tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post1987660133384537091..comments2023-11-17T01:32:25.790+00:00Comments on Aleksandr Voinov - Letters from the Front: Writing groups - the good, the bad and the career-destroyingAleksandr Voinovhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06583805228909693924noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-54188953023142589482016-08-14T19:42:41.265+01:002016-08-14T19:42:41.265+01:00Love this post. I've never been part of a writ...Love this post. I've never been part of a writing group. It would have to be a pretty tremendous group for me to give up that much of my limited writing time. I also only have one regular CP and generally have a max of one beta reader on any wip (on my current wip, no beta at all due to time constraints). Partly this is down to my very British inability to ask for help, lol, but partly, I'm just chary of 'too much' and/or pointless feedback. I suspect some people are really just looking for positive reinforcement for betas, and I suppose fair enough if that's what you want. But is it really adding anything to your book, or your broader skill set as a writer? I question that. Joanna Chambershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08322566802377393271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-38584391314587740952016-08-14T10:19:24.462+01:002016-08-14T10:19:24.462+01:00Great post. So true to separate social and critiqu...Great post. So true to separate social and critique groups. The rules- yeah I've heard plenty about those. I'm doing a talk at my library as part of a writers group On when you should Tell and not Show! People get fixated on the 'rules'. Giving and receiving feedback that's more than 'I liked it' or 'I didn't understand it' is itself a skill and one that not everyone - regardless of where they are on their writing journey- can acquire. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16551690223884986501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-42644733249774622382016-08-13T22:31:28.936+01:002016-08-13T22:31:28.936+01:00I lose my way when I get feedback that's well-...I lose my way when I get feedback that's well-meaning but clueless. When someone is straight up adversarial, I can shut that down as not having anything to do with me. When it's coming from a "trusted" source, I can really lose my way, so I try to be very careful with who I allow to give me feedback.Clancy Nachthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13356300125137783767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-30535435746016391392016-08-13T22:23:55.232+01:002016-08-13T22:23:55.232+01:00Really nicely written, Aleks. There is lots to thi...Really nicely written, Aleks. There is lots to think about here. As you know, I live in an isolated part of the world, so there is no chance of a writing group. My experience is more electronic--gleaning words of wisdom from the truly wise. The sorting out of the dross is the great learning experience, and the advice from those few who I trust, and who have given me sound pathways. Thank you.gazrjhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12540642637668662642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29109752791794032.post-19741719595617758712016-08-13T21:51:21.662+01:002016-08-13T21:51:21.662+01:00"Avoid the type who shows up with their 2,500..."Avoid the type who shows up with their 2,500-page memoir about escaping Scientology (I wish I was joking.)" Lol<br /><br />I've been through ALL THE WRITING GROUPS too and came out the other side and survived.:) There were lots of ups and downs but I credit the people I came up with for teaching me how to write, or really, we learned to write together. But definitely, I agree with you, if you don't have a strong sense of self and a lot of grit it's easy to give up because writing is hard work.<br /><br />Another thing I found equally important was the reading of the books on writing (James Scott Bell!) and all the online workshops I took- this was invaluable.<br /><br />The contest circuit and the submission process, while excruciating, also proved to be a good source of insight into what little darlings to kill and incentive to edit my wips within an inch of their life. It's hard for a new writer to judge when their work is ready for prime time, this is why a lot of debut self pub books that are still rough end up on Amz a bit too soon... <br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17477098162242216401noreply@blogger.com