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| Pebbly Beach (My backyard) |
It feels like my IRL writing group is focussing on love themes for our next meeting. In my human stories, I focus on relationship dynamics and I am debating which of my stories I should share. During our last meeting, we had discussed reading our work aloud and I think that is why I am struggling.
It’s hard to take that risk and make oneself vulnerable when you’re in the spotlight. I prefer the shadows with anything heavy and so to read my work feels daunting, especially with a personal piece of creative nonfiction, which is my novel.
My work is heavy, I think that is the easiest way to describe it. One editor commented on the rich descriptions and vivid detail in my narratives, he was impressed with my use of figurative language. I think I achieved that as a way to distance myself because they are nonfiction. However, it’s very different to send someone pages and discuss them than it is to read my work to an audience.
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Pebbly Beach (My backyard) |
Perhaps, I will play it safe in the respect that I could share a current piece where I have tried to engage my inner comic and lighter side. It was a work that emerged from prompts stipulating that you needed to incorporate the following words: calico cat, eggshells, mysterious and you needed to either begin or end the piece with the sentence “I laughed as I swiped the blood on my face and smiled.” I am a comedian with my friends so I don’t mind being in the spotlight doing stand up and making everyone laugh in that regard, but to write it is a whole other story, pun intended. So I am hoping I pulled off the comedic element in my written word.
Anyhow, I have one more day to decide which route I should take; personal disclosure and hoping I can get through reading the opening to my novel, or grab my fictional piece and give the group a lighter side!
I think I will continue reading the book I thoroughly enjoy that my PhD supervisor recommended for now and sleep on my decision...
“What do you think? I’m not a starfish or a pepper tree. I’m a living, breathing human being. Of course, I’ve been in love.”
― Haruki Murakami, Kafka On The Shore
