You Asked: How to Start an Online Writers Group?

May 20, 2016October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 25 Comments

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Welcome to another, belated, You Asked, the Experts Answer, segment. This week’s question: How do you start an online writer’s group?

I’ve been a member of the South Carolina’s Writer’s Group, which met monthly at our local library, but haven’t participated in an online group before and I’ve certainly never thought about starting one – until now. So, what does it take to start a group?

Where to Begin:

Establish your goals -What do you want to offer or accomplish with your members? Is the group a support network, forum for learning, an opportunity to share, or provide critiques of each other’s work?
Determine membership -Is the membership voluntary or fee based? Is it open to experienced, emerging, or writers at all levels? Will membership be limited or open to all?
Member participation – How will you recruit or encourage member participation? Offer live or Twitter chats, tutorials, or run contest? Do you want to require weekly or monthly check-ins and forum discussions or leave it up to the member?
Identify the Roles of the Host(s)– Is this your brainchild or a joint venture. If a joint venture, designate responsibilities up front- maintaining membership rosters and participation, as well as, administrative duties and who will address technical issues that might arise.
Create a venue – A private blog through WordPress or Blogger is an easy way for members to ask questions or hold discussions. Private forums on Google Groups and Yahoo Groups is another option. These are particularly useful when sharing files.
Dedicate the Time – This is a biggy. It takes a lot of time to build members and relationships. A good place to start is to have each member introduce themselves, including their level of experience as a writer, and what they hope to gain from the group.

Understand an online group requires commitment and continuous engagement. Setting weekly goals or making a to-do list will help you keep on task. Establishing a regular schedule and dedicating time specifically for the group will create the right environment for a successful online group. Interested in more information?

Check Out These Resources:

What about you? Do you belong to an online writer’s group? Have you found it helpful? Interesting is starting a group? I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilamgood, Contently, and Instagram.

Flash Talk Pictorial: I’m a Southern Belle

May 18, 2016October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 10 Comments

Daily Post Prompt:

Write a new post in response to today’s one-word prompt. South

This prompt had my head spinning with things I might want to cover – Southern myths for example. Instead, decided just to give you a glimpse into me via some of my favorite memes.

First, let me say I am a Southern woman, born and bred. I grew up in a small town at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains where you’ll find some of the most beautiful mountains on earth, a church on nearly every corner and everyone greets you with a smile, if not by name.

As a girl, I couldn’t wait to leave and explore the world – move to the big city. I’ve been out of the country – once, visited a few other states but I never ventured far from my roots. I still reside in South Carolina and proud to do so.

I’ll save the myths for another time. In the meantime, check out what it’s like to be a Southern Belle by clicking on the link below.

Source: Flash Talk Pictorial: I’m a Southern Belle

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilamgood, Contently, and Instagram.

Recycling From The Fail Pile

May 17, 2016October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 2 Comments

Do you have a pile of old stories or a manuscript gathering dust? Don’t throw the away – repurchase them.

Bare Knuckle Writer

Not Pictured: That Manuscript. This is a completely different one.

I wrote a scene for a book ten years ago.

Shit. Writing that sentence was the first time I stopped to do that particular math. Fuck. That was longer ago than I thought.

Anyway, this was my first finished book. It sucked. I mean, it’s not spectacularly bad– it doesn’t physically hurt me to read it, like some of my earlier, unfinished stories–but it still sucks. It will remain in cold storage indefinitely, or until the sun explodes and burns us all to a crisp.

But there was this one scene. I liked it. I still like it. Not the way it was written, because, dude, I was just starting out then. I had spent the previous six years writing academic papers. My fiction writing was not great, to say the least. I could over-explain like a boss, though.

But…

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