The Dynamics of Writers Groups

There's no doubt that writers groups are one of the most helpful tools in polishing your manuscripts. A good writers group will give you advice on what works in your piece and what doesn't, as well as share their tips on editing and publishing.

Obviously, every writers group is different. Each member brings his or her own style, personality and background to the table. Every group is run differently, with a different set of guidelines and critique styles. Writers groups can even vary in the way they prefer to format their manuscripts, as I have recently learned.

I belong to two critique groups, one online and one in person. Often, what one group doesn't catch the other will. The online group tends to look in depth at things like "Where does the plot not make sense?" and "Is this part believable?" The face-to-face group usually catches my typos and inconsistencies. A lot of times, what comes up in one group doesn't come up in the other. I can't imagine not attending one or the other at this point. Together, they make a great combination.

Duck Soup has a Website!

And a potential new member! Things are moving over here at Duck Soup!

Are you in the Pittsburgh Area? Check out http://ducksouppitt.wordpress.com/

Duck Soup!

We're fixing some Duck Soup!

What does it mean?

Where does it come from?

Duck Soup is a new writing group for children's books in the Pittsburgh area.

I like to think of "Duck Soup" as a fun mantra meaning "We can do it!" Writing great books is going to be our Duck Soup.

Besides, it's just fun running around saying "Duck Soup"!

Writer's Group

So, I went to my children's writers group full of people from the class I had with Kathy Ayres, which meets every Monday night. . .

I workshopped "Samual Modico III, Sleuth of the Sixth Grade, and the Mystery in the Nurse's Office."

So, considering that I finished it yesterday, I'd say it came out pretty decent. I know it still needs a lot of work, though. Writing it served two purposes to me: 1) to educate children about diabetes, and 2) as a form of therapy and research to deal with Mark's diabetes issues. I'm afriaid that I accomplished #2 more successfully than #1, though.

It was kind of hard for me to write-- all of the research in the world doesn't really prepare you like real-life experience does, and even though I've certainly had some of that, I don't know that I've had enough of the right kind, if that makes any sense.

At any rate, I'm proud of myself for having written anything at all this week. It wasn't my thesis, but it was something important and it was fun to write. I'll be revising it in the near future; I really feel like if I did it now, I would go on overload. It's already taken over my life for an entire weekend. Maybe I'll put the second draft up on the SCBWI critique boards.