Be careful what you say

We all know that email is not a secure medium - how do you think those spammers got your address?
Write Stuff members are all respectful of the written material shared at the meetings, both in terms of not distributing it and commenting on the craft of writing, no matter how personal the subject matter might be.
That's why it's distressing when something goes astray. A mistyped email address, perpetuated and amplified by cut and pasting, and who knows where your work and thoughts might end up.
Well we do know, since someone receiving a full broadcast by mistake recently took the trouble to reply.

So here's my suggestions:

1. Send email only from your own distribution list. Yes, it is a pain to set up and some new members may get missed at first, but is that really a bad thing, given the nature of some subject matter. At least until everyone is comfortable.
2. If a piece is particularly controversial, personal, or let's be honest, not ready to face the world at large (and I do mean world), then don't distribute it by email. Bring hard copy and feel comfortable asking for all copies to be handed back after discussion.

They are your words after all, at least until you decide to make them public, by email or any other means.

That's a good question

It's strange how much in the group develops by osmosis. It's only when someone new asks questions that this becomes evident. This blog is as good a place as any to record 'the way we work' when 'rules' would be too strong a term to describe it.

Question.

I see people provide written comments at the meeting, sometimes with every page covered in annotation. Is this required and what comments are acceptable?

Answer.

The basic rule is two things that worked well, two that can be improved. Many people choose to provide more, suggesting grammar and spelling corrections that would not be appropriate or a good use of time in the face to face setting of the meeting. In general writer's appreciate comments covering all aspects of their, including words of encouragement and positive reinforcement.

Question

Should a person providing comments assume that the piece submitted is for publication and address its suitability in their comments?

Answer.

Many people write for themselves and for the pleasure it gives them.

Others seek fame and some even fortune and openly declare such intent. Either way, it is a good idea when sending out work for comment to provide some idea of the target audience, e.g. young adult, mystery readers, cooking fiends, not for publication etc. and if the writer is seeking to have the work published, the potential markets considered/targeted.

Reading aloud in public

Congratulations to Amy, Neil, Palmer, Tim and Wes on their excellent public readings tonight.

From the ancient craft of boat building to head banging (slugging it out perhaps), a girls tormentors and her eerie stage presence, to making a perfect baby (made me smile) and getting fired in thriller set up - we had it all.

Neil's amusing introductions, the Tarbell room's ambiance, an appreciative audience and a generous helping of snacks (thanks to everyone who contributed) rounded out an most entertaining evening.

We should "play it again" soon.

Sepllnig mttaers not to unredsadntnig, but punctuation does.

Turn off your spell checker and get the first and last letters right and you are all set.

I pledge to be more tolerant of misspelled words - just as long as all the letters are present and the first and last letters are correct.

Now, if only the same also applied to punctuation.

The sentence - A woman without her man is nothing. - might offend some people when punctuated as follows:

A woman, without her man, is nothing.

Then again it might well offend others with this punctuation:

A women: without her, man is nothing.

Does anybody have other favorite 'eats shoots and leaves' type punctuation examples?

Write Stuff stay united as one.

The group decided not to split into two groups to provide a growing membership more reading slots.

Rationale:

• Leadership - someone has to volunteer to facilitate a second group. (Personal note: Neil is a tough act to follow.)
  
• Accommodation - loss of space due historic vault construction will make one group more difficult to arrange, let alone two.
• Many participants are not active writers, but provide comments - freeing up reading slots.
• Actively critiquing other's work can be as valuable as having one's own work critiqued.
• If participants limit comments to two things that work well and two that could be improved, then everyone will get a chance to speak.
• Some people prefer not to speak, but to provide written comments*.
• Summer's 'a coming' and numbers always drop.
• We know and trust each other and its helps to introduce new members into a consistent environment.
• We can procrastinate, which is a writer's second favorite pastime.
  

*caveat - providing comments only to the author does not contribute your insights to benefit the group

Feel free to add your own spin by clicking on the word comments below.

Note:
You do not need an account to add comments. Just find the anonymous 'radio button' on the comment page that opens.
Out of respect for others, if you do post using anonymous, please add your given name at the end of your comment.

Geoff

Differences

I was impressed by how differently some of us viewed the pieces from last night (the 28th of Nov) in suggesting what might be done to make things better. And yet, it seemed we all were able to accept those different viewpoints and move right along. I think we should give ourself a pat on the back. Or perhaps we only confused our fellow writers (one of whom had a midnight publication deadline.) What you say you, fellow writers?

I will look forward to seeing what Jeanne finally decided to post on her blog.

Mary Ann

Writer & Reader

I find it very hard to write in a way that preserves my sense of my own voice and yet at the same time speaks to the reader. A long time ago I used to write a column in an educational journal on Math and Logo. My "mission" was open–inquiry, setting up situations where students could discover patterns, make hypotheses and then test them to see if they were correct. I was one of three columnists, so mine only appeared every third month. The other two entries were much more prosaic - I thought they often represented all that was wrong with typical math teaching. However, looking back, I think by being true to myself, I was not talking to the readers, and I don't think many, if any, teachers used my ideas in their classrooms. Letters to the editor indicated that teachers did use some of the other columnists' ideas.

In writing my short story, Delinquency, I see some of the same pattern. In the draft I read at the Write Stuff meeting it was a 4th draft), I was focused on the telling of the story. The feedback from the meeting has made me think a lot more about listening to the story - what does the reader hear? There was also positive feedback about the voice of the narrator, except a couple of places where it broke down. Both are necessary: what is important to me, and how do I get the reader to visualize or live that importance so it becomes a shared experience.

And then you publish in one way or another, and you relinquish all rights to the meaning of what you have written, as each reader reads into it his or her own interpretation, often ones unanticipated.

Tim

p.s. As is so often true, writing this has been very helpful. A note turned into something much longer.