I’m A Failed Writer #9: Non-Crappy Writing Groups

By
Jan 20 19
(failed writer video)

I’ve begun dabbling in the world of stop-motion animation. What does this mean? This means that I wait for my toddler to take a nap and then I frantically begin playing with his stuffed animals.

My excuse this time for playing with his toys is that I want to talk about writing groups. I’ve been in plenty of writing groups and here is my take on what makes an (in)effective writing group:

Hope the video is amusing and somewhat informative. I’m a bit new to low-budget, on-the-iPhone stop-motion animation, so it’s rough around the edges. (Also, a few technical things didn’t work quite right — for instance, in its first incarnation, the cat was a chain smoker, but that turned out unhealthy for both me and the cat…)

Click here to view other “I’m a failed writer” videos.

Click here to view all my videos.

Tags: , , , , , Categories: videos
17 comments
  Livefyre
Newest | Oldest
Stephanie
Stephanie like.author.displayName 1 Like

Yuvi, I love this one. The notion of "outside insight" has a lovely juxtaposition embedded in it. As usual, you employ your wonderful sense of humor and your damn enviable ability with computers (!!! Can you hear my envy rising?) to convey your thoughts to other writers. I loved the bit about not being able to get a character out of his bed for thirty pages. God, do I know that one!

Deone_Higgs
Deone_Higgs

Hi Yuvi,

I can't say that I've been in a writing group before, but it sounds like it would be interesting. I've been in a few blogging groups, but that's been about it. How would you recommend going about finding one of those as a beginner writer? Or would you rather recommend starting one on my own? Enjoyed the video, man. It was hilarious and informative. I particularly enjoyed the bourbon coming and all of the stuff animals falling over... that was too funny! :D

yuvizalkow
yuvizalkow moderator

@Deone Higgs Thanks again for the feedback. It was a really fun video to make...

Finding the first writing group is always tricky, unless you know a group of other writers who all happen to be looking to start a group at the same time. I think the best way is to keep asking around to see if anyone is in a group and whether that group has any openings. There's also the decision to make about whether you are looking for an in-person writing group or an online group. I prefer in-person groups... which you can find out about at local universities or book stores or creative organizations or communities... It might be easiest to start by taking a class with an official teacher from one of the local creative orgs and then target a few cool writers that you'd like to continue working with afterwards... It definitely takes some time to find the right sort of group that suits your needs...

By the way, you mentioned that you were in a few "blogging groups". What are those exactly? It sounds interesting... are they similar to traditional writing groups?

Kit Dunsmore
Kit Dunsmore

My writing group experience has been less than satisfactory. One writer I asked for a critique thought I was hitting on him. I got zero useful commentary and lots of unwanted attention. The group I did join and stick with for a year or so was full of older writers who were busy showing each other how clever they were. The result was my raw drafts were subjected to incisive and detail-oriented analysis that didn't help them or me. Unfortunately I was too young/stupid/inexperienced at the time to realize why I wasn't getting anything out of it. The one group that has worked for me so far is my current one. I meet with two other writers twice a week and we all spend most of the time writing. They have both made money writing; I have not. But we all share our trials and tribulations, and I know that when I finally have something in shape for other eyes, these are two people I can turn to for feedback. I do hope one day to be in a group that is focused on critiquing, but I don't know if I'll ever have the courage to try it again. I'm encouraged by your post, as well as highly entertained (as always). Nice to see you expanding your animation skills.

yuvizalkow
yuvizalkow moderator

Thanks Kit. Yeah, you've definitely described the (notable!) downside to critique groups. They are hard to find and can be destructive. Far better to be in no writing group than a bad one. I know some of my friends have had successes by growing a group one member at a time. First two people meet up, then three, and so on. That might be a way to approach a critique group with some appropriate caution. Glad you found a group where y'all write though. I totally forgot to mention that type of group but I love that sort of group... Wish you the best.

FrankDickinson
FrankDickinson

I am having a serious craving for some bourbon and a stuffed animal right now. Get fuzzy with a fuzzy is my motto for this weekend!

Latest blog post: baby yawn / Frank Dickinson

RebecaSchiller
RebecaSchiller

@FrankDickinson We're having the perfect snowy weather for that. I'll pass on the bourbon, but snuggle with live fuzzies: a cuddly beagle and not-so-cuddly Jack Russell terrier.

jaifarris
jaifarris

That was great Yuri. I often wonder if I should use a writer's group but I am leery. I have a couple of friends who are seasoned writers (one has written like 350 books for Harliquin and the other has a number of novels on shelves) and they used to be in a writer's group with Dean Koontz and all they seem to be able to tell me about the experince was that he was an ass. Makes me wonder what people will say about me one day.....if I join a writer's group that is...

yuvizalkow
yuvizalkow moderator

@jaifarris It is tricky business: to find a good writing group. And I understand that sometimes it may not be worth the effort. But to find a great group can be fabulous at the right time... As for being ass: I think the key is to not be an ass :) I do think blunt feedback is valuable, but it can be done with grace.... Wish you the best with your writing, with or without a group...

jlweinberg
jlweinberg

Hilarious and true. Loved this! And I think you did a great job with the stop-motion animation.

I'm trying to figure out the whole writing group thing right now, so this was seriously helpful. Thanks, Yuvi!

yuvizalkow
yuvizalkow moderator

@jlweinberg Thanks for tolerating my animation. (Did you notice my shameless use of Manischewitz even when talking about bourbon?) Good luck with the writing group thing. (We should catch up over coffee one of these days and talk writing...) I think I should write everything from now on with every other sentence in parentheses. (That'll be tedious for everyone.)

RebecaSchiller
RebecaSchiller

I loved this presentation--format and content! I'm at the point now that I'm not in a group at all. I decided to dump my entire campy premise of Julius and start from scratch. That means outline, kill off a lot of characters, and change characters goals and motivations--a complete do-over. Once I finish this first draft then it's time for me to find a group. One with other writers who have been writing for a while (not necessarily agented or published) who have been through the revision wringer and are more experienced in critiquing . I discovered that belonging in a group of newbies (and when I was also one too) we were just stumbling around making suggestion more for the type of book we wanted to write and not what the author was writing. We spouted "rules' from books we read, or worse just proofing and not giving any substantial feedback. This next group will be vetted: we need to have similar goals, write similar genres, and meet consistently. A lot to ask for, but I want to finish this book! I've been writing and revising it for six years and it's time that this year I write "The End."

yuvizalkow
yuvizalkow moderator

@RebecaSchiller Good to hear from you, Rebecca. Yeah, I didn't touch on that in the video, but I do think it is important to find a group where people are relatively similar in where they are in the writing life. Unless you intentionally want to take on mentorship, it can be frustrated when someone in the group is way behind everyone else... Good luck on finding the right group and finding "The End" of your book. --- In an unrelated note, right now I'm in the midst of finding the right END for my book. And I have exactly one month to find the right one! Unfortunately, I have three very inadequate THE ENDs.... :) Oy!

MSchechter
MSchechter

If there is anything better than stop motion, stuffed animals and booze, I am unaware of its existence. #ThatIsAll

yuvizalkow
yuvizalkow moderator

@MSchechter Thanks Michael. I already have visions of you creating a famous writing group blog network this year. The Better Mess Network.

Trackbacks

  1. Episode Zero: Dear God, Not Another Productivity Podcast | Mikes on Mics says:
    January 28, 2012 at 12:58 pm

    [...] I’m A Failed Writer #9: Non-Crappy Writing Groups by Yuvi Zalkow [...]