I've seen recommendations everywhere that writers, especially new writers, should join a writing group to get more sets of eyes looking at their words before submitting them. I've also seen warnings about the writer's groups that drag writers down and either change your voice or just endlessly praise each other's work without any real growth.
I went to the Surrey International Writer's Conference this year, partially in hopes of meeting some agents, but mostly hoping to connect with other writers. I attended an informative class by one agent and had pitch appointments with another (good feedback, but no request). Most importantly, I connected with other writers and was invited to join a group.
It's been wonderful. Fresh sets of eyes have pointed out things that were over-edited and needed clarifying, confusing bits, and lots of comma errors. I've gotten to read and give comments on exciting stories the other writers are writing. Discussing others' writing teaches me more about the craft.
Thanks BJ, Ted, Gosh, and Laurel for letting me in.
Friday, January 9, 2009
getting to know you questions
in an attempt to write something once in a while, here's my answers to author questions posted on agent Rachel Gardner's blog:
→If you’re a writer, what do you write? what do you do when you’re not writing?
* I write science fiction and fantasty. If I'm not writing, I'm proscrastinating, working, or doing something with horses.
→Are you published? Agented? Hopeful? Stalking me?
* Hopeful. I stalk/lurk on all the agent blogs I've found in hopes on learning as much about ppublishing as I can.
→What do you love about books? What drives you crazy about books?
*I love books that introduce me to characters I can revisit over and over again. What drives me crazy? the lack of time and money for more reading.
→Starbucks, Peets, or Folger’s Crystals?
*tea
→The beach, the mountains, or completely lost and without a map?
*beach or mountains
→Running, walking, working out at the gym, or lying on the couch with a bag of Cheetos?
*walking, or sitting at the computer with chocolates
→Are you excited about the new seasons of “Lost” and “American Idol”? If not, what’s wrong with you?
*Lost, with fingers crossed that it gets better than last season.
→If you were a color, what color would you…just kidding.
*blue?
→Here’s a $25,000 advance. How will you spend it? (This is not a trick question. Don’t try to impress me. I’m off in the mountains right now, not even reading your answers.)
*put the money towards daughters' college tuition. and a new toy or two.
→Twitter: Fun social media tool or harbinger of the literary apocalypse?
*fun time-waster
→Kindle: Useful reading device or harbinger of the literary apocalypse?
*too expensive for me. My neck prefers reading e-books on the computer screen, but the rest of me wants paper to hold in my hands.
→What part of the world do you live in? And how bothered are you by sentences that end in a preposition?
*Pacific NW. Nope, not bothered but I try to avoid writing them.
→If you’re a writer, what do you write? what do you do when you’re not writing?
* I write science fiction and fantasty. If I'm not writing, I'm proscrastinating, working, or doing something with horses.
→Are you published? Agented? Hopeful? Stalking me?
* Hopeful. I stalk/lurk on all the agent blogs I've found in hopes on learning as much about ppublishing as I can.
→What do you love about books? What drives you crazy about books?
*I love books that introduce me to characters I can revisit over and over again. What drives me crazy? the lack of time and money for more reading.
→Starbucks, Peets, or Folger’s Crystals?
*tea
→The beach, the mountains, or completely lost and without a map?
*beach or mountains
→Running, walking, working out at the gym, or lying on the couch with a bag of Cheetos?
*walking, or sitting at the computer with chocolates
→Are you excited about the new seasons of “Lost” and “American Idol”? If not, what’s wrong with you?
*Lost, with fingers crossed that it gets better than last season.
→If you were a color, what color would you…just kidding.
*blue?
→Here’s a $25,000 advance. How will you spend it? (This is not a trick question. Don’t try to impress me. I’m off in the mountains right now, not even reading your answers.)
*put the money towards daughters' college tuition. and a new toy or two.
→Twitter: Fun social media tool or harbinger of the literary apocalypse?
*fun time-waster
→Kindle: Useful reading device or harbinger of the literary apocalypse?
*too expensive for me. My neck prefers reading e-books on the computer screen, but the rest of me wants paper to hold in my hands.
→What part of the world do you live in? And how bothered are you by sentences that end in a preposition?
*Pacific NW. Nope, not bothered but I try to avoid writing them.
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