- This topic has 25 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 2 months ago by
.
-
Topic
-
Hey, friends!
I’ve just started working on a novel manuscript and am hoping to use NaNoWriMo to hammer it out. Anyone want to be my accountability buddy? I thought it might be fun to get a Zoom group together once a week (or even once a month) where we talk about our projects, hang up and write for an hour, and then call each other back and talk about how it went.
Another idea would be an informal feedback circle. Every two weeks, we can take turns reading one of each other’s pieces and then give feedback.
Anyone interested? COVID, winter, and solitude isn’t an excuse to not build community, and as everything changes day in and day out, I’ve found myself asking, “If not now, when?”
-
Replies
-
-
Let’s all meet again!
Hey, Sally and Joe – I felt like our time on Zoom was so nourishing and helpful; I’d love to do it again sometime soon, and get anyone else involved (like Kirk!). Let me know what times/dates work for y’all, and I’ll make something work. Any day coming up except for the 28th would be great. It’s my birthday that day and I’m turning 30(!).
-
-
This Friday the 22nd works for me, if that doesn’t work for others, 5 February would be good.
And an early happy 30th birthday!-
-
Great! Let’s do this Friday. Does 10 PST/11 MST work for y’all? I’ll message Kirk too and see what he says.
-
-
-
-
I just saw all the posts I’d missed. I didn’t check the box to email me with replies! Darn it. Yes, I’d love to meet so please send me the deets and what I should prepare.
Sally-
I’d actually love to have your thoughts (and Joe’s!) about how to structure this next meeting. Last week, Joe and I just talked about writing for awhile, and then Joe read a section of his novel aloud that he was having trouble with. I really enjoyed that.
There are two ways I think next Friday can go:
1) We do something similar to what Joe and I did last week, and one/some/all of us read passages and get feedback on it.
2) We talk about our projects, break and write for thirty minutes, and come back and talk about it.
3) We just meet and touch base with what we want to do then.Either way, I’m sure we’ll all talk a lot about writing in between! Let me know what works for you – and Joe, if you read this, hop on and give your thoughts too! I’d love to have a really fluid meetup on Friday :).
-
I’m up for anything. I could use writing time for certain. I’d love to talk publishing/how to find the right magazine/self-publishing.
How are you meeting up? And what time?-
Hey Sally,
I really like the idea of discussing how to find the right magazine. An extra-curricular lesson I’ve learned in the last two years is that editors interpret their publication’s editorial guidelines as subjectively as readers define genre. However, I read an insightful bit of advice from and editor at a publication I’m thinking of submitting to. I’d love to share and hear yours and Nikita’s thoughts on his advice.
We met on Zoom at 1 P.M. MST. Let us know if that works for you. I look forward meeting with you and Nikita, and anyone else who would like to join us.
-
-
Y’all, I love the idea of talking about publishing and stuff too! Maybe we can check in on Friday when we meet and see if we’d rather write for a power 30 minutes too, or just talk/share our pieces.
Hmmm, I’d hate to swap platforms, but Zoom is only free for more than 2 people to meet for 40 minutes. We can always sign off/sign back on, but it tends to interrupt the flow of hanging out. We could alternatively meet up on G-Chat, if either of you are familiar with that! It’s the Google Chat that’s completely free; it’s less popular than Zoom, but if you have a gmail account, it’s right there in your mailbox. Either one works for me!
-
Nikita,
I’m up for either. My email is sygoerner@aol.com and I like the idea of chatting and writing. Maybe we can get in at least a 20 minute power write? -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Hi Nikita,
Thanks for extending the offer to join you in NaNoWriMo. Iām intrigued, especially with the possibility of meeting on Zoom, but conflicted. Given the productive and exciting results from last yearāhas it already been a year?!? yikes!āIād be all for participating, but I donāt want to abandon the progress Iāve made on my novel, Quantum Wave Surfer, to begin another novel project. Hey, speaking of my novel, have you had a chance to read the draft excerpt I sent you a couple months ago? I know youāre quite busy these days, but Iād love to hear your comments. I suppose I could continue with that novel since itās not quite complete, but I feel like Iād be cheating. Althoughā¦I seem to recall that the goal is more the 1667 words per day than whether one is working on a new novel or an existing project (of course, thatās my interpretation), soā¦. Iām going to assess where Iām at with the novel and decide whether another four weeks of concentrated effort would be beneficial or if I should take the time to get serious with another project. Iāll let you know soon.
As well, because you suggested periodic feedback, I thought Iād share this article I came across in Lit Hub the other day. I think the author expands and emphasizes an aspect of giving feedback that was incorporated into critiquing instructions given to us by several professors. What do you think?
-
Yes! That’s how I feel about my novel. I’m 16000 words in (and counting), and just feel like it would be silly to write a totally new thing. I’m just trying to do 1000+ words per day on this current project instead of starting a new thing.
I emailed you about the novel excerpt – so hopefully we can get back in the swing of things and give each other feedback this week. Let’s all coordinate a time. I’m pretty free; how about you?
As for that notion of positive feedback; I absolutely LOVE it. Let’s see how that goes for our first time and then talk about what happens when we hold that space for each other. I love a revolution that starts with tenderness, and we could all definitely use a little more of it.
-
-
Nikita,
This is something I can really use. I’m not doing NaNo, but I’m happy to have someone help me stay on track with a writing piece. A once-a-month Zoom would work for me, with an email check-in between Zooms.
I need this. š
Sally-
-
Yay! Okay! I think that sounds great. Joe suggested that in our monthly bits, we read our passages to each other and ask for advice on those. What do you think?
And if it’s okay with you all, I’d love to start with the three of us at some point this week and just see how it goes :).
(Anyone else who reads this is welcome to join, too!)
-
-
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.