I went to a meeting writers’ meeting last night.
The evening began with a lively discussion of *everything,* and was directed into a 15-minute free write after which everyone read their sketch aloud.
The products were all discussed according to content rather than craft, and that makes sense considering they were off the cuff and unrevised, but it made me wonder what the point of free-writes are.
I suppose the point could be making one write, period. And one needs and audience and acknowledgment to make the *now* of writing random somethings motivating…
Anyway, file that away for the “someday” when I direct a group myself.
But my ultimate goal when I attend a writing group (in theory; I haven’t found a group like this since finishing college) is to improve my writing. To benefit from other brains and offer what parts of mine are applicable.
I’m beginning to see why that is harder outside of the structured, assignment oriented context of the classroom.
~
I had some amazing teachers and classmates. I’m still shaking my head over the timing God had for my years at UAF. If there was a perfect window both for my brain’s receptivity, teachers and professors…
Wow. I couldn’t have orchestrated it if I tried. Someday I’ll have to make a list.
God’s timing. . . perfect window. . . couldn’t orchestrate. . . I’m finding that home schooling is like that, too, and it’s so amazing!
I have a love/hate relationship with those kinds of meetings. I do enjoy someone else saying, “Write about this and see what you come up with” because it does force me out of my comfort zone, but I’m with you in that I want constructive help. Tell me where the words don’t work. Tell me how often my grammar is wrong. Tell me which scenes moved you and which scenes left you scratching your head. That’s what I want. If you find a good meeting, then let me know and I’ll move to Alaska to come too. :)