I'd like to apologize in advance for what may be some rambling in this post. I want to introduce myself fully in order to best find where I might fit in Hatrack's critiquing groups. I promise I won't always be so windy. Okay, here goes!

I am 37, married and the mother of two tremendously splendiferous little boys, aged 4 and 9. My 9 year-old is very gifted, so I am kept quite occupied with his various music, martial arts and other pursuits throughout the week. My 4 year-old, true to his age group, is just high maintenance right now! Nightime (past the boys' bedtime) provides me the best chance to write, and since I'm a night-owl that is fine by me.

I dreamed of being a fantasy writer as early as the 7th grade, but with no support from my family of origin, I 'forgot' the dream for many years. I am now reviving it (the dream that is, my FOO is beyond reviving) and am about 6 chapters into a fantasy novel that seems to 'fit' the YA category. It has taken me several years to get to this point in the story, and with the boys growing up, I am FINALLY finding a few more pockets of time at my disposal! It's been a frustrating few years at times, but I am unapologetic about putting them first for the last few years, and backburner-ing my writing much of the time. Children deserve that an patience truly is a virtue when they are little and need so much from their parents.

Anyway, I joined Hatrack because I am DESPERATE to find a good, solid group of a few writers (4 or 5) to work with. But despite my feelings of desperation, I am still choosy. To be frank, I am tired of clubby groups that invariably end up focusing on personal problems and goofing off...in short, I am serious and I really want to find a group that will allow me to make the most of my writing time and talent. I have moderated two online writing groups, but found it hard to attract serious writers. I have a wild and wacky sense of humor and I LOVE to have fun, but I want to work at my craft and ACCOMPLISH something, too!

I'm not entirely sure what my first step should be, as I gather it can take a month or more to construct a group. Does one already exist that would suit my needs, and that I would suit in return? I am willing to critique work as long as the writer has a good, strong foundation and a skill level that will not drain me of time...it is at such a premium. Forgive me if that seems blunt, but experience has taught me to only seek what I really and truly need, and to be honest. I am an experienced editor with a very strong background in grammar, syntax, characterization, flow, spelling, you name it. Oh, and I prefer to work with other fantasy writers if at all possible, or science fiction or other writers with an SF/F 'bent'. It just interests me the most for right now and I could use all the exposure to the genre that I can get as I re-enter the literary world.

If it helps, I will list a some reading that made me hunger to be a writer: Stephen R. Donaldson's Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever series; Piers Anthony's Xanth, Apprentice Adept and Mode series; Ann McCaffrey's Pern series; Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series. I also enjoy more 'picture' type books like Dinotopia and the like, and admit that I got a real kick out of the Harry Potter books as I shared them with my son. I also love classic literature, especially the short stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Washington Irving, Edgar Allen Poe and Franz Kafka.

If anyone has some insight into a good group that could use another member, please let me know. I would like to begin as soon as possible, so the sooner I can check it out and find my best fit, the better!

Thanks so much for your time, and I look forward to seeing more of Hatrack. By the way, I must confess that I am not very familiar with OSC's work (though I have read two of his books on the writing craft), largely because since starting my family, I have found my reading time more and more eclipsed. But I'm willing to learn, so here I am.

About the groups--it really is hard to say beforehand whether or not a group will work out for someone.

I try to group people according to the interests and goals they tell me about in their sign-up forms, but I can only guess about how good they will be in and for a group.

The attrition rate for Hatrack groups is very high (at least 50% in some groups) and I often have to do a lot of rearranging.

On the other hand, sometimes a group works out right at the beginning, but that is rarer than I'd like it to be.

If you are willing to work with me, and let me try to find a group that works for you--in other words, if you are willing to try more than once or twice until we find the right mix for you, I think we can extend to you the hope of finding a good group.

Once a group gels, it is beautiful to behold. The sad thing is usually the only people to see this beauty are the members of the group and I. Most Hatrack groups choose to stay in email, and never ask for a group discussion area on the website (which is why there are so many blank spaces for groups there).

It really is exciting to see a group come together and work out.

I am on my third group--and they are great--we have a good mix of "eyes" (by that I mean a good mix of people that have a nack for seeing different things).

So give it time. Kathleen is great at finding people that go together.

Besides all of which, the way that we get to know people in the confines of a bulletin board is by what they write about the various topics that people actually discuss.

By the way, Persephone, I'm always glad to see another member of proven good sense and maturity (two qualities of which I am invariably in short supply), as well as one having good punctuation (which will come in handy for me if you permit me to read your story).

as much of an addiction as anything I know----welcome to the suport group.

My name is Shawn and I am a writer.

And I did warn ahead of time that it would be lengthy, so Survivor, I beg your indulgence and patience with a newbie! I suspect we're all friends here, and I will return the kindness when others need it.

Kathleen, I am more than willing to work with you to find a good group. I know it may take some time, and since I'm the one being so particular, I know the onus of patience is very much on me. I appreciate anything you can do to help from your end.

I've been here for awhile, but I have yet to join a group, since I don't feel like ti Have enough free time to be able to keep up my end of the deal, but perhaps soon.

Anyhow, I'm realizing that my brain is slow and soggy because it's late, so I'm going to go to sleep now.

Welcome to Hatrack!

You can even set the web address to be a link to a particular topic on this forum, if you like, perhaps one that contains an introduction from you. I think that using a free web page from Geocities or NBCI or 8M is better, since you can include pictures and formatted text, even an audio clip if such is your taste.

My main problem with intro-topics is that you end up with forty intro's to a page, with no index or anything to allow you to find the one that you're looking for, or even any guarantee that the one you're looking for even exists in that topic. I used to introduce myself in those topics...or I did so a couple of times. But those were more of the sort of running discussion (or battle, take your pick) type of topic.

By the way, even if a member hasn't posted any personal information in their profile, you can still use the profile to search all the topics in which they have posted. That's a lot better than just some three paragraph intro lost in a sea of basically similar intros. I can even find out what Shawn posted in response to the "Stupid Question" of Siligurl if I like.

which will tell you how the writers groups work.

After you've read that page, please select "How to Join" which is in the column on the left side of the webpage. This will take you to a page where you can read about joining a group.

After you've read that, please select "Please fill out this form" which will take you to a page where you can enter the answers to the questions for our application form.