Hanging Out With Other Writers

The Minnesota Speculative Fiction Writers monthly meeting was this weekend. We had a couple of new people, and one person who was not new, but who I had yet to meet. This meeting was a little bit of business--mostly talking about conventions--and a lot of members reading current works-in-progress and getting light feedback (for heavy critique we have a two different writer's workshops, and another workshop group that is, while not a full part of MinnSpec, is still an affiliated group).

Readings by dmbaird (who asked our opinions on her prologue and first chapter. There's some interesting world building going on in the story. I hope we helped), jasondwittman (read part of an alternative history story with dragons. I liked what I heard), Terry Faust (oh, the bovine therapy for writers!), and cloudscudding (who's excerpt and reading voice left me wanting more).

I took something to read, but I'm kind of a back-up/fall-back reader, should we need to fill time (yeah, like that's gonna happen!), so I didn't have to read. We talked about local and regional conventions some more afterward, with hilarymoonmurph extolling the virtues of Wiscon, especially the excellent childcare they provide allowing writers with children to actually go to panels, workshops, or other events. Had a good talk with dmbaird afterward about the trials one faces when publishing a novel with a small press.

It was a good meeting. Maybe not the best meeting ever, but good.

Hanging Out With Other Writers

The Minnesota Speculative Fiction Writers monthly meeting was this weekend. We had a couple of new people, and one person who was not new, but who I had yet to meet. This meeting was a little bit of business--mostly talking about conventions--and a lot of members reading current works-in-progress and getting light feedback (for heavy critique we have a two different writer's workshops, and another workshop group that is, while not a full part of MinnSpec, is still an affiliated group).

Readings by dmbaird (who asked our opinions on her prologue and first chapter. There's some interesting world building going on in the story. I hope we helped), jasondwittman (read part of an alternative history story with dragons. I liked what I heard), Terry Faust (oh, the bovine therapy for writers!), and cloudscudding (who's excerpt and reading voice left me wanting more).

I took something to read, but I'm kind of a back-up/fall-back reader, should we need to fill time (yeah, like that's gonna happen!), so I didn't have to read. We talked about local and regional conventions some more afterward, with hilarymoonmurph extolling the virtues of Wiscon, especially the excellent childcare they provide allowing writers with children to actually go to panels, workshops, or other events. Had a good talk with dmbaird afterward about the trials one faces when publishing a novel with a small press.

It was a good meeting. Maybe not the best meeting ever, but good.