MB, SB and I have been talking about setting up a writers' circle. I miss my old one in Portsmouth, which was why I suggested it, and I shall tell you why.
It wasn't like your average membership-fee-plus-meeting-charge / writing-exercises-and-prizes / grammar-challenges type thing, etc etc. It was purely a time once a fortnight (though we're suggesting once a month for this one) when we would get together, pay a pound each to help with the hire of the room - no membership fee - and if you had something to read you could read it and get feedback on it. That was all. Totally informal, no lah-di-dah-we-have-a-published-writer-at-the-helm type thing. Just writers wanting feedback on their work and getting it, then either taking it on board as a good idea (or several good ideas) or preferring instead to ignore it and think all the advice was crap anyway. Then we'd head off to the pub because we only had the room for about an hour and a half, and we would continue, in most cases, talking about writing.
So - we were wondering if anyone in the area is up for monthly meetings. No money involved, at least as yet - we're thinking we should meet up in a pub (a quietish one so we can hear ourselves read and think) - as we'd end up in one afterwards anyway and that way there's no fee involved. So long as at least a few of us bought a drinkie or two, I'm sure the bar staff (and especially the landlord) would have no problem with this particular arrangement.
The beauty of a writers' circle is that, informal or otherwise, it gives you a kick up the bum, writing-wise. You don't want to be the only one who turns up each month not having written anything, after all (at least, that's how I felt in Portsmouth), so it gives you a push when you need one.
Let us know if you think you might be interested.
Cheers,
b_f
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Kung fu changed my life
44,327 / 50,000
Nov 7, 2009 - 10 06
I'd be very interested.
----------56,854 / 50,000
Nov 7, 2009 - 14 38
Thank you.
Do we have any more takers?
----------Kung fu changed my life
40,526 / 50,000
Nov 7, 2009 - 14 51
I'm certainly interested in hearing more about it. Whether or not I'll be able to attend is still up in the air though.
----------Jesus saves (and backs up regularly).
33,229 / 50,000
Nov 7, 2009 - 14 51
I may be up for it, though my output is a bit erratic. Perhaps having a deadline to live up to would help motivate though.
----------So that's probably an in.
--------
This was unlike the story
it was written to be
I was riding its back
when it used to ride me
- Joanna Newsom - Peach, Plum, Pear
19,546 / 50,000
Nov 7, 2009 - 15 19
I would be - although since i'm horsham based it'd depend on whether timings fitted with work etc. The 'your average membership-fee-plus-meeting-charge / writing-exercises-and-prizes / grammar-challenges type thing' style set up is what put me off the local ones.
56,854 / 50,000
Nov 7, 2009 - 15 58
Exactly. What I'm after is a no-frills type meeting. We meet, we talk a bit, people read, get feedback, we talk a bit more, drink a bit... You get the idea.
You being based in Horsham shouldn't be a problem, hopefully. We'll see what happens.
Al, definitely, it did that for me when I went to the Portsmouth one. If I'd been a couple of times in a row without taking anything, I'd feel a bit weird, like I'd let myself down among all these really prolific writers (especially if what they'd written was really good, which it frequently was).
I feel good, now. The idea has grown legs. Now all it needs is a pair of feet and some hiking boots and we're all set.
----------Kung fu changed my life
6,501 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 03 19
I'm interested. Might take me a while to build up courage to read own stuff out but def interested in idea & meeting & hearing / enthusing about others great works.
37,667 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 04 20
I'd be up for trying it out and seeing whether it works for me!
At the least it sounds like a fun way to stay in contact with other NaNoers, but i also like the idea of a deadline that forces me to work on my novel in a regular fashion!
V
40,491 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 04 35
I would be interested, but I'm not sure that I'd actually be able to attend meetings... We'd have to see, I guess.
----------Everyone has an inner geek. Mine is just a bit less 'inner'.
44,001 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 04 47
Well, I'd probably be in. It sounds like more or less what we do at Creative Writing Society at uni. (Any Sussex students, we're going to be meeting in Bramber House room 242 on Tuesday at 7.) We do writing exercises sometimes, but nobody takes it too seriously. It's nice to just be able to read things out to other writers who you know won't just put you down or be rude about it. Even if you don't like a piece, you can at least give constructive comments, and if you can't even do that, you can shut up... That's pretty much how we work.
So, yeah, depending on when/where, you can pretty much count me in.
----------2006 - Dance of the White Smoke: 51,191 words
2007 - The Wyching Hour: 50,100 words
2008 - Lost In Thought: 35,504 words
2009 - Queueing For Purgatory: ?
The Tsp as in teaspoon.
56,854 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 05 38
Tsp, that's pretty much the thing. Even if someone doesn't like a piece, there has to be a reason for not liking it and if they can't think of something constructive to say they can keep schtum about it.
Any more takers? I want to have a good group going to show SB when she gets back.
----------Kung fu changed my life
56,854 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 05 43
I had that problem in Portsmouth. If I read my own stuff, I'd go the speed of a TGV train across France and no one could get enough of it to be able to comment. This was why someone else usually read on my behalf. In fact, that also gave me an idea as to whether a particular paragraph or sentence worked or not, because if someone stumbled over it or the emphasis was on the wrong word, I knew I had to write that part again.
There's certainly nothing to say you have to read your own stuff out, as I'm sure there'd be no shortage of volunteers.
----------Kung fu changed my life
45,028 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 13 16
I had that problem in Portsmouth. If I read my own stuff, I'd go the speed of a TGV train across France and no one could get enough of it to be able to comment. This was why someone else usually read on my behalf. In fact, that also gave me an idea as to whether a particular paragraph or sentence worked or not, because if someone stumbled over it or the emphasis was on the wrong word, I knew I had to write that part again.
There's certainly nothing to say you have to read your own stuff out, as I'm sure there'd be no shortage of volunteers.
This sounds like a really good idea, I'd definitly come along!
On the reading-out front, I used to have that problem in the G&T classes, so they decided that I coul drpint out a copy for everyone and they could read it themselves - it has the added bonus that the people reading can make notes for things they want to ask about or comment on as they go along. Thoughts?
[edited to take out the extra banner... I think NaNo has the hiccups...]
----------56,854 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 12 36
Definitely an option. I'm sure we can all hold a drink in one hand and a ms in the other and then talk about it afterwards. If it's a long piece, I'd suggest taking it home and making notes for next time, though, or we might not get time to go through it all.
----------Kung fu changed my life
6,501 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 13 12
Good ideas on the reading front, thanks!
Well I'm in whether I read it out, someone else reads it out, or I staple it to my chest before walking up to people, pointing & grunting.
56,854 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 14 40
Well I'm in whether I read it out, someone else reads it out, or I staple it to my chest before walking up to people, pointing & grunting.
Haha!
We'll have to start thinking about venues and a mailing list, but I'll talk to SheBit about that when she gets back.
----------Kung fu changed my life
29,054 / 50,000
Nov 9, 2009 - 04 11
I like that idea the best.
Hi :) first posting in the Brighton region. It's my hometown, but I'm in Winchester for uni so I'm posting on there for this NaNo :) it's my final year though, so I'd definitely be interested if this was a longterm thing :)
By the way, is anything happening Saturday 14th/Sunday 15th? I'm back that weekend and would love to meet some WriMos in Brighton :)
----------Procrastination baking sessions: 2
Prose before hos.
39,573 / 50,000
Nov 9, 2009 - 04 23
I am interested - although I am already involved with this one: http://www.meetup.com/bognorbards - we've had one meeting so far.
----------www.helenjbeal.com
38,425 / 50,000
Nov 9, 2009 - 04 42
There are already quite a few writing groups in Brighton.
That doesn't mean you shouldn't start a "nanoers" group. Sounds like a good idea. But you might be interested in checking out some of the others as well. Quite a few are poetry groups... I don't know anything about those, but can find out from a friend (he seems to know people from loads of groups).
Quite a few seem to be "professional writers only" (e.g. there is one based in Lewes, I think). I don't know anything about those, either.
Some writers circles have been going a long time, but one I tried made me feel like an outsider. I don't think it was deliberate: it's just that they all knew each other for ages, and didn't know how to welcome new blood. That's why I say it sounds like a good idea for you to start a new group: you'll all be starting out equal.
The longest running group in Brighton, has been going for over 12(?) years now, has a steady turnover: there are always new people joining, as other people drop out for various reasons. It's run my Tim Shelton-Jones, his contact details are on their web-site: Brighton Nightwriters. The site hasn't been updated for ages. The "news" looks like it dates from last January! But the contact details/meeting place are still correct.
His wife used to run a women-only group, but that folded, after running for years, just a month or so ago.
Nightwriters has a lot of members, many of whom only drop in occasionally, and does all sorts of creative writing, including poetry, short stories, people writing novels, and we've had a few scripts for plays. (Yes,it's the one I mainly goto.) But that does make it very unpredictable, both in numbers and what happens. Sometimes there are too many people. It meets weekly, although people don't have to go every week. Age of membership ranges from 15 to 99. Although the 99 year old is now too frail to attend meetings, and the 15 year was a member a few years ago: current youngest member is about 21 [I haven't asked her]. Average age is probably a bit higher than for nano, as far as I can tell.
Another group, which is intended to be a bit more serious, and is only for novel writing (not poetry/short stories etc.) and which I know is currently looking for new members are the Brighton Novelists run by Tony Dugdale. Contact Tony or Liz Jalla (contact details on the web-site). That's a much smaller group, one of whose members has just broken his arm, and can't attend meetings at present... average age is probably (at present) higher than for Nightwriters, but that's not policy. Two years ago, average age was probably around thirty.
I honestly think, if there are enough of you, your best bet is to start a new group, and I wish you success. But (for anyone interested in joining a group) make a note of those URLs just in case it doesn't work out. Or even if it is a big success, different people get different things out of a writing circle, so you might want to try out more than one group.
Chro.
----------"I never promised anybody a good time. I'm an artist, not a philanthropist." -- God.
56,854 / 50,000
Nov 9, 2009 - 05 44
Thanks for that. I did check out a few groups beforehand but thought that starting afresh was the best idea, at least for me and probably for a few others, too.
----------Kung fu changed my life
50,102 / 50,000
Nov 9, 2009 - 13 08
I would be very interested. I'm a nervy person and still haven't got the nerve up to go to the normal NaNo meetings yet but theres still time! So a friendly casual group would really suit me.
Though my ussual work is short stories of the fan fiction variety, writen to specifics from particular fans. Not particulary what people would want to hear me read out!
56,854 / 50,000
Nov 9, 2009 - 13 51
Though my ussual work is short stories of the fan fiction variety, writen to specifics from particular fans. Not particulary what people would want to hear me read out!
Trust me, it doesn't matter what others want to hear, you read what you want feedback on. Simple as. NaNo meetings are really informal, too - try to get to one, they're good fun. And the write-ins, too. At the first one, I managed to hike my word count up to more than 4k words for that day.
This writers' circle would essentially be an extension of NaNo but for those of us who write year round who want feedback on specific things. You'd be very welcome.
----------Kung fu changed my life
45,450 / 50,000
Nov 10, 2009 - 12 17
Count me in
56,854 / 50,000
Nov 10, 2009 - 14 38
One more for the ranks, then! Jolly hockey sticks!
----------Kung fu changed my life
12,743 / 50,000
Nov 10, 2009 - 15 17
I had a bad experience with a creative writing class when I was younger. The end of the first week, the tutor made everyone read out some of their writing, i hated being forced to read and I don't read well under pressure! Anyway, I ended up quitting because i didn't like the any of the people in the group. I get along well with people generally but this bunch, seemed to be made up with old miserable housewife's!
I may give this a try as there seems to be a variety of interesting personality's and age groups! I would most likely feel much more at home in a pub with a nice cold drink in my hand and reading other peoples writing and talking about writing!
But don't expect me to read anything out loud!!!!
56,854 / 50,000
Nov 10, 2009 - 16 54
But don't expect me to read anything out loud!!!!
You won't have to. Do only what you feel comfortable with. (I'm not that good at it either.)
----------Kung fu changed my life
12,743 / 50,000
Nov 12, 2009 - 01 45
But don't expect me to read anything out loud!!!!
You won't have to. Do only what you feel comfortable with. (I'm not that good at it either.)
Thanks!
38,425 / 50,000
Nov 14, 2009 - 10 45
(snip)
But don't expect me to read anything out loud!!!!
Yes, that's very common. It's a shame, because it puts people off all writing groups who might actually enjoy the right one for them, if only they could find it!
What's even worse, I've heard horror stories about groups which were so awful that they not only put people off going to a writing group, but they actually put people off writing altogether! Bad! Very bad!
But they don't have to be that awful. Most of them aren't. I've tried several. I'm sure the nano group wouldn't be like that.
Groups do vary enormously, from one group to another. They vary in how they operate (I don't think any group should force someone to read) or whether they like to circulate material (by e-mail) beforehand, so all the time can be spent in discussion, or whether people come to it "fresh" at the meeting (either reading stuff out or otherwise).
And they vary in what their objectives are, e.g. do you want to get published, or just write for your own satisfaction? Do you care why the other members are there? (They do or don't aim to get published one day.) Either is fine, or a mixture can work fine when it is understood.
I've seen people come to the group I go to, who are the opposite of you: they loved reading stuff out. It seemed they just wanted an audience who would tell them how wonderful they were, and how good their writing was, and got all huffy at the suggestion that, just possibly maybe, it wasn't absolutely perfect yet. (Fortunately we don't have anyone like that at present!) That's not to say there is anything wrong with a group whose main purpose is mutual encouragement... if that's what you need. But a group which told me my writing was all wonderful (when I know it isn't) wouldn't suit me, and I suspect it wouldn't suit you either, as long as you can get constructive feedback in a positive atmosphere.
And, again in my experience, even people who say they won't read stuff out, often will do so willingly once they've got to know a few people, especially when there is a low turn-out some weeks. And sometimes they get someone else to read for them.
The really crucial thing, though, is who the other members are.
So I think you should pluck up the courage to go to black_faerie's nano group, and give it a go. You don't have to sign a one year contract or anything!
I'd like to come along myself, at least once, just to see if I fit in... and to get some new reactions to my writing. I confess that I now mainly go to Nightwriters for the social aspect ("I'm only here for the beer") as I tend to keep getting the same kind of comments on what I write. Which probably means my writing isn't improving as I'd like :-(
But I can live with that. :-)
Chro.
----------"I never promised anybody a good time. I'm an artist, not a philanthropist." -- God.
44,001 / 50,000
Nov 14, 2009 - 11 25
Well, I will be happy to read stuff out for people. I tend to be really loud around groups of people I don't know that well - I guess I overcompensate...
----------2006 - Dance of the White Smoke: 51,191 words
2007 - The Wyching Hour: 50,100 words
2008 - Lost In Thought: 35,504 words
2009 - Queueing For Purgatory: ?
The Tsp as in teaspoon.
33,229 / 50,000
Nov 14, 2009 - 11 38
I can't think of anyone else like that at all.
*whistles inconspicuously*
------------------
This was unlike the story
it was written to be
I was riding its back
when it used to ride me
- Joanna Newsom - Peach, Plum, Pear