Some Writing Thoughts

[mmerriam]

My membership with the Online Writer's Workshop expires on Sunday.

I'm not going to renew.

There are a variety of reasons for this, starting with the not inconsequential financial ones, but the primary reason I'm leaving is simply that I'm not using it anymore.



OWW has been good to me. It helped me reach a certain level of writing skill very quickly. But it hasn't really helped me move past that level. I've hit a point where I don't feel like I'm getting useful crits. I write at a solid semi-pro level these days, and too often that seems good enough for the reviewers.

What I need is a group with a merciless eye who will whack me with the Nerf Bat of Tough-Love and help me reach the next level. Most of my old OWW crit buddies have moved on to other things, either joining local in-person groups, or reaching a level of skill where a small dedicated core of beta-readers is what they use.

There have been a few other little problems with OWW for me as well, including the fact that it does not reward a writer for trying something different, be it POV, structure, or some other experimental venture. There's a certain norm that most reviewers expect and if you step away from it, they will happily lecture you about how a story "Should Be Written Like This." Now it may be what I was trying do was not working, but it was hard for me to tell from all the "You Must Construct A Story Like So" reviews I received from people I had never worked with and had no trust in.

I stayed with OWW for the last year more because I felt I needed to do some paying forward, working with new writers who are at the place where they're close to being able to write sellable work and just need a little help.

OWW, you've been good to me and I will always love you, but it's time for me to move on to other types of crit, workshop, and review groups.

I suppose now would also be a good time to let people know that I'm stepping away from the novel_in_90 group.

I could flog myself and say that by leaving I'm failing at the entire purpose of the community, but frankly, I don't feel that way. It could be argued, and argued justifiably, that if I succeed at what I'm trying to do and I'm veryvery lucky, I'll need to learn how to write a first draft while polishing a final draft while working on a cem while writing a promised short story, all to a deadline.

I proved I could write a first draft in 90 days or less with the Phantom Streetcar novel. I've made some pretty remarkable headway on Into this Land over the last couple of weeks, but I need to set my Not a Milkmaid of Destiny story aside for a little while. I understand that if things fall into place for me and I write the right novel and get it to the right editor and the stars align just so, the above will be my life. I am quite aware that things will change should I write a sellable novel or three and make a break-out.

Here's the thing: first I have to write a sellable novel. I really need to bear down on the Phantom Streetcars rewrite. I feel I have a sellable novel here, given a little hammering and sawing and sweating at the anvil. I'm sure with some hard work and focus I can make this a novel a publisher will want to buy.

I also think I might be able to go back and fix Old Blood's Fate now that I have a better grasp on constructing a novel length narrative, but that's another matter.

A lot of this has been precipitated by the fact that I need to restructure my time. There are some things coming up that are going to change the way I work and the amount of time I have to write (more on this tomorrow), so I need to pick a direction, put my head down, and charge.

I just need to rethink what I'm doing, because while consistently selling fiction at the semi-pro level is perfectly fine (and if this is as good as it gets for me, I'll smile and be happy, because hey, published), it's not where I want to be long-term.

Comments

[aliettedb.livejournal.com]

I'm not hanging out so much on OWW any more either, though I still correspond with a fair amount of people I've met on the workshop. I guess you're right and there comes a point when we have outgrown a workshop.

There have been a few other little problems with OWW for me as well, including the fact that it does not reward a writer for trying something different, be it POV, structure, or some other experimental venture
Yeah, I've run into this as well, but in all fairness I've also run into that problem with independent critters, so I'm not sure OWW is the only one to blame here.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

One thing I've been working on is corresponding with a group of writers I feel I can trust, trading crits over email.

It seems to be working better for me than OWW.

[aliettedb.livejournal.com]

Yep, same for me. I think we've just reached a different stage of our critting-career :)

[wistling.livejournal.com]

Funny, because I was thinking about joining OWW after my novel's done...but now that's not sounding like a good plan, if I'll get nothing out of it that I can't get from Critters.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

You're milage may vary from mine. If you can fall in with the write group of consistant critters that helps, plus if your story gets chosen to be reviewed and critted by one of the editors, it can really be a growth experience. I got a lot of good use out of OWW over the years. It's just time for me to move on.

[allochthon.livejournal.com]

I think these are good decisions, and I don't think you should feel bad about them.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

It's just time for me to move on and try some other approaches to this. Despite the fact that I've been writing a lot and trying to stretch myself, I don't feel like I'm getting any better.

I mean maybe this is it. Maybe my skill level will never advance past "competant semi-pro" but I owe it to myself to try as hard as possible to continue growing.

[tiny-wings.livejournal.com]

From the difference in your post when you were writing your previous novel, and now your Phantom Streetcars novel, I know you've grown as a writer. If you ever need to send something to someone for crit, remember me as the first in a long line of reviewers to have seen that pie being set down twice :-P in your "Rainfall" story. I promise to be merciless.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

You know, the amazing thing about the pie goof up was that it got past me, careswen, five crit readers, and the magazine editors.

I'll put you on the list next time I'm asking people to look a short story.

[quasipsyco.livejournal.com]

Seeking out new ways to grow can be challenging. I know you'll find the key.

By the way, as of my clock on the east coast, happy birthday!

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the birthday thoughts!