Many of you had lots to say on the subject of writing groups and how to find readers in response to my founding rule number one: every writer needs readers.
This month we’ll focus on rule number two, which many of you have already hinted at: establish the writing group’s goals.
For me in Qatar, when I was setting up the Doha Writers’ Workshop, the aim was fairly simple: create a sustainable community to help me stay motivated toward my writing goals. Over the years I’ve attended many residences and one-day retreats, and in so doing I’ve had a chance to observe a variety of approaches.
The main ingredients are simple and may sound similiar to the conduct at primary school: respect everyone and their work equally.
If this is the founding tenet, then the one number complaint people have about workshops can be avoided: that their group so lambasted their piece, they will never put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) again.
The other basic principles spread outwards like a web from the agreement of mutual respect:
- people will be sure to first mention the strengths of the manuscript under discussion
- submitted material will not necessarily be assumed as autobiographical
- writers will adhere to submission deadlines to give readers enough time
From this base, your group will have to decide what it really wants. Is it focused on a particular genre: fiction, non-fiction, poetry? Will people submit only certain page limits or entire manuscripts?
This can depend on who is starting the group as well. If it is a publishing professional, agent or editor, then he/she may set the rules, ask for applications and charge a fee. If, as in the case of my writers’ workshop, the goals are more community development oriented, then consensus might be appropriate.
The key is to establish the core values and procedures in the first few months of meeting so that as the group's membership rotates, those who stay can help communicate them to joiners.
Best wishes,
(Reading & Writing Development Director)
Dear Madam,
In many books, on the first page, below the words 'All rights reserved' there is a number lising, such as typed below:
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3
What does the above number listing mean? What is the purpose of it appearing in the first page of the book?
Since, I am a bibliophile and am curious to know its purpose, I would be thankful, if you or any of your readers could kindly clarify it to me.
In fact, I have taken the above typed numbers, from the first page of Mr. Suketu Mehta's book ' Maximum City - Bombay lost and found' published by Penguin - Viking - Hardback edition -, just to provide an example.
Thanks and best regards,
G. Venkatesh.
Writing groups are so useful, especially for debut authors. I'm no thinking of the Richard and Judy show groups, but actually just local library groups and associations, can bring valuable contact with new readers.
Jacobite-rogers
(book editor)