General Chat

Julie Ann , send 'Mrs Grumpy' a PM and she will add you to her list :)

thanks rose have just done that
xx

dont know if i gona be anygood to be in a group though

I think this is a wonderful idea but i am very worried as well. I enjoy writing but have never shared it with anyone. I do add to some threads and always think,"this will be a short message" and when I finish and press the send buttom low and behold , it certainly isn't short.
Can i join as an observer first, and the hopefullu join when I am a little more confident.?

Bridget

i think many people will be nervous at first..it isn't a competitive thread and i think the ones who have a little experience will be able togive encouragement and help to the new writers....

if you only write a few words about something that is a start...

Oh come along Bridget - no need to be nervous!!!!

Could you ping me a personal message with your e-mail address so I can add you to the circulation list?

As and when you have summoned up the courage to join in you'll already be part of the group ...

Jill

Have sent my email address. Thanks for the rapid response

Bridget

Hi Jill and everyone,

Have you decided on how to proceed Jill? in terms of length and so on. And also as someone has queried, whether a topic will be 'set' with a deadline and whether comments on pieces will be sent through you or put on the board etc. or just go directly to the writer?

xx

Hi, I am not a writer as such, but I love reading and writing poetry, and belong to a few Poetry forums. I write poems in my own style, not at all structured (apart from Haiku, no choice there ! ) Look forward to reading this and thanks for thinking about it Jill.

Maggie

Hi Maggie, I disagree with you ! lol you ARE a writer :)

xx

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ to Maggie

:o))

Maggie

Send me a personal message with your e-mail address so I can add you to the circulation list. That way you get to see all of the work and can join in when you're ready!

Jill

Hi Rose and Stella ~~~~~~~~~

aww thanks Rose, that is so kind..lol

Maggie

OK,

Next steps.

I was hoping that a couple of our non-writing subscribers would have come up with a few topic ideas - but not heard from them yet. So, thinking caps on - any ideas for the first one?

I'm about to list all the e-mail addresses on a Word doc and send it round to all of you so you can add everyone to a buddy list in your e-mail system. The list will show who is a non-writer as well as the writers.

Suggest that you e-mail your first piece(s) to everyone on the list so we can all read each others work. Shall we have a deadline for the writing and feedback. Or maybe, initially a deadline for the writing? What about next Sunday? What do you all think?

Then feedback. Will it be easier to feedback to individuals who can then collate that feedback themselves. Or shall we do one feedback to all members - so you can see what everyone is saying about everyone else's work? I think the latter might be easier to do and it mirrors how it works in a writing group when you all hear the feedback to everyone. But again, let me know what you think.

I will put this in the first group e-mail in case not everyone is signed on right now.

Suggestions back to this thread so we can bounce ideas around as a group?

Jill

Hi Jill,

I think possibly a longer deadline? especially if it is going to be either poetry or prose... a poem might 'say it all' in a few verses as opposed to a prose piece which may take a few weeks... ( or years in my case lol)

Regarding topic, perhaps the old truism 'write about what you know' might be good for everyone to start with ?...we all 'know' different things, but all have in common family, roots, friendship, love, loss ... so maybe something along those lines? or not lol.

i think maybe.. free choice or

you give us a starting line for a short piece or

an idea for a poem

personally i would like a week deadline for entries

just my personal thoughts

:o))

How about two weeks? And maybe max of 500 words - to start with? It can be a bit rough round the edges as well ...

Hmmm - like the idea of Roots - especially as we are all doing our roots (well, my hairdresser does mine ...) but that could be interesting and might spur me to sort out my gr gr grandma piece!

How's everyone on that idea?

Jill

I would like to write but can never think of ideas so would prefer to be given 'something' to lead me in. Maybe twofold then Jill, a choice, either free choice or give a subject for those of us who need it. Maybe if the deadline is too long people will go off the boil but as Rose says, prose takes longer than poetry so it needs a middle way somehow.

2 weeks for prose, 1 week for poetry? or 2 poems in 2 weeks?

Sounds about right Jill

I think two weeks... for 2 poems or 1 piece of prose would suit me personally...and bearing in mind some of the people writing might be working also.