If you're reading this, there's a chance you're looking for a writing group. That's great! Being a part of a writing community is a fantastic way to hone your skills as a writer. It can also cause all kinds of frustrations. I've been lucky, and I mean really lucky, to have been in a handful of really great writing groups. From what I've read online, and of the anecdotal horror stories of other writers, I know this isn't the rule. In fact, the rule seems to be: find a local writing group, meet odd people with poor social skills, seldom get your stuff read, and navigate a handful of bossy people who think they know everything.
Well, after my good experiences and over the last few years, I've created and been a part of an alternative that doesn't completely negate those negatives, but lessens the impact of them, and still gets your stuff in front of eyes: the Digital Writing Group (or as I like to put it, the DWG (pronounced, of course, "dog")). The down side (if that's how you want to think of it): you create this group on your own, and this blog series is intended to be a kind of "How To."
Now, before you roll your eyes (at the idea of a digital writing group and/or creating it on your own and/or my punny title) let me give you the basics. The premise is: I personally know people who have always wanted to write a book, and they in turn know people I don't that also have always wanted to write a book. Through the use of Google Drive and email, I set up a small network of writers across three states consisting of friends, and friends of friends, to post work, comment on work, and get their work commented on in return. We are now nine, and nearing the limit of the functional size for a group like this.
I know, there are online writing groups out there, and I'm sure they're a good fit for some, but for me, I didn't feel comfortable with the anonymity of them. And really, it's scary putting your work out in public for all kinds of reasons. If that kind of community does sound like something you're interested in, cool. Here's a link to get you STARTED, or just search for "online writers groups" and jump to it. If you're like me, and want to be a little more "personal" in your approach to sharing, know that, like writing itself, my version of the DWG doesn't come easy, takes patience, and takes a bit of legwork. Though now that it's founded, it is pretty rewarding.
If you've heard enough, and are all like, "Damn, I wanna get me some of that sweet, sweet small-community-sharing goodness." I won't make you wait for the opportunity to create your own. I wrote a constitution of sorts containing the goals, rules, and guidelines the group is based on called, appropriately enough, DWG: GOALS, RULES, & GUIDELINES. At the end of that page, I've also posted a sample DWG: Bulletin Board (a group document needed to keep track of things) to illustrate what that looks like.
For those of you who are wondering, "What the hell does this guy know?" I'll give you a little rundown of my own limited experience.
I've been writing with the intent to get novels published off and on for about 15 years now. During that time, I've completed three novels, a novella, numerous short stories, and have collected a solid stack of rejection letters. Also during that time, I have been a part of two wonderful writing groups (not including the DWG), and an online writing community that no longer exists (and was also told some time ago by a professional writer that it had been very unprofessional to be a part of). My wife is a professor of composition and rhetoric, and also the director of a college writing center. Like any good husband, I listen to my wife, and because of that (and from the groups I've been in) I've picked up a whole lot about what it means to give constructive feedback. And through the moderating and creation of my own writing group, I've figured out a good amount of what does and doesn't work in the writing group format I've chosen.
Over the next few weeks, (hopefully a new post every Thursday or Friday) I'm going to share what I've learned.
Well, after my good experiences and over the last few years, I've created and been a part of an alternative that doesn't completely negate those negatives, but lessens the impact of them, and still gets your stuff in front of eyes: the Digital Writing Group (or as I like to put it, the DWG (pronounced, of course, "dog")). The down side (if that's how you want to think of it): you create this group on your own, and this blog series is intended to be a kind of "How To."
Now, before you roll your eyes (at the idea of a digital writing group and/or creating it on your own and/or my punny title) let me give you the basics. The premise is: I personally know people who have always wanted to write a book, and they in turn know people I don't that also have always wanted to write a book. Through the use of Google Drive and email, I set up a small network of writers across three states consisting of friends, and friends of friends, to post work, comment on work, and get their work commented on in return. We are now nine, and nearing the limit of the functional size for a group like this.
I know, there are online writing groups out there, and I'm sure they're a good fit for some, but for me, I didn't feel comfortable with the anonymity of them. And really, it's scary putting your work out in public for all kinds of reasons. If that kind of community does sound like something you're interested in, cool. Here's a link to get you STARTED, or just search for "online writers groups" and jump to it. If you're like me, and want to be a little more "personal" in your approach to sharing, know that, like writing itself, my version of the DWG doesn't come easy, takes patience, and takes a bit of legwork. Though now that it's founded, it is pretty rewarding.
If you've heard enough, and are all like, "Damn, I wanna get me some of that sweet, sweet small-community-sharing goodness." I won't make you wait for the opportunity to create your own. I wrote a constitution of sorts containing the goals, rules, and guidelines the group is based on called, appropriately enough, DWG: GOALS, RULES, & GUIDELINES. At the end of that page, I've also posted a sample DWG: Bulletin Board (a group document needed to keep track of things) to illustrate what that looks like.
For those of you who are wondering, "What the hell does this guy know?" I'll give you a little rundown of my own limited experience.
I've been writing with the intent to get novels published off and on for about 15 years now. During that time, I've completed three novels, a novella, numerous short stories, and have collected a solid stack of rejection letters. Also during that time, I have been a part of two wonderful writing groups (not including the DWG), and an online writing community that no longer exists (and was also told some time ago by a professional writer that it had been very unprofessional to be a part of). My wife is a professor of composition and rhetoric, and also the director of a college writing center. Like any good husband, I listen to my wife, and because of that (and from the groups I've been in) I've picked up a whole lot about what it means to give constructive feedback. And through the moderating and creation of my own writing group, I've figured out a good amount of what does and doesn't work in the writing group format I've chosen.
Over the next few weeks, (hopefully a new post every Thursday or Friday) I'm going to share what I've learned.