Writing for fun

[nonsuch]

"Comrades, fellow-booklovers and labourers in the field of learning! Dost thou know that we have among our number a thought-criminal who not only invokes Hitler at every possible opportunity, but takes delight in sneering at believers and spitting in the faces of fledgling writers? Yea, I'll go further and reveal that this unperson has been known to advocate the total desecration of our most sacred texts, including the noblest works by Dame Barbara Cartland, Baroness Lady Thatcher, Warwick Deeping and Mickey Spillane, no less! Now, I ask you, fellow devotees of the Holy Texts of St David, should this unspeakable monster be permitted to breathe the same air as our worthy selves? Sooner shall grass in Hyde Park Circus grow and wits take lodging in the sound of Bow! Yea, I say again unto you that his name shall be expunged from The Great Book of Learning and he shall be consumed by the fires atop the books of the Infidel! Vaporize him! Vaporize him! Vaporize him!"

After returning from a heavy night at my surgery last night, I found the above pronouncement had been slid under my study door, together with this note from a distressed relative of the composer of the diatribe:

Dear Doctor, this is a desperate last appeal to you for help. Can you please prescribe some possible pill or potion that may ease the sufferings of my Uncle David who is suffering from a critical attack of moral certitude?

I scribbled off a note recommending that a little more Thackeray and Swift be taken in the diet and perhaps a little less Milton and George Eliot. A balanced diet is the key to moral health I maintain, For as Paracelsus says poison lies not so much in the substance as in the dose.

[jfp]

nonsuch,
has anyone here admitted to finding what you're doing funny yet?
Your disparaging comment in post #3 of the closed Writers' Circles thread was indefensible, and I feel David was right, in his role as moderator of that thread, to take exception to it and, subsequently, when you persisted, to close the thread.
You would appear to be attempting to renew hostilities by opening a fresh (?) discussion.
I, for one, resent this. Please stop it.

[Hazel]

Hear, hear.

[Jen]

Hear, hear too.

[Grammath]

What jfp said.

[Barblue]

Ditto from me too.

[Bill]

nonsuch, it was me who closed the thread not David. I fully supported David's response to your disparaging remarks, although my feeling was that it was best left there. It's very foolish of you to attempt to continue in this manner, as you will find that David has huge support on this board, and I suspect that you have either very little or none at all.

If you cannot see that your original remarks overstepped the mark and were extremely patronising, then I am sorry for that. I am very surprised that a published author would publicly display that kind of attitude towards non-professionals. I too am a writer by profession and I wouldn't dream of belittling the efforts of others. If someone has their work published, then they are fair game, but the reason why we decided to make the Writers' Circle password controlled was so that members could reveal their writing in a safe, supportive enviroment. You must know yourself that letting someone else read your work makes you very vulnerable.

That you apparently asked for the password so that you could read others' efforts and then make patronising comments about amateur writing circles is a betrayal of trust. It is also disappointing that, instead of accepting what David said, you have attempted to argue with him and then attempted to start some kind of pathetic feud, and furthermore attempted to get others on your side against him. Well, not on my watch, mate.

Please stop this now. This is a battle you can't and won't win. It's entirely up to you whether you apologise to David, but I suspect that is the only way you will regain any respect or credibility on BGO.

[nonsuch]

Your answer jfp:

'Since David was telling you he has had support messages about his response on the Writers Circle thread. I thought I would offer you my support over your comments here and elsewhere. You're a breath of fresh air on this board [sic] and I admire your willingness to say what you think in a vigorous and amusing way.'

PM 2 days ago.

[nonsuch]

nonsuch, it was me who closed the thread not David.

That you apparently asked for the password so that you could read others' efforts and then make patronising comments about amateur writing circles is a betrayal of trust. It is also disappointing that, instead of accepting what David said, you have attempted to argue with him and then attempted to start some kind of pathetic feud, and furthermore attempted to get others on your side against him. Well, not on my watch, mate.

Wrong. No patronising of amateur writers intended - nobody else seems to have written anything on WC (joke intended, David). No attempt at recruitment made. No feud intended. No attempt to belittle writers. You can blackball me from the club if you like, Bill, but David suggested that Writers Corner needed a bit of beefing-up and I might like to contribute - after all Writers Corner ought to concentrate on writing, don't you think - with people contributing what's know in schools as Creative Writing. If my contribution offended anyone then I'm sorry about that.

edited to correct quote tags

[Hazel]

PMs are private, nonsuch, and I trust you asked this member's permission before sharing.