It was a damp night at the Nokomis Firehouse. Even rain didn’t deter eight hardy writers from showing up for our semi-monthly meeting.
Our meeting started off with a discussion as usual. Do you use dialect or accent in your fiction writing? Opinions ranged from NO! Not necessary at all, to YES! Absolutely needed to show the character’s personality. The pros and cons were argued by both sides and even some in the middle. Points to consider: Dialect or even Accent can confuse the reader, primarily if written phonetically. Everyone agreed that dialect can confuse and should be used sparingly. Maybe only use a few words at the beginning of some dialogue to set the tone. Throughout the speech, use an occasional word or two.
i.e: “Spose yo n’ me gwan down to da
sto to pick up sum smokes. Ah really need a butt. Don’t rekkon you got an extra
on ya?” Translation: "How about you and I go
down to the store and buy some cigarettes. I really need a cigarette. Is it likely
you have an extra cigarette you could let me have?" It might be written: "What say we run down to da store. I needs me a smoke. You ain't got an extra to spare, do ya?"
In reading this, you can draw some conclusions. What part of the country do you think the speaker lives? Are they male or female? Do you have some idea as to their race? What is the most likely scenario for this conversation? Be careful; we don’t want to stereotype.
As to what part of the country; anywhere, rural, urban, suburban. Sex; it doesn’t matter. Race; white, black, oriental, Native American, all can use the terminology. Scenario; any place people smoke and have a corner store that sells cigarettes.
This writer’s opinion is that worrying about political correctness detracts from fictional stories and has no place in the world of novels. Men and women exist and have different points of view. Characters may be other races without signifying what race that is. People are people. If the need to differentiate people by race is needed, such as in a story set in the old south of the early 19th century, do so. Don’t be afraid to use words many find unacceptable. Be accurate to the time and place of your story, but don’t go overboard and use foul or inappropriate language simply because you can. Use it in conjunction with your account, realistically, not in a thoughtless or injudicious manner.
It bothers this writer in an era where great writers of the past are ridiculed for using commonplace language. To hear Joel Chandler Harris writing his Uncle Remus tales demeaned for his stories saddens me. Frank Yerby wrote the Foxes of Harrow in the 1940s. I would think many of the readers of this classic novel did not know Yerby was an African American writer who broke numerous barriers but was criticized for not paying more attention to the plight of his race. His answer to that was, “writers should entertain and not preach to their readers.”
Enough Preaching:
We did have a productive reading session as well. Leading off was Rod DiGruttolo with Chapter 45 of a detective story he’s currently writing. The chapter is a mid-story summation of several hanging situations involving four characters. Rod uses breaks between the scenarios denoted by three stars (***). He wanted to know who else used this device and if it created a problem when reading. The general consensus was, it works.
Bruce Haedrich read the final chapter of Gaia, his work in which the Earth speaks to us. Her final warning was ominous. We as a species have overpopulated Earth. Unless we allow natural attrition to thin the herd, we will be forced to use less desirable means such as war, famine, or plague to do it for us. Thought-provoking and well written; good stuff, Bruce.
Ed Ellis presented us with a choice between openings for a chapter to his book, a non-fiction work. Both were excellent and would work well. I don’t know which option won out, but I know Ed will make masterful use of either one.
Poetry is a beautiful way to tell a story, and Don Westerfield is masterful in its use. Two poems with similar titles, he shared. In PARK BENCH POET and PARK BENCH POET II, Don reflects on the poet within him struggling to put words on paper that show the emotions swirling within. Surroundings, people, animals, and other influences that carry inspiration and distraction play heavily on the mind as the day comes to an end. Don always opens his thoughts to us through his poetry. Oh, by the way; We hope you had a Happy Birthday last month.
It’s always inspiring when Dennis Cathcart takes the stage to read from his memoir, Snake Hunter. Tonight’s piece was especially poignant as he opens the first chapter and sets a tone for the work. Here, with a single paragraph, he tells us what the book is about. Somewhat mournful but promising, all the same, he takes leave of a career he loves and embarks on the rest of his life. Great work, Dennis.
WORDS HAVE MEANING, no matter what language you use. James Kelly brings that to the forefront in the shared chapter of a young boy learning to speak the Lakota Sioux language. The boy learns from an interpreter under the command of his father at a western Army Post. In all languages, simple inflection sometimes changes the meaning of a word. That is evident in this case even more so than in his native language, English. I don’t know if Jim planned to read this chapter upon arrival or chose it after the discussion to open the meeting, but it was right on the mark. As always, good work Jim.
Another poet has joined our ranks in the past couple of months. Richard Cope shared three of his works with us this week. Songs of The Cricket, Flower Child, and Flower Child Refrain. All three were descriptive pieces and left images in this writer’s mind. The small voice of cricket, not a voice at all, overpowers the silence of loneliness. Peace, love, and flowers in her hair let the Flower Child tell a story and send a message to the world in music and song. It’s good to have you with us, Richard. Keep telling us your stories.
When Peter Frickel takes the stage, all ears turn to hear his story. This week’s offering was not only thrilling but carried a message of respect. The Big Fish is a tale of an epic battle between angler and fish. A long and tiring struggle resulted in both participants winning the other’s respect. The fish fought almost to the point of fatal exhaustion while the fisherman used skill and some trickery to gain an advantage. In the end, the valiant struggle instilled respect in both fisherman and fish as they worked together to regain their expended energy as the fisherman returned his catch to the deep. Peter, your words left me with a sense of the epic struggle. I was tired by the end and had a deep respect for the quarry. Thank You.
Well, I guess that wraps up the evening. Another intriguing evening at the firehouse. I hope we see all of you at the next meeting, September 15th. Until then, KEEP ON WRITING.
No comments:
Post a Comment