Maybe I was too old or maybe I shouldn't have changed to long trousers, but I seem to have been dismissed from the Children's Writers' Group. I only found out when I uploaded a piece from the Young Adult book I'm working on and it didn't appear there. If anyone would like to read it - 'Serpent Song' - I think you can access it through the lists under Writers' Archive; all comments welcome.

Terry

Hi Terry, Sorry to hear you got kicked out. I'm a new (trial) member and I'm writing a book for young adults too. I don't know which group to join...the childrens group was full and I couldn't see any others that might be suitable.

Is it possible to start a new group?


Derek.

Terry, if you hadn't posted anything or made any activity for a while, the you'd be automatically removed- simply to make way for people who are trying to get in, nothing personal. Otherwise, there'd never be room for new blood etc. Anyway, why not start a new one as Derek suggests?

Can I campaign to have him back? Terry is always commenting on work in the group and his experience in the field makes this a very useful thing for all of us.
Sue

What about expanding group sizes to 20? It's rare that all the members of a group are active at the same time and as I have mentioned before, being a group member doesn't oblige anyone to critique all group work (or any for that matter).

I would have thought Terry would be the group leader for the children's group, considering his experience.

I agree totally with removing inactive members but maybe ones with a certain number of points should be left or at least contacted first.
Elspeth

<Added>

Oh, I've just checked and there is already a group leader, excuse me, Naomi!

Thanks everyone for your replies. I can see the logic, Anna, in making space for new writers. On the other hand, it might be an idea to inform writers if they're about to be removed, especially if they're active elsewhere on the site. It could be that they're working on something long-term, but would put a piece on in order to stay in the group (which, actually, was mainly what was behind me submitting something yesterday). Then a new group could be started. Can a new children's writers' group be started, or is there enough interest for a Young Adult writers' group (writing for young adults, of course; I'd love to be a young adult again, even though it would mean handing in my Miserable Old Git membership card. Actually, it's a pretty naff term, isn't it - young adult? No person of that age would call themselves that - how about starting a movement to change it to Young Hipsters, or am I showing my age; how about Young Groovers, or Young Rappers?)? We've got two potential members already, me and Derek.

<Added>

Incidentally, the piece I uploaded is accessible through the Writers' Archive, if anyone would like to read it. This chapter is called Serpent Song and is from a Young Adult fantasy I'm writing that doesn't have a title yet. It's not the start of the book but is the point where we meet these particular characters.

I think expanding the number of members per group is good.

If a new group starts for older children/young adults then I would definitely be interested: that's just the age group I'm writing for.

What do we call this new group? Crossover Fiction?

Colin M

Colin

'Crossover Fiction' is probably too ambiguous a term for a writers' group. It's one of those descriptions publishers tend to use after the event, e.g. Philip Pullman's trilogy was called Crossover Fiction because publishers discovered adults read it just as naturally as kids (I know adults read Harry Potter too, but I'm not sure they do it unselfconsciously). Also, I don't fancy trying to write crossover fiction; for a start, I wouldn't be able to decide whether to wear short or long trousers while typing. Having said that, my latest book is probably a bit crossover (extract on Writer's Archive at this very moment: Serpent Song - shameless plug over. Hey - how about we call it the Shameless Pluggers Group?).

Terry

Terry, sounds like a very good idea- why not make the application to set that group up? and we are sorting out an 'early warning' system for groups, and also taking into account that comments matter as much as uploadeding work in terms of group healthiness.

Yes please set up a new group Terry. I don't like the tag 'Young Adults' either.

Does the group have to be fixed to such a tight genre? Could it just be something like 'Younger Fiction'?

To be honest I really don't know what age my book would appeal to (if any). I think it would be nice to have a group covering fiction that might appeal to kids and adults alike. Just inoffensive, uncomplicated fiction...

This is my first attempt at a book so maybe I'm being a little green about this... The title 'children's books' makes me think of anything ranging from the old 'Peter and Jane' up to 'Alice in Wonderland'.

To give examples of classic books that might fit the new category though - Harry Potter, The Hobbit, The Thief of Always...and to be honest I don't see why Alice In Wonderland wouldn't be in this group also...

Are we thinking along the same lines? Or should I be in the Childrens group? I've confused myself now .

Go on Terry! I'll join.....or does that put paid to the whole thing before it even starts!
Sue

Let's just say that negotiations may be under way ... I'll probably insist that it's free to join for anyone except those who live in Brockley, in which case it's a bottle of (decent) plonk at the Red Room.

Only one?? Not as much as usual then.....

So am I thinking along the same lines as you guys? Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

Barking up the same tree, I reckon!? Anyway there are more than several fiction/short story/poetry/novel groups so we could always just be children's writers 2.
Sue