Writing Club, redux
Oct. 25th, 2004 11:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
trinityvixenWell, apparently, some people are interested, though it seems only to be, at last count, five or so. In this case, I will probably restrict it to LJ postings for now, at least until we can scare up some more interest. This has the downside of not being able to post anonymously if you choose, unless we wish to create a dummy LJ account whereby all members can post as they all have access to it. We'll see.
I happen to think Michelle's suggestion of making submissions anonymous isn't a bad one, though writing styles will probably show and tell after a while. However, if we do that, it means someone has to coordinate and assign people for each week, and, in weeks where there'd be only a couple of submissions, chances are good anonymity wouldn't last long. If people would prefer protected anonymity, we can do it, and we'll figure out who to assign to the task of collecting the papers. At best case, I'd say there wouldn't be a collector, just people would come and plunk down their contribution while the rest of the group settled in, and then we could all turn to the pile and start working through it. Other suggestions are welcome, but I agree with Michelle that anonymous pieces tend to generate freer-flowing commentary, though I caution against insensitivity and re-iterate rule 6, that constructive criticism is the only kind welcome at the table.
Also, authors of anonymous submissions in my writing class weren't allowed to comment on their own works, thus making it incredibly easy to figure out who'd written the piece under discussion after a few rounds (unless you were that asshole who was in my class first semester and took umbridge enough to argue, "But don't you think the author..." when I pointed out that the chances of his character holding his guts in with a tied-off jacket around the midsection was as realistic as the pole coming out of his ass any time soon). Not so with our group, I think. The key to being anonymous is that you may comment as an author, but you can't reveal intentions without giving yourself away. Give clues, though, if you think it would help. Saying "I think he/she meant this..." is something anyone would say, so it works. Just try to contain yourself if someone seems to be extremely not in favor of your work (this is hard to do, and it, too, doesn't always stay in with the help of a strategically placed windbreaker).
And, lastly, Michelle informed me on the last post I made about this that she had proposed a writing group herself a few months back, and would like credit for doing so. So, here, have at it. I would like to point out, as I have been doing, that it doesn't matter to me where the group comes from so long as it does come together. Furthermore, this isn't a question of credit, not at all. This is just an inspiration I had at work, fueled by fond nostalgia for the workshops I did in the creative writing program. That we had an lj community ready to go was both serendipitous and, at the time I proposed the idea (anew, as I've been amply reminded), a coincidence--you'd be surprised how many things in life are.
I happen to think Michelle's suggestion of making submissions anonymous isn't a bad one, though writing styles will probably show and tell after a while. However, if we do that, it means someone has to coordinate and assign people for each week, and, in weeks where there'd be only a couple of submissions, chances are good anonymity wouldn't last long. If people would prefer protected anonymity, we can do it, and we'll figure out who to assign to the task of collecting the papers. At best case, I'd say there wouldn't be a collector, just people would come and plunk down their contribution while the rest of the group settled in, and then we could all turn to the pile and start working through it. Other suggestions are welcome, but I agree with Michelle that anonymous pieces tend to generate freer-flowing commentary, though I caution against insensitivity and re-iterate rule 6, that constructive criticism is the only kind welcome at the table.
Also, authors of anonymous submissions in my writing class weren't allowed to comment on their own works, thus making it incredibly easy to figure out who'd written the piece under discussion after a few rounds (unless you were that asshole who was in my class first semester and took umbridge enough to argue, "But don't you think the author..." when I pointed out that the chances of his character holding his guts in with a tied-off jacket around the midsection was as realistic as the pole coming out of his ass any time soon). Not so with our group, I think. The key to being anonymous is that you may comment as an author, but you can't reveal intentions without giving yourself away. Give clues, though, if you think it would help. Saying "I think he/she meant this..." is something anyone would say, so it works. Just try to contain yourself if someone seems to be extremely not in favor of your work (this is hard to do, and it, too, doesn't always stay in with the help of a strategically placed windbreaker).
And, lastly, Michelle informed me on the last post I made about this that she had proposed a writing group herself a few months back, and would like credit for doing so. So, here, have at it. I would like to point out, as I have been doing, that it doesn't matter to me where the group comes from so long as it does come together. Furthermore, this isn't a question of credit, not at all. This is just an inspiration I had at work, fueled by fond nostalgia for the workshops I did in the creative writing program. That we had an lj community ready to go was both serendipitous and, at the time I proposed the idea (anew, as I've been amply reminded), a coincidence--you'd be surprised how many things in life are.
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Date: 2004-10-25 02:43 pm (UTC)But you are right, eventually we will know each other's writing, but by that point I think everyone will be comfortable with being honest and so we won't worry.
PS: Thank you Dayle, for acknowledging my failed attempt at starting this group in July. Whyyyy are the same people I asked before now signing up? Y'all hate me.
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Date: 2004-10-25 08:58 pm (UTC)Also, I don't remember if I was invited into your writing group, but at the time I was in my own group (which I think you had inquired about). Since that one seems to have fallen apart for the nonce, I am free to explore other groups. It's all a matter of timing.