I’ll admit I was nervous. I’m a believer in community, especially around creativity generally, and writing in particular. It can be a lonely business at the best of times (I like to joke that my job involves spending hours in a room with imaginary people, but it’s kind of true), and it’s always pathetically easy to find an excuse not to write.
So I decided to launch a series of regular ‘writing group’ sessions. The plan was that writers of all kinds would devote an hour of their time to writing. We’d meet online, have a chat first, then get down to work. I’d be available for help, advice and encouragement, but the session wouldn’t be about me. It would be about you, the writers. An hour to focus, or to chat to other people engaged in this weird and wonderful (and sometimes frustrating) business of getting words on to the page or screen. An hour to use however you see fit, basically.
But I was fretting. What if no one shows up, or they do but there’s no conversation, no spark, and it ends up being an embarrassing mess? What to do then?
Well, I’m happy to report I needn’t have worried. We had a nice number turn up (as many as twenty at one point which is more than I dared to hope). The initial conversation flowed, and people were happy to share their hopes about what they’d like to get out of both the hour we had together and the group in general.
Then we settled to work. Cameras on, mics off. It was a little odd, knowing that I was being watched, but it glued me to that chair — I even resisted the urge to go and make a cup of tea — and I got most of a newsletter written. The time went surprisingly quickly, and at 6.50 we reconvened.
Everyone seemed to have got something out of it. The talk was lively, and people were mentioning community and accountability, and also talking about whether it might be possible to do it more often. At the end of the hour I had a real feeling that the twenty or so people who’d joined in the session might get to know each other over the next few weeks and months, which would be a brilliant, and quite unforeseen, outcome.
So a success, all told! The next month session is going to be on Sunday, February 11th, 6pm -7pm (UK time). To join in, you need to be a full subscriber to COMPENDIA, but I’ve extended my current special offer for the rest of today.
In addition to access to the writing group, you’ll get all my posts, past and future, which include essays, humour, fiction, behind-the-scenes publishing gossip, and much more.
And if you already subscribe, thank you. Your contributions are literally what allows me to continue to write and publish here. There are lots of exciting things on the horizon, I promise!
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The inaugural write-in was a great experience. I was definitely nervous about the meet & greet portion and thankful that there was no pressure to “share”. No doubt there will be a lot to learn from this group and accountability to boot! Looking forward to the next one. Thank you, Steve, for cultivating community.
It was so good. I actually remembered when I was on the call that the Discoveries competition deadline was looming (midnight tonight) and so I edited the opening chapters of my second novel to submit. I worked on the synopsis and a bit more editing today and voila! I am entered. I wouldn't have done that if I didn't have that hour.