Writers’ Group (1)
I was asked to lead a Writers’ Group at the public library in Hinesville, Georgia. I appreciate very much being allowed to serve in this capacity to help people become better writers. We had a dozen people attend and we had a great time together. Most were happy to have such a group available.
Every month I want to summarize our discussions, so group members can refer to these pages and new members can catch up.
The next meeting of the Writers’ Group will be November 19, 2011 at 2:00 P.M.
We want to learn together and encourage each person to rise to their potential.
- “There are three rules for writing the novel. Unfortunately, no on knows what they are” (Somerset Maugham).
- Powerful writing moves the heart and feet, stirring us to action.
If you would not be forgotten
as soon as you are dead and rotten
either write things worth reading
or do things worth the writing.
- Ben Franklin
We will not be a successful writer unless we take the craft very seriously and are willing to work to accomplish our goals.
Questions for the group:
- What does writing mean to you?
- What part of writing do you find most difficult?
- What part of writing do you find most rewarding?
- What makes a great novel?
- What makes a bad novel?
- How important is reading to the process of writing?
We talked about our love for writing and why we feel driven to keep putting words on paper.
“Real writers are those who want to write, need to write, have to write” (Robert Penn Warren).
“Planning to write is not writing. Outlining, researching, talking to people about what you’re doing, none of that is writing. Writing is writing” (E. L. Doctorow).
Writers must be courageous enough to dig deep within themselves for good material.
- “Writers who will not read are writers who will not be read.
Work to grow every time you write. Never settle for mediocrity.
Become a relentless editor, willing to cut anything to produce quality writing. If there is some passage or sentence that needs to go and we can’t part with it, write it down and use it elsewhere.
