Meatspace Writing Group... Convert

JoNightshade · Jan 14, 2009

Okay, so in the past I have been reluctant to attend any sort of real world writer get-together. Every experience I've ever had with meeting other writers, outside of college, has involved me suddenly realizing that the person is a complete lunatic with delusions of grandeur, and can barely write a coherent paragraph.

I assumed writing groups would be full of these crazy people, all self-publishing and wallowing in their own greatness.

I was wrong.

Really wrong.

I got very depressed about my writing in December, and the whole thing lost its spark so much that for the first time in my life I considered quitting. Giving up. So as a last resort, I went on Craigslist and searched for a writer's group. I found one just joining up. And tonight I went.

It was great. We are all at the same general level, we all write different things, and we all gave and got fantastic critiques.

The best thing was just hearing from real, actual people that they liked the first chapter of my book. Not that you guys are not sufficient, but in some sense you are just words on a page. These were people who looked me in the eye and said that they loved my character, loved my humor, loved this line, loved that line, etc. And of course they gave critiques, which were really good, and I will be taking a lot of suggestions from them.

Suddenly I feel like maybe I'm not a total failure.

Suddenly I feel like writing again.

nevada · Jan 14, 2009

can i join your group? cause the only one i've ever been in are the delusional kind.

anyway, it's great that you found a group of physical people to talk to. AW is great but there's somethign to be said about a two-way real-time convo.

and dammit, you are not a failure. i never thought you were. just the romance query. lol all kidding aside, im glad you found the support you needed to continue.

Joe270 · Jan 14, 2009

I assumed writing groups would be full of these crazy people

Thanks for the post, Jo. I've been thinking of giving it another shot, too, and am happy to hear there are some out there that are, or might be worthwhile.

I joined one in Austin, TX back in the mid-80s. Pretentious is the word that comes to mind, guys who smoked pipes and had patches on the elbows of their jackets. Who the hell wears a jacket to a writers' workshop? I wore a t-shirt and jeans.

The critiques were really odd, where they'd point out the 'correct way' to do things in their own wip, as if it was some sort of writer's bible on how to write. I found them all quite dull and boring, and their wips were even worse.

I haven't seriously considered joining another group since. I have seen so many comments on AW, and other places, which urge people to join writer's groups that it has started to nag on my mind some. Your post might just push me over the edge.

HELP, Jo is pushing me over the edge!

JoNightshade · Jan 14, 2009

nevada said:
and dammit, you are not a failure. i never thought you were. just the romance query. lol all kidding aside, im glad you found the support you needed to continue.

Haha, thanks. Yeah, it wasn't the query that got me down... It was having my three-month rewrite rejected in December. The query was my way of saying "Screw this, I'm NOT QUITTING" without actually writing anything new.

Anyway... I'd totally invite you to join, but Canada seems kinda far away.

Plus everyone has to go through the group leader, and she's tough... which is probably why the group is quality.

JoNightshade · Jan 14, 2009

Joe270 said:
HELP, Jo is pushing me over the edge!

<--This hug emoticon is actually me grabbing you, just before I shove you over the cliff.

I have a feeling finding a group like this is pretty rare, but it's always worth a shot. Like I said in the last post, I think the leader-as-gatekeeper is what makes this one work well. She has laid down some foundational guidelines for critiquing, too, which are really good.

nevada · Jan 15, 2009

hmmm i just checked craigslist and i didnt find any writers groups. i did find a job posting for a receptionist/personal escort. the chosen candidate will get 12 dollars an hour for her receptionist duties and 25 dollars an hour for her duties as personal whore to the president of the company (a financial investment group) two to three nights a week. wow chippy, just the kind of job i've been looking for!! thanks jo i never would have found it without you.

DaddyCat · Jan 15, 2009

nevada said:
hmmm i just checked craigslist and i didnt find any writers groups. i did find a job posting for a receptionist/personal escort. the chosen candidate will get 12 dollars an hour for her receptionist duties and 25 dollars an hour for her duties as personal whore to the president of the company (a financial investment group) two to three nights a week. wow chippy, just the kind of job i've been looking for!! thanks jo i never would have found it without you.

Things like this are why Craig's has the distinction of being the only Internet domain banned at my firewall.

TsukiRyoko · Jan 15, 2009

JoNightshade said:
Suddenly I feel like maybe I'm not a total failure.

Suddenly I feel like writing again.

Jeez, maybe I need to go to one of those groups. My writing has fallen off the face of the planet and into the great unknown, and staring into the stars ain't gettin' it back.

Kudos on finding a non-fluffy writing group. Stick with it!

James81 · Jan 15, 2009

I joined a Crit group last year for a few months.

They were decent writers, but nobody ever gave any crits. I would read everything they gave me and offer comments on it, and nobody ever returned the favor so I stopped going.

Maybe I'll try to find another group in my area or start one myself.

KTC · Jan 15, 2009

I actually began my writing connections in meatspace. My city (region) happens to have one of the most thriving writing circles in all of Canada. Within this umbrella group there are dozens of critique groups/reading groups/etc, etc, etc. I've been involved in novel critique groups, on-the-spot writing groups, reading circles, etc, etc, etc. I highly recommend it...if you are able to find a meatspace group near you.

KTC · Jan 15, 2009

James81 said:
I joined a Crit group last year for a few months.

They were decent writers, but nobody ever gave any crits. I would read everything they gave me and offer comments on it, and nobody ever returned the favor so I stopped going.

Maybe I'll try to find another group in my area or start one myself.

I started one myself...a critique group...and we made the rules at the first meeting. We meet once a month and half of the members hand out 10 page excerpts of our works in progress. At the next meeting, we go over our at-home critiques of half the group and the other half hand out their 10 pages for the next meeting. Everybody gets critique and we follow the rules of critique outlined in our inaugural meeting. It's been going strong for over 3 years.

Maryn · Jan 15, 2009

I started a group where I live, too. Several of us met at a class and continued to meet every two weeks (sometimes three) for written critiques. Early on we established how we'd critique, what we'd critique, and how we'd handle the meeting's business, such as it is. (Sad story: our favorite meeting place burned down last month. I actually cried.)

Seventeen years later, we're all published. We've lost members due to attrition and would like to replace them. Anybody in western NY do thrillers, mystery, or suspense? Next meeting is January 21st.

Maryn, who gets a lot of help from her group

Shadow_Ferret · Jan 15, 2009

I wonder if vegetarians have trouble with meatspace?

JoNightshade · Jan 15, 2009

I think starting your own group is a really good idea, particularly since that means you get to set the ground rules and control the membership. If anyone wants a copy of the guidelines our leader gave out I can send them along. When you read it, it seems like it's really obvious stuff, but basically it's just a good outline for how the group needs to treat each other. Also, everyone had to submit a piece to the leader, tell her what they were currently reading, what they generally liked to read, and a little bit about themselves. I think with all of that, you can pretty much weed the weirdos out.

Meatspace Writing Group... Convert

JoNightshade

has finally arrived

nevada

Joe270

JoNightshade

has finally arrived

JoNightshade

has finally arrived

nevada

DaddyCat

TsukiRyoko

Forced into cell phone life

James81

Great Scott Member

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

Maryn

At Sea

Shadow_Ferret

Court Jester

JoNightshade

has finally arrived