I just read this interesting article in last Saturday's Times Books section. It's written by Natascha Hidebrandt and I hope there's someone who can work out the URL. It's flanked by a column with comments by authors on who they choose as their first readers for work in progress. I was taken aback by Joanna Trollope: 'The only person who sees the manuscript in development is a great friend who has always typed my books from my handwriting' !!!!!

Anybody else out there who inspires this kind of devotion, I wonder? What do other people do about fnding readers, apart from on WW of course?

Sheila

Shelia, I think this is it, isn't it?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,923-2008335,00.html

Thanks for posting that, fascinating. And a good blueprint for how to run a writers' group too.

Emma

Thanks, Emma. Yes, I expect that's it.

I didn't realise that there could be rules. I think I once attended a group in Blackheath in 1987 but I either I was too much of a novice/and or lacked the confidence to get much benefit.


Sheila

I was most interested in the rule about not commenting on feedback, or at least, not fighting back, as it were. In some ways it goes against the grain, but I know that sometimes when someone's queried something I've done, and I've explained why I've done it, it's as if I've neutralised the query, when in face I should take note of it, because what the other person's really saying is 'whatever you meant, it doesn't quite work'.

Emma

I've been in two writing groups and had very different experiences in them. The first was great the other not so good. Have others been in groups? If so, what do you think made them work or not as the case may be.

Ashlinn

I'm in a wonderful group which celebrates its 11th birthday this month. Its success stems partly, I think, from its size. We have around 40 members at the moment covering the entire range of writing from absolutely nothing to a published crime novelist.

We have two meetings each month; the first is open to anyone who wants to come along and try us out. We have a different speaker each month and time for a social chat afterwards. The second of the meetings - open to members only – is when we read out our work and invite feedback. Luckily only about 8 or 10 members come to these evenings. God knows what would happen if everyone turned up at the same time!

We run two annual writing competitions; one for children and the other for adults. The children’s one is particularly well-supported by the local schools, libraries and bookshops. In fact it’s getting so big we’ve had to look for larger premises to hold the prize-giving this year, and the National Trust has offered us the use of a room in one of their nearby properties – which we are quite thrilled about.

This level of development doesn’t happen overnight. As I say, the group has been running for many years and much of the success is due to a very hard-working committee, who organise everything leaving the rest of us to simply enjoy the group.

If anyone wants help to set up a group, the National Association of Writers’ Groups provide loads of info.

http://www.nawg.co.uk/

Dee

My poetry group has the rule about not commenting on feedback. It works like this. You make copies of your work for everyone present. When it is your turn, you read your work. Then everyone re-reads and starts to critique. The discussion that ensues is intense. Then, once everyone has had their say and argued and agreed or disagreed, the floor is opened to the writer of the poem, who will address comments that have been made - those s/he agrees with and disagrees with and why.

Although the writer may be called upon to speak during the critique period over a point of information.

I think it's an excellent method, and certainly keeps us honest.

Just read Ashlinn's question - I belong to three or four groups, depending on how you cut it. One is a writing group that meets twice a month: on one morning we read and comment, another morning we do creative writing exercises.

Another group is the poetry group mentioned above, which is quite rigorous. It was founded by Peter Redgrove and Penelope Shuttle in the 1970s, its membership is quite lofty, and I feel very fortunate to participate (it's open).

The third is a social writing group that meets one evening a month. We read poetry or stories or life writing, or really anything. We make copies of our work so everyone can read along. I really prefer having a copy of the work, so appreciate the two groups that require this. The critique is very perceptive, and there can be lots of debate. We break after about two hours for food 9everyone brings a dish) and we drink wine all night long. This group is led by a Booker-shortlisted novelist and poet, and includes some other very strong writers as well. I love it.

The fourth group is not a critiquing group at all. It is Lapidus Cornwall (Lapidus is a national organisation so there are Lapidus organisations throughout the UK), and it focuses on nurturing the creative spirit, or delving inside yourself and generating material. (Lapidus stands for Literary Arts in Personal Development.) We have workshops throughout the year, big workshops wit big names and smaller workshops called hobnobs. I am hosting a hobnob at my home a month from now. I think Lapidus balances beautifully with my other groups.

And there is is - my life in a post!

Ani xx

Ani, your poetry group rules make total sense.

Emma

Thanks Ani and Dee for all that detail. Your groups sound great - very professional. The first group I was in lasted for about a year but I had to leave because I was moving. We had a very disparate group of all ages, men and women, different writing styles etc but somehow we really clicked and developed a lot of respect for each other. The second group didn't work nearly so well possibly because we had two members who did writing as therapy and it made the rest of us very nervous about commenting, even about simple, basic points of fact. Somehow it sapped the spirit of the group and after a while I pulled out.
I'd love to find another but it's not easy where I am.

Ashlinn