G-Lines
  • Home
  • LINES— A Novel
  • Poetry
  • Essays & Stories
  • Updates/Thoughts
  • Newsletter

Writers' Support Group Invitation

10/26/2015

 
Picture
I’m looking for 4-5 writers to join me in a support group.  What this would entail is a commitment to check on one person once a week and comment on a shared GoogleDoc.  My initial thoughts are:

1. We share our task goals for the next two months.
2. We get one name per week, and that’s the person on which we check.  How do we do that?  We take a look at the person’s task goals, and we go to the person’s Twitter and Facebook and website/blog to see what was completed.  
3. While checking, we support with a comment or retweet or share of the person’s work.  This can easily be accomplished in one day and in one hour or less.
4. We then open the shared GoogleDoc and write our thoughts (favorite moments, questions, suggestions, etc.).  For me, I’ll most likely do this on Fridays.
5. The next week, we get a new name and repeat the process.

The result: New connections and friendships, hopefully, as well as new ideas as to what is working and what we might not have considered before.  Also, knowing that someone is checking up on us, we might just hold ourselves accountable for writing and keeping at it.  It would be great to form consistency and put this platform experience to good use.

So, I’m putting myself out there by sharing some things about me.  If you think you’d like to join me in such a group, please comment, and we can get this ball rolling as soon as possible, like November 1, maybe?

My name is Geralyn.  I’m a married high school English teacher and the mother of two teenage sons; these boys are my first priority in life.  I come from a large family, and many times, I find inspiration from my upbringing, my parents, my Catholic roots, and my devotion to the city in which I was raised, Chicago. I am the unofficial family genealogist, and I’m preparing my eight year old novel-in-progress for self-publishing.  The book is called Lines--,  a work of historical fiction that follows Livia Haas from an obedient farm girl to a confident supporter of the eight-hour day movement in 1870s-1880s Chicago.  Currently, the proofs are with a second group of readers, and I’m waiting for the critiques before making final revisions. I also dabble with poetry and memoir, and I’m interested in trying my hand at short story and flash fiction writing. I rarely submit pieces for publication, but it’s my goal to start doing this.  The few credits I have include a self-published poetry chapbook (an experiment with the process, actually), book reviews, writing advice articles, and a third-place contest essay from several years ago.  I love coffee.

To get a taste of my work, I encourage you to browse the tabs and see what I do, and if you’re intrigued by this writers’ support group concept, PLEASE comment here, or send a private message on my Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/writer.ghesslaumagrady
Nancy Clark link
10/27/2015 11:25:09 am

Hi Geralyn,
Your idea of a writers' support group to keep the momentum going is intriguing! I'm not sure I'll be able to keep up with it, but put me down as interested. As you said, knowing that someone is checking up on you is great motivation to get things done.

Since I am now retired, I should have all the time in the world, right? Wrong! People warned me that it was easy to get over-committed in retirement -- how true! I need to do some self-examination and establish some priorities. Hopefully, a group like this will help.

Nancy

Majida link
10/27/2015 08:13:19 pm

Hi Geralyn, Thanks for organizing this. I am really interested in your idea. I look forward to someone holding me responsible and also checking on another writer. :)

Majida

Diana link
10/30/2015 08:36:04 am

Hi Geralyn! I found your idea to start a writer's group on Writer's Digest during the Platform Challenge. I am very interested in this. I'm in several facebook writing groups, but none of them are very personal. I have formed a local blogger's group where we choose a monthly topic and all write on it, but I wanted something that focuses more on my novel writing; and I haven't been able to form a group locally for that.
I would love to be able to connect.

Please sign me up as interested!

Mark link
10/30/2015 09:56:39 am

Geralyn,
I am on the other side of the planet from you but in cyberspace that's mostly a non-issue.
I have been working on a non-fiction project (personal development) and about to begin a scifi novel for nanowrimo.

The accountability group is a good idea and I am interested in participating.

Pam link
10/30/2015 10:04:26 am

Geralyn, I'm interested in the writing group, but I'm not sure about having the time required to participate. But please include me in the initial plan since Lord knows I need some accountability with my writing. Thanks!

Geralyn
11/7/2015 06:19:43 pm

I am so glad you all jumped on for the ride!


Comments are closed.
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photo used under Creative Commons from Peter O'Connor aka anemoneprojectors
  • Home
  • LINES— A Novel
  • Poetry
  • Essays & Stories
  • Updates/Thoughts
  • Newsletter