Writing Tales, Triumphs, and Tribulations: Writer's Group Update

November 03, 2004

Writer's Group Update

I am sitting at Tryst now, having just had my latest writing group meeting. We are down to two in the group -- three have had babies in the last few months and are on sabbatical, two have self-selected themselves away -- and so it's just me and Christy dilligently meeting.

Which turns out to be just fine actually. I'm a firm believer in self-selection. The people who are there are the people who should be there. Christy and I are in deep need of a kick start, and so have been meeting every week for the last few weeks and trying to keep ourselves beholden to our internal deadlines. We'll switch back to an every other week schedule soon probably, and we'll also invite a few more people to join us when and where we find them. In the meantime, it's been a nice way to keep motivated.

So, for all to see, I pronounce here what I've promised to give her by this coming Monday:
1 call an editor at Discover to follow up on a query I sent on Monday
2 write the paragraph query I promised Ride so I can invoice them
3 write a first draft of the query I sent to Discover in a kid-friendly format for a kid-friendly magazine
4 spend at least three hours writing on the fiction book
5 pick three lecture topics on Einstein that I can start preparing

I've already done the last one, and am half way through the second one . . .

Posted by karenceliafox at November 3, 2004 12:33 PM

Comments

Glad to hear things are moving along, I decided to start a blog and publish my poetry online. Things have been pretty busy for me as well. It's a shame that more people don't take advantage of the writing group. I think that language and writing are a dying artform. Today it seems much easier to turn on the television then to pick up a good book to read. We are a visual lot aren't we? I'm finding the if our senses can be conquered then our common sense can be reasoned with easily.Language and communication are crucial for our species to survive but it is also what we tend to take for granted the most. I have been patiently witing for the next post but I realize that life has different ideas on our time sometimes. Well, take care and it sounds like you have a good view of the hill and not what's on top of it.

Merrill

Posted by: Merrill Butterman at November 3, 2004 09:29 PM

Where's your blog?? I'd love to see it. . .

Posted by: Karen at November 4, 2004 04:31 PM

Of course, my thought are for everyone and I would love your critque of it. I think to hone your craft you must be willing to see how your compositions bounce off another person. It would be an honor. here is the addy and enjoy

http://mymightywingsunfolded.blogspot.com/

Tell em Merrill sent you and you won't have to pay the usual admission LOL

Merrill

P.S www.poetry.com has a selection of my poetry, just search my name and enjoy. It's all still in it's infancy but I have high expectations for it.

Posted by: Merrill Butterman at November 5, 2004 01:38 AM

I definitely need to connect with other writers who understand what it means to write PROFESSIONALLY, as such a group would likely keep me honest in my work.

I sometimes have a tendency to dither a bit when left to my own devices, though I'm also fully capable of doing the work when deadlines threaten. Knowing I'd have to face a group and say, "Uh, I kind of didn't do anything this week," would definitely light a fire under my keister on my occasional forays into laziness/irresponsibility. You're quite lucky in that respect.

Posted by: James at November 15, 2004 08:52 AM

Since this is one of those days when I have to face my writing group and say: "yup, didn't do a darn thing this week!" I am not feeling quite as lucky!

But it is a really good test -- if you have two weeks in a row like that, then you know you've got to do something to jump start your work. . .

Posted by: Karen at November 15, 2004 10:20 AM



My newest book will be out in July. Preorder it now -- just click on it, go to Amazon, and help me earn royalties! And you can still buy my last book, The Big Bang Theory. Powered by Movable Type 2.661			« Invoices! \| Main \| The Great Huge Sucking Sound » November 03, 2004 Writer's Group Update I am sitting at Tryst now, having just had my latest writing group meeting. We are down to two in the group -- three have had babies in the last few months and are on sabbatical, two have self-selected themselves away -- and so it's just me and Christy dilligently meeting. Which turns out to be just fine actually. I'm a firm believer in self-selection. The people who are there are the people who should be there. Christy and I are in deep need of a kick start, and so have been meeting every week for the last few weeks and trying to keep ourselves beholden to our internal deadlines. We'll switch back to an every other week schedule soon probably, and we'll also invite a few more people to join us when and where we find them. In the meantime, it's been a nice way to keep motivated. So, for all to see, I pronounce here what I've promised to give her by this coming Monday: 1 call an editor at Discover to follow up on a query I sent on Monday 2 write the paragraph query I promised Ride so I can invoice them 3 write a first draft of the query I sent to Discover in a kid-friendly format for a kid-friendly magazine 4 spend at least three hours writing on the fiction book 5 pick three lecture topics on Einstein that I can start preparing I've already done the last one, and am half way through the second one . . . Posted by karenceliafox at November 3, 2004 12:33 PM Comments Glad to hear things are moving along, I decided to start a blog and publish my poetry online. Things have been pretty busy for me as well. It's a shame that more people don't take advantage of the writing group. I think that language and writing are a dying artform. Today it seems much easier to turn on the television then to pick up a good book to read. We are a visual lot aren't we? I'm finding the if our senses can be conquered then our common sense can be reasoned with easily.Language and communication are crucial for our species to survive but it is also what we tend to take for granted the most. I have been patiently witing for the next post but I realize that life has different ideas on our time sometimes. Well, take care and it sounds like you have a good view of the hill and not what's on top of it. Merrill Posted by: Merrill Butterman at November 3, 2004 09:29 PM Where's your blog?? I'd love to see it. . . Posted by: Karen at November 4, 2004 04:31 PM Of course, my thought are for everyone and I would love your critque of it. I think to hone your craft you must be willing to see how your compositions bounce off another person. It would be an honor. here is the addy and enjoy http://mymightywingsunfolded.blogspot.com/ Tell em Merrill sent you and you won't have to pay the usual admission LOL Merrill P.S www.poetry.com has a selection of my poetry, just search my name and enjoy. It's all still in it's infancy but I have high expectations for it. Posted by: Merrill Butterman at November 5, 2004 01:38 AM I definitely need to connect with other writers who understand what it means to write PROFESSIONALLY, as such a group would likely keep me honest in my work. I sometimes have a tendency to dither a bit when left to my own devices, though I'm also fully capable of doing the work when deadlines threaten. Knowing I'd have to face a group and say, "Uh, I kind of didn't do anything this week," would definitely light a fire under my keister on my occasional forays into laziness/irresponsibility. You're quite lucky in that respect. Posted by: James at November 15, 2004 08:52 AM Since this is one of those days when I have to face my writing group and say: "yup, didn't do a darn thing this week!" I am not feeling quite as lucky! But it is a really good test -- if you have two weeks in a row like that, then you know you've got to do something to jump start your work. . . Posted by: Karen at November 15, 2004 10:20 AM The story of a girl trying to write some fiction. Recent Entries Einstein's Birthday Talk Good Editors Crazed Life Back in the Saddle E-mail Access! Japan. . . Writing What You Know Rewrites Writing Conflict Kyoto! Categories Book Writing Business of Writing Craft of Writing Day-to-Day Freelancing Magazine Writing When I'm Being Lame Writing Group Archives March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 October 2003 September 2003 Search Search this site: