I’m lucky enough to live with a mother who is also a writer, and an experienced one at that. For some ten years now she has been with a ‘writer’s group’, as they call it. The group used to have seven people in it, but right now it is just my mother and two of her friends. Every three weeks the writer’s group meets at one of their houses and they all review and critique each others work, and discuss ideas and the mechanics of writing. My mother finds it helpful because it gives her someone she can share her work with, a trusted source of critique, and a deadline to meet, which keeps her writing.

I thought we could try to do something like that here. If anyone is interested, we could set up a thread and meet every few weeks or every month and share what we’ve written. I can’t speak for any one else, but I know I have problems with writing consistently without some sort of deadline, and I saw in the “Writing a Series” thread a few people mentioned they would like a dedicated editor. A writer’s group would solve both of these issues, and might even be fun.

If you would be interested, please say so.

Does sound interesting...

I just hate the thought of people seeing my unpolished work and my uncrafted sentences. :(

Actually, the more I think about it, the better it sounds. If we all go in there after reading 'the rules' : i.e. being honest, knowing that this is the first draft of everything, and so we're a lot better than we seem, etc...

Will it be hosted here or should we carry this on externally?

I think as long as we agree to respect each other, and KEEP IT SMALL, it will be fine.

YES!

I think this is a great idea, and as long as we respect each others work and privacy I think this will work great. :-)

It’s not paranoia I’m worried about, really—it’s more that I’d rather know who was looking at my work, and I don’t want to be CB’d or anything.

I second that.^^ Since school will be starting soon, I think we should do this about once every month.

Okay, if everyone in this thread is in, we’ll have seven people. Since this is online we can have a higher number of people than a group that meets physically, I was thinking a limit of ten. Besides a private forum, I think the other thing we should have is a set of written rules, so everyone can agree about what privacy means and about when constructive criticism becomes offensive.

Sweet! Did you freehand that logo? The “W” is sick.

Oh. I wish I could write “W“s like that. I was looking through the ZetaBoards terms of service, and, do you think this could cause privacy problems?:
3.4 Rights to Posted Content:
Any content uploaded or posted to ZetaBoards may be displayed on a board by ZetaBoards. You grant ZetaBoards the right to display and store the Content you provide.

cough Oh, we have to register? I’ll go make an account, then.

How may I registrar?

But all I see is the login screen…

I feel like a noob. Or whatever they call them now. XD

I’d blush if I could blush.

Thanks.

I’d like to get in on this too :x I’ve got four or five beta readers right now, but only one of them has any experience as a writer.

I can’t help but worry that I’ll somehow manage to have a good idea and somebody will steal it, or worse, somebody else will have a good idea and I will steal it. Still, if you can’t trust a board you just joined, who can you trust?

Nobody, that’s who.

We have eight at the moment, pending sansafro187. We’re starting soon, just ironing out details and whatnot. Go register.

The idea is to post that over there, but I think August will be ok.

Ok, that is everyone, with Steph and Spanny, once they register.

Um if there's still room sign me up! I need the motivation.

I can’t help but worry that I’ll somehow manage to have a good idea and somebody will steal it, or worse, somebody else will have a good idea and I will steal it. Still, if you can’t trust a board you just joined, who can you trust?

Nobody, that’s who.

Yes! I only just came to that conclusion the other day!

“3.4 Rights to Posted Content:
Any content uploaded or posted to ZetaBoards may be displayed on a board by ZetaBoards. You grant ZetaBoards the right to display and store the Content you provide.”

What about this???

(And I have registered but I’m on school computers and it’s a miracle they let me access II at all. Confirming my email address is completely out of the question)

Oh okay.

Aw, that sucks, Spanman!

Spanman, have you got a screenshot you can send me? Mebbe I can help figure out why?

Um if there’s still room sign me up! I need the motivation.

There’s a critique wanted board right here. Guests can’t see it, and by the power of enforced niceness in the community (and because CB left) you are guaranteed to get nice, helpful critique.

And if you don’t, yell at me to do so. :D

Yes. The idea for the other forum is for veterans to look over each other’s work in private, and over long periods of time. At the moment we have 8 people registered, so if we get Spanman we’ll have one spot open.

Span, what browser do you use? What kind of error do you get?

No guests can see it unless they are registered. To register I have to accept them. Try logging out. :D

Why? Everyone already has the links.

@Virgil and everyone else who asked: I tried it on both Firefox and IE. It doesn't even matter which computer I'm on - I've tried three in the house - it won't work on any of them. I can click on the link and get the HTML view of the home page, but when I try opening any of the threads, I get the standard error page. No idea what the problem is, and I don't have a computer-savvy brother around anymore to fix it for me. =(

In any case, I don't want to hold up the works. My spot's open. Someone go and take it!

Span can you take a screenshot of it for us? You shouldn’t be able to see the threads, its just a login page. Try this.

Try disabling any anti-virus temporarily, like AVG.

edit: Or go into the settings for AVG and allowing access to s1.zetaboards.com, or whatever it is.

Hm..

Apparently the problem runs rather deeper than that, because nothing I did to AVG made any difference. I hate it when pieces of technology seem to develop ornery personalities.

I dunno what to tell you. ; _ ;

That’s doable. Post up suggestions there too.

Ok, I cleared up the copyright issue. I’m good and raring to go!

Well, if you have to go through five pages per person, and there’s ten members, that’s fifty pages already.

That’s just an example. I have no idea what the min/max is.

Ok, sounds good.

The submission is August 24, right?

Did I end up getting in? It tells me no such user is registered when I try to log in.

K, np.

This was more aimed at long term with people who have known each other for a while, but you’re welcome to post up any work you want critiqued to the main forums.

Wait, then how did I get in?

Pure luck/chance/generosity/enthusiasm, what have you?

No, you bagsed a place before anyone else. I’m going for 1,2, and 3.