At the Saturday morning meeting in the Clocktower Café Nick read us his new poem, a ballad based on traditional Finnish folklore, which was much appreciated and admired. This led onto a fascinating conversation about creation myths and mythology in general.
A thoroughly enjoyable session, many thanks to all.
I have once again updated my list of writing competitions…
Janet Maile says:
I thought the members of Croydon Writers might be interested in a project I have started. I am looking for short stories suitable for reading aloud to loved ones who are sick or have lost the ability to read for themselves to publish on my website. There is no charge to readers or writers.
Hearing is the last sense to disappear. I was inspired to start the project by my niece, who sat reading to mysister during her last days. Although she could not move or speak, I am certain it brought her comfort.
I would welcome any contact from your writers
Croydon Writes. Attend a writing workshop, get free tickets, write reviews. What’s not to like?
Besides being a stalwart, long-time member of Croydon Writers, and our Treasurer for many years, Ethel Corduff achieved international recognition with her book Ireland’s Loss Britain’s Gain, about Irish nurses in the UK. She has also published Blackberries and Crubeens, a charming memoir of her childhood in Tralee.
On 12 October she gave us a very interesting account of her personal experience with self-publishing. Several members have considered or taken this route, so it was a useful discussion as well as being entertaining.
Scrooge and Marley, my self-published prequel to A Christmas Carol is now available on Amazon! Details.
I have updated my list of writing competitions to include those with deadlines in October.
An unusual kind of fiction is currently on show at Croydon Museum, where large tapestries (like the Bayeux one, these are not strictly tapestries) together with an extended poetic ballad tell the life story of Julie Cope, an everywoman invented by Grayson Perry. He has invented characters to situate his art or be proxies for him previously as well as producing large tapestries. The show is recommended.
It’s free, until 19 September.
Nikki led a helpful and enjoyable writing workshop, the first part about facing the empty page and the second half on giving good feedback. A copy of her handout is below.
We also chatted about progress, or lack of it, with our current projects over the summer. Members are working on poems, stories, and memoirs, and finding the Writers’ Forum a useful source of feedback.
