new posts in all blogs
Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: Writing Groups, Most Recent at Top [Help]
Results 1 - 25 of 33
How to use this Page
You are viewing the most recent posts tagged with the words: Writing Groups in the JacketFlap blog reader. What is a tag? Think of a tag as a keyword or category label. Tags can both help you find posts on JacketFlap.com as well as provide an easy way for you to "remember" and classify posts for later recall. Try adding a tag yourself by clicking "Add a tag" below a post's header. Scroll down through the list of Recent Posts in the left column and click on a post title that sounds interesting. You can view all posts from a specific blog by clicking the Blog name in the right column, or you can click a 'More Posts from this Blog' link in any individual post.
I'm always looking to add some more New Jersey writing groups.
Scroll down for a list of the New Jersey Writing groups I currently have on file, with links to websites where available.
GROUPS WITH MEETINGS IN TWO OR MORE COUNTIES
WOMEN WHO WRITE (open to ladies only)
Various groups (see their
groups link for full details)
THE NEW JERSEY SOCIETY OF CHRISTIAN WRITERSVarious Groups in Burlington, Camden and Salem Counties (see website for details)
Contact: Dr. MaryAnn Diorio:
[email protected]THE SCIENCE FICTION SOCIETY OF NORTHERN NEW JERSEYVarious meetings (see
Meetup page for more details)
WRITING GROUPS BY COUNTY
BERGEN COUNTYBergen County Poets and FictionairesWhere? See Meetup pageWhen? See Meetup pageContact: See Meetup pageMahwah Writer's CollectiveWhere? 100 Ridge Road Mahwah, NJ 07430
When? Tuesdays: 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Contact: Mahwah Library (201) 529 2183
Science Fiction Association of Bergen CountyWhere? Bergen Highlands United Methodist Church,316 West Saddle River Road, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
When? 2nd Saturday of the month (see
www.sfabc.org for more info)
Contact: [email protected]BURLINGTON COUNTYJuliette Writer's GroupWhere? Barnes & Noble, Eastgate Square, 1311 Nixon Drive, Moorestown, NJ 08057
When? Every third Thursday, 7:30pm
Contact: Run by Dawn Byrne. Call store for details: (856) 608 1622
CAMDEN COUNTYWriting Group
Where? Barnes & Noble, Towne Place, 911 Haddonfield Rd, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
When? Every second Tuesday, 7:30pm
Contact: Run by Susan Pitcher. Call store for details: (856) 486 1492
Garden State WritersWhere? South County Regional Branch Library, 35 Cooper Folly Road, Atco, NJ 08004
When? 3rd Tuesday of each month, 7pm-9pm
Contact: See
websiteESSEX COUNTYMontclair Editors and WritersWhere? See
Meetup page When? See Meetup page Contact: See Meetup page HUNTERDON COUNTYMERCER COUNTYPrinceton Writing GroupWhere? Various Meet-ups (see the group's webpage for details)
Contact: See websiteMIDDLESEX COUNTYNew Jersey Romance WritersWhere? Mercer County Public Library, Hopewell Branch, 245 Pennington-Titusville Road, Pennington, NJ 08534
When? 4th Tuesday of each month, 6 - 8:30pm
Contact: See
websiteThe Garden State Speculative FictionWriters (GSSW)Where? Old Bridge Public Library,1 Old Bridge Plaza, Municipal Center,Old Bridge, NJ 08857
When? First Saturday of each month - see website for details
Contact: See
websiteLiberty States Fiction WritersWhere? Edison Library, 340 Plainfield Avenue, Edison, New Jersey 08817
When? 2nd Saturday of the month 10-10:30am (business) 10:45-11:45am (workshop) Noon-1:15 (roundtable sessions)
Contact: See
websiteThe Princeton Writing GroupWhere? See
Meetup pageWhen? See Meetup pageContact: See Meetup pageThe Woodbridge Science Fiction & Fantasy WritersWhere? See
Meetup pageWhen? See Meetup pageContact: See Meetup pageMONMOUTH COUNTYWriting Group
Where? ASBURY PARK Public Library, Children's Room500 First Ave - Asbury Park, NJ
When? 3rd WEDNESDAY of Each Month (5.30-7.30pm)
Contact: Neville -
[email protected]Writing Group
Where? Barnes & Noble, Lanes Mill Marketplace, 4831 US Hwy 9, Howell, NJ 07731
When? 3rd Thursday of every month
Contact store for more info: (732) 730-2838
BelmarArts Creative Writing GroupWhere? The Boatworks, 608 River Road, Belmar, NJ 07719
When? 4th Thursday, 7pm - 9pm
Contact: See
websiteMonmouth Creative Writing GroupWhere? Monmouth County Library (HQ), 125 Symmes Drive, Manalapan, NJ 07726
When? 3rd Thursday of the month (7pm)
Contact: ?
Monmouth WritersWhere? Howell Library, Howell Library, 318 Old Tavern Road, Howell, NJ 07731
When? 2nd Saturday of each month
Contact: Rick Kelsten See
websiteWriting Group
Where? NEPTUNE Public Library, Meeting Rm #225 Neptune Blvd - Neptune, NJ
When? 2nd Saturday of each month (1pm - 3pm) (NB: Please check library's calendar before turning up.)
Contact: - (732) 775-8241
The Noble WritersWhere? Middletown Library, 55 New Monmouth Road, Middletown, NJ 07748
When? Wednesdays ((10am - 11:30am) (NB: Please check library's calendar before turning up.)
Contact: TBA
Writing Critique groupWhere? Middletown Library, 55 New Monmouth Road, Middletown, NJ 07748
When? Wednesdays (7pm) (NB: Please check library's calendar before turning up.)
Contact: TBA
OCEAN COUNTYManchester (NJ) Writers' CircleWhere? Manchester Library, 21Colonial Drive, Manchester, NJ 08759
When? 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month (2pm-4pm)
Contact: See
websiteBerkeley Adult Writers' groupWhere? OCL (Berkeley Branch), 30 Station Road, Bayville, NJ 08721
When? Last Monday of the month - 6:30pm start
Contact: (Library) 732 269 2144
The Jackson Writers' GroupWhere? Jackson branch of the Ocean County Library, 2 Jackson Drive Jackson, NJ 08527
When? See
websiteContact: See
websiteSOMERSET COUNTYNew Jersey Writers' Critique GroupWhere? Barnes & Noble (Somerset Shopping Center, 319 Route 202/206, Bridgewater, NJ 08807)
When? First Wednesday of the month, 7pm - check B&N website for latest info
Contact: (B&N) 908 526-7425
New Jersey Writers' SocietyWhere? Franklin Township Library (Historical Room), 485 Dermott Lane, Somerset, NJ 08873
When? Third Thursday of the month, 7pm - 9pm
Contact: (Library) 732 873 8700
UNION COUNTYNew Providence WritersWhere? Waterlilies Restaurant, 33 Union Place, Summit, NJ (parking free on Sundays)
When? 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month, 2pm.
Contact: Join and RSVP for meetings through
Meetup groupWant me to add your group?
If you know of any statewide or local writing groups in New Jersey which aren't listed above, please let me have contact details and/or a website link, if possible. Also, if your group is listed, but I've got the information wrong, please let me know.
A long time ago, two enthusiastic yet green writers met on an online critiquing site called The Critique Circle. They wrote stories riddled with hollow characters and cliched plots, but that didn’t stop them from becoming fast friends. Through practice, critiquing literally thousands of submissions, and spending untold hours reading and responding to forum conversations on writing, these two eventually learned a thing or three about the craft. Eventually, they even penned a few books with the word “thesaurus” in the title. Who knows, maybe you’ve seen one hanging out on a writer’s desk somewhere.
Here’s one of the BIG lessons these two scruff-and-tumble writers learned: having a critique partner can really shorten your learning curve. The eyes, knowledge and experience of another writerly human being can give the insight and distance an author lacks. Of course, it’s all about finding the right critique partners who are a perfect fit, and understanding how to best work together. Becca and I still are going strong well over 10 years after we first met, and there’s no one I’d rather hand my work over to than her. So please help me welcome author Dee Romito who has a few “rules” to make sure our critique partner relationships stay healthy and function as they should.
Six Rules that Keep Critique Partnerships Golden
Good critique partners (affectionately known as CPs) are invaluable on your publishing journey. They will be your go-to sources for questions, support along the way, and much-needed feedback.
I checked in with a few of my most trusted writing friends to get their thoughts on what makes a great critique partner. Here are six things you can do to be a helpful critiquer and what you might be looking for in a critique partner.
-
Offer suggestions. Blunt comments are not the same thing as constructive feedback.
There’s a line between being honest and being helpful. Try to explain why you think a change should be made or make a suggestion as to how to improve it.
“Something I make sure I don’t do (or at least try not to) is to simply say I don’t like something. That is never helpful information. If there is something that I think is off, I try to explain why I think that. For example, ‘This sentence felt repetitive because you gave the same information above.’” – Janet Sumner Johnson, author of THE LAST GREAT ADVENTURE OF THE PB&J SOCIETY
“I once had a reader who crossed out whole pages of my manuscript and rewrote sections and, knowing how that made me feel, I will never change anything in anyone else’s document. I won’t even add a comma or correct spelling in the ms itself- I drop a note in the ‘insert comments’ instead.” – Jen Malone, author of MG and YA novels, including THE SLEEPOVER and YOU’RE INVITED
-
Ask questions
If there’s something you don’t understand or you feel like something’s missing or unclear, ask about it. Writers are sometimes too close to their own work to see it.
“I really love receiving critiques where the CP has asked questions instead of making comments (example: ‘Do you think she’d be feeling this right here?’ instead of ‘I don’t like the way she’s feeling sad here- she should be mad!’)” – Jen Malone
“I like critique partners who ask a lot of questions. This always helps me think about different paths I can take a manuscript.” – Jen Maschari, author of THE REMARKABLE JOURNEY OF CHARLIE PRICE
-
Point out what works, as well as what doesn’t work
This might sound like a no-brainer, but you need to make a conscious effort to point out both the weaknesses and the strengths of a piece.
“My go-to critique partners aren’t afraid to tell me what I need to fix . . . even when they know I won’t be happy to hear it, but at the same time, they are nice. They point out the things they liked, too, and somehow this makes the hard stuff much, much, much easier to swallow.” – Janet
“I always try to point out things I love or that made me laugh, in addition to the things I didn’t connect with quite as much- I have one CP who highlights lines or sections she loves in green highlighter. For me, it definitely keeps my spirits up amid digesting all the things I need to address in revisions.” – Jen Malone
“Many times, writing can feel like pushing a boulder up a hill, so those hearts or ‘I love this’ comments or even a smiley face can go a long way to cheering me on as I tackle the bigger stuff.” – Jen Maschari
-
Know what the author is looking for. Overall, line edits, voice, consistency, something specific.
At various points in the process, writers need different kinds of critiques. Know what the goal is.
“I make sure I know what the person is looking for. Did they want a big picture critique? Did they want me to fix grammar mistakes? That can make a big difference in how I read.” – Janet
“I always make sure I get a sense of what my critique partner wants first. What big questions do they have? Do they want me to look at the larger picture or do they want a sentence level look?” – Jen Maschari
-
Offer to clarify, answer more questions, talk it through, brainstorm.
A CP is meant to be a sounding board and someone who can help you work through the sticking points.
“Now that I’ve worked on some co-writing projects and realized how much more quickly a plot/outline comes together with joint brainstorming sessions, I’ve recently begun asking my CPs if they would be up for helping at the earliest stages of something new.” – Jen Malone
“Sometimes I’ll send a few scenes out to get a first reaction or a sense of what’s working and what’s not early on.” – Jen Maschari
-
CPs will go to you for your strengths. Know what they are.
Okay, so you might not know them yet. But you will. Do you notice every punctuation mistake? Do you find inconsistencies in manuscripts? Are you a plotting wizard?
“I definitely choose my beta readers based on what type of critique I’m looking for. For example, when I send a second draft out (I never send a 1st draft, just fyi), I look for someone who is good at plotting and seeing holes and how to improve that. When I’m further in the process and need someone who is good at making smooth prose or catching detail errors, I choose someone who is good at that. I have found that they each have their strengths. And it always makes sense to play to someone’s strengths.” – Janet
“I have a CP whose strengths are my weaknesses- I tend to focus on dialogue and plot more than the interior character arc and she’s always making notes that say “But what is she feeeeeeeling here?”– I really need that push!” – Jen Malone
Final Thoughts
These ladies have definitely helped me along the way and were essential in fine-tuning my middle grade debut, THE BFF BUCKET LIST. I trust their feedback and value their opinions. Without a doubt, having critique partners has been one of the most important pieces in my path to becoming a published author.
Whether you’re just starting out and are in the midst of searching for critique partners or you’re a seasoned veteran, these simple reminders help make critique partner relationships ones that will last through many manuscripts, all the ups and downs, and hopefully, lots of publishing deals.
Dee has a new book out, a terrific middle grade called the BFF Bucket List, and a killer blurb:
Two best friends. Twelve challenges.
Can the BFF Bucket List save their friendship or will that get crossed off too?
(Love it? I do!)
If you like, follow this link for a closer look, or add it to your Goodreads list!
And do hook up with Dee online–visit her blog or website, hang out on Facebook or throw tweets her way on Twitter. She’s super friendly, is always around chatting it up, and would love to hear from you.
Do you have a great critique partner? What rules would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments!
The post Six Rules that Keep Critique Partnerships Golden appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS™.
It’s no secret that Becca and I love NaNoWriMo. We have participated several times (and won, WOOT!) but with the many hats we wear these days, we have not been able to enter the last few years. Instead we usually support our fellow Nanoers by giving away free copies of our books in draws or donations.
But this year, we have One Stop For Writers!
And boy, if ever there was a writing tool to have by your side during NaNoWriMo, it is One Stop. So, we are giving memberships away in hopes they will give a few folks a leg up as they race to achieve their NaNo 2015 winner’s badge.
Here’s the scoop:
The 10 x 10 Draw:
10 free passes for 10 official NaNoWriMo Regional Groups
Do you belong to an official NaNoWriMo group with a ML (Municipal Liaison?) If so, tell them about our 10 x 10 giveaway because they can enter your group into the draw and possibly win 10 of your members a free month-long pass to One Stop For Writers to use during November!
HOW TO ENTER:
Be a ML (Muncipial Liaison with NaNoWriMo)
One entry per ML (but if your group has several MLs, they can each enter, improving your odds!)
Contest is open one week, closing on October 27th at 6:30 EST. All ML entrants welcome if over 18 unless prohibited by law. Official rules here.
Want to be the SUPERHERO of your local NaNoWriMo group?
Talk to your ML and ask them to enter to win 10 free passes. Sha-POW, it’s that easy.
Not doing NaNoWriMo this year? Don’t worry, we have something for you, too!
Today is also Critiques 4 U day, when Becca draws a few lucky winners out of our comment section for a free critique!
So, if you’re working on a first page and would like some objective feedback, leave a comment that includes:
1) your email address. Some of you have expressed concern about making your email address public; if you’re sure that the email address associated with your WordPress account is correct, you don’t have to include it here. But if you do win and I’m unable to contact you through that email address, I’ll have to choose an alternate winner.
2) your story’s genre (no erotica, please)
3) the intended audience
~ONLY ENTRIES THAT FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED~
Three commenters’ names will be randomly drawn and posted here tomorrow. If you win, you can email Becca your first page and She’ll offer her feedback. Best of luck!
The post NaNoWriMo Participants: Win One Stop For Writers Passes For Your Local Group appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS™.
By:
Angela Ackerman,
on 4/23/2015
Blog:
The Bookshelf Muse
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
Reading,
Writing Resources,
About Us,
Writing Craft,
Writing Time,
Time Management,
Critique Groups,
Writing Groups,
Focus,
Writing Lessons,
Writer's Attitude,
Add a tag
Each day, we seek to put our best foot forward. We shower, dress for the day’s activities, style our hair. We plan, organize, gather our things, and check the mirror before leaving, making sure to pluck stray fluff off our sweaters and straighten our sleeves.
Why?
- To enhance our strengths.
- To appear confident.
- To show the people who interact with us that we are collected and ready for whatever comes our way.
It’s human nature to minimize our weaknesses. We hide zits, disguise thinning hair and avoid talking about our embarrassing mistakes. But in writing, covering up flaws can keep us from success.
Writing weaknesses are normal. We all have them. But it’s okay, because each of us is on the same journey, and there is no finish line–no point we reach where we’re “good enough.” Regardless of how adept we become at writing, there will always be room to grow.
Let’s look at some of the key elements that will help you evolve as a writer.
Attitude
All writers shares a common epiphany on the writing path. I call it Staring Into The Abyss. This experience happens when our writing has strengthened to the point where blissful ignorance rubs away and we begin to realize just how much we don’t know.
It’s a dark moment, a bleak moment. We feel shock. Frustration. Despair. Some stop right there on the path, their writing spirits broken. Others take a micro-step forward, progressing toward the most important stages leading to growth: acceptance and determination.
Once we come to terms with what we don’t know, we can set out to learn. Taking on the attitude of a Learner is what separates an amateur from a PRO.
Asking for help
Writers can strengthen their skills on their own, but it’s a lot of hard work. Reaching out to other writers will shorten the learning curve considerably. Critique partners can help identify your weak areas and offer strategies to improve. They also will know of resources which might help.
There are MANY great sites for writers to find a critique partner or two. I highly recommend The Critique Circle (free & safe to post work–this is where Becca and I met!) There are also sites like Critters Workshop and Agent Query’s Critique Partner Wanted board. Or, let Ladies Who Critique play matchmaker for you.
The no-brainer: READ
No matter what areas need to be worked on, books can help. Find inspiration through your favorite fiction authors and in ‘how to’ books (here’s a great list to start on). Pick up a few and take notes. If you can, pair up with another writer to read the same book and then discuss it. Learning together gives you a better chance to fully understand any topic. This is what Becca and I did for an entire year, and our understanding of writing craft soared. It was time well spent.
Resources, resources, resources
There are thousands of articles on writing that can teach strong writing technique. Plotting, Story Structure, Voice, Description, Showing vs Telling, Style, Dialogue, Characters…whatever areas you want to develop, there is content out there to help you. Click HERE & check out out Writing Heroes for starters!)
The trick is finding the best nuggets of information without losing your whole day online. Try this Search Engine for Writers. You will find excellent articles on any aspect of writing imaginable. Pay attention to great article round ups like Maureen Crisp’s excellent one every Thursday, as well as Yesenia Vargas’ Monday Must Reads. And don’t forget to check our categories in the sidebar!
Think outside the monitor
Many of us are introverts, and it’s easy to get caught up on the keyboard and screen. There’s nothing wrong with this, unless your rectangular life preserver is holding you back. Writing Groups, Conferences, Work Shops and Retreats are all excellent opportunities to hone writing skills and meet mentors. Writing events need not be expensive–get involved in a local writing group and see what events have a low or no cost for members.
When you’re looking for opportunities to learn, don’t forget the movies. So much can be gleaned by watching films to see what makes them work. In fact, some of our biggest epiphanies as writers will come from studying screenwriting. I highly recommend reading Save the Cat & Writing Screenplays that Sell. These books are pure gold. Trust me, your writing will thank you!
Write and rewrite
Transforming writing weaknesses into strengths will take time. Choose learning strategies that work best for you and never stop writing. Each step of the way, apply new-found knowledge to the page. We learn most of all by doing, so always make time to write.
Chances are, you have more than one area where you know you can grow. Sometimes the easiest thing is to look at one facet at a time, and hone your skills in that area.Then when you feel like your writing is on sturdier ground, shift your focus to another facet of craft. Bit by bit, you will elevate your writing and feel proud at how far you have come.
Happy Writing!
Image 3: jamoluk @ Pixabay
The post Mastering Words: Ways to Evolve as a Writer appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS™.
Blogging is about both publishing and finding a community. These three writers' hubs bring together bloggers from all over the world.
It is the writer who might catch the imagination of young people, and plant a seed that will flower and come to fruition.
- Isaac Asimov I began a writer’s group last year at… Read More →
Ever since we launched our directory of people looking for writers groups, we have found hundreds of writers looking for different kinds of writing support. These invaluable groups can motivate you to write more, critique your work or even help you publicize your work.
To help our readers find support, we will occasionally spotlight a writers group looking for new members. If you write creative nonfiction, you should apply to join the Nth Creative Nonfiction Circle, an online group founded by former Mediabistro students that is still adding members.
No matter what you write, sign up for our free directory. Once you fill out the simple form, you will be able to access our complete directory of GalleyCat readers who are looking for a writers group–you can contact these writers directly to build a new group.
continued…
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
 |
| Some groups provide lots of written comments! |
It’s one thing to know that you should probably belong to a critique group. It’s another thing to find one. Start out by looking wherever you find other writers.
Writers’ organizations. If you belong to a writers guild or other writers’ organization, they may have ongoing critique groups or a system in place to help writers create new groups. I belong to such a group sponsored by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Missouri Region. It was my first face-to-face critique group.
Meetings or Conferences. People don’t always talk up their own groups at events like these, but they are great opportunities to meet other writers that you can invite to start a group. This is how I connected with my second group, the Ladies of the Gordian Knot.
Online. Many of us “meet” our fellow writers online in discussion groups, on blogs, or on Facebook. Interact with your fellow writers then approach them about creating a group. A group doesn’t have to meet face to face; as a grad student, my only critique group was via e-mail.
As you try out various groups or work to create your own, here are some things to keep in mind. - Look at what people write. Picture books are different novels. If you are the only novelist, you might not get the help you need from a group of picture book writers.
- Ask why they write. People who write to publish often have different goals than people who write just for the fun of creating a story.
- Look at their publishing choices. If your focus is traditional publishing, a group focused on self-publishing may not meet your needs. Variety can be good, but if you are the only one providing that variety, you might need to look elsewhere.
- Learn the ropes. Every group works differently. Some read their work aloud. Others pass it out ahead of time and return it with comments but also discuss it.
- Be ready to give. A critique group is different from a critique service. If you only want feedback but don’t want to critique for others, find a freelance editor. This attitude isn’t fair to the other writers.
Not every group will be right for you. You may even like everyone in a group, but still not get what you need. It’s a lot like dating that way. Sometimes you have chemistry and sometimes you don’t. If the first or second group you try lacks this chemistry, don’t give up. A good critique group is worth the wait and the effort.
–SueBE
Today on
The Muffin we welcome Janie Sullivan, one of the founders of the
Center for Writing Excellence (C4WE), which was started in November 2009, as one of four divisions of the
Institute for Instructional Excellence (I4IE). The C4WE offers writing contests and a free monthly e-newsletter written by contributors who can advertise their own websites along with their articles, and free classified ads are available to all subscribers. They have webinars and some online writing classes that are currently being revised and will become available later in the year 2013.
Janie says, "My business partner, Sheri Schmeckpeper, and I had always wanted to run our own school; so when we realized that our jobs, which were funded by a government grant at the local community college, were going to end, we decided it was time to start our school. The other divisions of I4IE are The Center for Teaching Excellence (C4TE), The Center for Excellent Living (C4EL), and the Center for Learning Excellence (C4LE). The C4WE has grown from a simple blog to a very functional website offering services like editing, writing, and ghost writing."
WOW: Welcome, Janie, to WOW! We are excited to have you with us today and talking about all the Center for Writing Excellence has to offer, so let's get started. Let's start with your Fiction in Five contests. You just had one at the beginning of December, and the next one is scheduled for February. How do these work?Janie: The Fiction in Five contest is a prompt driven flash fiction contest. Writers can enter anytime up to the deadline, which is always the Friday before the first Monday of the month. The contest runs the first Monday-Friday (five days) of every other month. I send three prompts and a list of six random words to the writers at 9:45 a.m. on the first morning of the five-day contest. The contest officially starts at 10:00 a.m. The writers choose one prompt and use it along with all six random words in the story. Sometimes I use a picture as one of the prompts. The writers then have five days (until Friday at 10:00 p.m.) to write and submit their 700-1,000-word story based on the prompt. There is a $5 entry fee, which I use to pay for the cash and other prizes for the winners.
Right now, first place is $25, second place is $15, and third place is a mouse pad and note pad. All winning stories are published on the website and in the annual anthology. Honorable mention winners are mentioned on the website and published in the anthology. All winners get an e-copy of the anthology when it comes out. All winners also get a nice certificate. The idea is to grow the contest to the point, where I can offer bigger cash prizes. The judges all volunteer, but I do share the profits with them at the end of each contest year.
WOW: This is a great idea--writers will have a finished story in a week! It's kind of a like a shortened version of NaNoWriMo for short story writers. I love it! How does this contest help writers?Janie: The thing I hear the most from the writers is the challenge of the contest. They like the prompts and the random words, plus the discipline of having to meet a word limit and a time limit. As with any writing contest, this is a great opportunity to hone skills, learn to work under deadline pressure, and explore new ideas through prompts.
WOW: It sounds great! But this is not the only contest you offer. The historical fiction contest is currently going on with a January 1 deadline. Tell us about this contest and how writers can enter. Janie: This one is a bit different in that writers can enter any time after the genre of the contest is announced (usually two months before the deadline). They can submit their story with the entry fee ($10) or enter the contest to hold their place and submit the story before the deadline. The contest deadline is always the first day of every other month (opposite the Fiction in Five months). There is a different genre for each contest. The first one was Spiritual Fiction, and then we had Young Adult Fiction, then Crime Fiction, and now Historical Fiction for January.
WOW: Great, so basically, you are offering some type of contest each month, and it sounds like you appeal to a wide range of writers! What are the prizes like for the genre contests?Janie: The genre contest is a bigger contest in terms of words (1500-2000) and prizes. First place wins $50, second place is $25, and third place is $15. There is also a limit to how many entries we will take in this contest. We feel that with only fifty slots available, the writers will have a better chance of winning. And as this contest grows, the prizes will also grow. Winners are also published in the anthology and on the website.
WOW: I know a lot of writers love the prize of money and publication! How can you beat that? For many writers, it is one of their first publications. For others, it's a chance for their shorter works to appear in print. I think all these opportunities you are giving writers is WONDERFUL! So, you have an anthology published each year? What types of material are in it?Janie: The anthology comes out every summer. All the winning stories from the previous contest year, plus author bios and photos, are published in the anthology. The anthology coming out next summer will be the third annual publication and the biggest one yet. Winners get a free e-copy of the anthology, plus a substantial discount if they want to purchase the hard copy. It is available on
Lulu Press as well as at Amazon.
WOW: Great opportunities for writers--tell us about the cover art contest.Janie: Several of the writers have mentioned either knowing artists or being artists themselves, so I thought it would be fun to have artists submit their original, writing-themed artwork for the cover design. The way this one will work is anyone interested can enter anytime between now and June 1, 2013. At that time, I will publish all the entries on the website and set them up for voting. People can come in and vote (once a day) for the cover art they like the most. The designs will be posted for one month and on July 1, I will announce the winner. There is a $5 entry fee and the winner will get 80 percent of the entry fees as the prize. The winning entry will be published on the cover of the
Third Annual Center for Writing Excellence Fiction Anthology, along with a bio and photo of the artist.
WOW: How cool and what a great idea! Anything else you'd like to share about the Center for Writing Excellence?Janie: Just that this is the most fun I have ever had. I have always been a writer as well as a teacher. I am able to combine my love for both in the Center. It has grown and evolved a lot in the past three years. I have met writers all over the world through the newsletter, contests, and blog. I have been able to share the lives of some of my writers through editing their books (one was just recently published) and reading their stories. While I don’t judge the stories in the contest, I do read them all. And I do owe WOW! a bit of credit for getting me started. I was one of the first teachers when you started offering writing classes. I had so much fun doing that it inspired me to start my own website. In fact, one of my students in that first class at WOW! is now a regular contributor to my newsletter!
WOW: Well, Janie, you are welcome. You are offering some wonderful opportunities for writers, and we can't wait to see how much the Center for Writing Excellence grows!Now writers, what are you waiting for? Get your historical fiction short stories written and mark your calendar for the Fiction in Five February contest! Or sign up for the FREE newsletter, where you can also advertise your writing business or book for free!
By:
Angela Ackerman,
on 9/4/2012
Blog:
The Bookshelf Muse
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
writing resources,
editing,
lessons,
characters,
critique groups,
writing groups,
description,
focus,
guest entry,
Add a tag
When I found out the awesome and talented
Melinda Collins was headed off to Colorado to attend
Margie Lawson's Immersion Master Class, I absolutely
had to convince her to swing by and tell us about the experience afterward. Of course, Writing Superhero
Jami Gold had the same idea, so rather than stage an EPIC,
lightning-sword-and-killer-unicorn BATTLE TO THE DEATH as to who got Melinda, we decided to share her. Isn't that nice? *beams*
As someone who purchased a
Margie Lawson Lesson Packet on Body Language (thanks for the heads up,
Stina Lindenblatt!) in the past, I can only imagine the value of a ML Intensive. So please, read on dear Musers. It's a long-ish post, but oh-so-worth it.
AND, the talented Margie Lawson is going to award a lucky commenter with a FREE Lecture Packet! Trust me, YOU WANT THIS.
Immersion Master Class with Margie Lawson: The Experience, The Takeaways, The Lessons – Part Two
Thank you, Angela, for inviting me over today to talk about my recent experience in Colorado with the wonderful, talented, writerly genius,
Margie Lawson, and her
Immersion Master Class!
Because I have so much to share, this is actually a two-part blog post. Which means I’m also over at
Jami Gold’s blog today as well with part one! *grin* And, as an added bonus, Margie Lawson will be over at my blog today,
Muse, Rant, Rave, sharing even more writing technique goodies! *booty dance* Okay, enough dancin’ and let’s get to learnin’, shall we?
The Experience
Over on Jami’s blog I talked about the kinship and sisterhood that developed in our group. Here I’d like to share with you two additional elements of the class that made this a one-of-a-kind experience.
The first would be location, location, location! We were about two miles above sea level, and being that high meant cell service was practically nonexistent, which in turn meant we got to enjoy the peace and quiet tranquility of the Rocky Mountains. What more inspiration do you need if you look outside the window, or go on a short hike and see this?
 |
| The view from our 1st hiking trip |
Pretty unreal, right? But this is
exactly what every day was like for us. It wasn’t
all work and no play. In fact, we went hiking twice during our time on the mountain. The first short hike gave us the beautiful view in the picture above, and the second, longer hike, gave us this gorgeous view:
 |
| The view from our 2nd hiking trip |
So the experience was deeper than just learning more about yourself and your writing craft. It was about taking the time to enjoy your surroundings and find inspiration in nature.
 |
| The view from Margie's writing loft |
The second element I wanted to share about the experience is the one on one time each of us got to spend with Margie. Every day, with pages in hand, we walked into a quiet, cozy room and worked one on one with Margie – an experience that will stay with me forever. By sitting down with her, one on one, you gain a certain understanding and perspective of your writing. You learn how to channel the genius editing that is her mind, and you see your writing in a whole new light. Every sentence, every word is purposefully chosen to pack a maximum punch for your reader, and during your one on one time, you learn more about how you choose those words and how you organize your sentences.
I can’t begin to imagine how I was editing before this class because now I feel as though I’m walking away with a particular sense of how to attack edits, how to look for the minor nuances, how to portray action scenes in a new and exciting way for the reader, and how to make my prose sing a beautifully cadenced tune.
The Takeaways
In part one I talk about what I learned about my style and where I want to be a year from now. Here I’d like to talk about group settings: why it’s important to work within a group where each person has the same purpose in their writing, and why it’s important to encourage and help other writers make their writing the best it can possibly be.
 |
| It's always important to take a break when editing to hike! ;) |
When you’re in a group setting and everyone has the same purpose of making their MS NYT Bestselling-worthy, you’re sitting in a gold mine. This is why it’s so incredibly important to join a writing group where everyone is dedicated and everyone pushes you to strive, work, and think harder. Sure, writing’s a singular experience (unless you’re co-writing), but without that group of writers who share your struggles, your doubts, and your triumphs, you may not get too far. This particular experience brought that fact home for me. When I struggled in making a phrase powerful and pitch-perfect, there were four other writers there tossing ideas back and forth until we got it. I’m sure without them there I might’ve gotten 85% of what I wanted in the phrase, but that’s not enough. I want 100%. I want it to pack a punch. And I want the help of other writers who fill in the gaps of my weaknesses.
This is another reason why it’s important to not only be in a group setting with a common purpose, but also to encourage other writers and their craft. We thrive on the encouragement and the kudos we get from others like us. We hear of another writer who’s just finaled
Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean. -- Ryunosuke Satoro
 |
| I got the honor of silly-stringing Amanda! Sooo much fun!!! :) |
Quick note: While we were there, one of our Immersion Sisters, Amanda, actually
did find out that she finaled in a writing contest with three scores of 99 out of 100!!!!! WOO HOO! How AWESOME is that?!? So what did we do to celebrate when we found out? We silly-stringed her of course!!!
The Lessons
Without giving away too much, here’s the back half of the top ten lessons I learned while in Colorado (as I said in the first post, there are many, many, many more):
1. Description: Description shouldn’t be on the page simply just to be there. Description should be on the page as it affects the character. When you’re writing description, think of how it affects your character in terms of their attitude and thoughts. If you had a character pull up to their childhood home, don’t just describe it as having paint-chipped shutters and a bright red door. Attach that description to your character. What does she remember about those shutters and that red door? Does she recall the many summers she spent helping her mother repaint the shutters? Does she recall being caught kissing a boy in front of the bright red door? If so, then why don’t you attach that description to those memories and make it a stronger, more powerful read?
Example from my MS:
I took a breath and walked out to the edge of the street. This house would represent the beginning of the rest of my life. I hadn’t seen the midnight blue, oceanfront home in so long, and it was now my home.
Because a home is a sense of trust, safety and love for my MC, I attached those feelings to the description of a place that is now
her home. There’s more description of the house that follows this, but this is the one place where I purposefully showed how arriving to this setting affected my character.
2. Breaking Tension: Margie has an EDITS system that uses different colored highlighters to track story elements. One is tension. When you’re tracking tension and you notice a small – or big – area where you’ve broken the tension, you’d better go back to check the following:
a.
Check to ensure you intended to break the tension. b.
Check to ensure the break in tension is not only needed, but that it works c.
Check to ensure it doesn’t entice the reader to skimI’m willing to bet there may be several areas where you didn’t intend to break the tension, you didn’t intend to invite the reader to skim, you didn’t intend to put a humor hit in the middle of a serious scene that shouldn’t be broken.
So if you break tension, make sure it’s intentional, it works, it flows, and it doesn’t bore the reader in skipping ahead to where the tension picks back up.
3. NO ‘ITs’ or ‘THATs’: I now have yet another new item to add to my editing toolbox/checklist: NO ‘ITs’ or ‘THATs’!! Okay, so obviously I don’t mean you can’t have ‘it’ or ‘that’ in your MS as at all. But what I do mean is don’t end a sentence with ‘it’ or ‘that.’
Example:
Oh yeah, I’d considered that. See what I mean? When I take this sentence out of context, you have absolutely no clue what the character meant by ‘that.’
Example without ‘that’:
Oh yeah, I’d considered Nick to be nothing more than an ant.A-ha! So when I removed ‘that,’ I made the sentence
stronger and
more powerful! So the lesson here is: do a find for ‘IT’ and ‘THAT’ and restructure/reword each sentence/phrase that just so happens to end with one of those UNLESS having one of those two words 100%, unequivocally works!
4. Throw-Away Words (Tightening): Another important item to add to your editing checklist: throw-away words. This goes beyond the usual crutch words such as saw, felt, was, etc. Once of the techniques Margie teaches is taking a printed copy of your MS and reading through, line by line, and checking each line off to ensure it has a strong cadence. This ensures you don’t have any words in there that might trip the reader or the flow of the passage. As we all know, there are many other types of throw-away words that can tongue-tie the reader – which is another reason why it’s incredibly important that we get used to the sound of our voice, read
everything aloud, and tighten, tighten, tighten.
Examples with Throw-Away Words:
After all, it wasn’t my fault their stories weren’t being told anymore. I looked back at where he stood and touched my cheek. Did I really need all those words? Nope.
Examples without Throw-Away Words:
It wasn’t my fault their stories weren’t being told anymore.I touched my cheek. See? I didn’t need
after all and
looked. Those were just two sentences! And between the two, I cut a total of
nine words! By reading through my MS, line by line by line, and checking each one off once I’ve determined it’s a TEN, I will have a MS that’s tight, tight, tight! *booty dance*
5. Backloading: Ah… this is a fun one! But because there’s so much I could say about it and so little space in today’s post, I’m going to make it short and sweet. Backloading is where you take the most powerful word in a sentence, and you rework the phrase to pack that power at the
end of the sentence so it resonates with the reader.
Example before Backloading:
And when we did see him, we never took a moment for granted, but that was before he abandoned us. The most powerful word in this particular phrase is
abandoned. When you hear it, you instantly feel for the character because you may know what it’s like to feel abandoned. So why not make it the last word the reader processes before they move to the next paragraph?
Example after Backloading:
And when we did see him, we never took a moment for granted. But that was before we were abandoned. Not only did I ensure my power word was there to backload the phrase, I also split that large phrase into one semi-big sentence then followed it up with a shorter, powerful sentence.
Backloading forces you to look at the structure of your sentences and paragraph breaks. By examining each sentence with a finely-tuned, analytical eye, you’ll not only catch the instances where backloading will pack a punch, but you’ll also catch the areas where one larger sentence can be broken into two, shorter, more powerful sentences. Ha! I got two lessons into one on that one! *giggle*
Once again, I really, really, really want to encourage everyone to visit
Margie’s site, purchase and read and
absorb the lecture packets and/or enroll in an online course. After you’ve done that, I really recommend attending an
Immersion Master Class yourself to fully learn not only these techniques/lessons, but waaaaay more! In all her courses, you’ll learn ways to add psychological power to your writing and how to write a page-turner that will keep your readers up until their spouse finally says, “Pleeeease come to bed!” *giggle*
Before I go, I just want to say thank you again to Angela for having me over today and allowing me to share a small percentage of what I learned!
If this was your first stop, then before you pop over to either Jami’s site for
more on the experience, the takeaways and the lessons, or
stop by my blog for a quick lesson from Margie, think about the following: Do you have a place you can get away to? One that’s quiet, calm and inspiring? What about a writing group – do you have a group of writers that you can learn from, give kudos to, and share your triumphs with? Do you have areas in your MS that could benefit from tying description to emotion? Or what about areas where you’ve broken the tension unintentionally? Do you run through each of your lines and ensure they work 100% before moving onto the next?
Wow! Thank you
Melinda for being so generous and sharing your amazing experience with Margie! I am a life-long learner, and I absolutely love to absorb as much as I can about the writing craft. Margie's lecture packets are packed with great information and I am
thrilled to be able to give one away.
So, if you would like to win, just comment below and leave some contact information. THEN, visit
Jami for
another chance to win a
lecture packet and
Melinda's for a crack at an
online course with Margie! This is the
BERMUDA TRIANGLE OF WIN,
people!Good luck & happy writing!
I'm looking to add some more New Jersey writing groups to the database on the MonmouthWriters Yahoo group (the New Jersey affiliate of FindAWritingGroup.com).
Here's a list of the New Jersey Writing groups I currently have on file (with links to websites where available):WRITING GROUPS IN NEW JERSEY
BERGEN COUNTY
Mahwah Writers' collective
Where? 100 Ridge Road, Mahwah, New Jersey NJ 07430
When? Tuesdays: 6:30 - 8:30
Contact: Mahwah Library (201) 529-2183
CAMDEN COUNTY
South Jersey Writers Group
Where? South County Regional Branch Library, 35 Cooper Folly Road, Atco, NJ 08004
When? 3rd Tuesday, 7 PM
Contact: Art Wolk at the Library: (856) 753-2537
Garden State Writers
Where? South County Regional Branch Library, 35 Cooper Folly Road, Atco, NJ 08004
When? Third Tuesday of the month, 7pm-9pm
Contact: See website
Tiney Piney Poets
Where? South County Regional Branch Library, 35 Cooper Folly Road, Atco, NJ 08004
When? Second and fourth Tuesday of the month, at one pm
Contact: Laura - [email protected] or Barb [email protected]
CAPE MAY COUNTY
Jersey Cape Writers
Where? See website
When? See website
Contact: See website
CUMBERLAND COUNTY
Writers Society @ Vineland Public Library
Where? Vineland Public Library, 1058 E. Landis Avenue, Vineland, NJ 08360
When? 3rd Thursday of the month 5pm - 7:30pm
Contact: See website
MERCER COUNTY
The New Jersey Writers Society
Where?
When?
Contact: See website
MIDDLESEX COUNTY
New Jersey Romance Writers
Where? Mercer County Public Library, Hopewell Branch, 245 Pennington-Titusville Road, Pennington, NJ 08534
When? 4th Tuesday of each month, 6 - 8:30pm
Contact: See website
GSHW (soon to become the Garden State Speculative Fiction Writers)
Where? Changing soon - see website for details
When? Changing soon - see website for details
Contact: See website
Liberty States Fiction Writers
Where? Edison Library, 340 Plainfield Avenue, Edison, New Jersey 08817
When? 2nd Saturday of the month 10-10:30am (business) 10:45-11:45am (workshop) Noon-1:15 (roundtable sessions)
Contact: See website
MONMOUTH COUNTY
Monmouth Creative Writing Group
Where? Monmouth County Library (HQ), 125 Symmes Drive, Manalapan, NJ 07726
When? 3rd Thursday of the month (7pm)
Contact: Lew Preschel <[email protected]>
Middletown Library Writers' group
Where? Middletown Library, 55 New Monmouth Road, Middle
I’ve been thinking about what makes people leave a writing group. They all have something to offer, so why do some thrive while others struggle to attract/ retain members?
Over the years, I’ve heard a fair number of reasons for people leaving/not joining a writing group. I’ve listed some of the more common ones below, if you have a minute, I’d love to know which (if any) of these would influence your decision
I’m going to link to this post from the FindAWritingGroup.com website.
As always, thanks for your input. It’s much appreciated.
Related posts: What do you look for in a writing group?
I'm thinking about starting a new writing group, somewhere in Monmouth County, New Jersey.
I have a basic idea of the kind of writers/writing I'm looking to attract, as well as what I'd like to be able to offer members, how I'd like to run meetings, moderate critique sessions etc. That said, I'm sure there are all manner of things I haven't considered, so I thought I'd ask here.
If you've some experience of writing groups, good or bad, I'd appreciate your input.If there's something not covered in the poll, please feel free to leave a comment anyway. I'm particularly interested in things which made a big impression on you, either in a good or bad way.
Had a table reading of my newest full length play last night. I belong to PDX Playwrights group which meets twice a month to read new plays by its members. The reads are cold, and parts are handed out on the spot to whomever is available at the time. After the reading, feedback is given to the playwright in the following way: 1) popcorn response (one or two words), 2) what worked in the play, 3) the playwright gets to ask for specific feedback.
Here's the synopsis: An astronomer overcomes agoraphobia and travels to Korea with her adoptive mother, bi-racial daughter, and lesbian lover to find her biological parents. Her daughter disappears, her mother dies, she suffers relapse. Only her true ancestors – the stars – can save her now.
Usually after a table read, I just come away ready for work. This time, the positive feedback overwhelmingly outweighed the things that need fixing, however. I came away feeling terrific. There are definitely a few places that I need to tweak, a couple of problems to solve. The playwrights in the group are so helpful and generous that I'm really glad I joined this group last September.
Do you have a good writers' group? Do you have rules for giving and receiving criticism of your work in that group? How does that work for you?
At a writer networking event that I organize, I had a brief discussion with an attendee I'll call James. Although I kind of understand what James is requesting, I wanted to get your thoughts, dear reader, about levels of writers.
I arrange for speakers to attend a monthly meeting of regional writers. As you may remember from previous posts, the attendees had initially wanted to become a critique group. But I'm voluntarily arranging these meetings for a writers' organization that wants us to keep them open; a critiquing group would effectively close the meetings off from others in the public to join in and come to the meetings whenever they can.
James wants me to figure out a way to provide a networking "exchange" for writers and paid editors. He wants writers in this group to be able register and to self-rank themselves (beginner, intermediate, advanced OR amateur and professional). The registration enables the writer to get a different level of access to an editor and would serve to "network" various writers with one another. His belief, as an admitted amateur, James told me, is that beginning writers should be in a group with other beginners and amateurs with amateurs.
My gentle argument with James was that while I'm a published writer, I still consider myself an amateur (because I'm still trying to get my fiction published). Where did I fit into his levels idea? And, if we did manage to slot all the regional writers into a level, I would much rather be in a writers' critique group with writers who will challenge me, regardless of their self-reported level. Maybe others feel the same? I don't know.
What do you think about putting yourself into a "level" for your writing? And why? What kind of writers do you like to have in your critique group--ones just like you or a mixture? Why?
Elizabeth King Humphrey is a writer and editor living in Wilmington, N.C., and working towards her University of Chicago editing certification...in all her free time.
Yep, using the right tools for planning a writing group can make it a whole lot easier. In my on-going attempts to set up and continue the regional writing group (a three-county section of the larger state organization), I had done all the "right" things: I had a list of members from the area; I had a list I collected at the first meeting; I had agreement from a used bookstore to use their backspace on a regular basis.
I started looking at e-newsletter programs, convinced that was the direction I should be going. I needed those tools to help build my writers' group. After all, this was going to be a expanding group. Even if I was volunteering for it, being around writers and creatives the cost would be worth it. But I couldn't decided on a program to use. Email would have to be my right tool. A week before the meeting, I rushed to send out an email to re-cap our first meeting and setup the second meeting. I asked the folks what they wanted to do and figured our second meeting would be spent hashing out the details about who was branching off into critique groups and who wanted to attend our programs presented by local writers.
I arrived at the meeting place and time. The bookstore had written in wobbly chalky penmanship "Writing Group Tonight" on its sandwich board outside. Passers-by, I was told, were expressing interest. It all seemed like it was coming together, I thought as I waited for the group to appear.
(The suspense is building!)
How exciting that this was actually happening, I thought during my second half-hour of waiting.
I started calling my husband at that time and was willing to sit it out longer, I would just double-check what I wrote in my email. Maybe I'd put the wrong time? The wrong place?
The more I searched my email folders, the more I realized: I hadn't sent it out, at all? Could that have really been the case?
Without getting into details, I drafted another email. This time, I hit send (cc-ing myself as a guarantee) and the responses started floating in.
Now, if I can make sure that I have a speaker for next time, we'll be doing well and, hopefully, growing our little group. And getting back to writing.
What tools do you recommend for keep in touch with a group? What tools have worked for you? And has it every happened to you...when you thought you'd sent an email and you hadn't?
Elizabeth King Humphrey, who is in the midst of a month-long blogathon at The Write Elizabeth, is a writer in North Carolina.
It's only a few hours since I met with those interested in joining the writers' group I mentioned in a previous post. As you may recall, I'm a regional (three-county) representative for a statewide writers group.
My list of preparations for the gathering started with great intentions. I had planned to email everyone I had on my list and get confirmations. I had planned to sort out a few writing exercises to introduce and had a bunch of ideas for clever, memorable introductions. I had even planned to pass out little goodies at the end.
Time worked against me and suddenly the day arrived and I had yet to accomplish any of my goals. Fortunately, the statewide group had sent an e-newsletter and a local reporter had picked up on it.
We met in a little-traveled, back area of a used bookstore. The staff was incredibly accommodating and the owner was thrilled to let us use the space. She's agreed to our meeting every two weeks.
Other preparations I made included reading up on setting up a writers' group. However, part of the restriction I have is, as a representative of an organization, I have to think of a more open format than an invitation-only situation. But in the interest of the 7 folks who showed up (including the author of a book on starting a writers' group). The introductions included the question: What do you want to get out of this group? This was a talkative bunch and we were rarely at a loss for words.
The majority were looking for a critique group with lukewarm interest in seminars on marketing, self-publishing, or hearing from successful writers. (There was interest...just not a lot.)
I'll detail some of the formats and inner-workings of critique groups in my next post.
My question this week is if you were interested in joining a writers' group, would you look for a critique group exclusively or would you want to join a group that might have writing exercises one week, a visiting writer the next and a few critiquing workshops intermingled?
Elizabeth King Humphrey is a writer and editor living in coastal North Carolina.
Last fall, I volunteered to represent member writers in my three-county region for a statewide organization. Having spent several years staring at and typing into my computer, I've been wanting to re-energize myself by re-connecting. (I love how interconnected we can all be virtually, but I also know that I appreciate seeing and meeting folks. Don't you?)
Whenever I can, I like to attend Tweetups or support local writers at their readings. While I can't always afford the time or money to attend writing conferences, I knew that I had something to offer if I could reach out to my local writing community.
I was getting excited about the prospect of meeting more folks and getting reconnected with area writers.
Then I hit a bump in the smooth road to creating the writers group. One of the difficulties I didn't think I would face in my area was finding a meeting space for our group. I don't know why I thought it would be easy.
Due to budget constraints, libraries in our area now charge to borrow a room. Some local businesses didn't have the space; church spaces were fully booked or required a fee.
Finally, I sent a direct tweet to a small, independent bookstore that had been shuttered for a little while because of structural problems in its old location. But in a world of Internet bookstores, the store not only managed to re-open in a new space, but the outpouring of community support provided dozens of book-carrying community members who helped to cart books to the new location.
I'm not sure why I tweeted the bookstore, but I still grin thinking about the owner's enthusiastic response. There were many exclamation points. Then she responded that she thought the area could use more writers' groups.
Indeed. I think we've found a home for our group.
So, we're off on the adventure of a new community of writers...meeting in person. We're not quite sure of the structure yet.
Now that we've tackled the meeting place question, any ideas that have worked for you in creating a writers' group? Anything to look out for? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Elizabeth King Humphrey is a writer and editor living in coastal North Carolina.
In the past, I've written how little time I've had to join a writers' critique group. Recently I read an account in the North Carolina Writers' Network newsletter about another woman's experience with joining a writing group with two other women.
It seemed to confirm my hesitancy to join or develop a group. (Why else would I make excuses for having too little time to honor my writing?)
I had figured that I didn't need a group to support my writing, even though it's been a few years since I worked with a reader or anyone else willing to read or support my fiction writing. Putting your writing into the company of friends is wonderful; putting your writing in the hands of strangers is like jumping off a cliff with your eyes closed, hands tied and...well, I can think of several other uncomfortable comparisons.
In the newsletter story, the writer tells how she met two women at a writing conference. She was asked to join with the two others to create a writers group. However, the narrator explains how once the meetings started, neither woman in her group were supportive of her writing or as her situation as a mother. Instead of finding the positive in her writing, each lead with the dismissive comments and negatives.
Apparently, after that, they never moved into the positives.
After a particularly difficult meeting, happily, the narrator never met with the ladies again.
However, reading this account didn't make me less of a fan of writing groups. It made me more of a fan of the groups, selectively chosen.
Perhaps I wasn't convinced about the writing groups because I'd never found writers--at or above my own level--to join. The folks involved need to critique in a supportive, meaningful and positive way--my writer's ego is fragile enough as it is.
So, I've decided that I'm going to approach some of my writing friends to join me and build a group.
Do you belong to a writers group? If so, how did you find your friends? If not, why not?
A creativity coach, Elizabeth King Humphrey contributes to AOL's ParentDish and blogs at The Write Elizabeth, delving into creativity in everyday places.
By: write2ignite,
on 1/12/2010
Blog:
Fire It Up!
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
Uncategorized,
critique groups,
knowledge,
writing groups,
Sally Stuart,
pursuing your dream,
scbwi,
writing for kids,
Write2Ignite,
Add a tag
What You Don’t Know CAN Hurt You
by Donna Earnhardt
I had only taken a few steps into my writing journey when I decided it was time to submit my fabulous, wonderful, “you’re-gonna-love-it-and-offer-me-a-bazillion-dollars” picture book.
Really, it was great.
It had three interesting main characters (count ‘em, three). It was chock full of lovely adverbs. And it was wrapped around a love story (rated G, of course!). Did I mention this lovely picture book was 4,000 words long?
Yep. 4,000 words.
So, this wonderful book and I were on our way. We were on our way to the bookshelves at Books-a-million. We were on our way to stardom. We were on our way to the top of the charts!
And I figured the best way to the top was to start there.
I called a major publishing house and asked for the head editor.
Yep. The head editor.
Funny thing, one of the secretaries (or maybe it was an intern?) put me right through. She seemed perfectly fine with the whole thing.
The editor, on the other hand, not so much. Our conversation was short…but not sweet. He demanded to know how I got through to his office. Taken aback, I told him. I hope to this day that secretary (or intern)* didn’t get fired.
I crossed the line. I broke the chain of command. I obliterated rules that I didn’t know existed.
Making sure I knew the rules, however, wasn’t the secretary’s job.
It wasn’t the editor’s job.
It wasn’t anyone’s job…but mine.
If writing is my job – and I do consider it as such – then I need to KNOW my job. I need to know the ins and outs, chain of command and where the lines are. I need to know the rules.
And how do I find out this information?
Join a writer’s organization. There are tons out there. I am now a member of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators).
Join (or start!) a critique or writer’s group. (I’m a member of two groups. I learn new stuff every day!)
Buy or borrow the Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s market and Sally Stuart’s Christian Writer’s Market Guide. Soak up all the great info on the pages. (Really…get thee to a bookstore!)
Go to Writing Conferences. (There are conferences held all over the world. Shameless plug: click here for a great one!)
Explore online resources. Verlakay’s message board is a great place to start. You can find info on all things writing there!
Don’t be afraid to ask questions and make mistakes. (But don’t be a slacker. Do your homework, too!)
Be assured, I’ve made other mistakes since THE CALL. Thankfully, I’ve walked away with no burned bridges…just a few singed manuscript pages!
5 Comments on January 13, 2010, last added: 1/15/2010
Nope. I'm off to my writer's group. One of my favorite days of the month!
![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
quiller77 asked:
“Have you ever mentioned being in a writers' group? Are you? Have you ever been, and if so, did you "outgrow" them? If you don't have a writers' group, where do you go for feedback on your story before shipping it off?”
I am not currently in a writer’s group. Years ago, I was part of a wonderful class (I still remember the joy I felt going to that class) that continued on as a writer’s group. We paid our teacher to meet with us weekly, because his feedback was always spot on. Then one day, one of the participants got really, really angry with everyone. It was horrible. He went down the line and told each of us what he hated about us. It was awful waiting your turn. If you tried to argue back or change the subject, it didn’t work. [Full disclosure: I was not the star of the group by any means, but I’m the only who has been published that I know of. And Ranting Guy has never been published that I know of.]
Currently, I have some trusted writer friends whom I trade critiques with. Sometimes I think it would be cool to have a group of writers to meet with here in Portland, but I'd want the group to be at least half published writers, and I don't think there is a group like that.
And there are times I really haven’t gotten feedback from anyone. Sometimes if you are in the groove, this works.
What do you want to know?
You can't write a book by yourself.
As I wrote my novel, I counted on a number of writing buddies. Some of them helped me through the messy writing process, some helped me survive various catastrophes, and a couple generous souls helped me with both.
In the High-School-Yearbook-Of-My-Soul, I would call these people my BLFF--Best Literary Friends Forever.
Last week, two special guests told me about their writing friendship in another one of my lo-fi productions. This week's writer, (Joie Jager-Hyman) met last week's writer (Kate Torgovnick) as part of an ever-growing writers' group in New York City.
They met at a Crucial Minutiae meeting, and ended up spending a year writing together. Now you can see their books on the shelf--Jager-Hyman's and Torgovnick's Cheer! Click on the video for the whole story of Best Literary Friends Forever...
View Next 7 Posts
.jpeg?picon=893)
I’m smiling. Thank you for the nod in our direction.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Reblogged this on Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple and commented:
What an honor for us as a blogging community. A nice surprise to find this morning.
Writing across the world – a web of interconnected stories – what could be more creative and worthwhile and nourishing than that?
Friday Fictioneers is lots of fun and highly addictive so feel free to join us any week.
janet
Friday Fictioneers and Tipsy Lit are both amazing communities that I am proud to be a part of. Congratulations to Rochelle and Ericka for building so much greatness. And thank you, always.
Great plug congrats on that. FF has grown tremendously since is was run by Madison Wood. You done excellent Rochelle.
Useful information, indeed! Whether with the germ of a book in mind, or having just completed a sixth novel, writers can always get a great deal of information from one another in such sites.
Flash fiction is a wonderful way to hone one’s skills. After paring a piece down to the essentials, one develops a far better concept of what is just padding and what really adds to a narrative. I intend to go there!
Our pleasure! Thanks for cultivating such a great community :)
I am beginning to become more a part of the “WordPress Community” after 8 years of solitary blog writing and articles like this are helping. I’m wondering if there is any group out there for non-fiction writers on the paranormal, the anomalous and UFOs etc? Thanks for all you do.
I’m new to blogging, and just want to say I appreciate your taking the time to share ways to get more involved and find more of a community. It can get a little lonely…
I’m so glad you incluted Today’s Author – I follow that site, and it really does motivate me to write more, as well as build community with other writers.
I was wondering why I suddenly had dozens of email about new followers. ;)
From all of us at Today’s Author, thanks for the mention–and for so aptly summarizing what our blog is all about.
Fantastic, just what I needed to see! Thank you
Knowing three of the fabulous women behind the scenes at TipsyLit, I know how hard they’ve worked to build a thriving community of writers and readers. Congratulations!!
Really good information in this post, thank you. I’m reblogging, if that’s okay.
If you’re looking to become more a part of the community, I encourage you to visit The Daily Post and consider trying the Writing 101 challenge starting in June — these challenges really bring people together and help you connect and build lasting relationships. (And you’re very welcome :) )
You’re very welcome! Thanks for the great site :)