I'm sorry, Harvey, but I do suffer for my art. I often end up with a sore ass, tired eyes, cramped shoulders, and tingling fingers. (grin) And sometimes that's even if I DO take my breaks as scheduled. It's all great fun, though, even the cycling. And even editing a 115-thousand word tome for the dreaded you-know-what.
When I moved here ten years ago, I went to a once-a-month "writer" get-together. I thought it would be a good way to get the lay of the land, so to speak. Needless to day, I quickly discovered a lot of whining about hard work, no fun, complete drudgery and no one that produced anything. I went a second time just for spite and then left for good, never to return. I found the experience rather horrendous, truth be told. No regrets, though. It, too, was a learning experience.
Wow. That's way different than the once-a-month writer's group I attended for a few years in Sierra Vista. We talked some about how life interrupted our writing at times, but mostly we shared about various writing tools, books we'd been reading (fiction or non-fiction), marketing tools those of us who were published were trying, interesting facts we'd discovered while doing research for our various projects, and stories about goofy things life had thrown into our personal lives. Whether there were only 3 of us, or there was a dozen, it was usually a very upbeat, positive group (including lots of laughter at times). We were there to encourage and support each other, not to commiserate in misery. Thankfully!
After my husband and I moved, a group closer to me was recommended by someone I ran into one day. In talking to them, it sounded like a very different group from my previous experience. More like what you laid out. Also, they "edited" for each other, though according to the person I spoke with, most in the group were entirely unpublished. Ick. I didn't go.
If my group had been like yours, I definitely wouldn't have lasted years with it. I'd have quit, too. Who needs all that negativity?!?
I'm in an online group right now. They are good folks and encourage each other to do better, almost all are newer writers, but they are writing...and publishing. Or at least submitting to anthologies and working towards novels. All of them have been in at least one anthology, and most in 2-4 in the last year and a half.
They do edit/beta read for each other (my beta reading for them is much more the Harvey variety!) and they do prefer the ABC method (what is Awesome, Boring, Confusing). So helping to level up.
I do mention WITD now and again, but most are pretty steeped in plotting at least to the public eye.
>>> we’re supposed to “suffer” for our art
I'm sorry, Harvey, but I do suffer for my art. I often end up with a sore ass, tired eyes, cramped shoulders, and tingling fingers. (grin) And sometimes that's even if I DO take my breaks as scheduled. It's all great fun, though, even the cycling. And even editing a 115-thousand word tome for the dreaded you-know-what.
When I moved here ten years ago, I went to a once-a-month "writer" get-together. I thought it would be a good way to get the lay of the land, so to speak. Needless to day, I quickly discovered a lot of whining about hard work, no fun, complete drudgery and no one that produced anything. I went a second time just for spite and then left for good, never to return. I found the experience rather horrendous, truth be told. No regrets, though. It, too, was a learning experience.
Thanks, Peter. Yessir, I understand that kind of suffering. :-) Unfortunately, at our age, that happens no matter what we're doing.
Wow. That's way different than the once-a-month writer's group I attended for a few years in Sierra Vista. We talked some about how life interrupted our writing at times, but mostly we shared about various writing tools, books we'd been reading (fiction or non-fiction), marketing tools those of us who were published were trying, interesting facts we'd discovered while doing research for our various projects, and stories about goofy things life had thrown into our personal lives. Whether there were only 3 of us, or there was a dozen, it was usually a very upbeat, positive group (including lots of laughter at times). We were there to encourage and support each other, not to commiserate in misery. Thankfully!
After my husband and I moved, a group closer to me was recommended by someone I ran into one day. In talking to them, it sounded like a very different group from my previous experience. More like what you laid out. Also, they "edited" for each other, though according to the person I spoke with, most in the group were entirely unpublished. Ick. I didn't go.
If my group had been like yours, I definitely wouldn't have lasted years with it. I'd have quit, too. Who needs all that negativity?!?
You were fortunate with your first group, I think. I only wish the group I spoke of had been so upbeat.
I'm in an online group right now. They are good folks and encourage each other to do better, almost all are newer writers, but they are writing...and publishing. Or at least submitting to anthologies and working towards novels. All of them have been in at least one anthology, and most in 2-4 in the last year and a half.
They do edit/beta read for each other (my beta reading for them is much more the Harvey variety!) and they do prefer the ABC method (what is Awesome, Boring, Confusing). So helping to level up.
I do mention WITD now and again, but most are pretty steeped in plotting at least to the public eye.