River Writers
Last summer I was invited to join a local writing group -- River Writers. I was a bit nervous at first -- after all I didn't know anyone -- but the other writers were so welcoming, that the feeling of being an outsider soon vanished. We meet every other Thursday to critique each other's work and share our writing news. We chat about books we're reading and writing websites worth visiting. We pick each other's brains and discuss writing bones of contention, as well as opportunities.
Getting together every two weeks means you have to have a piece of writing ready for critiquing a week before the meeting. Currently that's not a problem for me, because I have a finished manuscript, so I just submit a couple of chapters when Submission Wednesday rolls around. But for some of the others, those looming deadlines mean nose-to-the-grindstone writing. That's not always easy since most of the members have full-time jobs other than writing. But somehow they manage.
AND they're successful. In the short time that I've been a member of the group, various members have been shortlisted in writing competitions, had articles and short stories published, and have had publishers request full manuscripts of novels they've submitted.
I look forward to our River Writer meetings -- even if I do put off reading the submissions until the last minute. In a way, that's a good thing. It means everyone's work is fresh in my mind. (That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. Besides, the others in the group seem to suffer from the procrastination bug too.) Nevertheless, we all come prepared, and using the critiqued submissions as a starting point, we discuss everyone's work -- praising strengths and offering suggestions for sticky spots. The sessions are amazingly positive and productive.
Each writer has her own style and genre, and it benefits us all to step out of our own comfort zones. There are lots of laughs -- and herbal tea -- and I always come away with food for thought.
I feel very lucky to be part of such a supportive group.