the year that are not legally bound in any way.

Josh and Carina were going to have a good think about procrastination for this episode, but have ended up winging it.

What Christmas stories have yet to be told? What do you get the writer in your life for Christmas? And where have all the mince pies gone?

Josh's curveball deflates Carina's rant, and Fotis throws something unexpected into the mix.

Wherein Carina discusses her audience of one, Fotis goes niche, and Josh has to win over the producers first.