Exeter Writers

People should obey the rules.  That seems obvious, doesn’t it?  Especially in the middle of a pandemic.  Who wants to be infected by someone with a severe case of: ‘Nobody’s going to tell  me  what to do?’  We all know the difference between a free spirit and selfishness. But what about us writers, who juggle creativity and simplicity, originality, and comprehensibility?  Are there any writing rules that you kicked against when you first picked up your literary pen?

Long-time member, Sophie Duffy is moving to the North of England to become a Royal Literary  Fund Fellow at Manchester University and, although we’re all very pleased for her, Exeter Writers are sorry she’s leaving. 

Picture this scene: A gnarly hunchback in a dark cave (office).  Deformed hands poised over keyboard.  The glare from a computer screen casting light on the dark circles under their eyes and shadows in the hollows of their cheeks.  Where once a creative human full of hope and inspiration sat, a withered husk remains. His contorted expression fraught and wild with desperation. He's stuck. He's tormented by rejection. He's laboured over his novels. He's laboured over his blog posts. He’s poured his heart and soul into all the words he’s ever spilled forth.  Frantic for the world to hear his message. But nobody does.  Nobody cares about his posts. Or by extension his novels.  He receives few views, and even fewer likes. If you listen really hard. In a moment or so you’ll hear the subtle crack of his spirit breaking.

Welcome to our first Book Chat!  At Exeter Writers meetings we regularly discuss books we're reading. Not just to stay current in the world of literature professionally speaking, but because we simply adore reading as much as writing.  This month, Dianne Bown-Wilson picked an especially interesting book. Lionel Shriver is an American author and journalist living in the UK.  Her book The Motion of the Body Through Space was published earlier this year, 7th May, 2020. Shriver is not afraid to use her words to bring uncomfortable things to light. She often plays devil's advocate, broaching topics that provoke hot debate.

Literary Festivals in Lockdown and Beyond  It’s fair to say 2020 has been a challenging year for the arts in general, with theatres, cinemas, concerts and other public events forced to be shut, cancelled or postponed during lockdown.  Literary festivals are no exception and organisers have faced difficult decisions, including whether to cancel altogether or deliver events in a different format. While the Covid-19 pandemic has prevented writers and readers from gathering in the traditional way, many literary festivals have embraced the creative challenge of uniting book lovers through alternative modes. Going online is the most popular choice for literary festivals which have gone ahead.