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            <title>
									Southport Writers&#039; Circle Conversation - Recent Topics				            </title>
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            <description>Southport Writers&#039; Circle Discussion Board</description>
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							                    <item>
                        <title>Competitions</title>
                        <link>http://www.swconline.co.uk/conversation/activities/competitions/</link>
                        <pubDate>Fri, 01 May 2020 10:21:37 +0000</pubDate>
                        <description><![CDATA[For historical fiction writers, details of the Dorothy Dunnett 2020 short story prize.]]></description>
                        <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>For historical fiction writers, details of the Dorothy Dunnett 2020 short story prize.</p>
<p><br /><span>https://historicalwriters.org/awards/ddshwass-award-2020/</span></p>
<p> </p>]]></content:encoded>
						                            <category domain="http://www.swconline.co.uk/conversation/"></category>                        <dc:creator>Val</dc:creator>
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				                    <item>
                        <title>Joining</title>
                        <link>http://www.swconline.co.uk/conversation/rules-and-joining/joining/</link>
                        <pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2020 08:29:08 +0000</pubDate>
                        <description><![CDATA[These forums are free for anyone to read and enjoy. If you not an existing member and would like to participate by sharing your work or critique, please apply for access to southportwritersc...]]></description>
                        <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>These forums are free for anyone to read and enjoy. If you not an existing member and would like to participate by sharing your work or critique, please apply for access to <a href="mailto:southportwriterscircle@yahoo.co.uk" target="true">southportwriterscircle@yahoo.co.uk</a></p>
<p>Following details required:</p>
<p>Subject Header: Forum Access</p>
<p>Real name:</p>
<p>User name:</p>
<p>Email:</p>
<p>Why I enjoy writing (10 words or less):</p>]]></content:encoded>
						                            <category domain="http://www.swconline.co.uk/conversation/"></category>                        <dc:creator>swconline</dc:creator>
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				                    <item>
                        <title>Rules</title>
                        <link>http://www.swconline.co.uk/conversation/rules-and-joining/rules/</link>
                        <pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2020 08:25:22 +0000</pubDate>
                        <description><![CDATA[No profanity, unless in context of writing work.
No visual pornography. Written forms are allowed strictly in context, as long as the post is tagged 18+.
The moderators&#039; word is final.
Sp...]]></description>
                        <content:encoded><![CDATA[<ul>
<li>No profanity, unless in context of writing work.</li>
<li>No visual pornography. Written forms are allowed strictly in context, as long as the post is tagged 18+.</li>
<li>The moderators' word is final.</li>
<li>Spam or anything that is deemed as spam will be removed.</li>
<li>All critique MUST be constructive. You are welcome to your opinion, provided that it is useful advice, e.g. "Romance is rubbish" is not acceptable, "Romance is not a universal experience, perhaps try more emotional adjectives, or a different apporach" would be fine.</li>
<li>Repeated infringement may result in loss of access.</li>
<li>These rules are not exhaustive. Golden rule: If you think you should not, then don't.</li>
</ul>]]></content:encoded>
						                            <category domain="http://www.swconline.co.uk/conversation/"></category>                        <dc:creator>swconline</dc:creator>
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				                    <item>
                        <title>Writing exercise - Poetry - based on life or a dream...</title>
                        <link>http://www.swconline.co.uk/conversation/activities/writing-exercise-poetry-based-on-life-or-a-dream/</link>
                        <pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2020 18:52:17 +0000</pubDate>
                        <description><![CDATA[We will all be nomads
We will all be nomads when change has its wayPacking up our tents, though we really want to stay.A juggernaut is speeding upon its glowing tracksa ball of fire is roll...]]></description>
                        <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>We will all be nomads</strong></p>
<p>We will all be nomads when change has its way<br />Packing up our tents, though we really want to stay.<br />A juggernaut is speeding upon its glowing tracks<br />a ball of fire is rolling towards our wooden shacks.</p>
<p>We are but the pieces in a game of chess<br />Who had corn a-plenty but soon will have less.<br />Another master’s waiting, who we never chose<br />a ray of light is flaring across his bulbous nose.</p>
<p>We will all be scattered on a different plain<br />My friends will you not find me? Will you hear my name?<br />He’ll pay his dues in silver, in his silken gown<br />And we’ll sing his praises before the sun goes down.</p>
<p>We are all now nomads, he holds every hour.<br />Where he goes we scurry, in his path of power.<br />Yes we are his minions, we drink out of his bowl<br />And he’ll always own us but he’ll never own our soul.</p>
<p> </p>]]></content:encoded>
						                            <category domain="http://www.swconline.co.uk/conversation/"></category>                        <dc:creator>Helen K</dc:creator>
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				                    <item>
                        <title>Writing exercise - Pick a number!</title>
                        <link>http://www.swconline.co.uk/conversation/activities/writing-exercise-pick-a-number/</link>
                        <pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2020 08:56:16 +0000</pubDate>
                        <description><![CDATA[Pick a number
Pick a random number between 1 and 30. We’ll call it number n. Then look to your bookshelf (real or virtual) and choose the nth book.
Open that book to the nth page and go to...]]></description>
                        <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;line-height: normal;font-size: 12pt;margin-right: 0cm;margin-left: 0cm"><u><strong><span style="font-size: 14pt">Pick a number</span></strong></u></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0cm;margin-left: 0cm;font-size: 12pt"><span style="font-size: 14pt"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt">Pick a random number between 1 and 30. We’ll call it number n. Then look to your bookshelf (real or virtual) and choose the nth book.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><br /></span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0cm;margin-left: 0cm;font-size: 12pt"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt">Open that book to the nth page and go to the nth sentence on that page.</span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0cm;margin-left: 0cm;font-size: 12pt"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt">Write that sentence down and make it the first sentence of a new freewriting exercise. Just write whatever comes to mind for the next sentence and the one after that, and so on.</span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0cm;margin-left: 0cm;font-size: 12pt"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt">Write at least as many sentences as the number you chose.</span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0cm;margin-left: 0cm;font-size: 12pt"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"> </span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0cm;margin-left: 0cm;font-size: 12pt"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><u><strong>My example</strong> </u><br /></span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0cm;margin-left: 0cm;font-size: 12pt"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"> </span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0cm;margin-left: 0cm;font-size: 12pt"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt">Random number = 4</span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0cm;margin-left: 0cm;font-size: 12pt"><strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"> </span></strong></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0cm;margin-left: 0cm;font-size: 12pt"><strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><u>Sentence number 4</u><br /></span></strong></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0cm;margin-left: 0cm;font-size: 12pt"><strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"> </span></strong></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0cm;margin-left: 0cm;font-size: 12pt"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt">“Each individual tree is invited into the whole, and, in turn, helps support the entire group.”</span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0cm;margin-left: 0cm;font-size: 12pt"><u><strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"> </span></strong></u></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0cm;margin-left: 0cm;font-size: 12pt"><u><strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt">Own writing <br /></span></strong></u></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0cm;margin-left: 0cm;font-size: 12pt"><u><strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"> </span></strong></u></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0cm;margin-left: 0cm;font-size: 12pt"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt">Every tree has roots, how strong are yours? </span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0cm;margin-left: 0cm;font-size: 12pt"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt">Confront the person you are.</span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0cm;margin-left: 0cm;font-size: 12pt"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt">By being your own worst enemy, you chop the tree down.</span></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0cm;margin-left: 0cm;font-size: 12pt"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt">Showing kindness to yourself lets the roots grow deeper and the blossom to bloom.<span>   </span></span></p>]]></content:encoded>
						                            <category domain="http://www.swconline.co.uk/conversation/"></category>                        <dc:creator>Alison</dc:creator>
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				                    <item>
                        <title>Flash Fiction - &#039;Exits&#039;</title>
                        <link>http://www.swconline.co.uk/conversation/activities/flash-fiction-exits/</link>
                        <pubDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2020 21:13:55 +0000</pubDate>
                        <description><![CDATA[As set by email to the members, 200 words or less, self-contained story on the theme of &#039;Exits&#039;. Post your stories below!]]></description>
                        <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As set by email to the members, 200 words or less, self-contained story on the theme of 'Exits'. Post your stories below!</p>]]></content:encoded>
						                            <category domain="http://www.swconline.co.uk/conversation/"></category>                        <dc:creator>swconline</dc:creator>
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