Have Your Say

Chipstead Evening WI - February 2012 Meeting

Sarah Tucker, broadcaster, journalist and author encouraged us at the February meeting to fictionalise our lives.  She interspersed the history of her writing journey with advice to the beginner on how to start a novel, the choice of writing style and where to place the writing desk. I do not expect all of us to rush out and buy a garden shed for this purpose but it certainly worked as a place of inspiration for Roald Dahl. 

 After several years as a travel writer Sarah had found her herself inadvertently writing for Mills and Boons. Eleven successful books later, she is still writing. She encouraged us to use life experiences and described how she had drawn on her own situation, experiences and observations. The titles of her published books include: The Last Year of Being Single, The Last Year of Married Life, Being Single, The Playground Mafia and The Battle for Big School. Perhaps the titles of these books tell a story in their own right!

 An interesting question we were asked to reflect upon was “What is the story in our life?” as opposed to, “What is the story of our life?”. We were asked further to consider writing from own experiences and feelings. It is invaluable to record the stories / emotions / truths of our elderly relatives before it is too late.

 I am not for a minute proposing that the members of the Evening WI should wear pink chiffon and start to write Barbara Cartland type novels. However, perhaps on a freezing cold February evening we might put pen to paper and record some memories which strike a chord with our emotions and recall the quote Sarah gave us from David Nicoll’s book “One Day”  – “then everything she thought and felt vanishes and is gone forever”.

 With a garden visit to Wisley, a Grand Opera Gala at the Fairfield Halls, a supper club visit to “The Tree” at Boxhill and meetings of the Needlecraft and Book groups - February will prove a busy month for the Chipstead Evening WI.

 Katherine Goldsmith