The theme for this week’s meeting, for everyone, was “finish something”. This is because we had all started something for each of the various themes so far, or even just as ongoing work, and now it was time to have a finished product, or part-product, as a result.
“P” was first to kick off with a merger of the two stories she wrote for the previous week. She joined the two shorts together so that she had one product of a publishable length. This time it was called Goodnight Granddad Bill, and it ran for around 1,500 words. It was suggested that she tidy it up and then perhaps send it to one of the weekly magazines.
“R” read chapter two of The Ruhak Chronicles: Book 1. This one focused on his Argo character, who was contemplating an arranged marriage. We felt that we were getting to know R’s characters much better now, and the storyline is, therefore, much less confusing.
I hadn’t had time the previous week to finish anything, and so I read out some extracts from Catch the Rainbow. The original version of this story had the narrative flitting backwards and forwards between the late 1990s and 1974, but this version has the scenes intact and in chronological order. The others thought that this was a fine narrative style, but perhaps the scenes could be condensed a little if there was no need for reminders.
“P” had brought more of her memoirs, this time running to just over three pages including pictures. We felt that there were probably three separate stories in this particular extract and suggested it be broken down into clearly defined sections with their own topics.
“R” won’t be with us now until at least September, and possibly beyond, due to a training course he has to attend in August and then some work experience trying out what he has learnt. His homework for his time away was to continue working on The Ruhak Chronicles every week between then and now.
“P” had already agreed to polish her Granddad Bill story and send it out, and she will continue to collate her previously written memoirs to see where the gaps are.
My homework was to continue with The Fool.
Goldthorpe Writers meet every Monday at Goldthorpe Library, Barnsley Road, Goldthorpe, Barnsley S63 9NE, from 2:30pm until 4:00pm. There is free parking to the rear of the library, buses stop almost outside, and the railway station is a short walk away. Refreshments are also currently available for free. All are welcome.
