Loved this last section, and I do think that the last one, connection, has been my primary motivator during these last 13 years of writing. For example, one of the main reasons I chose to self-publish was to ensure that the stories I was writing about 19th working women were read - not because I thought I would make money at this--although this was a lovely surprise--but because I saw this as a way of connecting to all those readers out there who would see similarities (or be grateful for the differences) between themselves and the women of over 100 years ago. Then, doing the daily FaceBook and now substack posts is my way of keeping a personal connection to the people who have read my stories, and the authors I have met along the way on my journey. While I enjoy the actual writing, I don't know that I would have kept up with it if the stories stayed in a drawer, or on an agent's or editor's desk for months if not years.
I can think of novels and movies with workplace settings, where a main driver of the story is the relationship between employees, but I’m not coming up with many short stories or poems or pop songs like that. Perhaps it’s something more suited to a longer form.
One example I did think of is a short story by the late Bruce Jay Friedman called “Brazzaville Teen-Ager.” It’s about an unusual request that young Gunther makes of his older boss, the publisher Mr. Hartman. The story is probably not available online.
Fortunately there’s a very short film version of this story directed by and starring Michael Cera, who worked with Friedman on the screenplay. It’s funny in that odd Friedman sort of way, perhaps what appealed to Cera, who kind of specializes in characters like Gunther. (Another Friedman story was made into the famous Elaine May movie The Heartbreak Kid.)
Good question as to why there aren't more work short stories. Certainly we spend enough time talking about work behind work's back during our working lives, so the stories are there.
Tom Wayman, Canadian poet, used to go to worksites and find people to sit together and write work poetry--which is something I would have loved to see!
Next week I'll post a link to an audio story of Lucia Berlin's from the POV of a cleaning woman. Really, short fiction lends itself well to the subject/settings.
Somewhere in my posts about "work" there's a link to a number of them. But I'll find more and post together, and gather any thoughts and recos here, too, to add!
Always informative and thought provoking, Thank you. I would also love to hear more from fellow readers - what are you thinking? What's happening or not in your writing lives?
Loved this last section, and I do think that the last one, connection, has been my primary motivator during these last 13 years of writing. For example, one of the main reasons I chose to self-publish was to ensure that the stories I was writing about 19th working women were read - not because I thought I would make money at this--although this was a lovely surprise--but because I saw this as a way of connecting to all those readers out there who would see similarities (or be grateful for the differences) between themselves and the women of over 100 years ago. Then, doing the daily FaceBook and now substack posts is my way of keeping a personal connection to the people who have read my stories, and the authors I have met along the way on my journey. While I enjoy the actual writing, I don't know that I would have kept up with it if the stories stayed in a drawer, or on an agent's or editor's desk for months if not years.
"Only connect" -- E.M. Forster
Thank you for sharing this--and how it has moved you to work and how you have chosen to share your work with the world.
Thinking more about this--and the WHY behind connect could have been another forty pages in the book. Given that most writers are introverts.
And the how of it--that connects with the introversion, too.
This urge is not a simple thing to dissect.
I can think of novels and movies with workplace settings, where a main driver of the story is the relationship between employees, but I’m not coming up with many short stories or poems or pop songs like that. Perhaps it’s something more suited to a longer form.
One example I did think of is a short story by the late Bruce Jay Friedman called “Brazzaville Teen-Ager.” It’s about an unusual request that young Gunther makes of his older boss, the publisher Mr. Hartman. The story is probably not available online.
Fortunately there’s a very short film version of this story directed by and starring Michael Cera, who worked with Friedman on the screenplay. It’s funny in that odd Friedman sort of way, perhaps what appealed to Cera, who kind of specializes in characters like Gunther. (Another Friedman story was made into the famous Elaine May movie The Heartbreak Kid.)
Worth a viewing on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rONetw_x9aQ
Good question as to why there aren't more work short stories. Certainly we spend enough time talking about work behind work's back during our working lives, so the stories are there.
Behind Work's Back--there's a title!
Tom Wayman, Canadian poet, used to go to worksites and find people to sit together and write work poetry--which is something I would have loved to see!
Next week I'll post a link to an audio story of Lucia Berlin's from the POV of a cleaning woman. Really, short fiction lends itself well to the subject/settings.
Somewhere in my posts about "work" there's a link to a number of them. But I'll find more and post together, and gather any thoughts and recos here, too, to add!
Always informative and thought provoking, Thank you. I would also love to hear more from fellow readers - what are you thinking? What's happening or not in your writing lives?