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You are here: Home / Authors In Our Midst / Calling All Writers

Calling All Writers

by TaMara|  November 1, 20169:39 am| 68 Comments

This post is in: Authors In Our Midst

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The view from my office:

p1060293

 

I have been toying with an idea since Authors in Our Midst.  I really enjoyed the comments on those threads and it seemed like we had a lot of people who were in progress on some writing project or another. Do we have enough interest to start a writing support group here?

I was thinking we could “meet” a couple times a month and encourage each other, offer advice and suggestions. Maybe a secure drop box to share work to critique. I can see if our published authors would be wiling to pop in and offer their experiences and answer questions.

Hillary Rettig has offered her support/expertise with this, too! So if you’re interested, leave a comment in this post and I’ll take it from there if we have enough interest.

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Reader Interactions

68Comments

  1. 1.

    dancingva

    November 1, 2016 at 9:42 am

    I am up for this.

  2. 2.

    MomDoc

    November 1, 2016 at 9:48 am

    I would enjoy that. Please include me.

  3. 3.

    Genine

    November 1, 2016 at 9:48 am

    I would definitely be interested in something like this. :-)

  4. 4.

    jacy

    November 1, 2016 at 9:53 am

    I’d love to participate and offer whatever. More cogently than this morning –I’m not very alert yet….

  5. 5.

    OzarkHillbilly

    November 1, 2016 at 9:55 am

    As one who used to write a lot I would probably lurk (pretty sure you guys would only do it when I am not around). Who knows, might even reinvigorate my desire to write.

  6. 6.

    Chris Gerrib

    November 1, 2016 at 10:02 am

    Well, as a published author who still needs and likes to workshop, I’d be interested.

  7. 7.

    WereBear

    November 1, 2016 at 10:04 am

    I would love this! Sign me up.

  8. 8.

    wonkie

    November 1, 2016 at 10:04 am

    I would love a writing group. My collection of short stories has been picked up by a publisher an is now available in paperback. I am working on a second book, non-fiction this time. I would enjoy beig part of a group.

  9. 9.

    Blue Galangal

    November 1, 2016 at 10:05 am

    Yes, I would love this. Sign me up too!

  10. 10.

    Elmo

    November 1, 2016 at 10:09 am

    Been working on a novel off and on for twenty years. Like most lawyers, I think. I would *love* this.

  11. 11.

    JanieM

    November 1, 2016 at 10:15 am

    Me too me too.

  12. 12.

    Diana

    November 1, 2016 at 10:17 am

    As Elmo says, like most lawyers, I have some fiction I’ve been writing on and off … wouldn’t mind participating…

  13. 13.

    hedgehog the occasional commenter

    November 1, 2016 at 10:17 am

    (peeks out cautiously from behind potted plant)
    I’m in; I’ve had some ideas for short stories rattling around my head for years, and other than very vague outlines haven’t gotten much further. Thanks for doing this!
    (returns to safety of potted plant)

  14. 14.

    TaMara (HFG)

    November 1, 2016 at 10:23 am

    Ok, I think we are getting a good group. I’ll keep checking on the thread, please don’t think it’s too late to comment, this is just us see what size group we can get together. Cheers!

  15. 15.

    Hillary Rettig

    November 1, 2016 at 10:31 am

    Very psyched to do this, too!

    Also, I would encourage any academic writers (grad students, faculty, etc.) to join us. The principles are the same.

  16. 16.

    GregB

    November 1, 2016 at 10:35 am

    Sounds interesting and helpful and inspiring.

  17. 17.

    Josie

    November 1, 2016 at 10:38 am

    I would enjoy lurking in such a group. I have a historical novel that has been sloshing around in my head for many years. This might be just the push I need.

  18. 18.

    EBT

    November 1, 2016 at 10:47 am

    On this topic I am curious as to what others do when the creative juices won’t flow.

  19. 19.

    HRA

    November 1, 2016 at 10:48 am

    I would be very interested in this group. I have 2 different works I have to get busy on as soon as my new home office is finished.

  20. 20.

    Iowa Old Lady

    November 1, 2016 at 10:48 am

    Count me in.

  21. 21.

    West of the Rockies (been a while)

    November 1, 2016 at 10:50 am

    I don’t know… Not sure if want to join any writing group that would have someone like me as a member.

    Groucho snark aside, I’d be interested in joining.

  22. 22.

    Mnemosyne

    November 1, 2016 at 10:53 am

    I’m on board. It’s also a great time to start since NaNoWriMo starts today. Thanks for hosting this, TaMara and Hillary!

  23. 23.

    Johannes

    November 1, 2016 at 10:53 am

    Yes, I’d be interested.

  24. 24.

    Miss Bianca

    November 1, 2016 at 10:54 am

    sure. I just started my NaNoWriMo project this morning, so that would be perfect!

  25. 25.

    Lorin Michel

    November 1, 2016 at 10:55 am

    I’d be very interested.

  26. 26.

    WereBear

    November 1, 2016 at 10:56 am

    @EBT: On this topic I am curious as to what others do when the creative juices won’t flow.

    There’s a fantastic book, On Writer’s Block by Victoria Nelson. You can pick it up used via Abe’s Books or Powell’s or Amazon.

    Every writer should.

    She goes through all kinds of reasons the well might be dry: unrealistic expectations, perfectionism, outright fear. And different ones can come into play at different times.

    If I get stuck in a novel, I use that as a signal I should be writing in a different section, and that usually works. I do better when I’m not trying to power through from beginning to end; I’ve learned my plots should grow organically, from the character’s actions, and those don’t always occur to me chronologically, even if the novel unfolds that way.

    Also, I’ve run a cat blog for nine years now, and for the last three I have also blogged for my day job. When you’ve blogged that long, there is no such thing as Writer’s Block. :)

  27. 27.

    MazeDancer

    November 1, 2016 at 10:58 am

    Likely to lurk, at least. Depending on format, also likely to offer advice where it might be helpful.

  28. 28.

    EBT

    November 1, 2016 at 11:11 am

    @WereBear: Thank you, I will look at that. I am 77k words in to a first draft of an interactive fiction I am trying to do and hit a lull in creation that has been stressing me, doubtlessly making said lull worse.

  29. 29.

    middlelee

    November 1, 2016 at 11:27 am

    I’m in.

  30. 30.

    ChrisGrrr

    November 1, 2016 at 11:30 am

    I haven’t been too motivated by fame, but I’ve been chugging along on work of all “lengths,” and would probably like to participate. Tnx.

  31. 31.

    Iowa Old Lady

    November 1, 2016 at 11:30 am

    @EBT: When I get stuck, it’s usually because I’ve noticed some problem and am afraid I can’t solve it. It’s helpful to me to remind myself that noticing a problem (and the discomfort that comes with that) is a good thing. If you don’t notice the problem, you’ll never fix it.

    I also find it useful to consider if I’m suffering from the delusion that there’s a perfect way to fix the problem and I just don’t know it. In reality, there are a lot of possible ways. I just have to choose one and make it work.

    Or revise later of course. I’m lucky in that revising is my favorite part of writing.

  32. 32.

    Peter

    November 1, 2016 at 11:41 am

    I’m interested. I have a book coming out in March about a restaurant in the Hudson Valley. It took us a long time to get it done; we planned on self-publishing but ended up selling it to a great publisher after it was largely finished (including the design). So I have some perspective/experience (this is my first book) on some of the issues surrounding both strategies.

  33. 33.

    WaterGirl

    November 1, 2016 at 11:47 am

    Love this idea!

  34. 34.

    The Very Reverend Crimson Fire of Compassion

    November 1, 2016 at 12:01 pm

    I’m in. Got a graphic novel in the works.

  35. 35.

    Avalie

    November 1, 2016 at 12:11 pm

    Count me in, too.

  36. 36.

    maurinsky

    November 1, 2016 at 12:13 pm

    I am participating in National Novel Writing Month, which starts today. I’m in!

    I have completed 3 novels so far, but while I love writing them, I am a lazy slacker when it comes to re-writing them. This year’s novel is called The Hot Flash, it’s about a 50 year old woman who is going through menopause who finds out she can use her hot flashes as a weapon against bad guys – and she knows who the bad guys are because she can read people’s thoughts. I am ridiculously excited about this story, I’ve been planning for several months and I dream about it almost every night.

  37. 37.

    Applejinx

    November 1, 2016 at 12:25 pm

    Hey, that would be interesting. I have a nonfiction thing going, and after that will be transitioning to a fiction project I’ve been preparing for. Not sure how relevant any of that is to the Balloon Juice crowd, but what the hey?

    I’ve written around two million words of genre fiction, 1.28 million of which is currently online for proof, so even if you loathe my actual writing (and technically I ain’t bad) I can at least promise you that I know how not to be stuck :)

    And maybe it’d be helpful to get me to not consciously decide NOT to write and instead do other stuff. When I don’t have a public deadline, I choose not to write much more often…

  38. 38.

    Greg

    November 1, 2016 at 12:27 pm

    I’m querying agents right now. I’m also Nano-ing the project I should have started 3 months ago. So I’m out of the lurk and saying I’m in.

  39. 39.

    Major Major Major Major

    November 1, 2016 at 12:30 pm

    Yes yes yes yes yes sign me up!

    @EBT: Oh, what are you doing it in? I like Inform.

  40. 40.

    Miss Bianca

    November 1, 2016 at 12:34 pm

    @maurinsky: this sounds hilarious, I would totally read that!

  41. 41.

    WereBear

    November 1, 2016 at 12:38 pm

    @maurinsky: OMG, I love that idea!

  42. 42.

    PaulWartenberg2016

    November 1, 2016 at 12:41 pm

    I’m interested, but I’m a little busy with NaNoWriMo at the moment.

    Does this involve free pie?

  43. 43.

    maurinsky

    November 1, 2016 at 12:49 pm

    It was inspired by my own hot flashes mixed with fury at the fucking world right now, with a dollop of reaching the age where one becomes invisible, and thinking there is a lot of power in invisibility.

  44. 44.

    Miss Bianca

    November 1, 2016 at 1:07 pm

    @maurinsky: I think that sounds like a NaNoWriMo winner, myself. Happy to be able to say we knew you when! : )

  45. 45.

    Mnemosyne

    November 1, 2016 at 1:07 pm

    @WereBear:

    I do better when I’m not trying to power through from beginning to end

    I finally figured that out this year — it only took me about 30 years to realize it. I invested in Scrivener, which I adore because it lets me write chunks and then assemble them.

    I’m also getting ready to form a writer’s group IRL but I’m a little intimidated because they’re all published authors, but it will be good for me!

  46. 46.

    Mnemosyne

    November 1, 2016 at 1:09 pm

    Also, my stupid carpal tunnels are bugging me (too much phone typing!) so my brand-new ergonomic keyboard should be arriving today.

  47. 47.

    WereBear

    November 1, 2016 at 1:16 pm

    @Mnemosyne: I ADORE Scrivener, and I’m so glad you are enjoying it.

    My husband would never have been able to attempt his fantasy trilogy without it. (He’s like 40% done with the first draft.)

  48. 48.

    MzRAD

    November 1, 2016 at 1:25 pm

    Yes, please. I’m writing about Mont Blanc, the ecological sublime, and vision/blindness in the poetry of William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Percy Bysshe Shelley. Would love some accountability. I also blog about sustainable food & drink at CentralCoastFoodie.com.

  49. 49.

    EBT

    November 1, 2016 at 1:55 pm

    @Major Major Major Major: @Major Major Major Major: Inklewriter doesn’t really like combat and twine doesn’t like a lot of flags so I wrote my own custom engine for stat checks combat and inventory/event flags. All of that stuff works and the 77k words I have all plays like a real game book.

  50. 50.

    Marina

    November 1, 2016 at 2:04 pm

    Yes. Absolutely.

  51. 51.

    Mary G

    November 1, 2016 at 2:14 pm

    I’m a pathological wannabe writer who’s too scared to write, much less share writing, for fear of it being bad. What I am really good at and love to do, is edit and critique. I won the all-California junior college contest for copy editing and have been in a long string of writing groups where I almost never submitted anything but critiques. I had minor success as a freelance editor in the past, but I’ve mostly given it up in recent years because of torn tendons in my hands from my RA prohibit most typing. Voice recognition technology has improved a lot (I use it in some of my comments here on this tablet). So, long-winded story short, I would like to join, if lack of contributions is OK.

  52. 52.

    frank

    November 1, 2016 at 2:19 pm

    i would be in

  53. 53.

    stinger

    November 1, 2016 at 2:50 pm

    Count me in! Also count my up-vote for Scrivener–I find it indispensable for long-form fiction.

  54. 54.

    John Manchester

    November 1, 2016 at 3:53 pm

    I’ve finished writing four books and on my second agent, holding out for a trad publisher. I’m interested, depending.

    Love Scrivener, hate Word.

  55. 55.

    Marjowil

    November 1, 2016 at 5:04 pm

    I have been writing fiction on my own for decades, but I don’t do anything with it. I’m not sure I want people reading and criticizing as it will not help my confidence. (btw I make a living as a writer; not a complete amateur) But I am open to a support group or threads. I love this blog but sometimes I find people on it hostile.

  56. 56.

    Miss Bianca

    November 1, 2016 at 5:12 pm

    @Mary G: I didn’t know you could win prizes for copy editing! How do they judge you on it? Before-and-after copy? : )

  57. 57.

    Travels with Charley

    November 1, 2016 at 5:35 pm

    I’m mostly a lurker, but I would love to join this group! I used to write – journals, dreams, snippets of stories…but kids & life eventually pushed writing out. I would love to get back into it…

  58. 58.

    Mnemosyne

    November 1, 2016 at 5:59 pm

    @Marjowil:

    I doubt we would do actual critiques here — way too much opportunity for trolls and griefers to mess with people. People will sometimes get wound up over blog stuff, but in general we’re one big dysfunctional family and I think people would be able to modulate themselves for a creative critique.

    But, yeah, there’s going to need to be some kind of accountability to make sure people are being constructive in their critiques.

  59. 59.

    tokyo expat

    November 1, 2016 at 6:03 pm

    Don’t know if it’s too late, but I’m interested depending on what’s involved. I do both academic writing and fiction. I have a book coming out-romantic suspense–soon. Would love if we could also tap into marketing. I find social media very intimidating.

    For anyone who wants to learn Scrivener, it’s not too late to check out the RWASD workshop this month on Scrivener. The instructor has videos you can watch so you can see how to use it.

    I’m also doing NaNo this month, mostly to push myself on my next book. Not sure I’ll hit 50k, but I’ll take what I can get.

  60. 60.

    Miss Bianca

    November 1, 2016 at 7:06 pm

    I’ve heard a lot of people say good things about Scrivener, including members of my writer’s group. Me, I’m using True Novelist, which has some of the nice features of Scrivener, but is completely online (and free), which given my situation right now works out better for me.

    And Tamara, it just occurred to me that you are seeing roses in full bloom from your window in November! Freaky weather we’re having, ain’t it?

  61. 61.

    TaMara (HFG)

    November 1, 2016 at 8:09 pm

    @Marjowil:
    @Mnemosyne:

    Let me assure you, there will be no hostility if I can help it. I was fairly strict on the Authors in Our Midst threads. I will not do this if people cannot be civil and kind. I have the same rules on my recipe threads – criticize me all you like, but must be kind to those who are brave enough to share their own favorites.

  62. 62.

    maurinsky

    November 1, 2016 at 9:42 pm

    I tried Storify today but I’m abandoning it – I hit command C to copy a section and the whole section disappeared. So back to Google Docs for me, since I will be using my Chromebook to write when I’m not at home. It was only a small chunk of dialogue, and I’m sure a rewrite will only improve it, but it was irksome.

    I have an IRL writing buddy this time around, he is writing a textbook on leadership while I write my novel.

    I got off to my best start ever, 2,037 (it was closer to 2500 with the missing chunk still included).

  63. 63.

    Mnemosyne

    November 2, 2016 at 1:59 am

    I got off to a good start — 1,989. And for some reason, I decided to write the ending and epilogue today. Have I mentioned that I love how Scrivener lets me write in whatever order I feel like writing?

  64. 64.

    maurinsky

    November 2, 2016 at 7:28 am

    I think I’d like to try Scrivener, but I don’t think I have time to learn how to use it.

  65. 65.

    JanieM

    November 2, 2016 at 9:43 am

    A Scrivener question: can you save files from within Scrivener in e.g. Word format? I mostly use Word, but I edit for someone who has a Mac and uses Pages, and we pass files back and forth with very little hassle (not zero, but little enough).

    You folks are making Scrivener sound tempting, but I too am daunted by the thought of trying to learn it at the same time when I’m trying to jump/re/start a writing habit.

  66. 66.

    Mnemosyne

    November 2, 2016 at 11:28 am

    @maurinsky:
    @JanieM:

    There are two tutorials included — quick start and deep dive. The quick start tutorial only takes about 30 minutes and covers all of the essentials. You can always go back for the deep dive. I love that all of my story chunks are available at the same time, so I don’t have to mess around with having a bunch of Word files open.

    And, yes, you can export to Word and (I think) Pages.

    ETA: Did I mention that it has a 30-day free trial period? If you hate it, you can delete it.

  67. 67.

    JanieM

    November 2, 2016 at 11:37 am

    @Mnemosyne: Thanks! That helps a lot. :-)

  68. 68.

    terry chay

    November 3, 2016 at 5:04 pm

    Peeps! What is your author info on NaNoWriMo? I’ll go first, mine is http://nanowrimo.org/participants/tychay

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