Tip of needles
Tap of bones
Swish of rushes
Slap of stones
You’d expect me to be delighted when my lines appeared in
one of Germany’s biggest selling magazines. I wasn’t.
Years ago, two gentlemen arrived into the Dublin Writers
Workshop, introduced themselves as researching the phenomenon of writers groups
in Ireland for a popular German publication, and asked everyone present to come
out to the front of the premises, Bowes, for a group photograph. Most went, I
declined owing to (what is usually) an unhelpful streak of contrariness. They
stayed for the evening and told us they were visiting a few other groups as
well.
Eventually the magazine arrived with article, photograph and
my lines as a lead in. It was scathing. The members felt insulted and resented
their hospitality being abused. They had good reason. DWW was a breeding ground
for a number of good writers including Ted McNulty, Shiela O’Hagan and Jean O'Brien
to name a few.
The main contention of the article was that writers’ groups
foster a low standard of writing. This can happen for a number of reasons e.g.
participants may not want to criticise in case they cause offence, the level of
knowledge maybe poor, some writers are writing for themselves not publication,
they are not looking for rigorous standards. No one slates the provision of
snooker tables just because the players aren’t of professional standard.
Poetry is a lonely pastime. Writers’ groups are frequently
used for social reasons; if they fulfil this purpose, they are successful for
some. If the group is being used for focussing the mind or providing a writing regime or as a
forum where information on events and competitions can be got, then again it
may well fulfil its purpose. Some consider a poem worked through a group to be
like a committee horse but that does not take into regard different strokes for
different folks.
However, the issue of standards should be addressed. A
teacher of English might be a good addition to a group, or invited guests who
have a proven track record in literary criticism. Participants with different
aspirations should be facilitated, a group should discuss its procedures and
policies when setting up, and be open to change. An open door approach to new
members or even once-off visitors can only be positive in general, (though
there will be some less than helpful arrivals), and contact with other groups can be a source
of useful ideas as well.
