MEETING OF WOKING WRITERS CIRCLE ON 19 APRIL 2018 AT THE BADEN POWELL ROOM, THE GENERATION CENTRE, GOLDSWORTH PARK, WOKING

Apologies : Heather, Greg

Attending: Liz, Peter, Hillary, Alan, Amanda, Catherine, Tricia, Sarah SH, Sarah DD, Carla, Peter.

News:

Liz said that at the Rhoda McGaw theatre there will be a play [note by CR – entitled Grasp the Nettle] about Woking suffragette Ethyl Smyth who was also a musician. Also at the Mill Studio at the Yvonne Arnaud there will be a production of Persuasion performed by Theatre 6. She also reminded us that the Lightbox will have their literary festival. In addition, her play for voices, Tinkler, will be performed at Camberley international festival and she would like volunteers to help with the performance. This will be on 23 June, at around 7.15pm. Liz’s draft press release for the occasion is as follows: TINKLER ! HELP  WITH WORLD PREMIERE OF A SHORT COMEDY WRITTEN FOR RADIO.
Local playwright Liz Lennie invites you to scriptread in small groups (a part for anyone who wants one) before we stage a repeat performance by volunteers as if on the radio.
Then local Bright Lights Theatre Company will share with us the fun of sketches live and close- up on the imagined stage in The Studio !

Catherine’s short essay, Being Cathy, has been accepted by the Bronte gazette. She also mentioned that she had been writing online for medium and suggested that the circle could have a presence there.

Alan has the proof of the cover of his book, which will be published this year.

Readings:

Tricia – Light

A poem for children about a four-year-old trying to understand the concept of time. The voice and meter were good, but one line beginning apparently needed work.

Sarah SH – The Bargain

This was a continuation of her story. Sarah read two beginnings, the first when the protagonist was a young girl and met Hana for the first time, the second after Hana’s death. Most of the group preferred the first but felt both had excellent imagery,

Sarah DD – Job 1 :21

Flash fiction of exactly 100 words. This was inspired by a newspaper story about a funeral crasher, who attended wakes and ate the free food. There was discussion as to whether the twist in the tale needed to be clearer or not.

Hilary – Novel Opening

Hilary said she has finished her first novel and is now working on a second. She read from this second story. This is about a woman called Sam who is an unreliable narrator. The group thought it was a good depiction of an obsessive personality, but found the second, uninvolved narrator a bit confusing.

Amanda– Maria

A very dramatic story which is part of her novel. The tone is quite light until her previous suicide attempt is revealed. Hilary had some comments on the medication.

Alan  – An Inviting Limitation

A humorous story about a thief. The description of the coach was very effective and changed the pace.

Carla – Negotiating with the body: The Edible Woman

This was a very readable review of the Margaret Atwood book. Although it was full of ideas, this was easy to read and Carla’s poetry skills shone through.

Liz – Blackwell Farm

This poem, inspired by a painting which Liz shared, had some very good imagery but it fell into prose at times. We all felt with some work it could be excellent.

Peter – Gearbox Overhaul

This was a clear and factual guide to fixing a gearbox. The group felt that more pictures and even a video may help.

Next meeting: 17 May, still at the new start time of 7pm 

Jobs:

Teabags – Liz

Coffee – Carla

Biscuits – Amanda

Minutes – Tricia

Wine – Peter

Chair – Alan

Homework – The Round Table