Susans Writers and Book Group, Members Submissions

[Rock_chick]

Okay, the idea behind this is that it is an informal group to help people gain confidence in their writing and to provide honest critique of work. How this will work is as follows:

Everything will be organised via email (wordsmith 'at' ix-tab.com). This will be done anonymously and I won't share your email with anyone (even if they're really pretty and willing to bribe me with sexual favours), this also includes other members of the group...people will almost certainly have different views on privacy and it's just easier to manage that way.

The group exists to do two things:
1) encourage people to start writing
2) offer a forum for receiving feedback on your work...any work, not just work done for assignments. So if you have something you'd like critiqued please submit it to the email address.

Submissions should be up to a maximum of 100 lines of poetry, 20 pages of script or 8000 words of prose. Like I said, maximums, you don't have to feel bad if you don't write up to the limit...it's about quality not quantity. Longer non homework submissions will be put in a queue, so please don't fret if things take time.

You don't have to do every bit of homework if you don't want to and choosing to opt out of a particular months homework doesn't mean you are excluded from the group (that also means no complaining if someone chooses to opt out and make it known). You will however still get work to critique.

You are not obliged to share your homework if you don't want to (you may have written about something quite personal and just not want to share), but obviously by not doing so you will lose out on receiving any critique which could help you improve as a writer.

Assignments will be set every other month, that gives everyone plenty of time to write and to critique the previous submissions (this time frame is open to review). Submission date is the first saturday of the month (obviously allowing for being bi-monthly)

please try and be constructive in your critique, I shall take a dim view on bashing and negativity

if I get a lot of submission, I may stock pile them to use during lean months, so at least we have something to review

If things don't seem to be working let me know, I may be an evil super genius with her own secret volcano lair, but i'm not a despot.

and most importantly...have fun.

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Homework assignments:

There are two choices this month.

write something on the theme of snow or write a story (in whatever form you like) about meeting your deceased father (obviously after he's dead).

you have until the first saturday in march. Now get writing.

[rejennyrated]

I know there are a few people who write around here, would an informal writers group be worth setting up, just to help with any creative blocks?

Well you know I'm in!

Creative blocks... you mean like Lego for adults?

Yes sorry I'll get back to my scribbling...

[Rock_chick]

you mean lego isn't for adults?

[Vanessa_yhvh]

I haven't had other writers to kick things around with in years. Sounds cool.

[Julie Marie]

Well if this group gets going maybe someone can help me figure out how to take what others say is a great idea and make it flow on the pages.

I've been dabbling with this fact-based idea for over a year but I think the problem is I don't know how to make a book out of it.  I picture it in my mind but can't take that and put it into words.  Oh yeah, and I keep getting distracted by other things.   

[tekla]

For JM.
For all writers want to think they are 'Artists' the fact is most writing is craft, not art, and putting a book together far more an engineering project than an artistic inspiration.

Like any engineering project its about planning the work and working the plan.  Real books (as opposed to all the books that people want to write) start with outlines.

[Maddie Secutura]

I'm currently writing a science fiction story that takes place on alternate pre-history earth.  In order to make this as fully realized as I can, I've made notes not only about the plot, but also biodiversity, cultures, languages, and technological advancement.  Most of these things will never be seen in the story itself but it helps to have a good set of building blocks from which to draw in order to make everything fit together.

[Miniar]

I write at least a dozen short stories a month, most of 'em never make it past the "first draft" stage, but I actually won a school reward on one in Sweden, and a couple are on my DA, old and new.

I'd love to participate in some prompt or something.

[thestory]

I'd love to pitch in. I have too many stories just bobbing around in my head. I spend more time drawing images from them instead of writing but I want to get back into the habit of writing again.

Sounds fun.

[bearded]

I have been meaning to start writing.  I don't really know what a writing group entails, though.

[Pica Pica]

For JM.
For all writers want to think they are 'Artists' the fact is most writing is craft, not art, and putting a book together far more an engineering project than an artistic inspiration.

Like any engineering project its about planning the work and working the plan.  Real books (as opposed to all the books that people want to write) start with outlines.

I tend to ride the book the first few chapters, to get a feel - then the construction starts and most of those few chapters are canned, but I need to get the feel of the place first.

[CaitJ]

For JM.
For all writers want to think they are 'Artists' the fact is most writing is craft, not art, and putting a book together far more an engineering project than an artistic inspiration.

Like any engineering project its about planning the work and working the plan.  Real books (as opposed to all the books that people want to write) start with outlines.

This is true of pretty much any art, bar conceptual art.
Whenever I set out to create a piece of art, there is always the design process to consider, then several stages of planning.
Fortunately after so long in this field, most of the process occurs mentally now, rather than on paper.

[Amazon D]

I tend to spend most of my time living the book instead of writing it. But if you are seeking a subject i am told by many that my life is a great novel. 

[rejennyrated]

I have been meaning to start writing.  I don't really know what a writing group entails, though.

Well I run a screenwriters support group in Plymouth which you can take as an example of what such a group usually involves ( www.plymouth-writers.org.uk ) It's a non commerical group open to all comers, though sadly impractical for any of you to attend due to vast distance involved. I put up the link here purely so you can get a feel for what such a group is like.

We meet every month in a local art college and each time one of our membership submits a piece of writing for the group to read and discuss for constructive feedback.

Then each month we also discuss a topic. Next month for example we are talking about the Moral Compass within a story.

It's a good little group - membership of about twenty or so who range from complete beginners to produced and fully credited writers.

No reason that we should not do something similar online a bit like the art exchange thread. To protect copyright material would have to be shared via PM or email as appropriate but in principle we could offer each other support encouragement and when needed feedback.

[tekla]

I would think it would be a problem Emailing the stuff around as you would know who wrote it.  Writers groups tend to work best when the original reading and group critique is done without knowing who wrote it, that way the focus is 100% about the words on the printed page (or screen) and not drifting into personal issues.

[rejennyrated]

I would think it would be a problem Emailing the stuff around as you would know who wrote it.  Writers groups tend to work best when the original reading and group critique is done without knowing who wrote it, that way the focus is 100% about the words on the printed page (or screen) and not drifting into personal issues.

An interesting point Tekla - all I can say is that it doesn't seem to be a problem in our plymouth group, but there may be a difference in dynamic there because we all know one another IRL so to speak. But yes I can see the advantage of "blind" reading where the author is concealed until after the feedback has been given. Thank you. I may suggest that to my Plymouth group and see what they think.

[Pica Pica]

Can't imagine it'd be blind for too long, especially online. Someone's writing style will probably end up quite clear.

[tekla]

Well, while that was true for the graduate school seminars where we did the same thing (but there were only 6 of us), some of the larger groups I've been in you don't always know.  Plus it offers the person who wrote it an out if everyone hates it, you don't have to acknowledge it as being yours.

[Byren]

Booyah!

I think it's safe to say there are a lot of folks here who'd be interested.

One of my New Year's resolutions is to start on one of my new book ideas (in other words, start from scratch), and take it to the bitter end. I have a horrible tendency to get distracted by too many projects. I think I have six going right now, in various stages of completion.  I'm determined to keep my focus on ONE project, and FINISH it!

So yeah, count me in, even if I only end up as moral support!

[Samson99]

Definitely in. I've been needing a creative outlet for so long now.