Frances wrote a rather amusing short story a few days ago. In fact it was a very very short story. Frances is good at writing. Her books are really insightful but also full of amusement as well as pathos (and all sorts of other things that books are supposed to have if you want people to read and enjoy them). The short story was about a person visiting a sick person in hospital.
However for some reason known only to Frances she entitled it Marmite. Needless to say comments homed in on Marmite and not the actions of the person who died nor the visitor.
So for all of us budding short story writers and blog posters here is a salutary lesson. Don't mention Marmite unless you want your readers to ignore the rest of the story. I'd forgotten that the person died. I hadn't forgotten that Marmite had been stolen.
I'm not actually sure why I wrote this postette. Most of you who read it will have read Frances's post anyway. But you might not have read the comments!
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Thank you, GB. I've learnt my lesson. But it's funny how Marmite arouses such strong feelings. Next time I'll stick to marmalade.
ReplyDeleteI can't help wondering what would have happened if the first commentator had gone in another direction. It is so easy to just keep following the same track. (This thought directed mainly at myself, as I was the second to comment!)
DeleteFrances marmalade just wouldn't have had the same impact. Monica I wondered that too.
DeleteMy mate - Marmite! I have no idea what your post was about GB but you mentioned Marmite and my heart skipped a beat.
ReplyDeleteAh YP a fellow Lover. Such bonding.
DeleteMarmite wonderful stuff. I used to put it on porridge. But then I had an uncle who put Marmalade on kippers. I suspect there is a streak of insanity in my background.
ReplyDeleteAdrian I love Marmite but I think having it on porridge is going just a tad too far.
DeleteI shouldn't be commenting on this postette (love the word, Graham!) since I have nothing to say about Marmite (or marmalade). But now I just have done.
ReplyDeleteYou are just so droll Meike.
DeleteWell Vegemite is my thing ~ not on porridge though. And just as evocative to us Aussies as Marmite to the Brits.
ReplyDeleteCarol of course you'd be a Vegemite person. I could tell. But then antipodean Marmite is a travesty of the name. I don't know what they did when they were trying to copy it but they made a real pigs breakfast of it.
DeleteOf course I had to visit Frances's blog after reading this post.
ReplyDeleteAnything with Marmite would capture your attention GB....we all know that.
Absolutely Virginia. Marmite to the core am I.
DeleteWhat a great story, GB. I'll try to remember not to mention the marmite in any story I write though -- I wouldn't want to be upstaged!!
ReplyDeletexoxox
It's a good way of getting people to sit up and take notice though Carol.
DeleteI visited Frances and found a very active blog.
ReplyDeleteIt is Red. Frances can get people going when she tries (and often when she doesn't).
DeleteI think Frances should write to Marmite and tell them that she wrote a great short story, but all people wanted to talk about was the Marmite!
ReplyDeleteNo, on second thought, she better not, the Marmite Company might want some money from her! :-)
Kay I think Marmite should be paying Frances for the mention!
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