I cringed through most of this piece. Listening politely to the jerk was more than he deserved. I've occasionally encountered a reader in a group panel discussion who had taken a dislike to one of us on the panel, but your experience has to be close to unique. You were right to ignore his pathetic attempt to continue by email.
I have had so many great experiences over the years in the US, Canada, Scotland, England, France, Italy, Belgium, and most especially Germany with people asking terrific and fascinating questions. That’s why I’ve always when invited to speak somewhere emphasized to the organizers that we must have a significant Q&A session after my reading, because that’s often where the most interesting things happen, though I'm a very experienced reader of my own work thanks to lots of practice and some theater background.
What a jerk! I certainly would not be in a book group of his. You were right not to encourage his bad behavior by engaging with his post-meeting nastygram.
Sorry you found yourself in such an unpleasant situation.i read The German Money and find those criticisms inane and wonder if the detractor had some some other agenda. Being an obscure poet and memoirist myself, I have never been invited to a book group, only open mics gone wrong.
Oh, the worst workshop ever (for me) was when my story was eviscerated in an MFA session, including by the professor (!). But I had a vindictive triumph because it won the program's writing contest a few weeks later and not only was the judge famous, when I told her what had happened, she growled, "Don't change a godammned word!" That's the story that launched my career.
This professor was a jerk. He dissed me in one story for having someone sit "next to" somebody as opposed to "by." I was already reading my work aloud and "next to" fit the rhythm of the sentence. "By" was too abrupt.
I cringed through most of this piece. Listening politely to the jerk was more than he deserved. I've occasionally encountered a reader in a group panel discussion who had taken a dislike to one of us on the panel, but your experience has to be close to unique. You were right to ignore his pathetic attempt to continue by email.
I wasn't expecting slavish praise, just a decent discussion about themes, technique, etc. i guess i expected too much.
Given a chance, readers can ask such interesting questions. I wonder if they appreciate how much we can enjoy that kind of interaction.
I have had so many great experiences over the years in the US, Canada, Scotland, England, France, Italy, Belgium, and most especially Germany with people asking terrific and fascinating questions. That’s why I’ve always when invited to speak somewhere emphasized to the organizers that we must have a significant Q&A session after my reading, because that’s often where the most interesting things happen, though I'm a very experienced reader of my own work thanks to lots of practice and some theater background.
Being a good reader is terribly important. I wish more writers would think about that and practice a bit before an event. Congrats on all your tours.
Thanks. It's not what I expected, and it's been a wild ride.
I've published a handful of how-to articles about readings on Lit Mag News.
What a jerk! I certainly would not be in a book group of his. You were right not to encourage his bad behavior by engaging with his post-meeting nastygram.
Thanks--I just saw him getting worse and wasn't interested. He had some kind of agenda. Nastygram is great!
Building himself up by tearing someone else down in a sour-grapes sort of way?
That's probably the likeliest reason.
Sorry you found yourself in such an unpleasant situation.i read The German Money and find those criticisms inane and wonder if the detractor had some some other agenda. Being an obscure poet and memoirist myself, I have never been invited to a book group, only open mics gone wrong.
Thanks. I've done hundreds of talks and readings in nine different countries and this was surprisingly hostile, unpleasant.
thank you for reminding me what writing is all about.
i enjoy reading your 'over my head' words.
i also enjoy reading poems from Ogden Nash that use his big inspiring words
even though i don't understand half of them.
i think oversized words help people's minds to grow
and see something they didn't see before,
like water or fertilizer that helps plants to grow.
Criticizing your work helped him ignore his own mediocrity.
What a great line!
Wow. I think your obvious talent made these two men insecure. They attacked you to feel better about their own mediocrity. That’s my two cents.
That makes a lot of sense. (pun not intended)
Yikes. What a nightmare. Like the worst workshop ever.
Oh, the worst workshop ever (for me) was when my story was eviscerated in an MFA session, including by the professor (!). But I had a vindictive triumph because it won the program's writing contest a few weeks later and not only was the judge famous, when I told her what had happened, she growled, "Don't change a godammned word!" That's the story that launched my career.
Best served cold, they say, but lukewarm will certainly do.
It was hot for me, especially when the story was published in a national magazine with 4.5 million readers. Heh.
Heh indeed.
This professor was a jerk. He dissed me in one story for having someone sit "next to" somebody as opposed to "by." I was already reading my work aloud and "next to" fit the rhythm of the sentence. "By" was too abrupt.
Of course it was.