[stylist] Weekly Writing Challenge

[William L Houts]

HI Jackie Lee,

I take your point that I could reciprocate more in my criticism of work 
submitted here by others; I didn't realize I was being a devouring ego 
or something.  But you quote me as saying things which I have not said, 
so I feel a little cagey about this criticism.  It's not as if I'm some 
kind of stern taskmaster who submits difficult work and demands that it 
be absorbed and criticized by a terrorized and helpless class. Neither 
you nor anyone else subscribed to this list is olbligated to comment on 
my or anyone else's work, and I have not demanded such attention. But 
you sound truly hurt and angry, and if I have done the hurting and 
angering , then I'm truly sorry for it.  If you have some work which you 
would like me to read and comment on, I'd be glad to read it and give 
you a responsible, non-vengeful critique. Though you're apparently 
really mad at me, I read it as a sign that you take me seriously, and 
one doesn't always expect that kind of respect on email discussion 
lists.  Let's take it once more from the top, with forgiveness on both 
sides.


--Bill

On 6/6/2015 3:56 PM, Jackie Williams via stylist wrote:
> Rowena, Bill and whoever is interested.
> About ten minutes of writing. Plus, the spell check at the end!
> I sat in the small café next to two blind people. At least that is what I assumed because one had a folded cane on the table beside her coffee, and the man had a ddog resting quietly under the table.
> They seemed to have a lively conversation going. I tried to hear, since the man's voice seemed to have some measure of frustration in it.
> They apparently were writers and that amazed me. I did not know that blind people were writers, at least, not usually.
> " This list seems to have dormant. I haven't had any feedback for many of my recent poems."
> "You know, Bill, you are an extremely prolific poet and some of your poems are difficult to understand at first reading."
> Yes, but they could still be acknowledged, couldn't they?"
> "Yes, that would be the normal thing to do, but perhaps some feel that there has not been enough reciprocity shown in terms of their own work. To comment on a poem without a serious critique, is something a serious poet does not want to spend time on. Particularly now, when almost all on the list are sending e-mails about the conference  coming up in early July."
> Bill said, "But surely many are not going.
> "I agree, but that is perhaps because I am not going, and thus do not read many of the e-mails lately. But do not forget that many who are not able to go, are still busy with blogs
> Submitting poetry to state contests, or having computer problems."
>
> I think my ten minutes are gone, and I have hardly gotten a story out of this. Interesting
> Jackie Lee
>
> Time is the school in which we learn.
> Time is the fire in which we burn.
> Delmore Schwartz	
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rowena Portch via stylist
> Sent: Saturday, June 06, 2015 12:33 PM
> To: Writers' Division Mailing List
> Cc: Rowena Portch
> Subject: [stylist] Weekly Writing Challenge
>
> Okay, here is my ten-minute writing snippet. No need to comment on it. I just wanted to share. I’m curious what others come up with.
>
> As I sat there, quietly listening to the couple sitting beside me, I realized how very important communication is. They were having an argument about who said what and why. Now, because I'm blind, I cannot see their facial expressions, but I could feel their body language as if it were as palpable as dust on the table.
>
> The woman spoke, voicing her opinion about the man's point of view on gay people. He had believed that gays should be able to marry, where the woman was opposed of such things. Instead of letting him explain his views, she was more excited about voicing her opinion. Neither of them listened to the other and tensions flared. Soon, the woman was pounding the table. I heard her drink spill onto the table top. Neither them of seemed to have noticed.
>
> A chair scraped, and the man walked away. The woman groaned, slopped up the spilled drink, and followed him out of the store. The tension that had built between them lingered; a dark heavy thickness in the air that was hard to breathe.
>
>
>
> R o w e n a  P o r t c h
> Author of the Spirian Saga
>
> RowenaPortch.com <http://rowenaportch.com/>
>
> View the Book Trailer for The Spirian Saga, a new paranormal romance <http://youtu.be/XeNmJkXyJv0>
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-- 


"Oh, Sophie!  Whyfore have you eated all de cheeldren?"