What do you think about writers groups?
I think groups of writers working together to help each other grow, to help edit each others' work, and to be honest with each other are one of the best ideas to come along in the writing life. It's the best way to overcome the solitude that often accompanies being a writer.
But, for my experience, I have yet to find a single writers group that really wants to accomplish those ideals. More often, what I find is a group of Facebook-esque folks who are looking for "likes" for their latest masterpieces. I find folks who get upset with honesty and prefer false praise, or who react to it either defensively or with the classic "Well, you just don't understand the genre/style that I write, but I'm sure that's valid for your genre/style."
Maybe I just want too much from a writers group. What I tend to find instead of amateurs wanting to become pros through hard work is amateurs wanting to be honored for their amateur work.
That might sound harsh, but it's been my experience.
No comments:
Post a Comment