PROSE BEFORE HOS!

The subject for the week at Writer's was a a challenge set by Ian – to write 500 words of prose! Interesting of a couple of counts – one was the dearth of poets and the other was posited by a couple of people – what IS prose anyway? Prose is a type of writing that is termed ordinary. This is the style most often used in newspapers, magazines, encyclopedias, letters and works of biography and history; it derives from the Latin prosa which, translated, means straightforward. Actually, everyone intrinsically knew this but worth a check with www.answers.reference.com

And this - from same site tho' credited to wiki.answers.com – answers the next question – well, what about poetry then? 'The most basic answer might be: prose is a language that has as its primary goal the sharing of information. Poetry has as its primary goal the use of language itself as music!'

If grandmothers and eggs spring to mind ...well, think this is a lovely description, much easier to understand than more high flown explanations – so forgive me in the interest of those of us who didn't know exactly! Of course there is also the prose poem ….

Ian read first and gave us some prose and a poem! The latter 'My Favorite Place' was followed by 'Cutting Edge'; both these pieces had twists in the tale – and are to be included in a book that Ian is putting together. 'Whistlers and Jugglers' - taken from a Waylon Jennings song - will be about people and loss. Look forward to a publication date, Ian!

Jenny rose to the prose challenge with Hannah, Henry, James & John; a neat little piece about the life of a nanny.

Mary said she took up the challenge but lost!

John delivered a review of Keith Richards' autobiography, 'Life' – that he has lived with a capital L! For John the book answered many questions that he, John, had been mentally carrying around since his early introduction to the music of The Stones. An interesting and well travelled journey that John says is 'a cracking good read!'

Brenda also rose to the challenge with something new – an idea for a book for children;we were introduced to a junior Fripp – by the name of Fogle – one of the cave-dwelling Fripps, a one-eyed, hairy monster who is going to have a series of adventures. We heard the first part of the first story and meeting felt it important, in the first instance, to determine age group that Fogle will be trying to attract.

Michael is continuing with his magic stones novel; he has written chapters two and three and he read us Chapter two in which the stones begin to be investigated!

Cathy is also writing a book for children, this one about dragons. Cathy edited the piece, from a longer one about dragonette nativity, for the subject this week. Again, meeting felt it important that target age range be determined.

Douglas wrote a love story from a female pov and jolly good it was too!

So there we are; short and sweet again! Seems like the temps may moderate somewhat next week so hopefully our summer travellers will start returning tho the stalwarts through a steamy (weather wise not literary!) couple of months have certainly appreciated a slower pace with more time to talk about each reading. But then of course, could be the heat got to our brains …...

Keep writing. Lisa