Wait, What?

I recently entered a short story competition. I didn't get past the first round but did get some valuable feedback from the judges. A critique on one's writing is always difficult to digest, but as a writer, a thick skin is a necessity along with a good dictionary and copious amounts of tea.

However, one comment irked me somewhat.

One of the characters where I described her anatomy was criticized: "The line about "Kathy's small pert breasts" feels a bit problematic for 2019."

I was a little puzzled. Why should it be problematic? I'm just describing a character. It's difficult to fully convey the various personalities of people in stories in less than 2,500 words and perhaps that is a shortfall of me as a writer, but it's still only a description. A means of describing a person.

With the current 'MeToo' climate, there is certainly more sensitivity and as an advocate of this movement, I do understand the need to be hyper-aware of causing offence. And yet, why should it affect how I write, what words I use?

Surely a writer is 'allowed' to describe its characters using what ever words it deems appropriate? Would I have got the same reaction/comment if I had said 'Kathy's sagging breasts'? Am I not 'allowed' to sexualize a woman? Believe it or not, there are women out in the world who like being seen as 'sexy'. And isn't a follow on from 'Me Too' also advocating that a woman has the freedom to be whom they choose to be?

As a writer, my words should engage my readers. Better still if I make them think and want to discuss what they've read. Not being able to write whether a woman's breasts are pert or not shouldn't cause offence to anyone, it shouldn't be 'problematic'. Obviously this judge has completely forgotten the popularity of 'Fifty Shades' and the hundreds of authors who write steamy romances. If you're easily offended (by sexual references), then don't read the book.

Perhaps I'm reading too much in to the judge's comment. All they want me to know is to be aware of how things are perceived. After all, the written word is a powerful thing (I'm old enough to remember the fatwa being placed on Salmon Rushdie), but I don't see (refuse to see?) how this description is problematic. 

It also begs me to ask: is this comment akin to censorship?

Creating an image of a character with words is what my role of an author is all about. So, whilst I appreciate the critique, I will continue to describe my characters breasts (pert, heaving, drooping...) as I see fit.

Writers on the Block

I was on a writing course last week. Armed with pen and paper, I entered the small classroom. My anal retentiveness had kicked in and I realized I was twenty minutes early. But no worry, the teacher was already there and I'm the queen of useless chit-chat so the time went by quickly.

For a course that ran from ten to one each day, I expected a few older women - perhaps a couple of yummy-mummies. Nope, I was the youngest one there. The women's ages ranged from late forties to mid seventies. I suddenly felt inadequate and then a little down, I'm not far off from my forties so there wasn't that much of an age difference after all!

Expecting a room of budding or published novelists, I was surprised to hear that a couple were writing memoirs, many had an idea but not sure where to start and some just had chapters floating around, but nothing connecting them. An air of slight smugness surrounded me. I had written a few short stories and finished my first novel in draft, currently halfway through the second. Yet I haven't had the courage to get an editor to look at it. Maybe spending the week with these experienced women may help.

As the week progressed, the lecturer Jane Katims gave us exercises and prompts to get our creative juices flowing. And wow did they help. I knew my first novel needed some improvement but wasn't sure where to go. After day three of the course, I saw a myriad of ways to add some 'oompf' to the story. Thursday night was student reading night and I read a short piece entitled 'Home Depot' - all about a couple having an argument in a truck. Compliments from my fellow classmates and peers flew and I became cocooned in a world where people actually liked what I wrote.

I awoke on the Friday to find three presents waiting for me. My constant support, Hubby, gave me three notepads, a box of pens and the Chicago Manual of Style. I felt even more energized to write and get published - there's nothing like writing on the first page of a new notebook.

By the time the week ended I had met a wonderful set of writers; the woman whose memoirs focused on her mother's mental illness, another with a charismatic character called Harry and one whose young pianist Eva, admired a music teacher who was a holocaust survivor. I sincerely hope they find the courage to finish and publish; for they certainly have given that to me.

A Writer in the Making?

This is the year I get serious about writing.

Whilst my dreams may take me to heady heights of being the next P.D. James or Tess Gerritson, I appreciate that to get to that level of notoriety I have to actually submit something.

For years, I've written snippets of stories or day dreamed about characters. So, late last year, when ambling around the stands at the Boston Book Festival and happened across Libboo (an online forum to which budding writers can publish their stories) I thought why not? Why not write again and this time do something about it. So wrote a couple of short stories:

http://www.libboo.com/read/play-with-fire
http://www.libboo.com/read/when-youre-happy

I don't think their too bad, but there's room for improvement. However, I haven't written and posted anything else for a while! Reason being, I was busy reading, but as 2011 drew to a close, I realized I was using that as an excuse (and according to P.D. James, its a good thing for a writer to do; keep reading to keep the creative process alive). I've jotted down a few ideas of plots and characters including particular lines that they would say. Now I just need to put them down on paper (I tend to write long hand first) and get moving.

I'm still working on what kind of  genre I'd write about; crime? suspense? children's? And, although, my two tales (above) are somewhat suspenseful I do have an idea for a children's book too...ah the possibilities are endless.

However, my true calling could be 'romance' novels. An avid reader of Mills & Boons back in the day, that could be where my talents really lie. So I'm thinking to get inspired, I'll paint an area of the living room pink, wrap a pink feather boa dramatically around my neck, paint my lips a stunning magenta and write a narrative as a homage to the queen of romance - Barbara Cartland. Ahh, yes..."..she tried not to let the sultry look in his dark, haunting eyes, steal her breath away. He leaned in closer, momentarily glancing to her slightly open, waiting lips..."