Guest column by Sandy Murphy, editor of SPAWNews, freelance writer for numerous animal-related magazines and member of two writers’ groups in St. Louis, MO:
Writing is a solitary pursuit—unless you have cats. I have four such critics, always trying to re-type what I’ve written or comment on what I’m reading aloud. BB sneezes on the screen, Reilly subtly steps on the power button, Kitty looks at me in puzzlement and Louie can’t be bothered to listen, too many words in his opinion. Is it any wonder I went looking for critiques outside the home?
Finding a writer’s group
According to Jeff, there are two types of people looking for a group—the stumblers and the researchers. He and I are stumblers. At Barnes and Noble, he overheard Writers Under The Arch (WUTA) in action and ferreted out the particulars. He said, “I sat in for a session before I brought my stuff. My first impressions were good. I read the next week. The dynamics of the group were much as they remain: critical in the precise sense, but supportive, with a range of informed tastes and styles my own could fit into.”
I stumbled across the group on the Barnes and Noble calendar of events—no research or trial and error. Pat is just the opposite. She Googled, tried a group or three and worked her way to WUTA. Divine intervention led Joe to his first meeting when a friend referred him to a minister who knew and recommended the group seven years ago.
How are groups set up?
Groups vary in every aspect. Membership can be limited or open, in a specific genre or a mixed group, emphasize journals and essays or murder and mayhem. One group requires the writer listen, not rebut, while another asks, “Why did you do this?” and demands an answer.
Reading aloud is a good way to find where writing stumbles and where it flows. At WUTA we hear science fiction, crime, screen plays, novels, short stories, poetry and non-fiction like food articles for magazines. Writers read four pages of work. Copies are distributed so the group can make notes on the good, the bad and any ugly.
What writer’s groups do
“I feel WUTA excels at constructive critiques. Members praise what they like, are able to say what doesn’t work, and give suggestions on how to fix the problem. It’s left up to the author to sift through it all and decide which ideas are best. I’ve seldom returned home disheartened that what I wrote was beyond repair,” said John who joined in 1996.
The telling of the good first and a mostly gentle, sometimes spirited, critique that follows appealed to Jennifer. “Even though I wasn’t required to read on my first night, I figured the best way to measure if I fit was to cannonball into the pool. I read, and got positive feedback. Chris told me to try to sell my story. I felt like the Ugly Duckling who finally found all the swans.”
When do they meet?
Groups meet morning, noon and night, weekly, monthly or online. Charles told me, “I went to the Writers’ Meetup, which was pretty good, but they only met once a month. I wanted more.”
I belong to Book-In-A-Week online writers group. The first week of every month is devoted to BIC HOK TAM (butt in chair, hands on keyboard, typing away madly). Research and plan but come Monday morning, write! Set a goal number of pages for the week and check in three times as a way to keep track, motivated and prevent edits. For the March 2011 BIW, the top ten producers wrote over fifty pages and as many as one hundred and fifty. That’s some serious chair/keyboard time. http://www.book-in-a-week.com
Part two of Dissecting Writer’s Groups will appear in tomorrow’s blog. In the meantime, please chime in if you have tips or want to share experiences related to belonging to a writers group.
Nice article, Sandy. WUTA members motivate me to produce and share my writing. Feedback and encouragement help, always. Thanks for writing this.
I think I need to try that BIC HOK TAM technique. Thanks for the article!
Sandy has been an internet friend – the best kind! – since 2002. That’s when Frosty, my Scottish Terrier, and I started in pet therapy and Sandy and her pup, Izzie, were our mentors.
I’m retired and don’t belong to groups other than on the internet because I attended enough meetings during my career to last several lifetimes. However, I’ve always found Sandy’s advice to be right on and her support something I greatly value.
I, too, have cats and Sandy’s right, all work stops when one of my fur kids comes in and demands some play time!