Comments on: The Group Scene: Book Writers, Workshops, and Weirdness http://www.quietrebelwriter.com/2008/04/09/the-group-scene-book-writers-workshops-and-weirdness/ Writing and Creative Success Through Righteous, Rockin' Rebellion Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:08:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Alberto Lung http://www.quietrebelwriter.com/2008/04/09/the-group-scene-book-writers-workshops-and-weirdness/#comment-223 Alberto Lung Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:33:54 +0000 http://www.quietrebelwriter.com/2008/04/09/the-group-scene-book-writers-workshops-and-weirdness/#comment-223 nice psot... i´m looking for fwllow wirter here in brazil to start awriting group... but i have find it really hard to do... we dont have criglist hehehe nice psot… i´m looking for fwllow wirter here in brazil to start awriting group… but i have find it really hard to do…

we dont have criglist hehehe

]]> By: Sherree Geyer http://www.quietrebelwriter.com/2008/04/09/the-group-scene-book-writers-workshops-and-weirdness/#comment-224 Sherree Geyer Thu, 10 Apr 2008 03:07:00 +0000 http://www.quietrebelwriter.com/2008/04/09/the-group-scene-book-writers-workshops-and-weirdness/#comment-224 I tip my hat to you Amy. I can't imagine subjecting my writing to workshop critism. Geez, I used to cringe when my grade school teacher put my compositions on the overhead projector for critism and she covered my name! I guess the moral of the story is you get what you pay for. You bit the bullet price wise, but the investment in valid critism, I'm sure, will pay dividends down the road in terms of multiple book deals. And, best of all, no psychologically imbalanced workshop leaders to put up with! The Iowa Writer's Workshop is pretty prestigious. I think John Irving is an alum of that program. I have a friend who attended it as well. Thanks for taking my suggestion, Amy. I look forward to your next post. I tip my hat to you Amy. I can’t imagine subjecting my writing to workshop critism. Geez, I used to cringe when my grade school teacher put my compositions on the overhead projector for critism and she covered my name! I guess the moral of the story is you get what you pay for. You bit the bullet price wise, but the investment in valid critism, I’m sure, will pay dividends down the road in terms of multiple book deals. And, best of all, no psychologically imbalanced workshop leaders to put up with! The Iowa Writer’s Workshop is pretty prestigious. I think John Irving is an alum of that program. I have a friend who attended it as well. Thanks for taking my suggestion, Amy. I look forward to your next post.

]]> By: Amy http://www.quietrebelwriter.com/2008/04/09/the-group-scene-book-writers-workshops-and-weirdness/#comment-225 Amy Thu, 10 Apr 2008 03:46:44 +0000 http://www.quietrebelwriter.com/2008/04/09/the-group-scene-book-writers-workshops-and-weirdness/#comment-225 @Alberto - I think in most regions and countries it's always difficult to find someone you connect with and trust enough with your work. That's probably some of the reason I was so weirded out with my experience. @Sherree - flashback. I remember my teachers doing that too! You're right - I think my investment in the summer program was well worth it. I went to Iowa as an undergrad, so it was even more worth it - a trip back to my campus. And yes - the Iowa Writer's Workshop is beyond prestigious. I never attended classes there as a undergrad or grad - extremely hard to get into. What's nice is that they take that prestige and expertise and offer a summer program available to anyone serious about their work. Thank YOU for the suggestion, and hope you like tomorrow's post. @Alberto - I think in most regions and countries it’s always difficult to find someone you connect with and trust enough with your work. That’s probably some of the reason I was so weirded out with my experience.

@Sherree - flashback. I remember my teachers doing that too! You’re right - I think my investment in the summer program was well worth it. I went to Iowa as an undergrad, so it was even more worth it - a trip back to my campus. And yes - the Iowa Writer’s Workshop is beyond prestigious. I never attended classes there as a undergrad or grad - extremely hard to get into. What’s nice is that they take that prestige and expertise and offer a summer program available to anyone serious about their work.

Thank YOU for the suggestion, and hope you like tomorrow’s post.

]]> By: 2ThePoint http://www.quietrebelwriter.com/2008/04/09/the-group-scene-book-writers-workshops-and-weirdness/#comment-226 2ThePoint Thu, 10 Apr 2008 12:01:36 +0000 http://www.quietrebelwriter.com/2008/04/09/the-group-scene-book-writers-workshops-and-weirdness/#comment-226 Writing groups aren't for me. I tried it a few times and it put me off - the politics, the collective (cy-borg) thinking, ugh - not me. Not saying some writing groups aren't great, some of them are probably fantastic, but they're not for me. take care, Amy :-) Writing groups aren’t for me. I tried it a few times and it put me off - the politics, the collective (cy-borg) thinking, ugh - not me. Not saying some writing groups aren’t great, some of them are probably fantastic, but they’re not for me.

take care, Amy :-)

]]> By: Amy http://www.quietrebelwriter.com/2008/04/09/the-group-scene-book-writers-workshops-and-weirdness/#comment-227 Amy Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:15:29 +0000 http://www.quietrebelwriter.com/2008/04/09/the-group-scene-book-writers-workshops-and-weirdness/#comment-227 @2ThePoint - I completely agree on the politics and collectivism. There's a underlying feeling of watching your back when you're in the group. I liken it to my foolhardy and failed sorority experience in college - sisterhood is a nice concept, and given a lot of lip service, but far from the reality of catty backstabbing behavior. @2ThePoint - I completely agree on the politics and collectivism. There’s a underlying feeling of watching your back when you’re in the group. I liken it to my foolhardy and failed sorority experience in college - sisterhood is a nice concept, and given a lot of lip service, but far from the reality of catty backstabbing behavior.

]]> By: DebMc http://www.quietrebelwriter.com/2008/04/09/the-group-scene-book-writers-workshops-and-weirdness/#comment-231 DebMc Thu, 10 Apr 2008 23:39:32 +0000 http://www.quietrebelwriter.com/2008/04/09/the-group-scene-book-writers-workshops-and-weirdness/#comment-231 I've been fortunate. I found a serious, but encouraging local writers' group. They are professional with many published credits, plus a few self-published, and a good number of publishing virgins. The expertise of the group ranges from poetry to magazines to children's books to novels of all sorts. Meeting every week is a definite plus. I went to the group with a few magazine credits under my belt. Quickly, I learned that I knew next to nothing about writing fiction. Over the past five years, I've grown tremendously as a writer, but also as a critiquer. It is a skill to master the art of finding the good as well as the awful in someone's work. Many people, even though they know we are a read and critique group, expect us all to swoon with pleasure after hearing them read. Most of the time, we don't. lol If a newbie sticks it out, they can and will grow....as long as they listen and learn to RE-WRITE. A hard lesson. Critique groups can be worthwhile if you find the right mix. Too many groups are vicious or too 'fluffy'. I want professionalism with a healthy dose of encouragement to follow the dream. I’ve been fortunate. I found a serious, but encouraging local writers’ group. They are professional with many published credits, plus a few self-published, and a good number of publishing virgins. The expertise of the group ranges from poetry to magazines to children’s books to novels of all sorts. Meeting every week is a definite plus.

I went to the group with a few magazine credits under my belt. Quickly, I learned that I knew next to nothing about writing fiction. Over the past five years, I’ve grown tremendously as a writer, but also as a critiquer. It is a skill to master the art of finding the good as well as the awful in someone’s work.

Many people, even though they know we are a read and critique group, expect us all to swoon with pleasure after hearing them read. Most of the time, we don’t. lol If a newbie sticks it out, they can and will grow….as long as they listen and learn to RE-WRITE. A hard lesson.

Critique groups can be worthwhile if you find the right mix. Too many groups are vicious or too ‘fluffy’. I want professionalism with a healthy dose of encouragement to follow the dream.

]]> By: Justin http://www.quietrebelwriter.com/2008/04/09/the-group-scene-book-writers-workshops-and-weirdness/#comment-238 Justin Fri, 11 Apr 2008 01:50:28 +0000 http://www.quietrebelwriter.com/2008/04/09/the-group-scene-book-writers-workshops-and-weirdness/#comment-238 I'm finishing up my undergrad in just a few weeks and I'm already scouring Craigslist for local groups. I'm also trying to keep email contacts for a handful of my workshop classmates; my Web2.0 ass is hoping we can maybe do AIM/chat workshops or something to that effect. I’m finishing up my undergrad in just a few weeks and I’m already scouring Craigslist for local groups. I’m also trying to keep email contacts for a handful of my workshop classmates; my Web2.0 ass is hoping we can maybe do AIM/chat workshops or something to that effect.

]]> By: Amy http://www.quietrebelwriter.com/2008/04/09/the-group-scene-book-writers-workshops-and-weirdness/#comment-261 Amy Fri, 11 Apr 2008 03:56:40 +0000 http://www.quietrebelwriter.com/2008/04/09/the-group-scene-book-writers-workshops-and-weirdness/#comment-261 @DebMC - terrific points. Sounds like you've hit upon the holy grail of writing groups, but you had to be open to learning and growing. Plus - meeting every week is a significant committment, one that means all of you are serious about it, and the results will benefit. So they are out there!! @Justin - keeping the gang together online sounds like a great way to transition from the school environment to the outside. Good luck with that. And awesome post on fragmentation at NeverSleep. @DebMC - terrific points. Sounds like you’ve hit upon the holy grail of writing groups, but you had to be open to learning and growing. Plus - meeting every week is a significant committment, one that means all of you are serious about it, and the results will benefit. So they are out there!!

@Justin - keeping the gang together online sounds like a great way to transition from the school environment to the outside. Good luck with that. And awesome post on fragmentation at NeverSleep.

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