Tuesdays with Story
WRITER’S MAIL for August 13, 2011
Good Words from Way Back
“A water-clerk need not pass an examination in anything under the sun, but he must have Ability in the abstract and demonstrate it practically.” –Joseph Conrad (1857-1924) in Lord Jim (1899)
Fifth Tuesday: Counting Down to August 26 Deadline
Here’s your writing challenge: “That is so unlike me!” Write a story, poem, or essay in which the central character is so out of character . . . a pro football tackle who knits, a nun who is a blackjack dealer at Ho Chunk, a four-foot-nine guy who is an eating contest champion or the smallest sumo wrestler in the world. You get the idea. Maximum length: 400 words.
Start writing now. When finished – deadline is Friday, August 26 – email your mini-masterpiece to Pat Edwards.
Chris and Joe Lacey will host us at their country estate out by Cambridge, at 49 London Road. MapQuest says it’s a 37-minute drive east from Barnes & Noble Westside. MapQuest it for a map and directions . . . or just plug the Chris and Joe’s address into your GPS.
Start time is our usual 7:00 p.m. Yes, it’s potluck, so bring food to share. Also bring lawn chairs . . . and pointy sticks so you can roast marshmallows over the flames down at the fire pit.
Reading Recap: August 9 Meeting
Summer has taken us all on many different paths, but we converged again Tuesday night at Barnes & Noble West.
First up on the reading schedule was Jennifer Hansen, reading from Chapter 2 of her novel. Carol Hornung thought that Paige wouldn’t see her mother as “Doris,” that she should be referred to as “her mom.” Jack Freiburger felt the story would be well served if more distance was created between Paige and her mother physically, with more details describing the action. Jim Cue wanted a more visual creation of the scene. JenWilcher felt that the voice was too passive. Carol said there was a lot of solid back-story, but it could be spread out more. (more…)
Tuesdays with Story 