Writing

You Asked: How to Start an Online Writers Group?

/ Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 25 Comments

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:

  1. 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?
  2. 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?
  3. 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?
  4.  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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.

Recycling From The Fail Pile

/ 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.

bareknucklewriter's avatarBare Knuckle Writer

photo 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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Can You Write What Hurts? (part 1)

/ Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / Leave a comment

Authenticity is important for a writer but what happens when the story you want to write is painful? Great part 1 from Dan Alatorre.

Survival

/ Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 26 Comments

The Daily Post:  Survival

I survived a parent’s worst nightmare. The middle of the night phone call.  I missed the first ring but the second that came almost immediately had me out of the bed and on high alert.

Our brains with more than 100 billion nerve cells, is the most sophisticated communication network we own, and when it speaks, we better listen. My daughter who lives nearly 500 miles away was on the other end of that line, and she was terrified – someone was in the hall of her apartment trying to get in somewhere. Even I, through the phone lines, could hear the God- awful ruckus the intruder was making. He sounded like he was on the other side of her door.

“Call 911.”

“Oh my God! He’s right outside.” Her crying intensified. “What do I do? What do I do?” Fear had paralyzed her.

“Stay on the line with me honey. I’m calling 911 from my end. “Don’t hang up.”

A mother’s instinct to protect her children, no matter their age and it’s as strong as any of our survival instincts. My job as a mother was to stay calm and help her as best I could.I can tell you if I could have flown through those phone lines – I would have.

“Is the chain on your door?”

“I don’t have a chain.”

“Move the foyer dresser in front of the door.”

“He’ll hear me!”

“Get a knife, right now. If he comes through that door, use it.”

“Okay, okay.”

“Get your pepper spray.”

While I tried to keep her calm here’s where my mind was taking me. I didn’t want her to hang up to call herself, although she did and those few minutes we were not connected were the longest of my life. I was terrified if she hung up even for a moment,   the worst might happen. In my mind as long as I could hear talk to her, she was safe.

And here:

 Her crying intensified. “He’s trying to break down a door.”

I heard the destruction 500 miles away, and I prayed. “The police are on their way sweetheart, stay with me. You’re okay.”

“The police are here. They just pulled up out front.”

“Honey, before you open the door, make sure it’s the police and don’t open the door with the knife in your hand, please.”

As it turns out, a drunken boyfriend kicked in the door to his girlfriend’s apartment. The police found him passed out inside and the girlfriend three sheets to the winds, as well. My daughter and other young ladies on the hall, although terrorized, were safe.

Yep, this mom survived a late-night phone call. Thank God so did my daughter. But, let me assure anyone who messes with my daughters will face this mother’s wrath.

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.