Hi everyone, I've just joined the list -
I'd say the wide variety of very different poets who'd cite Writers Forum as
important in their development show how little it was dominated by one
particular 'aesthetic' or 'personality'. While Bob was most definitely in
charge, his role, at least how I experienced it, was in making people aware
of the wide variety of different approaches that are possible, including
crossing the borders between different art forms. The connections between
WF, the London Film-makers Co-op, London Musicians Collective etc haven't
really been documented, for instance. Incredibly important as a non-academic
environment in which to explore all sorts of things, and a vital place of
encouragement for young poets to try things out. It still functions like
that, as far as I'm aware.
I think its an exception, tho. I've also had experiences with 'straight'
workshops that were very bad. I'd find em very repressive and just get bored.
>But, Chris, wasn't the Writers Forum dominated by the personality and
>aesthetics of Bob Cobbing--or so I've heard. Apologies if I'm mistaken.
>
>
>>On Sat, 15 Aug 2009 13:54:50 -0400, cris cheek
><[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>>the B I G exception to critiques of conventional workshop practice in
>>the UK is Writers Forum.
>>
>>I've written quite a bit about it and so i won't repeat that . . .
>>but it did provide an exemplary rejoinder
>>in and of itself.
>>
>>xx
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>>cris
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