BellaOnline Forums Career Fiction Writing Online writing group forming

Post here if you think it would be helpful to start an online writing group in these forums and what style of writing group (structures, unstructured, critique focused, prompt focused, goal focused, etc) would be most helpful.

Hello Melissa, On a couple of social networking sites for the over 50's I organise Consequences-style story writing. This is based on the old party game of someone starting off a story line in about 3 short paragraphs of about 4 lines, establishing the main character(s) and the scenario. Anyone can post another episode to the same storyline using the same characters and we carry on until the story reaches a 'natural' conclusion. We've just finished a story with a Western theme, but we mainly write about people in difficult or unusual cirmcumstances and how they react. I personally enjoy comedy writing. You probably have a different title for this type of writing but the skill (I believe) is in making sense out of what a previous writer has added to the story and maintaing continuity. It's good fun, anyway.

That does sound like quite a bit of fun. I did that once or twice in high school with some friends and a steno notebook. The story turned out to be great entertainment for us anyway....

That could be something fun to do on a discussion forum, too!

Melissa

That sounds like fun and games which is fine for play and procrastination. I'd want a group focused on critiquing each other or discussing specific writing issues and topics like: how to handle POV, dialogue, hooks, character development, plot potholes, grammar, etc.

HeyYou,

I have been part of a writing group for years now that focuses soley on critique and it is wonderful. I have gotten some really good feedback about my work from colleagues as dedicated to the craft as I am. But again, a writing group needs to fit each person's style.

Keep the ideas coming and we'll see if there are enough people to start one or two online writing groups that suit them...

Melissa

It sounds fun, yet very challenging. Does anyone chime in at any point or do you throw it to a specific person to continue? If you give it to a particular person, what if we're suffering a writers block, (as I am trying to start another article ).

In the "neverending story" game that I did, everyone played in a specific order so that the action didn't end up going two places at once. So you knew when your turn was coming and there was no minimum that you had to write. Sometimes if people were really blocked they just wrote "and then..." and let the next person take a turn.

Melissa

Mellisa,
online or in person?
if online, are there openings?
I have no access to an in person group since I live on a tiny island.

I was thinking about hosting a writing group here on the forums. So there is definitely room. I am going to see the amount of a response we get.

Yes,good idea,I have an online writing group on Facebook - lots of poets there particularly.

Something I get stuck on is finding the exact right particular word for something (my memory lol!)

Last week it took days for me to remember the phrase 'squaring up' for a birds poem I was working on! Still dont know if theres a better phrase!

We have some chat on short stories on my forum too from time to time. Flash Fiction is my other passion!

PS Any authors thinking about an Author spot/profile page for their work/portfolio might be interested in a special $100 Valentine Webhosting offer on the site I use and love: Thinking Of Putting Your Writing Online?

Mine is below (details there also,including my ebook publishing Poetry Collection - please feel free to critique to start)