Writers 11 - a place to be

Today's Writers 11 was thoroughly absorbing with so many topics covered. I will give a potted account here:

Writing in adversity - we discussed the challenges of living in countries that are going through political and social conflict/unrest ie my own experiences, and those of writer friends, living in Egypt and Barbara's experiences living in Ecuador. And also how adversity can come through difficult personal circumstances whether that be circumstantial (no time to write/no space) or emotional (grief). And yet these very conditions can also provide the life blood and thrust one can take into the work.

Arts and Sciences - Corry, who is a scientist, gave us fascinating insights into various scientific facts about the brain and its mechanisms and that tied into many points with writing when considering relationship between poetry and science (using language, exploring themes) and also with plot and character in story (motivations, actions), also about writer process (where do ideas come from, can one intuit ideas or is it from the subconscious?).

Appropriation - we talked briefly about cultural appropriation, what and when can we write about that that is outside our own lived experience, and I mentioned Lionel Shriver's infamous speech on that.

Other topics were about the individual writing process and the times and habits people have adopted, what works/what doesn't. Abigail talked about the glamourisation of psychopaths in story (and how she fears this is becoming more prevalent). And Jude led us out of today's meet up with some accounts of her decades of sailing around the world in storms and in serenity and of her daily log and letters home to her parents which now allow her to recall specific facts that enable her writing.

Come join us for the next one - Friday 23rd August. See you there!