The Literature Festival, in association with Independent Northern Publishers, offered a series of writing workshops.
Alex Ferguson is the creator of the BBC Radio 4 series My Uncle Freddie (winner of the Writers' Guild Award for Comedy & Light Entertainment). His book of short stories, The Pineapple King of Jarrow & Other Stories, based on the first five Uncle Freddie stories, is published by Iron Press. His workshop offered advice and practical help on the art of short-story writing.
This report comes from Dorothy McLean, a participant in the workshop:
In a nutshell, an auditory feast.
15 of us spent a very enjoyable evening with Alex. We explored the nature of the short story as a genre in itself, rather than as a stepping stone to writing a novel. Alex regaled us with some golden nuggets of his wisdom along the way including the fabulously true "Love butters no parsnips" and "emotion coats the words of the writer".
The evening finished with Alex reading one of his short stories from his new book. A heady combination of a poignant work read in Alex's inimitable resonating Jarrow lilt which transported me back to my grandparents' parlour in childhood days. The only missing ingredient, for me, was the backdrop of a roaring coal fire. (Nithered is probably the best description of those of us without benefit of coat, scarf and mittens.)
Alex, you are the chewy toffee in the chocolate box of life: Long may you demand effort, provoke savour, sate the appetite and stick to the teeth of those who read you.
With thanks from your new fan.
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Last update: 13th October 2004