I did a reading last night. I’ve been doing quite a few readings lately. It was a poetry reading, which I always get the most out of. I hear my poems again. I see people nod or frown or smile, sometimes even laugh. I read my poems on the faces of my audience.
On a completely different subject or rather back a few posts, I’m totally into the Stinkpot. But I’d like to suggest that we expand it to bad writing in general, not limit it to incorrect grammar. Peter will occasionally read me some really bad sentences written by some decent writers. It can be stunning. Not that I don’t find bad sentences when I read–but, again, having them read outloud makes them even worse. You can’t skip over them.
Also, the ticks we have in our writing. At my last writing group meeting it was pointed out to me that I had several characters “drop their heads” and I was asked to demonstrate. Yup, this writing stuff is hard work.
Stinkpot! That's brilliant.
I find reading out loud after publication terrifying because you can hear the clunkers and THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT. Old books are like old relationships, better to keep them on the shelf because there's some things you just don't want to see in black and white.
The problem I have when I drop my head is I keep tripping over it. Damn thing.
Another typo for the Stinkpot: A Christmas Eve church bulletin listed the carole as "Hark, The Herld Angles Sing," no doubt part of the Holy Massage Debra M. mentioned.
In about six weeks, I'm sure I'll have a comment about reading my work in public. Of course, by then you will also probably have a comment about me reading my work in public.
I am pretty sure it will be harder than the critical thesis lecture!