The Writers’ Nook is a place where we, as a group, can provide a safe and positive environment in which to encourage one another and hone our own writing skills.
Be True to Yourself
Quoted from this webpage, “…in order to hear, see, think, and feel for himself who HE believes he is, he needed to dissolve all expectations from everyone else and keep his focus where it should be — upon listening to the voice emerging from inside him. The voice of his own True Self.”
But how do we do that? What does it mean to be true to yourself in writing, and what does it mean to write in your own style? This is the topic of our next meeting; hope you can join us.
This meeting was held via zoom at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 13th, Blind Bay Time (aka Vancouver Time). If you would like to join our group, please contact us. Your first meeting is free.
THE CHALLENGE
Write a story or poem “in your own style” about an incident that happened to you last week (or last year or sometime in the past).
Responses
The Marj I Remember by Dulcie Enns
Girl, You’ve come a long way! by Shirley Bigelow DeKelver
Under the Dome, Really by Kevin Gooden
For My Daughter by Karen Bissenden
Thinking About Death by Karen Bissenden
I Dream of Oreo Cookies by Joyce Adrian Sotski (written back in 2014.)
What a beautiful, free friendship you had with Marj Dulcie ❤️
Beautiful memories of an amazing friend and woman carried with you through the years. I also had a “kindred spirit”, someone you will never forget. Well done Dulcie.
I just read the posts by Shirley, Kevin and Karen. I was moved and motivated by each of the Writers words, experiencing the power words can portray. Well done everyone 👍
Dulcie—Thank you for sharing this lovely and touching memoir—it’s a wonderful tribute to Marj. You’ve included many details that give the reader insight about who she was and the times you were in. Her last words… heart-wrenching.
Shirley—Your story is great peek into life in the early 60’s and the challenges facing a young woman. You have come a long way, and typing certainly doesn’t seem to be a problem for you now!
Karen—”For My Daughter” is poignant… love it. “Thinking About Death” is an amazing piece, simultaneously dark, wondrous, wise, ironic, and snippets even made me smile. It’s understandable how this piece came to be at this time, and I hope writing it has helped—and will help—in your journey. Brilliant.
Shirley. Your story involves your reader in a life/career that is not familiar to most. The narrative style lends itself to a timeline we can follow. Maybe add a little uhm presumptuous note that may connect the bounced cheques to the clientele. I’m sure there were times of humour in both offices. I would imagine that the clients may have needed your Kleenex too. 🙂 For different reasons. 🙂
Dulcie. A story of friendship invites us all in. Perhaps the enthusiastic singing right at the beginning would be more fun. It’s a rare fortune to have such a close friend and a loss when she drifts away–for reasons neither of you chose.
Ken. I liked the analogy of Dome and monster. Yes, it was a dragon this year. Your description of the variety of attempts at cooling off reflected similar attempts of others. I liked the breakup of the sections of steps you took. spaces on the page. Indeed, we are moving from fictional/apocalypse type stories into actual disasters all around the world which we can, and generally do, blithely ignore. The end of the story is earned.
All: My apologies. I thought we were supposed to share stories/poems that revealed how we used our writing voices, not a memoir. Both of these poems were written some time ago but I am still working on a few…these still need work (ah, always). The death poem was published in a book containing stories, memoirs, and poems about death. It is available on the market but also distributed at a retreat camp for people dealing with grief. Just exactly why the editors chose to include mine, I don’t know.
Kevin- Your story rings so true, the temperatures are climbing, and at times it is difficult to believe it has reached our realms. The Earth is tired and is fighting back.
Karen – “For My Daughter” …I read your poem twice, well done.
Dulcie, The Marj I Remember: This is written with kindness and gentle feelings; the love just comes shining through and I think it’s lovely. I wonder if you let a little bit of time go by, might you consider pulling this piece out again and treating it like a draft, somewhere between the first one and the finished piece? Treat each paragraph, each sentence, each word as important and rework it a little. I suspect it would become even more beautiful; a very special tribute to a dearly beloved friend.
Shirley, Girl You’ve Come a Long Way: Our challenge was to write something ‘in our own style’ and yes, this is so much your own style that we could almost be sitting across from each other talking, so I think you succeeded. However if you asked me to give my opinion of how to improve this piece, I might suggest giving it an angle to add a little spice. A one-sentence angle might be something like, “Landlords and bosses need to take off their rose coloured glasses and see the other side of the real world,” or “The struggle for dignity and rights by the naive and the downtrodden, etc.” or maybe put your old boss in a good light by citing his problems in this challenging world, “Worked so hard to help the women of the street and their children, for low costs, that he couldn’t afford to pay the staff.” It would give it a little more humanity though you could still write it in your own style. People who are reading like to feel some emotion about it, happy, sad, angry, etc. I did, I felt very badly for the prostitutes with young children trying to make their way in the world, but I’d like to ‘feel’ even more.
Kevin, Under the Dome, Really: I could say the same thing to you, this is written in your style. It’s well thought out, giving me a perspective that I hadn’t thought of. It’s quite long though, almost laid-back as though you were talking without thinking about editing out the extra words. Sometimes a work will become more emphatic and dramatic when you try to cut it down to half or three-quarter size. I’d be tempted to do that to this piece. I think it might emphasis the eerie, creepy ‘what’s happening here’ feeling that you’ve got going in this piece.
Karen, For My Daughter: You really caught my heart with this one! I am trying with each piece of feedback to provide a suggestion for improvement but I what can I say about this one? Move ‘Knowing arrives later.’ to make a third line? I am very visual so it ‘feels’ like it should be on the next line though I can’t say why. I like the last line, three sentences all on the same line. It speaks so loud it makes my heart trip. Love it!
Karen, Thinking About Death: You write a poem like this with just the right amount of distance between you and the ‘grim reaper’ (we’ll do a meeting of Dead Metaphors one of these days). It’s like you sit on the edge; you combine disrespect and humour to make a poem that is unique and crazy and thus you definitely wrote it ‘in your own style’. Is this poem finished or may I make a suggestion? I’d think about looking again at the first line, ‘I ponder prospects of the inevitable.’ It says the right things but it’s not as ‘easy’ somehow as the rest of the piece which I love. I envy your sense of the bizarre.
Joyce, “Oreo Cookie” this article accurately represents the need for all artists, of any kind, to receive feedback. When we stare at our work for so long we lose the ability to be objective, and become possessive of our work. I agree with the sharing.
“I want to belong to a writers’ group where I can grow. I want to be challenged, encouraged, and I want
to feel accepted; even when I flop.” are your opening lines. I read it over and over and though I understand, I got stuck. I wonder if
“When I write I want to be challenged, and encouraged, yet still feel accepted, even when I flop. I want to belong to a writer’s group where I can I grow.” might work.
It’s just a thought. Your solidly written article focuses on the critical need for feedback, but perhaps a shift in sentence structure would include the reader more.
Just a funny note: after the word “punctuation” I think it’s meant to be a comma, no? : )
The article has a strongly defined flow. Frequently, writers may not be ready, but the reader cannot doubt your own request for that precipice. Okay, go for the cookie.
Joyce—“I Dream of Oreo Cookies”—I love the title and use of Oreos in this tasty piece, LOL, which is the best description of the importance of being in a writing group that I have ever seen. Clap-clap!
Your description did remind of something quite different than a delicious cookie, however. Sometimes in the world of business and in the performance management of employees, a person is given a bit of a compliment, then some nasty feedback, and then another token nicety. This has become colloquially known as a “sh!t sandwich” with the so-called not-too-sincere ‘compliments’ being likened to two slices of delicious, fresh-baked bread, and the filling being the nasty stuff.
When it comes to Oreos, I like the filling much more than the biscuits, so the analogy you’ve used comes across somewhat backwards to me.
That being said, I very much get your meaning and your emphasizing the importance of art being communication and taking risk and learning from feedback are invaluable lessons, as is your highlighting of the need for there to be compliments and those to be sincere. Everyone has some things they do well and at the same time there’s always room for improvement and personal growth.
Many articles I’ve read about writing mention the importance of being in a writing group, but none describe why that’s important as well as you have.
Kevin, at this point in my writing career, I could handle a shit sandwich if it was delivered with honesty because I really want to get better. But you’re right the analogy of calling it this is much more straight foreward than the Oreo cookie analogy. Glad you responded; your feedback has made my day.
Joyce: I remember when you read this to the Writers Nook a few years back, and the positive reaction you received from the group. The bag of Oreos passed around at that and future meetings reminded everyone of the import of your article. Receiving feedback on our writing, although difficult at times to hear, and compliments, always welcome, are part of the growing process of becoming an improved writer. I wonder if there are virtual Oreos we could pass around in our virtual meetings?
You’re right Shirley, I’d forgotten that Oreo cookies actually appeared at our next meeting. Who was it that brought them? John maybe?