Hatrack River Writers Workshop: FAQ???

This is topic FAQ??? in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by yanos (Member # 1831) on :

There is some very useful information thrown round here, some of which often gets buried under the more mundane. I am thinking here of useful books, links, research areas etc...

Would people find it useful if Hatrack had a separate arena for such material to be passed on to the next generation? I know that I wish I had known about some of these sites when I first joined.

Just an idea... wondering what others thought.

Posted by Tess (Member # 2199) on :

Yes, definitely, especially books and links. And I don't want more positive reviews of the latest stuff out there, either. I want resources that have made a significant impact on educating beginner writers, like me. There's so much out there it's easy to get lost, and I'm not a fan of catchy titles.

For example, I've participated recently in another forum dealing with structure and outline. The person who runs it is an author of four books published by small presses, and he has recently begun his own publishing business as "a hobby." He told me "Scene and Structure" is one of the few writing books that actually taught him something that made a difference in his progress towards being published. I bought it, saw what he meant, and now I'm benefiting.

I don't want to promote any one site at this point, but if anyone is interested, check out http://writingacademy.com. It's a site for Doran William Cannon, a (retired?) Hollywood screenwriter who owns a retreat and runs an online structuring class. His friend, the one mentioned above, graciously runs the forum that centers on DWC’s ideas. You'll find the link to the forum, and you can get a sense of this approach to structuring through the brief lessons that accompany the forum. They won't force you to take the online course.

I'm looking for tips on information that make a significant impact on my development as a writer. Please, everyone, yanos is right. The newer participants in this forum would appreciate some references that aren't impossibly burried.

Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :

Yep, we need that. It's called "institutional memory". Let's ask Kathleen how hard it would be to set up a forum just for that. I hate to ask her to do extra, but it is a GOOD IDEA.

In fact, I'll go so far as to put my money where my mouth is. If Kathleen can't do it. I will, on my personal website, and make it available to all writers.

Here's the kind of thing I think should go in such a forum:

Here's a great place to go for some historical information on European martial arts.

http://www.thehaca.com/HEMA.htm

Mike

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

So, do you want an area entitled FAQs and one for interesting links?

I can put them up, but I'm not sure how you want to work them.

Would someone be willing to go through the Open Discussion area and find where things are discussed and then create topics (or maybe just one topic, with a list of links) in the FAQs area with links to the discussions? Maybe it should be just a Links area and the FAQs list would be one topic in the area.

Suggestions before I actually do it would be welcome.

Posted by Kickle (Member # 1934) on :

Excellent idea and thanks mikemunsil,that site is really interesting.

Posted by shadowynd (Member # 2077) on :

A bit ago I had asked for a suggested reading list, and many people responded to my post. I copied that entire thread and saved it as a file so I would have the suggestions for many moons to come. I would be happy to organize that list and donate it to the effort, though that will not be until after Thanksgiving, most likely.

Susan

Posted by Keeley (Member # 2088) on :

I can't think of anything I would add to this, but I'll look through my links today and see what I can find.

Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :

I have a fine mess of links that I will go through and post if that is appropriate.

Thanks Kathleen!!!!

I would also suggest that we mine the discussions here on a regular basis and post nuggets of information followed by a link to the original thread.

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

Whatever I end up doing (creating two areas or one or whatever), I won't do it until after Thanksgiving.

So, until then, have a great 25 November.

May those of you who are spending it with loved ones and celebrating all the things you are thankful for, find many things to be thankful for, and may you all have a great time.