Hi, am about to start a writers group in my home town. Any suggestions on guidelines for the group? Want to ensure it is fair, fun and everyone gets something out of it. Are any of you members of actual group and what works best?
Hi, am about to start a writers group in my home town. Any suggestions on guidelines for the group? Want to ensure it is fair, fun and everyone gets something out of it. Are any of you members of actual group and what works best?
Wow Dave,
That's really helpful, some great tips there. I'm going to print this all out. I like the idea of getting them to sign in etc that really makes a lot of sense and the competition etc. I am really looking forward to starting it, we are in Yorkshire, Ilkley btw.
Thanks folks. That's great advice Paul. Yes the reason I'm starting it is cos I'm so bad without a deadline but I figure if I have a target to meet every month with people expecting to hear something new..... (that's the theory anyway!). Good point about the competitions too, I will print off some bits and pieces for members - by the sounds of things it's going to be quite popular. Rosa, I look forward to hearing from you :)
Hi Rosie,
I'm in two writer's circles (Basildon and Hornchurch, both in Essex in the UK - sorry, not sure from whence you hail) and they are both different.
If I may, I would suggest that you:
1. Think of three totally unrelated words and ask the members to write a short story, say of 1.5K words, that uses the three words in some sort of way. This gives people something to aim at for the next meeting and encourages writing. Maybe you could include a random picture sucked from the depths of the Internet and ask for it to be woven in to the three words? It helps by encouraging creativity.
2. If they have something already written let them know they can read it out, to about a 2K word limit, so that everyone who turns up gets a chance to read something out. There's nothing wrong with setting a limit because not getting a chance to read your work out is a crime of the highest order. Of course, be flexible if time allows.
3. When they turn up get them to sign in and write down if they have something to read (their name, what it is, length) so that you can refer to the list and pull out who's going next. Of course, you can do a round-robin, one after the other in order of where they are sitting, but it's nice to know in advance who has and who hasn't got anything to read out.
4. Write down a few notes about what was read out and by whom and use that to make up a news letter thing (you can also include the three words thing). Writers just love to see their name in print along with a a brief description f what they wrote (be nice, say good things, etc). You could even get someone to do that for you. That makes them involved and gets them there each meeting.
5. Encourage the group to comment on a story. Peer review is so useful.
6. Watch out for the group breaking down into clumps of people chatting. Remember, for some this will be a social event more than anything else, and they will love a good natter. Don't let them waste valuable reading-out time.
7. Dig out competitions, encourage the group to enter. Celebrate rejections for anything submitted that gets nowhere because even the greatest of authors got rejected at one time or another.
8. Hold a mini club competition for the best story - you could even award a packet of Jaffa Cakes as the prize (okay, when the clubs gets some funds you can even give out a small cup that they keep for a year).
9. Make sure you cover the costs of the group by charging a nominal fee (only small, a couple of notes max).
Does this help?
Best regards,
Dave.