Eastern Writers Group Newsletter November 2008Things were back to normal at our October meeting after a celebratory September when our regular readings were foregone in favour of making new friends and catching up with old acquaintances. Our next meeting is on the third Sunday of November (the 16th) at 1.30pm at the Neighbourhood House 47 Kitchener Street, Box Hill South. Readings, October Jenny’s story led me to comment (once again, I think) on what I personally look for in a short story. I put forward my preference for stories that are interesting and different, structured as a progression of linked events (no wonder I am a fan of Robert Louis Stevenson). However, I acknowledged that many famous authors weave stories that seem to depend more on the “telling” than on the “plot”. I recalled a story by Mark Twain about an undertakers’ convention, pointing out that while it was a “telling” of an amusing event, that it lacked any real story line developing into an original ending. With such stories, it seems that it is the journey, and not the arriving, that counts. While I found that particular Mark Twain story not so much to my taste, I recall a favourite of mine by Donald Barthelme, a somewhat experimental writer, about two women reminiscing on past events in their lives, while seated on a garden bench. I thought the ambience created by Barthelme was engaging, and I felt I had become an eavesdropper while the two ladies swapped intimate recollections of their lives. But each to their own, and I later read an article on Donald Barthelme, in which the critic said he thought this particular story was just a lot of idle chit chat and sounded like Donald Barthelme trying to write like David Barthelme (that last part acknowledging Barthelme’s skill as a writer, but failing in this case to achieve the innovative quality of his other writing). What do you look for in a story? The triumph of human endeavour over adversity perhaps; a personal story of human conflict with a satisfying ending that leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy; or a “true to life” tragedy with a grim ending that drains the soul? EWG members should send comments to me by email to easternwritersgroup@hotmail.com and I will include them in a following newsletter, perhaps under the heading Readers’ Preferences or Why a Story Works for Me. Book reviews, short or long, are also most welcome – let your fellow members know what books they should be reading. Judith’s poem titled Do You Know Who You Really Are? drew considerable comment on the difficulty of interpreting poetry. I cited William Blake’s poem The Rose as being one that has been interpreted with several different meanings, so that thought provoking poems like Judith’s may take considerable pondering to arrive at a personal interpretation which may or may not be what the poet intended. It was a day later that I twigged a meaning for a line in Judith’s poem and I must ask Judith about this because my interpretation is not at all obvious. I think Bob is going to put this poem on our website (it’s not there yet), so you will all be able to join in my pondering and arrive at your own interpretation. I am not a great fan of the type of poetry one has to think about (too much hard work) but when it draws out realisations hidden away in your inner mind it is like a discovery of something you always knew but were never really aware of. Notes from Bob our treasurer, webmaster, anthologist and prime worker of our Biggest Little Short Story competition Contributions wanted (members only) E.W.G.
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