Writing in a Circle

Posted on January 18, 2004 in Writing Groups

First meeting of a new group of writers held today. Nice sized group of committed people who want to work out the bugs in their poetry and short fiction/nonfiction at the Lake Forest/El Toro Branch Library.

I came prepared (as founder/facilitator) with a few handouts from Judy Reeves’ Writing Alone, Writing Together: A Guide for Writers and Writing Groups. The visitors looked them over and nodded. We made notes for a “charter” and agreed to meet again on February 1.

The positive atmosphere led me to not talk about something that has been bothering me with the Monday group. Critiques become performances. After one member read his critique, another member who enjoys coming late and making great scenes reached across me and said “Oh that was great. You should frame it.”

I said nothing then, but the incident has bothered me ever since. We were critiquing another woman’s work. Shouldn’t that have been the focus, not the critic? I’ve been thinking about it and discussing it ever since. A friend who is sympathetic to my plight and skilled in these problems suggested that the next time something like this happens, I should speak up with “That’s not appropriate. This is about the writing, not the critique. It is for the writer to decide on the value of the critique. It is the writer who we are seeking to help and encourage.”

My friend says the Monday group sounds like good practice for dealing with a hostile situation. I ask, only half in jest: but will they stone me?

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One good thing is that those people who would have been major trouble and contrary just because it is me running this group stayed away. I had worried about that.