Let’s Go Long in November

On Saturday 30 November, we’re going to post something longer than usual.

When we did this back in September, quite a few people were kind enough to keep us company, and it would be excellent if anyone felt like doing the same this time round.

When we say ‘longer than usual’, we mean 1,500 words minimum, but we’re aiming for 2,000+ this time.

As before, pro-writers might want to consider using this as an opportunity to give an airing to something from their back catalogue, or publish a piece that’s never found a home.

Our fellow bloggers might want to give their writing muscles a workout, perhaps by conducting research or interviews, and telling a bigger story than they would usually attempt. (That’s how we’re approaching it.)

Or, screw that — just have some fun with a stream of consciousness, personal memoir, a list — whatever.

Last time, we avoided suggesting a Twitter hashtag because, ugh, hashtags, but several innocent bystanders did suggest they’d have welcomed an easy way to find people’s contributions. With that in mind, how do people feel about #beerylongreads?

Now, with astounding arrogance, we present some tips and ideas…

1. If you pick a big subject, you’ll sail to 1,500 words.
2. Alternatively, pick a small subject, but go into ludicrous detail —  perhaps tell the story of a single grain of malt.
3. Or go high concept: present a review of a single beer as a round table discussion between ten historical figures.
4. Go to the library and skim a few books or old newspapers. You’re bound to find a story worth telling.
5. Michael ‘Beer Hunter’Jackson’s first writing gig was a column called This is Your Pub in a local paper in Yorkshire — why not paint a portrait of your local pub, its history, regulars, and the publicans?
6. Struggling to make 1,500 words? Drop in one or two 100-word quotes. This is how Norman Davies gets his books up to the requisite fatness.