So tonight I am taking full advantage of the computer still being set to Pacific time. I had planned on writing this post before midnight, but my library time ran over what I expected. So since all my creativity has been juiced out for the academic world, forgive me for lacking the necessary wit to keep you entertained.
I have been thinking about lately what the next step in my writing would be. I've got the basics, certainly the desire and the ideas, and a rough plan for my writing routine- 15 minutes a day, a daily blog, and a notebook with me at all times for jotting down ideas, as well as various other journals of every sort. So what's next? What is going to stretch and challenge me?
Well, I've already taken the books route. The good ones are really helpful, but you have to read through so many to get to the good ones!
Then there are online workshops. Again, something I've found to be very helpful (I've taken several great classes with Writer's Online Workshops, a partner of Writer's Digest), but with 15 other institutionalized credits, I haven't the time for another class. So something else.
Taking a class here at school isn't possible until next semester, the add/drop period is over. I'm already part of several campus publications, but the focus for those groups are more the publishing side than the writing.
So I decided that my challenge would be an online writer's group. I see them everywhere, in acknowledgements and dedication pages. So I thought, if the idea is so prevalent, why shouldn't I try one as well?
Well, of course, I forgot to think things through a little bit before jumping in feet first. Primarily is the issue of getting the right search term for any helpful links to show up in Google. The second is finding the right group. Some websites are really professional looking, some are obviously individually managed. How to choose? Who to trust?
I did a little research, and found two articles on these and similar issues. First, children's author and creative writing teacher Holly Lisle offers her advice on writer's groups. And second. Victor Crayne, a writing resources online author, gives her advice on writer's groups. Lilith Saintcrow takes the opposite view, instead believing that writer's groups are more of a detriment.
For me, and for now, I've joined with Holly Lisle's sponsored online writing group Forward Motion. I admit I might have been more drawn by the design and the sponsorship than any research I did or opinions that I read, but that's okay. We'll just take things slow, see how it all turns out. It's not really about finding the right thing, right away, but about the right thing, for always.
Right Now:
What I'm listening to: Since I discovered yesterday how to work the link button, I'm just going to link you to the song on Youtube. It's Take On Me by a-ha.
What I what most: Um, hmmm. I think this one might be sleep.
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