Category: Writers Neuk

Soda Bread – 1 Proven Way to a Tasty Loaf

One of the great pleasures in life is the warm-buttered flavour of fresh bread.  I promised my pal Bob this soda bread recipe a while back. Here you go, Bob.

Soda Bread aroma and taste

One of the great pleasures in life is the warm-buttered flavour of fresh bread.  I promised my pal Bob this soda bread recipe a while back. Here you go, Bob. I hope you enjoy this as much as my tattie scones.

SAFETY: 190 C is hot.

  • Take care when you lift and handle hot stuff (no silly, baking hot stuff).
  • Plan where you’re going to place things once out of the oven.
  • Have your handling equipment, such as oven gloves, available.
  • Supervise kids and explain any dangers.

Fast way to a tasty loaf

First things first for soda bread, gather your ingredients:

Wet Ingredients

  • 300 ml of whole milk
  • 1 large free-range egg
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Lemon juice

I often use whole milk and lemon juice instead of buttermilk for soda bread.

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 tsp bicarbonate-of-soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 250 gm wholemeal flour
  • 100 gm plain flour
  • 50 gm pinhead or medium-cut oatmeal (any other oats will do if you don’t have them, but it will turn out less crunchy)

Method for Hearty Soda Bread

Get heated as you start

Start your oven warming to 190 C. or 375 F. I use a fan oven. 210 C. for non-fan.

Prepare everything

  • Lay out and flour (dust) a baking tray or pizza stone. The dusted area is where you’ll place your loaf so it won’t stick when baking.

OR …

  • Bake your loaf in a bread or cake tin. Non-stick liners are an asset for that.

Mix dry ingredients

  1. Add your dry ingredients to a bowl.
  2. Mix thoroughly until evenly blended.
  3. Make a well in the middle.

Measure and start using wet ingredients

  1. Measure out your wet ingredients into a jug.
  2. Whisk them together until well mixed.
  3. Add 90% to well in dry ingredients – keep the rest in reserve to add as needed to get the right consistency.

Mix up with ease

  • Don’t over-mix.
  • Bring the ingredients together until you have a uniform mixture. adding
  • I shape by hand using the ‘OR’ method below.

EITHER

  • Scrape the mixture into your bread/cake tin.
  • Level the surface and press into corners.
  • Slash top, north to south, with the blunt edge of a table knife.
  • Dust with plain flour.
  • Put it in the oven for 40 – 45 minutes (check at 35 min).

OR

  • Flour work surface.
  • Shape by hand:
    • add more flour as needed,
    • work gently until you have your loaf shape.
  • Place on baking tray/stone.
  • Slash gently three times with a table knife.
  • Bake in the oven for 40 – 45 minutes (check at 35 min).

Baked and ready

  1. Take your SodaBread from the oven.
  2. Test for readiness:
    • hold upside down on a clean towel,
    • tap the bottom with a fingertip – a hollow ‘plonk-plonk’ sound means it’s good.
  3. Put it back in the oven if you think it’s not quite ready.
  4. Place on a cooling rack and cover with a clean cloth.
  5. Cut off a slice.
  6. Enjoy.

There you go

Making great soda bread is not complicated, but it needs patience. Don’t be scared to put it back in the oven if you don’t think it’s done. It’s great sliced hot with fresh butter … YUM.

Got a big thumbs-up from Meg this morning.

© Mac Logan

Toddlers Nail Teamwork 101 – Can Politicians?

Why do toddlers achieve a challenging task with excellent teamwork in a flash? Clearly, watching our young experts, teamwork isn’t rocket science. How does this compare with our expectations of politicians?

It’s a lot of fun watching a pair of toddlers use their innate ability to get a task done in no time at all. What happens to such know-how in the political arena?

Toddlers nail teamwork 101

Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision, the ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. 

Andrew Carnegie

Why do toddlers achieve a challenging task with excellent teamwork in a flash? Clearly, watching our young experts, teamwork isn’t rocket science. How does this compare with our expectations of politicians?

How do bad habits happen? What type of examples and experiences are involved?

Politics is the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn’t happen. 

Winston Churchill

Toddler Teamwork required

We give our UK political leaders immense power – even those who supplant the ones we elected and who change direction without consultation. We may stare, amazed, at our politicians’ petty conflicts, absence of teamwork and even deceit. Yet, in the video, we watch two toddlers confronting and solving a tricky problem. Way to go!

It is the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) that those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed. 

Charles Darwin

Toddler know-how

These wee folk demonstrate the basics of effective teamwork. They instinctively know they need.

  • a shared goal
  • clear communication
  • prompt feedback
  • encouraging onlookers
  • positive reinforcement
  • enthusiastic appreciation for excellent performance
  • clear results

How does this fit with your typical experience working with others?

Political challenge

Politics, n. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.

 Ambrose Bierce

Teamwork gets results. If you don’t or can’t cooperate, how will you make useful things happen ? I remember a Japanese professor explaining how in the UK culture, we tended to value the boss’s brain, while in their (Quality Circle) culture, they valued all the brains. Thinking of the recent screw-ups, what goes wrong? What types of statement ring true and might lead to difficulties or failure in the political dimension? They…

  • neither understand nor have the expertise to do the job
  • ignore teamwork and the potential contribution each other and experts
  • wouldn’t know a proper plan if they fell over one
  • expect ideological puff to enthuse and focus people in the ‘real’ world
  • avoid responsibility until it can’t be avoided

Whatever the challenge, there are people who have practical experience and know what to do. Are they worth finding, cultivating and involving?

Meaning?

Our work is the presentation of our capabilities. 

Edward Gibbon

Easy as toddlers and bricks?

One person alone screw-up pretty well, but for a proper cluster balls-up, what can beat a cohort of politicians?

Calum Aonghas

There’s nothing quite like a cynical quote, especially if there’s a grain of truth in it. Ineffectiveness and cupidity deny us the benefit of our assets. Team-working toddlers show us the way forward.

© Mac Logan

Twenty Minutes

If it hadn’t been for social media, he wouldn’t be standing here, wouldn’t have struggled with his conscience all week.

by Joy Deacon

He stood in the cold, bright station, unaware of people rushing past him, scrolling through his messages, telling himself this was a mistake.

If it hadn’t been for social media, he wouldn’t be standing here, wouldn’t have struggled with his conscience all week. Now here he was waiting for the girl who broke his heart twenty years ago. Who had walked away without a backward glance.

He’d met her, by chance, a few years later. As they’d talked, he’d subtly let her see his wedding ring, smiled at the toddler standing beside her, as she waved her hands around, making her own gold band noticeable. Afterwards though, he’d sat in his car and let the visceral grief return.  

At the time, his parents told him it was a teenage romance, plenty more fish and all that. But then he overheard them: they were scared to leave him for too long. Immediately, he’d understood why his mother hovered outside the bathroom whilst he took a bath, why she always hammered on the door saying she needed to use the loo. It was his guilt about worrying them that made him try to recover. Eventually, he married the actual love of his life. But here he was, in the freezing cold, waiting for another woman. 

After twenty minutes, just as he decided to leave, the girl he’d once loved appeared in front of him, smiling brightly, but with dull, careworn eyes, obviously hiding a thousand hurts. As she leaned towards him, to peck his cheek, he stepped back, nodding a hello, and in the station bar, he ignored her silent invitation to sit beside her. Instead, he sat opposite,  both hands around his drink.  He listened to her speak, all the while subconsciously twisting his own ring and noticing that she wasn’t wearing one. 

Nervously, she kept talking, avoiding what was between them. Then tears filled her eyes as she took his hand, looked straight at him, and said, ‘I made a mistake. I should have stayed with you. Could we…”

He drew back on his chair and checked his phone again. For twenty minutes he’d waited for a woman who had decided that she wanted to love him again. Twenty minutes that could blow his life apart. Slowly, silently, he removed her hand, stood up and walked quickly to the door. He needed to go home.

© Joy Deacon

Here comes Summer

In the west of Scotland, the original Glasgow Fair dates back to the 12th century when in 1190, Bishop Jocelin acquired permission from King William the Lion to hold an annual fair around the cathedral.

It’s Summer already!

School’s out!

You know that summer is upon us when Glastonbury is safely over, cricket scores dominate the headlines and Wimbledon fortnight gets under way. In the UK we anxiously scan the sky for rain clouds and hope that temperatures will rise. It’s time for our summer holidays.

In Scotland and Norther Ireland we are generally a little earlier than other parts of the UK. Nobody is quite sure why. Schools here tend to break up at the very end of June or early July, whereas in England and Wales they can be a good three weeks later. For the last couple of years, due to Covid restrictions, many families have chosen to spend their holidays in the UK and a good number are planning the same again this year.

Why do holidays differ across the UK?

Helping out on the land

One theory is that children in rural communities used to have to help out on the land. There may be something in this but the busiest time is harvest time, which is later. Many jobs still needed done though; looking after the beasts, tending and gathering fruit, vegetables, hay, peat, depending on the area and the weather. However, is the growing season significantly different, geographically, across the UK to account for this?

The Trades Fortnight

photo of adult barefoot and child on beach in wellies with thick pants on. Sea is in the background.
We’re all going on our summer holiday

Historically, cities had what were called the Trades Fortnight. In each area, it was traditional for all trades to take their holidays at the same time. The Edinburgh and Aberdeen fortnights were both in the first two weeks of July. Glasgow followed next in the last two weeks of July, whilst the Dundee were the last week of July and the first week of August. These holidays started off at a week in duration but later extended to a fortnight. Most trades shut down and workers headed to the countryside or with the advent of the railways, to the coast. This saw the rise in popularity of seaside resorts right down the east coast from Montrose and Arbroath, extending south as far as Whitley Bay and Scarborough.

Origins of the Glasgow Fair

Doon the watter

In the west of Scotland, the original Glasgow Fair dates back to the 12th century when in 1190, Bishop Jocelin acquired permission from King William the Lion to hold an annual fair around the cathedral. Traders could buy and sell livestock, goods and even servants, free from tolls, under the protection of the king. Later, as in the other growing industrialised cities, the trade fairs took over and as transport links grew people people headed “doon the watter’ to places like Rothesay and further down the Clyde. As time went on they travelled further afield to Blackpool and the resorts of Wales.

Travel abroad

Are we nearly there yet?

Next came the advent of cheap travel to Europe and further afield. Wealthy families had been used to such excursions in what was called the “Grand Tour”. However, this became accessible to more people with a growing road and rail network and more so with the advent of cheap air flights. Whilst holidays at home remained popular the lure of more exotic destinations and dependable weather proved irresistible to many.

Staycation

We have become used to this word over the last two summers especially but when did it first appear in our vocabulary? This is still being worked on by lexicographers. The first reference dates back to 1944, then 1965. However, as far as I can see these earlier examples still used a hyphen. It started to be used more widely in the noughties and finally entered various dictionaries by the end of that decade as a proper compound word, not as suggested by Wikipedia, a portmanteau, which would take us into a whole new discussion!

A favourite destination for many, in Scotland. Elie in Fife

What are your plans?

So here we are. Some of us are very lucky to live near the sea or in the countryside. It is all too easy to moan about summer visitors and all the inconveniences they may bring, I know I have. However, spare a thought for those not so lucky. A friend of mine recently said that our wee corner of the world is as busy as it was in the sixties. I look back fondly on those halcyon days because I was one of those day trippers or holiday makers, with my family. Perhaps we just have re-adjust, count our blessings and be thankful that the sun still shines, the sea still laps on the sandy shore and after a stunning sunset we can look forward to another beautiful sunrise. Take care!

© Jenny Hoggan

July 2022

My Fondness for Fife

It is good to pause and reflect a wee while in each of the fishing harbours of East Neuk; think on their similarities and differences, the ambiance and their sense of community; before continuing your journey along the Fife Coastal Path, which was the inspiration for my book.

Introduction

I was fortunate enough to be discovered, (0n Twitter I believe) by one of the East Neuk Writers and invited to join them. This was early in lock down, when all the meetings were on Zoom and it has been great fun to be part of a group, discussing all things writing and supporting each other in our endeavours. I have met them all in person, although less often than I would have liked since I live in Kinghorn, but we have enjoyed two meals together at the Anstruther Golf Club.

East Neuk, however, is no stranger to me because my husband and I have walked along the coastal paths from North Queensferry to St Andrews, out of which I wrote a fantasy memoir The Healing Paths of Fife. This book has raised over £700 in profits for local charities and is currently raising funds for the Kirkcaldy Foodbank.

Here is a blog post written as part of a virtual tour of Fife, which shows my fondness for Fife, and especially for East Neuk:

Fondness for Fife

Elie another East Neuk village

The folks of Edinburgh all know the secret of East Neuk, a coastal region in Fife where the estuary of The River Forth merges with The North Sea. Each village has its own character and features; St Monan’s being just one of those places.
‘Neuk is the Scots word for nook or corner,’ Wikipedia informs us, and the ‘corner of Fife’ aptly describes East Neuk, although omitting any reference to its natural charm and beauty.

East Neuk stretches from Earlsferry and Elie (my last post) to Kingsbarns, and each wee place has a unique character. Incidentally, Mac Duff is said to have fled from Mac Beth via the ferry to the southern coast of the estuary. Hence the name Earlsferry!

From Lady Tower in Elie, and passing the ruins of Newark Castle along Rose Bay, you have a fairly gentle walk to  St Monan’s. At low tide the path follows the rocks below a tiny kirk, but there is a detour behind the village to avoid getting your feet wet when the tide is high.

The colourfully painted cottages along the harbour frontage, lead you towards The Smokehouse; a restaurant where you can eat out of cardboard boxes, whilst overlooking both harbour and the view towards The Isle of May. Alternatively, there’s the cosier option of The Giddy Gannet (once The Diving Gannet), a wee cafe just off the harbour. Both places are well worth visiting for much needed refreshments, but maybe on different visits!

Following the Coastal Path signs out of the village, you pass the salt pans from days gone by, when Fife exported salt overseas. Then there’s the windmill, which has appropriately been turned into a lifeguard station, from which there are clear views in all directions, if the weather is fair.

It is good to pause and reflect a wee while in each of the fishing harbours of East Neuk; think on their similarities and differences, the ambiance and their sense of community; before continuing your journey along the Fife Coastal Path, which was the inspiration for my book.

Find out more about author Diana Jackson on her website, on her blog or meet her on Twitter.

The end of the story

To Begin

An amount of time in our writer’s group, and I suspect in a few others, is allocated to discussing how a story should begin, in a way it would attract a reader to turn to page two. This is generally something I for one find reasonably simple, as long as a situation and at least one or more characters arrive with interest. 

To end

To me, it is the end of a story that I find far more of a challenge, assuming we have written a story gripping enough to keep a reader through the entire book. So many books and, even more so, TV dramas end in a disappointing manner. In a previous group meeting we discussed this subject, and at the time I raised several questions as to what is or perhaps not acceptable. Does a reader demand closure? Yes, of course so. Does the ending need to be a massive crescendo? Well, not necessarily.   

Not to disappoint

One of our members suggested it needs to be a cliff-hanger, so a sequel can be tagged on later. This is a great idea but, of course, would only apply if a sequel was forthcoming, otherwise it becomes a cop out. 

One assumes that the story has a conflict within it and this should always be resolved at the end, even if a sequel is on the cards. 

Matters of opinion

Some writer’s clinics suggest that the author should know the ending before you even start writing. I disagree with this. In my last book even I didn’t know who did it until I wrote the final few chapters, and in that way lay surprise for myself as well as the reader. How could they possibly suspect, if I didn’t even know?

There is also the what/if ending where what actually happens is open to interpretation by the reader but this tends to be more for books that are trying to put over a message rather than purely to entertain. Assuming they are reading their preferred genre, the reader will be left thinking about the book for a few days to come, running a variety of scenarios through their mind until they are comfortable with one of them. 

One of the more common endings is to return back to where the book started. I have used this a number of times by creating a prologue of a couple of pages at the beginning before starting the actual story, so I have somewhere to go back to. Again this is often used in films and TV.

Resolution

A surprise ending is usually more palatable than a predictable one, but this comes with its warnings, that somewhere in the story, perhaps in a few places, the reader has been passed a subtle hint. In my case I had to backtrack and add these in the edit. 

I think most importantly, as well as getting closure, the protagonist should have somehow benefited from the final act, whether growing from its experience or at least learning from it.

Logic

Finally, I believe the ending should make sense and this is where the difficulty lies, not just with myself but with many authors. In a scenario where sub-plots collide at the end, as they often do, there must be a decent element of logic so the reader can understand why what happened, happened. Otherwise they will feel short changed and I for one would certainly like to sell them another of my books.

© Andy Frazier – May 2022

Skates on Says Jenny

What this means is we agreed a task and, unless you noted it, you have around 24 hours to sort it out. There are no consequences for being unprepared!

Rebirth, or what

Well, did you ever seriously doubt it? Of course, you didn’t. Sooner rather than later – I think we were ready. The question is, “Are you?” Ready or not …

Picking up where we left off.

A warm welcome back – how fantastic to see everyone, after nearly a year and a half of Covid restrictions. This time we are Zooming in from far and wide, quite literally. As you would expect, we started by having a good old catchup; the good, the bad and the oh, so nearly.

Mac

Mac completed the first draft of his new novel and sent it off to his editor. As is her way, she was ruthless but that’s what editors are for; it’s their job. He has also been busy in his role as Chair of the Society of Authors in Scotland. Wow, that sounds interesting.

Andy

In the words of Bonnie Tyler, Andy has been “Lost in France”. Being a productive sort of guy, he has broadcast a weekly podcast on his beloved agriculture, in addition to a brand-new brood of lambs. Bravely, he gave NaNoWriMo a try. Rather him than me.

Joy

Joy has continued writing and amongst other things has finished the novel she started prior to lockdown. We look forward to a sneak preview. She has also continued with her Glasgow writing group, online.

Paul

Paul has completed his first full-length novel and is well into his second. He has continued writing academic books and producing his blog.

Catherine

Catherine has turned to reading and particularly recommends “Writing Down the Bones” by Natalie Goldberg, an American author and speaker who teaches all things writing, with a leaning towards Zen.

Jenny

Jenny has enjoyed returning to classics like Jane Eyre, favourites like Joanne Harris and Elizabeth Sprout, as well as new reads like Where the Crawdads Sing and The Midnight Library.

Humble Reward

What was truly humbling and rewarding, was that the craic was as if we had never been away. We literally did pick up where we left off.

Where next?

Looking towards the future, it was generally agreed that we should explore new ways of communicating and developing ideas through different kinds of online media. As you can see, the website https://writersneuk.com/ is up and running. Our Zoom meeting is working well. After a discussion about the merits of different social media, it was suggested that we start a Facebook site, which is perhaps more user friendly. Paul uses Twitter for information gathering and the monthly Byline Times. Andy was off his mark and set the Writers’ Neuk Facebook private group up straight away. Mac will investigate if there are any alternative forums, that might be suitable for all.

Moving forward


Looking at the format of our meetings, we discussed optimum numbers for Zoom and a possible upper limit to numbers on the private FB group. We agreed that whilst it could be beneficial to grow, we should take care to protect the existing dynamics of the group.

Previously, at meetings, we set a limit on writing of 200-300 words. Paul pointed out that this can be restrictive, so we considered ways of presenting and critiquing longer pieces. Joy suggested that we could email a copy of our writing, to all members in advance, thus allowing people to read them at their leisure and give more time for feedback during meetings. We also discussed the possibility of screen sharing, of which Andy showed an example and the use of Audacity for audio recording and editing.

Our writing

Our suggested theme was “Reflections” The exciting thing is that you can also share these, by visiting our newly created FB site, Writers’ Neuk.
Andy shared his poem, “Reflections”. It has the honour of being the first piece on the FB site, both audio and visual.
Joy read and then later went on to record her piece, “The Politics of a Pandemic”
Catherine related her poem “Reflections” which took us back to a time of innocence, when everything seemed possible.
Mac will get sorted soon.

For next time

How do you show anger in your writing? For our next meeting, prepare a piece showing just that. Any scenario you choose. We can then discuss how this has been achieved and what makes approaches effective.

Jenny

Rebirth Coming Soon

Can we pick-up where we left off? Well, there is the small matter of meeting in Colinsburgh Library–we can’t. It seems unlikely things need ever be the same again. Maybe this is an opportunity. Yippee! Rebirth, bring it on.

Rebirth: Ambitious intent or fact?

Does a title involving ‘Rebirth‘ presage a second coming? Or, dodging religious nuances, does it simply suggest a renewal? Next, the word ‘Soon‘ creeps in. Is something going to happen? How long is a piece of string? Do we mean in April? Some time this year? Perhaps in a decade or so?

Can we pick up …

…where we left off? Well, of course, there is the small matter of meetings in Colinsburgh Library–we can’t. It seems unlikely things need ever be the same again. Is this an opportunity? Yippee!

What have we done?

Good question. The first step is getting a Zoom account sorted out and that is in hand. Jenny and I agreed we’d buy one using our savings.

Our core members are ready to go and things will be different. For now, we can add an image and links for video content, as below. Here’s one made earlier with Pooter, remember him?

Now what?

Let’s catch up and decide how we’ll operate in our new virtual meeting format. What options are open for coming together, having fun and wanting more? Soon we’ll be able to meet outside. Imagine crazed writers chasing elusive, flapping papers down Elie beach on windy days.

Watch this space as we go forward–soon.

Here is a video link to Andrew Stanton talking about The clues to a great story–just in case you fancy a bit more. Click here.

Use our contact form to find out more.

The story so far … If you didn’t laugh, you’d cry!

The story so far

Have you written anything during the last month? I haven’t. My brain has been exclusively involved in seeking, assimilating and processing the information flooding in over the media. My story so far has stayed outwardly calm, though inwardly anxious. So far so good. But this has got to stop!

Please join us in this challenge. Write a piece of comedy. Our usual guide is around 300 words but that matters not, under the circumstances. Just have some fun.

Instead of our normal meeting on Monday 27th April, we can share our writing through our site over the next week or so. Are you up for it? Email your piece to me and we’ll post it. Don’t forget a non-de-plume as agreed at our last meeting.

Don’t mention the …

I constantly whinge that I don’t have time but now, it seems that I do. Anguishing through the wee small hours I decide to put pen to paper. Or rather, in the interests of not wishing to wake my partner, index finger to iPhone. But what to write about? The subject that is on everybody’s lips, must surely have become “It That Must Not Be Named.”

She’s aff her heid… how it happened

Earlier, I had sought advice from a writer pal. A big mistake last thing before sleep because she advised “comedy”. What? My normally reliable, sage friend must be a maniac. At this time of crisis and turmoil, comedy must surely be impossible. This, my fuddled brain had not been expecting.

…or is she?

And so to a sleepless night. Where, in all this, can I find humour? More challenging still, how do I find the will and the wit to write it?

After several hours of tossing and turning, I think of a hilarious video doing the circuit on social media. And so I have my prompt for the story so far. What’s more, I think it will do my mental health a power of good to try it. So, she’s right.

And now to sleep…

Thank you to my pal for a sleepless night but also for dragging me from my literary torpor.

Join us. We look forward to hearing from you!

Enjoy and take care!

Jenny

February 2020 Meeting Report

Posh new Mac
Jenny’s (aspirational) workspace – she loves her wee Mac and it’s not me!

Our monthly get together 24 February

Here we are on the last Monday of the month, 7pm in Colinsburgh Library, for our regular get together. It has taken a while but that date and time slot is now so easy to remember that it is embedded in my internal calendar. No longer do I need to ask, “What date is our next meeting?” More like, “We’re halfway through the month – time to think about getting that piece of writing ready.” Crunch time; I always work better to a deadline. Does that work for you?

We are growing

Well, hopefully not in kilograms but another new member. This evening we were delighted to welcome a lady who moved to the area last Autumn. As often happens, she and her family have been visiting the East Neuk for many years and upon retiring, she decided to relocate here permanently. Luckily she has found her way to our local group and happily she has brought her writing interest and skills with her. A warm welcome!

Catching up

After apologies from members who could not make it this evening, we had a catch up on news, helped along with hot cuppas and biscuits. We do like our home comforts and a relaxed ambience!

Tonight’s agenda

  1. Developing the website
  2. Preparing a theme bank
  3. Writing a blog
  4. Sharing our work

Our website

Our website has been up and running for over a year now and we are looking to develop it further. It is visited by people from near and far, which is the great thing about the internet. Our writing group does not have physical boundaries and we can reach out to like-minded people who can’t always attend but still want to share our interest in the written word.

Next steps

Mac outlined the points laid out in last month’s blog and a discussion ensued.

Main points:

  1. All shared writing should be published under a nom-de-plume. Rationale is that protecting ID assists genre change, practise and the invitation of feedback and critique (accepting some of it might not always be ego massaging). Also, people well established in a field can avoid exposure before they want it (if ever).
  2. Provide an image to link with the NDP.
  3. Agree a way so a visitor to our site will readily find a chosen writer’s work
  4. Writers can invite critiques.
  5. We agree *not* to reveal anyone else’s ID.

Yes but…

Agreement was reached in principle but an important point was raised.

This was, that it might be advisable for critiques to be given directly to the author concerned, privately, rather than publicly, online. Apart from fledgeling egos being irreparably damaged, once criticisms are made in print, they cannot be taken back. Point taken!

Preparing a theme bank

We started brainstorming themes that the group might consider for future meetings. Whilst we did compile an initial list, we would like to open this up to to other members, to add to, before confirming. The aim is to have a bank, so that themes can be confirmed well in advance, in readiness for future meetings.

Blog training

This is ongoing but we hope gradually to be able to have more members who feel confident to add blogs to the website and also to start having different interest categories.

Sharing our work

There was an “anything goes” theme for tonight.

Firstly we had “The Farewell” – a poignant piece telling the story behind a photo. It was set in Germany in the late 1930’s and showed a father kissing his young child goodbye before dropping him off at kindergarten. On this day he would not be picking him up in the afternoon, as he was on his way to the front.

New Member Reads

Next we encouraged our new member to read an extract from her novel, a very daunting prospect, on your first visit. We were delighted that she felt able to share her work. It is a central part of our group’s ethos to provide support and encouragement for anyone starting out. In fact she has a a full first draft and is looking for a fairly rigorous edit. We were happy to be part of that journey.

Next we heard a poem called “Heartfelt”. This is a work in progress, which often happens when you air a poem. At the end of the day, you can listen to suggestions and you whether or not to take them on board. Whose poem is it after all?

Reading Rhythm 

To finish off we heard a performance poem called “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” What a fabulous way to end our evening. It was fun, quirky and the kind of presentation that stays in your memory. I hope we can hear it again sometime soon and perhaps open it up to a wider audience.

Thanks for sharing, everyone!

Next meeting… will be remote thanks to COVID-19