The importance of a writers’ group
Ken is one of my newest readers. Yesterday he left the following comments:
One of the benefits in being part of a group of writers is to see your story in action. Many people make the mistake of reading their own work. This is kind of protecting it. One day it will have to grow up and leave home. The best approach is for someone else to read the story to the group and have them comment on it. The writer must stay right back and observe the reactions. That way you can see when people wrinkle their brows or laugh or look thoughtful. You also hear the reader stumble or read smoothly.
Sometimes we keep our stories too close to us, while they are growing up. But we write our stories to share with others. People in performance arts get direct responses from their audience. Writers can miss out on this step unless they organise to put themselves in that position.
Well said Ken.
Too often – most of the time actually – writers get far too close to their ‘babies’ to see the faults, errors and structural problems that are obvious to other readers.
This is probably THE most important lesson I have learned doing my Master of Arts in Creative Writing at Tabor Adelaide, especially under the guidance of Rosanne Hawke.
- At first I was threatened by having to share my writing in a public forum like a workshop.
- Then I felt challenged by what others were writing in response to the set activities. This lifted my own writing to a new level.
- Now I’m at the stage of actively seeking feedback from other writers and readers. Their reactions, perceptions and comments can only make me a better writer.
Isn’t that what we all strive for?
And a spin-off bonus is that our writing is improved making it more likely to be accepted for publication.
Consider being a part of a writers’ group. In Australia there are many such groups in every capital city (contact your state writers’ centre) and in many large regional centres. Even some of our smaller country towns have writers’ groups. I’m sure this is true of most other countries too.
And if you can’t find a group near where you live, start one. Even meeting regularly with just one or two like minded writers can be beneficial.
Good writing.
Writing a novel – a writer’s journal part 12 – momentum
3 Comments »6th August, 2009; Category: Fiction, Master of Arts course, The Writer's Life, Writing a novel
Writing when the words flow
I just love it when the words flow quickly. There is a real delight in creating a new story and there is little struggle to get the words up there on the computer screen (or in my notebook when I am writing poetry-I rarely compose poetry on the screen).
During the last two months I’ve been through some testing times regarding my children’s novel. At first I was distracted by the requirements to finish my course work for my Master of Arts degree. That’s out of the way now thankfully. Now I can fully focus on the novel-or so I thought.
Well, that’s when life took a nasty turn. I landed up in hospital, a few days later my wife also spent time in hospital and then I was bedridden for nine days with influenza. Many weeks later I am still feeling the after effects of that. It is only in the last week that I’ve got back on track with the novel.
One of the interesting things about writing is that the more you do the quicker you get at it. If I try to do a half hour here and an hour there I lose momentum and I seem not to make much progress. When I stick at it for two or three hours every day over a week it creates its own momentum. The story often takes over and I go along for an exhilarating ride with the characters and the plot. Many times I find that when the momentum is there the story almost writes itself. That’s how I’ve felt in recent days and I get this tingly feeling and can’t wait to get back to the writing. I want to know what is going to happen next! (Sure-I do have an overall plan of the plot; it’s the nitty-gritty of each scene that needs to be written.)
An interesting by-product of this method of writing is that the creative momentum frequently develops new ideas from the subconscious mind. When the creative mind is active the subconscious mind is still at work in the background, thinking up character developments and unexpected twists in the plot. This all goes to enhance the story.
I firmly believe that if a story grabs you like this-that you as the writer can’t wait to see what happens next-then your readers will want to also keep turning the pages.
Good writing