Hatrack River Writers Workshop: How active are the workgroups here?

This is topic How active are the workgroups here? in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/writers/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=000885

Posted by somnambulous (Member # 1849) on :

Looking at the post counts it seems like only one of them is really moving. I made a New Years resolution to finally get cracking on my writing and I'd be interested in finding a workgroup soon.

My problem is I have dozens of stories I've started and never finished. I seem to get a spurt of interest in a story when the idea first comes into my head and then it just sort of fades off before a new idea invigorates my writing. Nothing ever actually gets done though.

But right now I'm writing my first short story of the New Year and I'm determined to stick it out to the conclusion. Then I plan to look at finishing older stories... So anyway, I'm planning to look into workshops soon and would like to know what the general opinion is of the workgroups here.

Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :

Probably the best thing to do (for the commitment shy) is to start by flogging for some readers in the Fragments and Feedback forum. You should also offer to critique other stories posted there if the initial fragment seems interesting to you. You'll get a feel for how ready you are for a critique group, both what you have to offer and what others can help you to spot.

Then you'll feel more confident about whether signing up for a group is the right thing for you.

Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :

Blech, I forgot to mention, the post counts don't mean that none of the other groups are moving, it means that only that group is really carrying on their discussion on the forum, in my (not very extensive experience) most of the groups stay entirely in e-mail. I'm not sure whether this is a good thing (theoretically, using the forum should create a stronger personal investment in higher group activity), but that is the way most groups seem to operate.

Posted by somnambulous (Member # 1849) on :

Ah, well thats good to hear. I was worried that these groups were being formed and then just sort of fading into nothingness as nobody contributed anything. I'd personally like to be part of a group that utilizes a forum, but as long as its active I don't care.

I enrolled in a poetry writing workshop in college and while I don't have much of an interest in poetry, I definitely found the peer feedback and criticism to be very useful and I think what I had to say was helpful to others as well.

My instructor's criticism on the other hand, I wasn't very happy with. I wasn't a serious poet. My influences were mostly poetry slams and that was the style in which I wanted to write. I wanted to entertain. He didn't really appreciate it, but my fellow students did and that was my intended audience.

But, anyway... Speculative fiction is my passion and thats where I want to concentrate my efforts. Personally I think of alot of poetry as I think of expressionist art... Its good if certain people say its good and I'm dubious about how much value anyone can place on paint-splotched canvas... but thats just me.

I'm a fan of OSC and speculative fiction in general, so I figured this would be a great place to find my intended audience... assuming I find an audience at all, of course.

[This message has been edited by somnambulous (edited January 09, 2004).]

Posted by ccwbass (Member # 1850) on :

Kathy, if you're reading this, just how active ARE the groups? Is there a lot of activity taking place solely through e-mail?

Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :

Kathleen (please).

It's as Survivor said, most of the groups stay in email.

I suspect it's more because you have to use email whether you use a discussion area on the website or not, and using a discussion area is just one more thing to do when email is enough/plenty.

Did that make sense?

Posted by ccwbass (Member # 1850) on :

[1] Kathleen it is.

[2] Yes, it made sense.

Thanks!

Posted by srhowen (Member # 462) on :

I am in a group that started as group 6 here then when the year was up I made a site for us on MSN, a year later we are still together. A few members have come and gone, but it has worked well. The small group has worked well, and we have gotten to know each well enough that we can say--Uh--this sucked!

It did take a few groups for me to find a group that fit well--(read this as Shawn writes stuff that has an underlying current of make the hair on the back of your neck stand up)

Anyway--the groups here are some of the best to be found on the web. Kathleen moderates very well, and as the groups are small you get to know the people and always know you will get x number of crits per round but not so many you are overwhelmed, and the content is so much better that way.

Shawn