Writing Group Problem

Came across a problem at our writing group this week - one of our female members brought a short story in which the first-person protagonist met up with an older man from an online dating agency, seduced him (with explicit description of how off-putting his genitalia were) and then proceeded to murder him and mummify his body with the exception of his penis which she stuck on her wall. The man had the same first name as another of our group members.

I thought it was a bit disturbing but not very (we don't get easily shocked), a bit funny in parts but one of the other members collared me privately and said this was part of a real-life feud between the two members and not a coincidence. Now this guy can be a bit provocative but I take a dim view of using a story to attack him in this way.

Another issue is she's a young black woman and I don't want it to be seen as older white men trying to suppress her creativity but I don't think we should allow her to portray in a story someone who's not only real but sat a few feet away.

We're not used to this and we deliberately don't have a "group leader" we can take these things to, but I'm one of the older and longest-standing members so I shouldn't just pretend it's nothing to do with me. Any thoughts?

Tell her to knock that shit off.

Here I was, mulling over what kind of profound statement I might make regarding this dilemma of yours, when SNM, far more succinctly than I am seemingly capable of, says it in a nutshell. You are worried, as "an older white man" that you might be perceived somehow as an oppressor of a young, black woman by registering your legitimate objections to her actions. In other words, you don't want to be seen as racist, sexist, ageist (or possibly some other "ist" or "phobe") and so you hold your tongue, metaphorically. This does no one any good and frankly, this kind of politically correct behavior, writ large, is a cancer on the free, frank, open discussion among people of good will on any number of contentious social and political issues facing our modern world.

Fuck that.

Tell her to knock that shit off...

Tell her to change the victim's name.

Her race has nothing to do with it - unless he's racially abused her, or indeed, she's racially abused him. She can change the name and she'll have made her point: everyone in your group will know who she was getting at. I'd also say that although the story was clever, you found it mean and nasty. It could be of course that unknown to you, he's done something to deserve it, but if so, let her say so, if necessary to one member of the group she feels she can talk to. If he's treated her badly, not in front of the other members, suggest to her that the rest of the group shouldn't be involved in the argument.

I dislike the term "politically correct" because while it correctly describes the kind of unjust over-correction Bogiephil's talking about, it can also be used to deny the legitimacy of any objection to obnoxious racist or sexist behaviour:

"Don't call her that."

"Oh, oh, political correctness!"

In this case, the standards of decent behaviour she's broken apply equally to everyone.

Perhaps the group does need ground rules.

It doesn't matter whether he treated her badly or whether he deserves it (whatever that means - it is subjective), the group shouldn't be involved in their personal quarrel. I might point out to her that it is unfair to use the group in that way. But, heaven help you if you make her angry. The next story might be about you.

I agree that some kind of rules might be in order, but you can't really legislate decency.

I understand there are group dynamics to be considered, but, when it comes right down to it, it is a story. it's creating fiction, and isn't that what your writing group is supposed to be about? Whether it is personal against another group member (or indeed, personal against anyone) doesn't really matter. Feel free to criticize the young woman's story: choice of subject matter, too gruesome/bizarre, poorly written etc. Assuming the two people involved really do have a feud- and are you absolutely positive of that, having gotten that information third hand?- then addressing it in a fictional piece may be her way of dealing with it, and that is certainly better than dealing with it in other, more physical, or harmful ways. If the gentleman involved feels offended, he can either write his own fictional account, or he can leave the group. But to talk to her, even privately, is IMO, not your place, and might, as you fear, actually serve to stifle future creativity (Or worse, honest and passionate writing) from this young woman. And she might rightly blame you for it.

Conflict is the gas of fiction. I think writing about that conflict is a good thing. Muzzling that conflict might lead to severe boredom in your writing group, and even more unresolved issues between these two protagonists, and possibly among other group members.

The only caveat I have to this is if you think that the safety of the group members is in question (i.e. you think one of the two participants might go postal over her story, and come in one day with an Uzi or a machete). If you DO believe that is a real possibility Due to the young woman's story, then of course you need to do something. But if that is the case, I think I would address it to the entire group, and get it out in the open.

One good rule to have is to only use "fictional" names. That is, you can't use the name of a member of the group.

Otherwise... say I wrote a story about someone named Mobile Carrot. Maybe that's the name the police use to describe a killer who uses a carrot and dumps the victim at least 4 miles from where it was taken... Oh, didn't I mention this is a horror story about terrible serial killer who does these awful things? And when not killing, Mobile Carrot is selling drugs at an elementary school, organising KKK rallies, and there are the truly horrible things that Mobile Carrot does...

But the problem with rules in a group without a leader is who enforces them?

Her story sounds awfully disturbing, ageist, sexist, horrific and certainly not to my taste. Maybe it is time to introduce some rules to the group based on everyone's proclivities??:? Most Spanking stories seem quite tame after that, don't they?? I guess one could argue that it is just a story and everyone is free t criticise it based on it's literary merits... but..... well... yeah....

About rules. There is no need to have a regular leader or enforcer. In fact that's less likely to work because his/her decisions will be disputed and resented. A group of this kind can agree basic ground rules (treat one another with respect, anything personal that comes out is confidential, no further publishing of others' work without their consent) and people can be reminded of them periodically (takes about a minute). Although there is no regular leader, it's helpful for all sorts of reasons if each session has a leader/chair/facilitator. This role can go around the group. Just having agreed to the rules tends to have a considerable effect on people's behaviour. If that doesn't work, any action like requesting someone to leave can be referenced to the rules and tested against them.