Fun Workshop - 23rd May 2016

At our Story Scavenger evening on 23 May, our Vice-Chair, best-selling author, Kate O'Hearn, led a fun workshop, which challenged both our brains and our writing skills. She gave a very clear scenario: a complete short story featuring at least four characters taking part in a couples' weekend at “The Royal Muskoka Hotel” on a Northern Scottish island in late October with the opening line: “The weather turned as the small ferry arrived at the island dock.” We also had to incorporate a list of objects into the action: a long, leather whip, a green goblet, a plastic pumpkin lantern, a pink Hawaiian baseball cap, two feathers, a toy monkey, a 2009 calendar, a drill, a skipping rope and a mobile phone (though phones weren't allowed on the weekend). In the last 30 minutes, some brave members read out their attempts, often to hoots of laughter, particularly at the use of the objects, which was at times ingenious and at others verging on surreal.