Difficult and Easy

This week's meeting had a slightly different twist. Ian asked each of those present to write down what they found difficult writing and also what they found easy. The reasons for this were twofold i.e. assistance could be given either by advice/guidance from the membership on the "difficult" subjects and those that found items easier to write about would be asked to provide such assistance. It would also give him an ideas  as subjects in the next programme. Each member provided an insight into their work with many of them finding things in common with others.

A number of members found poetry (rhyming or non- rhyming) difficult to write and discussion took place on the question of scanning,rhythm etc. It was also suggested that, to help, an idea would be to take one of their short stories and convert it into a poem and vice versa

A few of the members found it easier to write items prose and poetry of a lighthearted nature usually with a twist in the tale. Dialogue was another favoured item as this, members found, could progress their work at a pace.

Some general items emerged during the various discussions such as,"What person it was better to write in? What genre you should write about or should you write about what you know?

What did arise was the number of members who had no aspirations to write a novel, that many were reluctant to do detailed research  and that some had a dislike for working under pressure e.g. "hot pen" whereas others welcomed that particular discipline.

Some of the newer members indicated that they had been reluctant to join the group as they felt that either they had no talent or that the group would be dismissive of their attempts. It was quickly pointed out to them that they were not alone with these feelings, that each of us had had such reservations and that we were all here to learn, improve and encourage each other.

The general feeling can be summed up by saying,

"If you want to be a writer, you have to write!"

Ian C