Discussion Forum

I didn't realise that he had killed himself. I did a Moat story last night when I thought he was going to be arrested. My story is not about him but is a surreal play on the headline "Police Shoot Moat".

I'm wondering now if I should withdraw it. Since the Cumbrian shootings - which were very close to home for me - I am really unsure about these stories.

Again, I wasn't actually writing about him in the story, but I am obviously making use of Raoul Moat so I am feeling like a hypocritical bastard. Or doesn't it matter?

Leave it Erskin..

You're a fine and very sensitive writer.

My thoughts:-

In 'Luvvyland' actors can't hate the character they play. It's an approach doomed to failure.

In order to get anywhere near a character actors have to go inside. That can only really be achieved by loving the character being portrayed. Whether it's Hitler, a comic twerp, a Cagney hoddlum, Steptoe, anyone you care to name.

Once inside, having had a good look around, one might discover self-loathing. But whatever nasty things you might find, you can't successfully graft them onto the surface. They simply don't stick.

Actors HAVE to discover the humanity within a character. If they can't - they can't act!

Similarly with writing.

I feel.


But I won't go on .. else Skoob will get me!

A spoof is just a spoof, EQ.

Publish and be damned I say.

Cheers, thanks for the support.

I'll leave it. I hate myself, but why should spoofing be any different to anything else?!

He did have a family, the victims have relatives, just because you can write anything doesn't mean that you should, they have internet connections too.

It's one thing taking the piss out of an imploding arsehole of a celebrity or a corrupt politician or an octopus with a gift but ripping the piss out genuine human tragedy, the terminally ill or the disabled is a step too far in my humble opinion.


Ah well.. There you go.

Yeah well, I decided to leave it, but then started wavering again.

I would have left it I think had the outcome of the real story been different.

But I've unpublished it. I did quite like the content of the story - a pisstake of Sting - and mean to re-use it in another format.

What's done is done Erskin the reflection is enough to show that you aren't a superficial arsehole any more than any of us.

Juan is right - and so are you. Reflection is important because if we wish to claim rights as writers then we should take responsibility seriously.But we do have to love the characters - I just think there was more humanity in Moat than most - more of each of us -

We are amateurs - we haven't the ability to compartmentalise that say a press photographer has to cultivate, where instead of coming to the aid of someone he takes a picture of them drowning, starving,in pain etc. At lleast they can justify themselves saying that the sacrifice on one idividual to silver bromide or millions of pixels did good for many millions more by bringing their plight before the world.

Whereas there are many amateur writers and photographers there are no amateur police marksmen.

I said somewhere else this morning that I'd written my final word on Moat.

I meant it at the time. I thought my 'Rothbury Property' satire was the last thing I personally had to say.

I was wrong.

I've just written another.

And I suppose there might be a few more.

RIP Raoul.

I believe I'm using your name in a decent enough cause.

Besides.

Nobody can hurt you now!

It's great to have my thoughts verified by reading the above posts. YOU ARE ALL SENSITIVE WRITERS WITH WARM HEARTS.

I watched it all unfold last night.

The Mrs and I were hoping it would end peacefully.

After a little soul searching, I wrote two articles, one with a brief account of what happened, which moved on to suggest media disappointment that they were unable to catch the whole thing with live pictures.

The other article was concerning the almost circus like atmosphere which seemed to erupt in Rothbury, despite police appeals for people to stay indoors.

Neither item was 'funny' - 'ironic' would probably be more descriptive. One newspaper's coverage was positively sick, at least in the headlines.

I feel for the guy, his kids, his family, and his friends, and agree that it says many things about our society. I think a lot of people felt for him - but we should also bear in mind that he did shoot a man dead, and seriously injured two others. Sadly it looks like PC Rathband has been blinded in one eye, or something similarly serious.

Just a tragic episode.

Regards

Skoob.