[Window Bar]

In most of life's undertakings, I've preferred not working in isolation. Thanks, SFFworld.com.

Truly, music goes best with other musicians. Skiing goes best with other skiers. Sex .... well, you fill it in!

How many participate in live Writers' Groups? What's your opinion?

Is anyone aware of a SF/Fantasy writers' group in Southern Oregon?

-- WB

[kater]

Better off in the Writing section mate.

[kmtolan]

You may find what you need while searching in the Yahoo Groups, if online writing groups are acceptable. I rely heavily on such a group myself. The best group, in my opinion, is a small one featuring at least one editor or published author - or English teacher. We've an English teacher among our writers in my group and she does wonders for my work - once I blink back the tears (grin).

Of course, these groups are reciprocal in nature, so expect to invest time in helping others with their work - and this tends to mean line-by-line edits over general opinions.

Kerry

[Window Bar]

Hey Kerry-

Thanks for the response. Actually this forum and others have been quite helpful in answering specific questions and providing feedback. There's something about live people, though...

Still, Yahoo groups would be an interesting place to look. Thanks mucho.

[Laer Carroll]

Better off in the Writing section mate.

Erh, ah, this IS the sffworld.com > Authors and Writing > Writing section.

Face to face is better, at least to my taste. But I do have a few readers on my ShapechangerTales.com web site who give me very useful advice. They are mostly writing professionals, so I listen carefully even if I eventually disregard their advice.

The first group I was in I was also in a college writing class at the same time. The ad hoc group was very tough but also polite. The criticism still hurt - a lot - that first weekend.

But then came Tuesday and the writing class. Everything I wrote (my classmates and even our teacher said) was good. And I, to my great surprise, found myself starving for the toughness I'd experienced three days before.

[KatG]

Kater moved the thread here from somewhere else, Laer. It is part of our awesome moderator powers. :)

We do have an on-line writers group here at SFFWorld that operates partly out of the Writing forum, so you can check that out. I myself have tried to do an online writing group in the past and found it didn't work out, not because the people weren't great in it, but because none of us really were able to put the time into it. A face to face group might work better because you have to physically go to it, or not, depending on what works for you.

[tmso]

I tried to join a local writer's group, but it was on invitation only. I felt a little snubbed, but now that I've gotten into this writing thing, I understand why it's an invitation-only sort of thing. Feedback can be very helpful or rather hurtful, depending on the skill of the person doing the critique.

There was another group I could have joined (tied to a writer's retreat place here), but that would mean I would have to actually talk to strangers about my work without getting angry, defensive, or breakdown in a sobbing fit (yes, I'm sensitive).

There's also the case that if you're a newbie and there are already a lot of newbies in the group, they may want writers with more experience, etc etc. So many things to consider.

I opted for Critters.org. I like it. Maybe not as intense as a face-to-face group, but I get a lot out of it.

Good luck! :)

[Inkstain]

That was a pretty good choice tmso, Critters is actually one of the more respected online writing groups for fantasy and sci fi. I just recently joined it myself a few weeks back.

[Scorpion]

I just joined, too, and finished my first crit!
Woohoo!

[tmso]

That was a pretty good choice tmso, Critters is actually one of the more respected online writing groups for fantasy and sci fi. I just recently joined it myself a few weeks back.

I have a submission up this week, care to crit it? I'm N.E. White. :D

I also had another submission a couple of weeks ago that didn't get very many crits because it sucked, but you're welcome to crit it (if you have loads of time on your hands and if you want to slog through a horrible manuscript ;)). It's still on the main manuscripts page.

(If I knew your name, I'd watch out for your submissions and crit them too. :) )

But back to the subject... :o

There is, of course, the workshop that runs on this forum. You should check that out as well. But, as you said, you're after face-to-face groups. Have you tried your local library?

The writer's groups I know here seemed to have formed around classes at the local community college. Have you tried there?