Hello scribes!
Since we've had ongoing discussions for the last couple years about how we portray diversity as writers of fantasy, I'd like to invite you to join a writing group that will openly discuss and foster a desire to see diversity written well in our community.
I don't want to spell out guidelines, because I think that defeats the purpose of such a group, but I would like the focus to be on creating characters who positively reflect diversity. The group will be both on this site and taken to private emails, for the purpose of sharing, but I'd like to invite all our members to contribute in any way they can to the discussions of the group.
If you would like to be a member of this group, please PM me your email address you'd like for group communications, and I'll set up the organization.
No member needs to feel like they must contribute their own work. It's my goal to see our diverse MS community work to uplift writers of diverse characters, and we need readers as much as we need writers. Whether our members feel like sharing a section, a manuscript, or simply wish to discuss the characterizations of diverse characters for their novel-planning, I'm hoping to offer this group as a resource for those wishing to ask their questions and have readers give feedback in a private setting, rather than on a public forum.
I'd like to invite you all to join, and ask that you please keep in mind that we are all writers striving to be respectful of POC, LGBTQ, and gender issues. We need a full range of opinions to hit our goals of crafting stories and characters who will represent people from all backgrounds, and the main purpose of this group is to provide support for writers wishing to approach these issues with respect and care. As with any sort of critique group, disrespect to members will be mediated and dealt with swiftly. We want to keep discussions open and friendly, to better serve our community as a whole. All of us matter, and all of our writing matters. It's in understanding, that we can break down the barriers that discourage us from trying to be more sensitive and informed individuals.
When you join, I'll send you a welcome email and put you onto a group email list. When a writer has material they'd like to share with the group, we'll work out method to send out a notice to group members, briefly describing the work and what the author's questions are. Membership is completely voluntary, and you don't have to read anything you don't want to. When a writer submits a piece for critique, I'd like to take a page out of Scribophile's book, and ask that a minimum of three people read the material. That way, the writer gets a few opinions on the work, so hopefully a variety of opinions. Though we'll have to trade manuscripts and chapters privately, I hope discussions can come back to the group list, or in some cases, this forum, so we can provide the best service to our writers.
For right now, not knowing how much interest there will be, it's hard to set up a system for communication, but I'd like to discuss that as a group once we have four or five members who are really on board for this. I'm open to any and all suggestions, because this is only a concept for something I'd like to see, but it'll take a group of dedicated writers to make it great.
I'm really excited about this, and I hope it's a benefit to us all, as a friendly community based on sharing and honesty, and to us all as individual writers, who work hard and shed a lot of sweat and tears as we lovingly craft our stories.
I'd also like to hear from anyone interested in helping manage the group, because I think we need at least a couple individuals to keep it running smoothly and to represent not only the readers of fiction that features diversity, but to help with any future mediation if there arises a problem between members. Of course, I don't anticipate any problems, but past experience taught me to at least be prepared.
Thank you for all your support, MS members!
Gemeinsam werden wir entweder einen Weg finden, oder wir machen ein--Together, we will either find a way, or we will make one.
Since we've had ongoing discussions for the last couple years about how we portray diversity as writers of fantasy, I'd like to invite you to join a writing group that will openly discuss and foster a desire to see diversity written well in our community.
I don't want to spell out guidelines, because I think that defeats the purpose of such a group, but I would like the focus to be on creating characters who positively reflect diversity. The group will be both on this site and taken to private emails, for the purpose of sharing, but I'd like to invite all our members to contribute in any way they can to the discussions of the group.
If you would like to be a member of this group, please PM me your email address you'd like for group communications, and I'll set up the organization.
No member needs to feel like they must contribute their own work. It's my goal to see our diverse MS community work to uplift writers of diverse characters, and we need readers as much as we need writers. Whether our members feel like sharing a section, a manuscript, or simply wish to discuss the characterizations of diverse characters for their novel-planning, I'm hoping to offer this group as a resource for those wishing to ask their questions and have readers give feedback in a private setting, rather than on a public forum.
I'd like to invite you all to join, and ask that you please keep in mind that we are all writers striving to be respectful of POC, LGBTQ, and gender issues. We need a full range of opinions to hit our goals of crafting stories and characters who will represent people from all backgrounds, and the main purpose of this group is to provide support for writers wishing to approach these issues with respect and care. As with any sort of critique group, disrespect to members will be mediated and dealt with swiftly. We want to keep discussions open and friendly, to better serve our community as a whole. All of us matter, and all of our writing matters. It's in understanding, that we can break down the barriers that discourage us from trying to be more sensitive and informed individuals.
When you join, I'll send you a welcome email and put you onto a group email list. When a writer has material they'd like to share with the group, we'll work out method to send out a notice to group members, briefly describing the work and what the author's questions are. Membership is completely voluntary, and you don't have to read anything you don't want to. When a writer submits a piece for critique, I'd like to take a page out of Scribophile's book, and ask that a minimum of three people read the material. That way, the writer gets a few opinions on the work, so hopefully a variety of opinions. Though we'll have to trade manuscripts and chapters privately, I hope discussions can come back to the group list, or in some cases, this forum, so we can provide the best service to our writers.
For right now, not knowing how much interest there will be, it's hard to set up a system for communication, but I'd like to discuss that as a group once we have four or five members who are really on board for this. I'm open to any and all suggestions, because this is only a concept for something I'd like to see, but it'll take a group of dedicated writers to make it great.
I'm really excited about this, and I hope it's a benefit to us all, as a friendly community based on sharing and honesty, and to us all as individual writers, who work hard and shed a lot of sweat and tears as we lovingly craft our stories.
I'd also like to hear from anyone interested in helping manage the group, because I think we need at least a couple individuals to keep it running smoothly and to represent not only the readers of fiction that features diversity, but to help with any future mediation if there arises a problem between members. Of course, I don't anticipate any problems, but past experience taught me to at least be prepared.
Thank you for all your support, MS members!
Gemeinsam werden wir entweder einen Weg finden, oder wir machen ein--Together, we will either find a way, or we will make one.
Myth Weaver
Istar
