What a day today is! For the first time in our lifetimes the date is:
4 3 21
And what a day for Write-on! We introduce (or I might say RE-INTRODUCE) a new format for tonight’s session. Just like in the “old days” of physical meetings, we are asking our members to read their “draft works in progress” in order to garner comments from other members. No music, no photos, no images, no audio – just you, reading your work!
Where possible, the words will be shared on screen so that the audience can read along with the Author.
We have learned from the experience of doing this in our meeting rooms, that the greatest benefit accrues to the author who is prepared to LISTEN (not to DEFEND!) There is a huge temptation on the part of the author to “explain what I meant”; “Here is the background to my story!”; “to give the reasons why I wrote it that way!’ This causes DEBATE and it reduces the time that an author has for learning what the general reader understands about what is written. Remember, if the work is published, the author will not be on hand to explain to the reader what he or she really meant to say. The reader has to work out for themselves what the author has written without listening to further explanations from the author.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!
Authors — discipline yourselves to sit back and listen to the comments. Do not argue or try to defend! If the readers or commentators have got it wrong, or misunderstood the context or meaning of what you have written, the author might consider rewriting a passage to make it clearer. But do not argue the point on the night. It is just a waste of time and the author will learn nothing! I cannot stress this often enough.
With so many pieces submitted from authors, we do not have time for debates. Please note that due to time constraints, not all of these pieces will be read this week. Items not read this week, will be re-scheduled for the following week.
Here are the items that have already been submitted to be read as DRAFTS:
POEM: Dapper Stevo by James Keogh
STORY: Extract from Victorian Novel by Debbie Roberts
STORY: Breaking Ice by Jutta Rosen
STORY: Sorry by Mary Faherty
STORY: Spirit Night by Thomas MacMahon
STORY: It Couldn’t Happen by Elizabeth Hannon
STORY: Manu by Joyce Butcher
STORY: Extract from Addiction to Murder by Frank Fahy
For the second part of the session, the following videos have been prepared:
STORY: Bridie and Cepta by Anne McManus
STORY: Birthday Present by Anne McManus
POEM: Priceless by Mary Faherty
POEM: Poets’ Corner by James Keogh
POEM: Nanny and Cal’s by Thomas MacMahon
If time permits, I may get a change to unveil the COVER of The Short Story Collection by Anne McManus. Her book is very close to completion now and will be going for printing in the very near future. Exciting times for Anne and for the Write-on group; our Seventh Publication under the Write-on banner!
Lots of Write-on activity! Hope to see you all at 7:00pm this evening! The countdown is on: 4 … 3 … 2 1!