Janet Cameron

Entrants to writing competitions naturally have concerns about bias and subjectivity. How can creative writing be judged fairly? Isn’t it all just a matter of personal opinion? Well, yes and no. Yes , because, ultimately, when evaluating a number of quality mss, a judge will choose what s/he likes best . No because there is a range of specific criteria against which quality writing can be assessed. Being aware of this process may help you increase your chances of achieving, at least, a higher placement. Wins cannot be guaranteed since while judges generally agree on the top five or ten percent of entries showing special ability, the final choice will be a matter of personal taste. The Basics of Good Writing In college coursework, students’ portfolios must be assessed to a percentage. There are firm guidelines in reaching an overall score and there is nothing about this process that could be described as ‘arbitrary'. Here are the six main areas markers consider in assessin...

Here are some of the members of my U3A Philosophy Group on the occasion of our Summer Party at Anna Barnard's house (Anna is on the far right of the picture and provided us with a beautiful lunch in her garden.)  We start our sessions again on the 14 September, discussing, analysing and dissecting all the hefty issues of ethical, political and moral philosophy, plus a smattering of metaphysics when we feel like it. This is one of the smartest groups I have ever taken, and has been running for two years. Our oldest member, Joyce Jones, is the beautiful lady, seated right front - our meeting was just a few days before her 90th birthday so we had a double celebration with champagne and plenty of laughs.

Frog Heaven and Other Stories - Short Literary Fiction by Janet Cameron. The stories have been published previously in good lit mags, and/or won writing awards. Award-winning short fiction by Janet Cameron. Uncomfortable truths slice through the artifice of characters as odd, funny and unique as any you might meet in real life. You may even recognise aspects of yourself in ways you may not have thought possible. Janet Cameron's short fiction has been widely published in national women's magazines and reputable literary journals. Her work has been described by the Chairman of the Society of Women Writers and Journalists, Val Dunmore, as equal to anything in the repertoire of Joyce Grenfell. Princess Michael of Kent was so impressed with her title story, Frog Heaven, that she asked her for some writing tips! Reviews from Amazon.com 5.0 out of 5 stars These short stories offer thought-provoking, glimpses into the complexities ... By  John   on April 28, 2016 For...