I read this idea on another board and thought it might be kinda cool here

[KillerMuffin]

They do smut stories there, sorta. In a wildly fucked up way.

Anyway, the authors have like a cyber writer's group and one of the things they do there is post a weekly or was it daily? topic for people to participate in. They write a short piece, no more than a word processor page, and post it. Then everyone jumps in gives critiques on everyone elses writing. How to improve it, what errors are consistently made, how to tighten up the writing, that sort of thing. Practice makes perfect.

Anyway, what do we think here?

 

[Laurel]

I like it. It's a great idea.

 

[JUDO]

Writers?

L & KM -

Can you see this as being a "Writer's only" kind of group. Where you sign-up to participate?

In this way, you might get a tight, dedicated group.

Thoughts?

- Judo

 

[KillerMuffin]

Before we'd get into actually doing it, I wouldn't limit participation to anyone, but I would limit critiquers to those who actually write something and I would limit writers to those who actually critique. It would have to be full participation from everyone involved or the whole thing would fall apart. Not links to stories either. It would be like the lit writer's group.

There would have to be interest in it, of course. Logistically, I see something like a biweekly topic that has to do with sex, of course, but not too limiting, where people would have a week to write something SHORT to post, even unfinished is fine, and a week to critique at least one of the writings, or offer discussion about it. They've got cyber writer's groups all over the place.

How it would work here, I dunno, but I think the boards would be fine. Perhaps I should find some links to see how others do it...

 

[JUDO]

I agree

I think we're of the same mind. You have to critique (participate) to belong and you have to be a writer and submit something to critique.

I like the idea of a Lit Writer's Group. But then there's the problem of TOO large of a group. Then it becomes difficult to respond to everyone, every week.

I think any writer's group size needs to be limited. That's not to say that there can't be more than one.

- Judo

 

[SteamyChik]

KillerMuffin, you have great suggestions! I love the idea of a writer's group. I think 1 or 2 a month would be best. Once a week might be hard to do!

It could work similar to the Story Discussion Circle. At the beginning of the time period, a topic is suggested. Everyone has "x" number of days to post their write-up for critique. As soon as they are posted then comments can start coming in. After the cut-off date, the last remaining days are devoted to comments, suggestions and reviews before it begins again.

I think giving a deadline will limit the number of posts for critique each time. I'm not sure about how to limit the comments though. I wouldn't mind feedback from anyone, whether they posted a write-up or not. I think the main concern will be to limit the number of write-ups to keep there from being to many to review.

Judo - I like your idea of having more than one group if it gets to big too. If you wanted to post a write-up for critique and saw that one group had a lot of entries already, maybe there could be another group to go too. Good idea!

Either way, great idea, I hope one is started!

 

[Guest]

All for it......

I'm all for something along those lines.

I have ALOT of improvement to do myself, and seeing it first hand by people who are willing to "help" and not just sending back rude feedback would be a refreshing experience to say the least.


I'm hoping this would be open to posted writers, perhaps minimum qualifications being three stories posted at least to show they are willing and interested in participating!


At any rate...count me in!

To sleep......perchance to dream - William Shakespear

 

[Samuari]

as usall

KM's come up with a winner. I would like to particapate, but it is allways difficult to carve time out of my other commitments to make it work.

One potinual problem though, is that there are some subjescts that I am not confortable with at all, like incest, and scat. I don't want to let anybody down.

 

[RisiaSkye]

Count me in

I'm in...but I agree with SC that every other week is about all that I can get to, and still be meeting deadlines.

I finally got a (semi-lame) avatar. Yay me!
Now if I can just resize the one I really want to use, I'll look just like someone who knows what they're doing. What a novel concept.

 

[Alex De Kok]

I'd like to try this too. I suspect that having to compress my wordy meanderings into a "single word processor page" (KM's definition) would be good for me, but can I change the font size to make it fit?

Like Sam, I'm uncomfortable with some subject areas. I think however that I'd give it a go, if it's only one page. I won't know until I try.

Alex

 

[Mickie]

Great Idea!

First, though, what kinds of subjects would we be picking? How would we pick? And, most important, where do I sign up?

My suggestion, if the group got too large, is merely to split it into more than a single group. If we did this at two week intervals, then a second group could take the other two weeks. (I hope that makes sense. I'm a little befuddled today when it comes to phrasing)

Mickie

 

[JUDO]

Structure

How about this?

Each Writer's Group would consist of no more than eight writers. The goal, of course, would be to improve our writing.

There are several ways this can be structured.

I believe that a continuing series of assignments with no overall structure might get a little tedious after a time and that the group might fizzle. So, I like the idea of sturctured sessions that are announced ahead of time and writers can sign-up for the ones they are interested in.

Here's one (New Story):

The Group is structured in four-week sessions. The goal of each session is to produce a new story. Each week assignments would allow the other members to participate in the writer's work. Work limited to four pages of whatever kind of material (not necessarily story) per week for review.

Week One: What is your story, who are they characters and what do they want? You choose your story and your characters and present them to the group for feedback.

Week Two: The setup

Week Three: The characters don't get what they want, things get in the way.

Week Four: Everything resolves

Each week there is a deadline for submitting new material (six days after the previous meeting).

And feedback, however miniscule or lengthy, is required to be completed within two days of submission.

So, a schedule might look like this:

Week one: Meeting1-2-3-4-5-submit1-7
Week two: Meeting2-Feedback1-3-4-5-submit2-7
Week three: Meeting3-Feedback2-3-4-5-submit3-7
Week four: Meeting4-Feedback3-3-4-5-submit4-7-
feedback4

Each writer would post to their thread their ideas for their story in week one and whatever background material or character bios they think is necessary. They would get feedback and start writing 'The setup' for the following week.

In this way, in a month's time, each author gets a lot of feedback on a new story and completes a new story of their choosing, but with lots of suggs for improving their characters, plot and dialog by others.

-----------
A second structure might be (Weekly Shorts):

Weekly assignments covering different kinds of stories for four weeks.

Week One: The Quest

Week Two: The Mystery

Week Three: The Tragedy

Week Four: The Comedy

Each author is able to choose character and story, but with a basic common plot which would be the point of discussion and feedback. Week one, each author submits their story for feedback and suggestions for it's success.

Again, group limited to 8 writers. No more than 4 pages of material per week. Each week, a new short story is submitted for review in much the same way as descibed above.

----------------

How to Submit and Feedback

I think a thread for each author's work would be the best way to submit and receive feedback. Everyone would see everyone else's comments and be inspired off those observations as well as their own. Almost like an open chat.

-----------------
???
So, if this can go, how do we get Laurel to setup a Writers Group thread where each author can post their stuff?

Also, getting a little ahead of myself...if you like the idea of the structured sessions above, then we would have to post a description of it and schedule.

And, finally, if someone has to miss a session, no big deal. There's plenty to go around and they can always try to make it up later, if they want.

So, what do you think?


- Judo

 

[Mickie]

Mini-classes

Judo, have you been kissed today? You have the best organizational skills. I agree completely.

Why not just set one up here, on the author's board? An introduction thread that sets up the situation, and then another thread for each person-- IE: Mickie, Writer's Group. Or, we can do an email version, and just have a sign up on the boards.

Mickie

 

[KillerMuffin]

That sounds wonderful to me Judo! Though the numbers confused me a bunch and I was thinking a smaller core group with a few swings so that people could switch groups because not everyone is going to fit in the original group they signed up with. I do think that it needs to be structured so that once a week visits without tons of writing would be the maximum required. It worked well in my Society of the Dare thread to do the biweekly basis, but it was a one to one sort of thing, not a one to much. I like Judo's bit. I wasn't thinking full story, because for some of us that's hard to do in a single month, I was thinking just snatches of stories to be critiqued, so the goal would be to write a maximum of one page and get a critique, rather than write a story under public scruntiny. I'm not sure which would be better. What I do know is that I wouldn't want the group to be more trouble than help for writers who might otherwise benefit, too topically structured for writers who have a niche and prefer to stay there vs. writers who prefer not to write there, or be too difficult to wade through by sheer volume of written word.

The way I was thinking was that a statement or picture could be presented and the individual would write whatever was appropriate to them, one statement or picture could be interpreted many different ways. I wouldn't want to limit creativity by slapping a category on it. Obviously things that were too category specific wouldn't be good opening topics.

I was toodling through the SRP a while ago and I saw a thread done by a buddy of mine, Angie, who did a take off of my Society of the Dare thread. She put a picture up and everyone wrote a story.

We could do that here, take a pic from like Manu's world, if there were pics of more than just chicks floating around there, or something, paste it here, and everyone would write on it.

Though I do think it should be limited to one word processor page, no matter what, because otherwise some of our more prolific write- okay ME, would plunk down a novella to critique. We're not talking a one word processor page story, the story could be 100 pages long, just a peice of it, complete or not, preferably not, so that we have just a snatch of the characters. It makes an author less dependent on "back story" to define characters and more dependent on the the character's words and actions to define them. But that's my take.

I think we could start here, no problems. This has been a disjointed message from KM who sincerely hopes that she has been understood partially at the least.

We already have:

Me
JUDO
Mickie
SteamyChik
Samauri
Alex de Kok
Risia Skye
and TheSandman4U

I think that makes a nice group.

So, my delineated idea:

Week 1: Thesis statement or picture broad enough to allow for creativity and not tie anyone down to a category. Everyone could write, but four people will post, if we do the eight thing.

Week 2: Discussion, not just critique, begins.

Week 3: Thesis statement or picture broad enough to allow for creativity and not tie anyone down to a category. Everyone could write, but the other four people will post, if we do the eight thing. Discussion and critique continues on old thread until the new posts come in on the new thread.

Week 4: Discussion, not just critique, begins.

Or is this too simplistic and wouldn't accomplish goals? I think the goal or objective of each writer's group should be published so that it's clearly defined. eg a character development group, a plot development group, a poetry group, a category specific group, a mechanics groups, or something. Like "The goal in this group is to further the abilities of the writers to develop a character with personality and three dimensions." Or "The goal in this group is to further the abilities of a the writers to make believable things happen during unbelievable circumstances." Oh heck, I don't know. I forgot what my point was.

And on.

 

[Guest]

Now I'm confused

It happens a lot these days, but It looks to me like we are taking a simple concept, and turning it into a major production.

This may work best as a seperate board

Post a subject.

One page due 7 days later as the first post on a seperate thread, discusion about each page limited to that page's thread.

Sometime later (2 weeks, a month?) post another subject.

 

[Guest]

Re: Now I'm confused

It happens a lot these days, but It looks to me like we are taking a simple concept, and turning it into a major production.

This may work best as a seperate board

Post a subject.

One page due 7 days later as the first post on a seperate thread, discusion about each page limited to that page's thread.

Sometime later (2 weeks, a month?) post another subject.

That was mine and I know that I logged in. what is the deal?

 

[Alex De Kok]

My vote falls somewhere in between KM's meandering and Sam's response.

I like the idea of being restricted to (about) a single word-processor page and trying to convey the theme-or-concept-of-the-week-(or longer)-as-interpreted-by-me. I like Judo's ideas, but I don't want to be committed to a whole story. I'm finding it difficult to write anything at the moment. Talk about a dry period!

On the topic of 'single word-processor page' perhaps a maximum word count, otherwise I might be tempted to use WordPerfect's 'make-it-fit' option to make it fit a single page. Four-point text is so hard to read!

Alex

 

[Charly]

Laidback Eight

I wasn't thinking full story, because for some of us that's hard to do in a single month, I was thinking just snatches of stories to be critiqued, so the goal would be to write a maximum of one page and get a critique, rather than write a story under public scruntiny.

And on.

Sounds like you have this one pretty well organized, so I will start a second string and see if anyone wants to do it on a more laid back, one page and critique basis.

Nice concept. Thanks.

 

[JUDO]

Groupo Muffin

Probably not the "correct" Italian, but it has a nice ring to it. No?

KM, the write one page per week and get feedback idea has always been a good one, but like any story, I like the experience to have a beginning, middle and end.

So, how can we put a beginning, middle and end on it? That's what I was suggesting above.

I also like the idea of as Mickie labeled them "Mini Classes" where either an incomplete or finished product results.

Some people have difficulty "writing anything" and perhaps a class could be put together to help with that.

I think our confusion in the thread is resulting from a lot of good ideas being put forth with little consensus so far.

Perhaps if we get started with something-anything, we could graduate to other ideas.

-------------------

How about this?

We start our group with one class of eight that does exactly what KM suggests above:

Eight Authors for four Weeks:
One topic/picture per week. One page per week posted, feedback to follow.

Let's try this with the eight authors listed above for one month. In doing so, we will figure a lot of things out that will influence what may follow.

And I vote for KM to start the proceedings with the first topic/picture posted in a new thread next Monday.

Consensus?

-------------------------------------------------


- Judo

 

[KillerMuffin]

Sounds good to me. I'll find a picture to start with, I think, and put it up for the groups approval, if that's okay with everyone prior. Now are we talking Monday as in tomorrow or Monday as in next week? Next monday is tomorrow.

 

[JUDO]

No, the other Monday!

KM -

Let's do this. Not tomorrow, the following Monday, August 13th. You can spend this week finding the picture and we can spend the week discussing, refining our ideas about interaction, etc.

Okay? Sound good? I can hardly wait to get started. Yum!


- Judo

 

[Samuari]

It still seems to me that we are taking a simple idea, and making it more complicated and harder than it has to be.

Somebody tell me what you want me to do, perferably in short sentences with words of one sylable

 

[KillerMuffin]

Very simple.

8-13-01 I post a picture of what will amount to two people in an interesting pose, if I can find one.

Everyone who finds the picture intriguing enough to write about, does. Everyone who likes, posts no more than one word processor page (not wordpad or notepad) of no smaller than 10 point times new roman type, just for us who like the large amounts of type. We're not doing a story, just a writing sample. It can be as short as two sentences or as long as one word processor page of no smaller than 10 point times new roman type.

On a new thread, as soon as the first post has been made, comments are put forth. Discussion (not just critiquing hopefully) will end on Sunday the 26th.

Gee, Sam, that's great, but I don't understand why Puddles is under the table... etc. etc. ad infinatum.

Everyone who wants to post a writing sample has a week to do so and a full extra week of discussion. The aim is to improve one's writing, not to say Wow KM you are SUCH a great writer, keep it up! That's not much help except in the overinflated ego department. As far as egos go, if you feel you must type a fiery response to someone regarding a critique they made of your writing, do it longhand and snail mail it. You won't regret it.

After the initial trial run, we'll see if this bad boy works and how it needs to be tweaked and tuned to satisfy the writers. No one has to post a response to the pic, but it would suck if no one did, and while no one has to post on the discussion, then there is no point if only one or two contributed.

Is this agreeable to the group?

 

[Guest]

I'm in.........

I'm in KM.......

But, I will be off on vacation a week. So I'll join in or catch up after I get back.

But please...don't count Thesandman out k?

 

[Samuari]

Thanks, now that, I understand. Except about Pudds being under the table... Oh well some things are ment to be mysteries.

This I can do. I'm in.