I Love My Writers' Group

A bit of history first: When I moved to Springville I looked in the paper to see if they had any kind of writing group. Almost immediately I found an announcement about a group in Porterville. Of course I joined them. First they met in authors' homes in the day time which meant most of the writers were people who didn't work and teachers off for the summer.

As time moved on, so did the group, meeting at night and in a public building. From there it was back to people's homes, then a senior center, and finally a small group who really were intent on writing began meeting.

Over the years (about 30 for me, though the group began even earlier)many have dropped out and new folks have joined. Some were not serious about writing and were merely looking for a social time. Others couldn't take being critiqued. And there were always those who never got around to writing anything new. And once in awhile, someone who wrote wonderfully well, sent their work off and after a couple of rejections quit writing all together. (Never could understand that. I was rejected nearly 30 times before my first book found a home and many rejections for other books after that, but I never gave up.)

Now our group consists of five people. I'm the most published though others have been published too.

Our leader, and the woman who started the group way back in the beginning, is a retired English teacher--and believe me, I've learned a lot from her. She is also an excellent editor. She's published a non-fiction book on ways to help your child with their school work--excellent book, and a memoir of her early childhood. She's now working on a sequel that brings back memories of my own. She's also published poetry.

Our one and only man has a great and varied background. A rancher, former teacher, broadcaster, volunteer fireman, and much, much more, has added a great deal to our group. He helps a lot with things that I don't know enough about. He's writing several things: a YA story, a children's book, and historical and funny articles for the newspaper.

Our youngest member is currently a grade school teacher and writing a wonderful fantasy for children. She has the ability to transport me back to when I was a kid and loved reading these kind of stories. She has published other children's books and writes a column for the local newspaper.

Probably the best writer among us, far more literary than I'll ever be, is also writing a memoir about a difficult time in her life. This woman's work is poignant, beautiful, heart-rending, and achingly beautiful. She's been a great asset to the group.

How we operate.

Everyone brings 5 copies of a chapter or whatever it is they are working on. The author of the piece reads it and the others makes notes on their copies. Then we go around and give our critique one by one--no interrupting. (That's the rule, but sometimes we forget--but not often.)

This is not a group where writers are brutally criticized nor unduly flattered. We're a working group. Lapses are pointed out, overuse of words and phrases. Inconsistencies are found. Suggestions are made. Questions are asked.

I consider what I learn from the group my first edit.

I take home the chapter they've written on and the next day I rework the chapter. It's interesting to see what else they've marked that they didn't mention during the group. One person catches things none of the rest noticed. I love it.

I realize not all writers' groups are the same and this one has evolved over time and probably will again, but right now, this critique group is invaluable to me.

Marilyn