• Welcome to the Fantasy Writing Forums. Register Now to join us!

Hello!

Beanie_Zed

Dreamer
Hi, everyone! I joined the forum a while back (609 days ago, according to my long-dormant profile), but posted only twice.

Since then, I've: finished a novel; joined a pair of awesome IRL writing groups; got a new day job; got a more different and better day job; wrote a few short stories; started and finished the first draft of a More Different Novel; somehow became a co-organizer of one of my IRL writing groups; saw the Stanley Cup person (this is completely relevant, always); bought way too many books (according to my SO, anyway); started revisions on the More Different Novel; and whiz, bang, here I be.

I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone! For reals, this time.
 

CupofJoe

Myth Weaver
Hail and well met Beanie_Zed
Good to have you [back] here
Okay 609 days is a bit of a gap but we'll forgive you :)
Especially since it looks like you've been really busy...
 

Ban

Troglodytic Trouvère
Article Team
Welcome back, and sjeez you're making me feel unproductive. Haven't done half of that in the past two years of writing.
 

xkara

Dreamer
Welcome back, Beanie! I'm completely new here, but it's nice to get to know some faces nonetheless. Congratulations on all the progress you've made in the past couple years. That's a lot! You should be really proud. :)
 

Gabriella

Dreamer
In fact I'm newer than you! Already I have a question for the newish newbie.

How did you go about getting together your IRL writing group?

I've put a request in the local (small town, I'm small town, okay?) library suggestion box--a real wooden box WITH A LOCK that probably never gets checked, offering to do the work if they let me use their resources to get the word out, and apparently no one can find the key 'cause I'm still waiting to hear back.

My regional NaNo group doesn't even technically encompass my county, but I think I'll go there next in the hopes of finding others that maybe live in my county.

Second question for the CHOIR: how do I attract maybe the not-so-young? I'm a 53 year old geezer. One of my neighbors is a guy who's published, sort of, stories of northern Michigan, and another near my parents, a woman who held a REALLY boring NaNo write-in at the library last Nov. who writes historical romance--not exactly my genres, maybe I'm better off.

But those are my questions: what do I offer writers so they'd even want to join a writing group? Apart from not already having one here. Okay, I said rural, but the county has nearly a quarter-million people.
 

Gabriella

Dreamer
OH and Beanie! It took everything I had to resist posting this first. HOW WAS STANLEY IN PERSON? I get chills just thinking....
 

Beanie_Zed

Dreamer
Welcome back, Beanie! I'm completely new here, but it's nice to get to know some faces nonetheless. Congratulations on all the progress you've made in the past couple years. That's a lot! You should be really proud. :)

Hi, Kara! It's a pleasure to meet a fellow newbie! :)

And, thanks! Though I'd be a lot happier if I could get this novel to edit itself...
 

xkara

Dreamer
Hi, Kara! It's a pleasure to meet a fellow newbie! :)

And, thanks! Though I'd be a lot happier if I could get this novel to edit itself...

Ahaha, that makes sense. I think I'd personally have an okay time editing something, if I could just get it written first...
 

Beanie_Zed

Dreamer
In fact I'm newer than you! Already I have a question for the newish newbie.

How did you go about getting together your IRL writing group?

I've put a request in the local (small town, I'm small town, okay?) library suggestion box--a real wooden box WITH A LOCK that probably never gets checked, offering to do the work if they let me use their resources to get the word out, and apparently no one can find the key 'cause I'm still waiting to hear back.

My regional NaNo group doesn't even technically encompass my county, but I think I'll go there next in the hopes of finding others that maybe live in my county.

Second question for the CHOIR: how do I attract maybe the not-so-young? I'm a 53 year old geezer. One of my neighbors is a guy who's published, sort of, stories of northern Michigan, and another near my parents, a woman who held a REALLY boring NaNo write-in at the library last Nov. who writes historical romance--not exactly my genres, maybe I'm better off.

But those are my questions: what do I offer writers so they'd even want to join a writing group? Apart from not already having one here. Okay, I said rural, but the county has nearly a quarter-million people.

Hi Gabriella! Hope I can help!

So, I actually got really lucky in that I live between two major metropolitan areas and was able to join two existing groups. I'm doubly lucky in that both are genre-only. The one group is an off-shoot of a larger Science Fiction Association; they've been doing a monthly writing critique since at least the 80s or 90s, and have a good number of very talented genre writers. I was recruited into the group by the organizer via MeetUp.

The other one is much smaller, I also found them through MeetUp, though I had to apply to get in--it's a very serious critique-only group, and we look for people who are going to commit on a regular basis. I volunteered to be the backup organizer about a year ago; my co-organizer and I officially took over running things in the fall. (I have ownership of the MeetUp account, and my schedule allows for me to make most meetings; beyond that, the group runs itself at this point.)

As far as starting up a new group, I cannot recommend MeetUp enough. When you start a new group, it will actually promote it for you, which is cool. Also, take a look to see if there are any science fiction, tabletop/roleplaying gaming (such as DnD, Magic, etc.), or comic book groups in your area: you can look at member profiles, and see if anyone indicates an interest in writing. From there, you can message people and invite them to join (I'm actually about to start doing this for the group I co-run). As for other methods, try Facebook, and good-old-fashioned flyers in the libraries local gathering places.

Now, for what you can offer: SUPPORT. It's amazing how much fun it is when writers (at any level) get together and start talking writing! That first group I mentioned meets regularly outside of the critique sessions, both online (via Google Hangouts) and in person (at association meetings). We'll usually have a pre-determined topic (research, pantsing vs plotting, how to use Scrivener, etc.), and a set time (1-2 hours). There's a non-genre writing group near me that that started up a few months ago that's been growing steadily; they dedicate a set time to a writing-related topic, and then a set time to critiquing 1 to 2 short pieces.

Probably the hardest part would be finding a good time for as many people as possible (either a weekday evening or a Sunday afternoon) and holding them regularly and consistently. Try opening it up to all types of writing for a while. Hopefully, once you start picking up steam you'll see more and more genre writers. From there, you can do something more exclusive with them. And as for age... This may just be my area, but most writing groups I've ever attended tend to attract 40+, with the median age probably about 50. (I'm usually at the kids' table at meetings; officially, I'm a Millennial, but I prefer Xennial or MTV Generation.)

Whew. Didn't realize I had that much to say! :)

I saved the best question for last: Lord Stanley's Cup is AH-MAZE-ING. My boys haven't won since the '70s, so it was cool to see their names (and the exhibits for the hall-of-famers).
 

Beanie_Zed

Dreamer
Welcome back, and sjeez you're making me feel unproductive. Haven't done half of that in the past two years of writing.
Thanks! ...TBH, I'm just barely making deadlines over here. (Self-imposed, but still.) And, like, at least 85% is absolutely wretched.

Also, who is the handsome sad dog in your avatar? So. Much. Droop.
 

Ban

Troglodytic Trouvère
Article Team
Thanks! ...TBH, I'm just barely making deadlines over here. (Self-imposed, but still.) And, like, at least 85% is absolutely wretched.

Also, who is the handsome sad dog in your avatar? So. Much. Droop.

Can't say I know the little fellow's name. First I had a koala as a profile pic, but that didn't fit well, so I went with a basset hound instead. I could have taken a picture of my handsomes stabyhoun, but he refuses to pose with a flower in his mouth, so that was a no-go :p
 

Beanie_Zed

Dreamer
Can't say I know the little fellow's name. First I had a koala as a profile pic, but that didn't fit well, so I went with a basset hound instead. I could have taken a picture of my handsomes stabyhoun, but he refuses to pose with a flower in his mouth, so that was a no-go :p
Excellent choice! :D I have a basset, and he's just as camera-averse.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ban
Top