Warwick Writers’ Group

Read Chapter 1 to Warwick Writers’ Group. Entirely positive reaction. Kind comment about the dramatic effect of Danny’s flashback creating tension as the listener waited to know what he would decide.

There was no criticism. This is common in these groups. People don’t get enough time during a reading to analyse a piece deeply enough to identify errors. Afterwards Pam Dunston said she had some more comments. I’ll have to contact her. It’s constructive criticism I’m looking for.

 

Coventry Writer’s Group

Following the trip on Monday to deliver the MS I decided I needed to talk to writers, sharing the pain and seeing how others cope. Miraculously (you might say) I found that the Coventry Writer’s Group (http://www.writers-circles.com/coventry.html) met on the Tuesday so I cancelled another meeting and went along. Got there early (as usual) and wandered around the scruffy Tam O’Shanter Club. The doors were locked. Two women in wheelchairs were waiting outside and one said “The door’s locked.” Through the windows I could see that half the rooms were empty and I had gone back to my car when I decided to give it one more try. Maybe they started late.
Sure enough people started arriving and the event commenced around 8:00pm. A mixture of highly talkative and extremely quiet people, and Chairman Mike Sherratt doing a good job of sharing his wide knowledge and experience. I read out the first page of TC and they praised it. Then others read out their work and they praised that as well, although I criticised it. I find that honest and valid criticism is far more valuable than uncritical praise, and this point was raised by Pam (one of the wheelchair ladies).
Also managed to talk to Jeff who has a Roald Dahl sense of humour and is planning a wonderful story. Also a lady called Maxine was there who had been at a class I attended on writing at Warwick University some years ago, although she didn’t remember me.

Altogether a worthwhile meeting. I’ll go along next month. Makes you feel less lonely. Probably need to be more positive about other people’s work though.