INSENSITIVE WIRITING

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INSENSITIVE WIRITING

I've joined this site purely to make everyone aware of how unpleasant it is to read your name in a piece of work, giving untrue details too! I am referring to 'I want my Windows' by Span. I am THE Poludniowski referred to in the story and it is true that I did, indeed loose my son. However, the rest is pure bunkum! Please if you are going to write pure fiction do not link it to someone who has enough problems without them being added to! Why not use a fictitious name? I am not happy about being used to illustrate someone's writings and it is not very nice to see it on the web - rather a shock actually.

I thought writers were sensitive people!

Kay Poludniowski (bereaved monther with full use of her legs and in full time employment)

I don't think the poem is insensitive. Firstly, she only mentions you by the second name, so the reader has no idea to whom it is referring. It could be made up - we don't know. Secondly, in the context of the poem, the information is read in a newspaper. The poet doesn't make any claim to being an arbiter of truth here - she's merely reporting what is written. Thirdly, the poem isn't about you. The situation is an incidental detail intended to illustrate the mood of the poet (cold and logical.) If you feel upset by it, you should contact the poet or the administration and explain your feelings - I'm sure it's not out of the question to change the name. But I don't think drawing attention to it on the forum was a great idea if you're concerned about the content, and accusing the poet of being insensitive is tantamount to a personal attack, which is unnecessary.
Dear Kay, You will note that span has now amended her poem accordingly. Regards, Tony Cook, CEO ABCtales.com
Yes, Indeed amended accordingly. I am very surprised by this. An error of judgement is a tough lesson to learn. I meant this to be a work of fiction. No offence intended. I do not however, feel that it is an insensitive poem. I wanted it to be a poem which manages to touch on something to do with the lack of ceremony, time and place for grief within contemporary corporate society. Obviously, the poem fails to communicate this. Sincerely no offence intended. Long gone are the days of Death of the Author, if indeed that ever existed. All the best, Span
I don't there's anything insensitive about the poem itself. It's both sensitive and very good. The mistake was to use the name of a real person with a rare name. In journalistic terms, a Mrs Poludniowski who lives in or around Norwich and has had a death in the family recently is very clearly identifiable from the original poem - so it's more logical for her to think the poem's making false claims about her than to see it as fiction. That's not a reflection on the poem as a poem. Maybe it's a good idea for writers to get some journalism training.

 

Or never use real names...? *** pepsoid *** [[[ " It is a pickle, no doubt about it " - The Oracle (The Matrix) ]]]

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

There but for the grace of god go I... Really interesting situation this, and one that could only really happen in the internet age. I agree with Bukharin above, maybe writers do need a bit of journalism training. I alwasy wondered why characters in American TV and films had such odd sounding names, until I realised that they were chosen for the smallest likelyhood of being a name that someone else might have. Sometimes I'm gl;ad to have a fairly undestinguished name. I am, as far as I know, an astronaut, a journalist who writes for The Guardian and the bassist from Prince's backingband The Revolution. Cheers, Mark

 

I think just using a different name helps - even when it is one as temptingly distinguishable as the one in this case. I got in trouble when talking about someone on the forums once. I didn't even use his/her real name, but I did use him/her in an anecdote to make people laugh and he/she recognised him/herself immediately. He/she wanted to kill me and I think still harbours a sinister grudge that causes me trouble to this day. I thought by having a pseudonym on here would make it anonymous, but it didn't. Sometimes the outcome isn't worth it. However this is a good poem and isn't insensitive to the named person in any way, just an ill choice of name which is now rectified.
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