Interview with Rowan Dyer: Summer 2024 Flash Fiction Contest Runner-up

Rowan’s Bio: 

Born, raised and still living in the New Forest in Hampshire, UK, Rowan Dyer (68) has spent her life surrounded by horses, dogs and cats. Widowed in 2015, after nearly 40 years' marriage, she is now part-way through an Open University BA Course in English Literature and Creative Writing, which was the original inspiration to start writing short stories. She is also trying to find the staying-power to progress from short stories to completing one of the many prototype novels currently languishing in the drawer. 

This is the first piece accepted to past preliminary entry stages in any competition, which is a massive confidence boost and still not really believable! 

Note from Sue:  This is an amazing piece so only Rowan finds her status unbelievable!  If you haven't read "On the Pier?," take a moment to experience her story and then come back to find out a bit about how Rowan works.

-----------------interview with Sue Bradford Edwards-----------------

 

WOW: What was your inspiration for “On the Pier?” 

Rowan: The inspiration was one of the prompts given to us on the Creative Writing element of the course a year or so back. I am studying with the Open University, and it's been brilliant, just what I needed to keep my brain active rather than just sitting in front of the TV all day as I 'drifted' through retirement. 

I was talking to a friend on the phone, telling her the titles and trying to think which one to choose, and she suggested going at it from a completely different angle. How I came up with the seagulls I have no idea - possibly something as unrelated as a clip from 'Vera' or 'Escape to the Country' with seagulls on the railings! 

WOW: I'm so glad your friend suggested that you try something unique. You do such a good job of steering the reader to the wrong conclusion about who or what the narrator is. Can you share with us the steps that you took to accomplish this? 

Rowan: I'm afraid I'm going to thoroughly disappoint my tutor now, but I actually did not plan any of the story - I wrote, let it all come out, and it was finished. Very little editing, once I had the idea, so the training they had been giving us must have really stuck - though I have found that if you get 'in the zone' it's as if someone takes over and writes through you. 

I have got to the end of a couple and thought, 'Wow! Did I write that?' Or written an ending that comes to me a few seconds before I write it, and surprises me when I read it back. Our creative brain is incredible - just look at all the diverse books and stories published every year. 

WOW: There are so many amazing details in this story. But with flash you must pick and choose. How did you decide which details rated space in the story? 

Rowan: I didn't consciously include or leave out any details. As I said, this was one of those rare, lucky times when I could write and put the pen down and it was done, no editing required. I just thought of what one sees on the pier - old folks, parents with babies, young kids - and what the seagulls would be looking for. 

Thanks to the suggestion from my wonderful friend, who lived long enough to read the story but died before the competition, I went at it from a different viewpoint. It made me laugh as I wrote it, so hoped it would do so for others. It was just a matter of focusing on the main characters, their aim, target and method - and sticking to the word count for our original assignment! 

WOW:  We're sorry to hear that you lost such a wonderful friend and advisor. Your bio says that you are working on a BA in English Lit and Creative Writing. What have you learned in your studies that would benefit other writers? 

Rowan: What have I learned that would benefit other writers? I think either write something you want to write, then worry about word count afterwards (in which case you will have to be ruthless and cut out so much that you really think is wonderful) or work to a specific word count for a specific publication. 

Define the story in one sentence - one. Write it at the top of the page and stick to it. Don't waffle. 

WOW:  Don't waffle!  That's going to be a tricky bit of advice to follow every day! What are you working on now? Is there someplace else that our readers can find your work? 

Rowan: So far I haven't published any of my short stories - I have a project for a set of linked ones I would like to develop, and there is a novel that keeps pulling me back, but the course is currently on Literature so that's taking priority until the next holidays. 

WOW:  Good luck on your course work!  I think I speak for everyone when I say I hope to read more of your surprising work in the future.