Dear Boadicea,
Despite not being a “literary” person, you did an excellent job at very short notice.
But what makes a “literary” person?
I certainly do not think I could be described as such. I did write a play at the age of nine but I feel that possibly I peaked rather early.
I know I am deemed to be a “creative writer”, as regards MyT, but I really did not feel anything other than an imposter. Now that is not to say I didn’t enjoy being part of this group; I most certainly did. I started to write poetry, albeit very bad poetry, but I enjoyed it and people were kind and provided constructive criticism and encouragement. It was quite an eye opener that I could turn my hand to anything more creative than a shopping list. I am most grateful that I felt I could even attempt this.
One of the things I really enjoy about this site, is that many of us have felt the same. Why not try it? I’m amazed at the variety and quality of the entries in our Short Story Competition, and the support it has received.
I do hope it will continue.
Boadicea's Chariot 
Thank you, Boa for stepping into the breach and doing a wonderful job. I agree with Ara. It would be good to see an entry for next competition from you.
Hear hear!
Yes, but no pressure Boadicea.
I understand that we may have to wait until Bearsy is feeling better and you are back home.
I hope Bearsy IS feeling better; do keep us updated please.
Thanks for the kind words everyone – Im sure I’ve mentioned elsewhere that I gave up Eng Lit at 14 – or did it give me up? I was certainly ‘invited’ to leave the class. Perhaps it was my insistence that plays were meant to be staged (not dissected), books were meant to be read (not dissected) and poetry was meant to be felt (not dissected) – Eng Lit lessons were more akin to Biology lessons than the enjoyment I’ve always had with reading …
I may have a go, but certainly not before I return to Oz. We are in the last three weeks, and I have a lot more people to see… and a lot more shopping to do. This just might have to include a larger suitcase 🙂
Araminta – Interesting thoughts. I am well aware that my own ‘literary’ reading and understading are both hopelessly inadequate, but I like to think I can write reasonably correct, grammatical English on occasions and forced myself to enter the last two or three creative writing threads here – the first time I have ever put such a thing up for peer review. I wrote each in one lump and then went back refining the vocabulary, grammar and phrases with the intention of producing something which would not highlight my literary ignorance too much. It is a good mental discipline, not unlike committing the vagaries of Portuguese irregular verb forms to memory.
OZ
Ah, well Oz, not unlike my experience, but mental discipline apart, did you enjoy writing your contributions?
I have to admit that I seem to have found my niche in this sphere; that is Monty, but I love writing his adventures and occasionally I can even attempt something different.
That is the point really; it is a challenge but a good one.
I read none of them and never will, nor contribute.
Now before you accuse me of curmudgeonly behaviour, for many years I was paid handsomely to write advertising copy, technical copy and provide UK translations for American technical literature.
As a result I cannot find it in me unless I know I am receiving a handsome fee. Equally I am a fair commercial artist, but after many years of visualisation, story boards and technical drawing of exhibition stands there is no way I would pick up a pen or brush without hefty payment.
Grudgingly I write the occasional column for the garden club’s newsletter, when suitably arm twisted.
I only actually bother with blogging when it is raining now and only started for something to do when the boy was ill and in bed 18 hours a day and generally sleeping.
Plus I have to say I rarely enjoy groups.
It is rather interesting that most of the regulars here feel moved to contribute, but not of sufficient interest to actually read any of it.
I did try on MyT when it first started and never seen such a load of turgid rubbish in my life, do you remember those interminable online novels?
God almighty, positively throat cutting. To be fair, I can’t actually imagine any of you writing such rubbish but I’m not going to look to find out!
Not even at the winner, I might get interested!
Tina.
I do remember the on line novelists and the furore; but not their fault, they were totally unaware of the minefield.
I also appreciate your view, but frankly, in the dim and distant past, I also received payment for writing, such as it was.
If you haven’t read it, don’t knock it, is my only thought. I doubt that Ferret or Oz, for example would have considered that they may want to try their hand at “creative writing”, had it not been for this site.
As for any of us writing such rubbish, you used to turn up on my posts on MyT all the time. OK, it was only to tell me to get a life, or similar, but we used to then have a discussion about life, the boy and etc.
It is, in my opinion, a deal better to write something creative, than to cut and paste. I doubt you would disagree with this.
Groups? Tina, with respect you are a member of this “group” and the Club.
Araminta – Yes, I did enjoy writing them and hope to continue doing so. My niche here, as it was on MyT where he was born, is the persona of the Lone Wolf. I have grown very fond of O Zangado, the Angry One, even though he has mellowed considerably as a result of some of the very supportive, informed and genuinely concerned responses to his occasional howls hereon.
Monty gets free passage whenever he might stray near The Cave. 🙂
OZ
Oz.
I too am fond of O Zangado, angry or not, and Monty says thank you! xx
And on that note I shall retire, blushing, to the deeper recesses of The Cave.
Nighty night. 🙂
OZ
To conclude; it is not my intention to force anyone to join in, but I’m pleased that so many do.
I have enjoyed both the writing and the reading, and I think that is very much the point.
Night to you too, Oz, and pass on my best, sort of, to Eff!
I love you Christina. Don’t ever change. I get my literary kicks from public lavatories.There are some unsung poetry/literary heroes there. 🙂
Yes, thanks, Boa. The idea that there is some great god Literature out there is pretty silly, I think, but most of us are daunted by its sway, educated into believing it’s some separate and profound gift. I just don’t believe that. Writing and reading help us to live. Most people feel the impulse to write; it’s like talking, really. And as this site shows there are lots of interesting writers about—diverse and engaging. What more can we ask for?
William Burroughs would agree, Tocino.
CO, my diagnosis is that you suffer from Groucho Marx Syndrome, wishing to have nothing to do with those you contact. Luckily it usually inspires abject apathy among others. Go dig.
Mrs Osborne,
Classic stuff as ever. The choice is yours, do or do not.
I for one would never have bothered giving scribbling a go, if it were not for this group. I find the critique constructive and honest and I learn from it. I remember those awful serialisations on MyT too, the authors were unfortunate. They were lead to believe it was a suitable literary forum by the DT staff when they ran that ridiculous competition.
I too write technical publications but I am constrained to Simplified Technical English which, as you are probably aware, is almost a whole other language in its self. The writing I do here is different, because it is fun. I’m not very good at it but I’m learning.
I do not believe for one second that anyone feels compelled to contribute, but those who do I am certain do read all the other entries. I for one find that the best bit.
Christina, your,’Not even at the winner, I might get interested!’ gives the game away really. Nothing wrong with protecting yourself from another commitment,
Jaime.
I absolutely agree with your comment #15!
Toc.
Stop encouraging her, please! 😉
Morning Janus.
Or sympathy, perhaps?
Frankly, Tina seems be perfectly pleasant on her own site, so I fail understand why she can’t make more of an effort here to be a little more positive. In my opinion, her legendary misanthropic tirades are becoming a little predicable and boring after two and half years!
Morning Nym.
Yes, I thought that was rather telling, and as we have all pointed out, no one has to join in.
I’m pleased you have joined in Furry, and all the rest who felt it was worth giving it a try.
Hi Ara
We all have our different reasons for coming on this site and other places and I would not dream of trying to suggest motives for anybody else.
For me, it is pure and simple relaxation and enjoyment. I read everything, if I have time, comment on what interests me and ignore the rest. Any writing that I do is purely for my own enjoyment. If others enjoy it too, then that is a real pleasure.
I did join in the first few Creative Writing competitions on MyT, inspired by Goth Queen’s superb Christmas Party entry (sadly deleted by her when she flounced) which won in December 2008. Got short-listed once but then dropped out as the heavy guns of the Louise Doughty troops joined the fray. Frankly, I started to think that it was a bit of a closed shop and that there was no real point in an outsider, who had not done any CW workshops, having a go. Still read all the entries and commented when one really struck home for me.
I too have earned a wee bit of money from writing in the past. For a while, I contributed ‘humorous’ articles to a Business monthly published in Scotland. Then the editor changed and the new one decided that my articles were not of sufficient gravitas. Didn’t bother me as it was only ever a sideline, but I enjoyed both the experience and the money, while they lasted.
I agree with CO and you about the serial novel disaster. Many of the entries were truly appalling but I still did read them all. I was, however, enjoying Goth Queen’s until she flounced after that memorable day when Mme Cymbeline, CO and Ferret all offered constructive criticism on the competition which she construed as trolling of her entry and which eventually led to her flounce. Julie T was a worthy winner and I really liked two which were never finished. One was a tale of love on a kibbutz and the other was a science fiction story which showed real promise, in my opinion.
Morning CO. You are, of course, a superb writer with an unique line in vitriolic wit. I totally respect your principled decision not to take up your pen unless somebody pays you to do it, but I personally feel that it is a tragedy. The world would be a finer, richer and brighter place for me if I was ever to be able to read the full story of how, why and when, you were teetering down the Falls Road on stiletto heels, dripping in furs and haranguing the natives at full volume in your cut-glass English accent. Would ‘Twa Pounds Scots’ (Burns reference for the non-cognoscenti) tempt you at all?
As to entering the CW competitions here, it was an easy option. The genuine enthusiasm of the likes of Pseu, Jamie, Isobel, Janh1, Claire and others spurred me on and helped me to rediscover my joy in writing. I felt that I was entering a competition of equals and, I have to say, friends if only in cyberspace and I truly enjoy reading all the various takes on the theme that has been set. I was really proud to have won the most recent competition
Bit of a shame that I’m going to be offering myself for disqualification. Off for a swim but I’ll be back later to explain.
Thanks John.
One of your usual balanced and beautifully crafted contributions.
Your last sentence is a bit of a cliff-hanger though!
Enjoy the swim, and we will see you later.
I have just been over to the telegraph site and note that it appears that Louise Doughty hasn’t posted since mid-May, so I’m wondering if it has all folded over there? I’m not going there myself.
John, great comment and I am intrigues why you should be offering yourself for disqualification…
My Arvon course was marvellous and I can highly recommend this as a holiday for interested folk. I will blog on it soon, when I have a little more energy and have caught up with what else I need to catch up with (up with which I shall not put)
Eh, JM, no shirking your duties here! Get back and set up the new comp …… pretty please! 😉
JM – Congrats again on the July win.
“The world would be a finer, richer and brighter place for me if I was ever to be able to read the full story of how, why and when, you [Christina] were teetering down the Falls Road on stiletto heels, dripping in furs and haranguing the natives at full volume in your cut-glass English accent.”
Now THAT story I gotta read. Mrs Osborne’s on-line persona always struck my mind’s eye as a tweeds and brogues, Margaret Rutherford sort, a loaded twelve bore under her arm and with one afore-mentioned brogue resting gently on a ferret’s neck. 🙂
Pseu – Blimey, I didn’t know you had to do a course to sell cosmetics door-to-door.
OZ