WG 2008 - Org Writing Group 2008

[Tamur]

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Note: Discussion moved to the general discussion thread!

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The Mead Hall Writers' Society 2008 Writing Group!

We will be starting a writing group here in about a week's time. This will be a moderator-driven group with weekly assignments and feedback, and discussion with other participants.

Start Date: Tuesday, 29 April 2008

Final Assignments: Tuesday, 30 September 2008

What's Happening?

Tamur will be leading a prose fiction writing course. Emphasis will be on tightly focused assignments which will encourage writers to think about every aspect of their craft: the creation of realistic characters, realistic places, plot creation, the function of action, writing style, word choice - in short, we'll be covering the prose writer's craft from start to finish.

Due to the nature of internet communities, it's guaranteed that our ranks will flow this way and that over the next five months. That's part of the course, and materials have been designed for this reality. Feel free to join us when you can -- this isn't a university, no money's changing hands.

It's important to note that participants are not expected to review or comment on each other's work. You're certainly free to do so, but the only obligation of the course is to get your assignment material posted on time. This is about you improving your writing, nothing else!

How Does It Work?

Each week on Tuesday around mid-day GMT, the course leader (usually Tamur) will post the text of lesson materials, and an assignment related to it. Participants will finish the assignment at some point before the following Tuesday, and post their writing in the weekly assignment thread.

At the end of the Tuesday-to-Tuesday assignment week, the course leader and a couple of offline helpers will review the writing posted in the assignment thread and give helpful feedback based on the lesson material and goal(s) of the exercise. To maintain continuity, no late assignments will be reviewed.

Feedback will be public in the same way that the writing is public. This allows everyone to learn from everyone else. If you wish to participate anonymously, simply PM your assignment to the course leader, who will then post it for you (anonymously) in the assignment thread.

Along with the usual assignments, there will be a discussion thread for the course in which participants are encouraged to discuss the lesson materials for the week.

How Do I Sign Up?

Again, due to the ebb and flow of an internet community, we won't keep an official "enrolled" list. Just watch out for the first assignment and get writing!

The first lesson and assignment will go up on Tuesday, 29th April, in the Org's Mead Hall.

Questions?

Feel free to post in this thread with questions, or PM Tamur.

[Bartholemew-Varath]

Ill join, although i wont be able to come on at midday on a tuesday because i have school, and possibly not around the nex few weeks as i have exams coming up, but i will certainly like to be envolved in the writing group...

[Timsup2nothin]

Suits. I will be there.

[Monk]

There's not going to be any rewards for these writing groups in the normal sense of the word, instead they are going to be (as Tamur said) focused on helping you better your own ability to write. Who knows? Maybe if you take part in these exorcises you could win our next contest and get yourself a badge like mine!

[Tamur]

Sounds great Bartholemew and Tim. I expect we'll have a good number floating in and out so don't worry about not being able to be there constantly.

[The Stranger]

hahah so we try it again?

or a badge like mine!! mine's better :P

[Prince Cobra]

This sounds good.

[scottishranger]

Sure, Ill give it a go. Wont be to active during June or July, but should be a good experiance.

[Tamur]

Great, it'll be nice to have all these award-winning authors along for the ride! Oi oi the pressure

[Sabinus]

Will there be a set story line/ genre of the writing? Will it be short stories or something more like poetry?

[Tamur]

hi Sabinus

This is a prose fiction writing course, so no poetry or non-fiction prose will be part of the course.

As for genre/theme, participants are free to do anything they like. This will be about honing skills rather than about any specific theme or genre.

[Tratorix]

Count me in for this.

This will be a good way to keep myself on track with trying to improve my writing without getting distracted.

[Prince Cobra]

This sounds good.

BTW, if I was not clear enough. In. (Start spying people )

[Tamur]

Just in case anyone has linked here and missed the Mead Hall topics, the writers' group has started!

Go to this thread for the first week's reading materials and assignment(s).

Go to this thread to post your first week's finished assignments.

And last but not least, you can discuss the lessons, the craft of writing, and anything else in this thread.

[Bartholemew-Varath]

I can write history, i just need the facts, if i can have the facts, i can probably write the story decently well

[Tamur]

It's a little ways off, but we'll be covering the role of facts. That said, this course is about lying your teeth out on the main, so don't expect toooo much fact

[Prince Cobra]

Well, I know mine is the shortest but I had to write it for a very short time. I am inquisitive to see the results. Next time I musty prepare better

[Tamur]

Thanks for submitting it Stephen. I'll have comments up sometime before GMT evening.

edit: ok I lied. Sometime before GMT morning on Thursday.

[Tamur]

Note that we've moved discussion for the group to the general discussion thread.

If you're coming here new, head over to that thread for current discussion.