Rural Writers Do Not Need Sticks

Dead Beat lives out in the sticks. (“No self-respecting urban or rural centre would want his presence,” Hudson drawls.) But then, never mind what Frankie O’Hara might have to say, all writers live in the sticks. All writers sit removed from their community. From this position they are better able to observe it.

From this position Dead Beat is better located to appreciate the difficulties of rural writers in a world increasingly drifting towards the city. So D.B. is happy to chair a committee with his provincial writing organisation devoted to developing the organisation’s presence in rural communities.

Developing and emerging writers ("emerging, Dead Beat? Out of the woodwork, I presume" - Hudson) need supports. They need contact with other writers, they need book stores, they need second-hand book stores, they need coffee shops to sit around and talk in.

They need these more than they need writing courses. But writing courses would help.

They need writing groups and readings.

They need writers-in-residence. They very often have writers in residence in their community. They need to know who they are. They need to be able to approach them.

They need someone other than their mother to read what they have written. (Dead Beat’s Rule of Writing #1: Never show your mother what you have written - In fact writers don’t need mothers.)

But rural writers do need babysitters.

Rural writers need hockey arenas like they need a hole in the head.

Rural writers need company.

Rural writers need to get up off their behinds and travel out of the sticks occasionally.

The Out of the Sticks need to get up off their behinds and travel occasionally.

Rural writers need literary magazines in their general store right next to the condoms and cigarettes.

Rural writers do not need fleece jackets with an I Am A Rural Writer insignia embossed upon it.

Rural writers need bars where they can sit and read Rilke in peace. Rural writers need bars where they can sit and read in peace. Rural writers need bars where they can sit and read . Rural writers need bars where they can sit. Rural writers need bars.

Rural writers do not need post office boxes, rural writers need mail persons who deliver their rejections in person.

Rural writers need mail.

Rural writers frequently need persons.

Rural writers do not need rejection.

Rural writers need rural writers.

Rural writers need urban centres and urban centres need rural writers.

Rural writers need writing more than they need rurality (“they also may need a good dictionary it seems,” Hudson mutters - “Rural writers do not need Hudsons,” Dead Beat mutters in response).

Rural writers need responses.

Dead Beat hears you. Dead beat is responding. Dead Beat is rushing to your rescue.

Rural writers need old D.B.