Writing group
I am part of a writing group that meets monthly. Each session we share something with the others, usually a piece we have written. Yesterday there were only three of us, rather than six. I shared the speech I am intending to deliver at the book launch, both for practise and feedback. Was it too long? Did it make sense? Did it cover enough of the points in the book? One of these women had read my book, the other hadn’t so it was good getting feedback from both points of view. I had recently changed the order of my words so I will have to learn this new format, otherwise I will find myself slipping back to the old way and confusing myself in the process.
The second member of our group chose to sing a song she had written to a dying friend. It was about a bird she had watched from her window. Her voice and lyrics were as sweet as any bird out there. I know this song will mean so much to her friend. I feel privileged to have been given a recital.
The third member read the first chapter in a new book she is creating, which is a spinoff from a trilogy. I have heard much of her first book and read the second and loved those, but this one is even better and I can see it shaping up to be the best yet. She is very clever.
The other three members of our group were absent for varying reasons. Whilst I refer to these women as members, they are friends as well. It is surprising how close one gets in a group such as this. While we might meet only monthly, over a number of years, that becomes a lot of months. No-one has left our group, except for one dear member who died. I look forward to our monthly meetings as I know the others do. It is great having the support of these writing friends, offering us suggestions, pointing out faults, egging each other on, all in a positive way. And sharing rejections too. I have a children’s book which has been turned down twice now. It is a long process if one decides to go the formal publishing route as usually it is a three-month wait before one hears if they have been successful or not, or in many cases, doesn’t hear anything. How hard would it be to have a generic email that went out to unsuccessful writers, sorry not interested, but I guess these people are busy too.
It won’t be until the end of September until our group meets again. In the meantime, there is a book launch to organise and more writing to do.