Hey citizens of Litreactor
I'm looking for about six-seven members who wants to form a group where we each month submit one piece for reading for the other five.
This to ensure that you get five different standpoints on your piece but also to improve the quality of your reviews as we will get more comfortable around each other.
There are three reasons for why I want to create this kind of alliance.
First of all I am serious with my writing, I intend to write or die trying. Now you don't have to feel that way to join, but you should be willing to write a piece a month for submission and five-six reviews for the other members of the group.
The aspiration is that the all-around criticism will improve. You see things in other's writing over time that you don't see at first bat of an eye. Also when you have a continous productive relationship with others you handle your critique with more care. Sometimes I can feel like I'm walking on egg shells around someone's submission because I have no former experience with them and can't tell how sensitive they might be.
Let's evolve from only reading each other's texts as stepping stones to get new points to submit more. Isn't it helping others instead of yourself that in the end takes you forward in life?
Let's get really good at this so we can learn about our own writing through our own critique.
The math is 3 very helpful reviews x 5 =
you only need to play the reading lottery if you want to, you have your five sure stories to check before your next submission.
The extra digit I thought would be as an insurance for the group. (Sometimes shit just happens and we shouldn't all be held hostage by it for a whole month because one member is unable to submit)
Shoot me a message if your interested, or even better go in and review my latest submission I'll review yours and we can talk after we've got a feel for each other
I might send a PM later. I'm still feeling out my critique style. I'm used to reviewing much like how one would critique a video game: breaking it down into Character, Plot, Graphics, Gameplay, and overall.
I've lately dropped star ratings. Because they tend to convey something worse than I meant.
That sounds fun. I'll gladly take video game style critique on what I write, whatever angle is new is interesting.
The thought is compelling to one day write a story for a video game.
If you're fresh that's all fine. It's not the level of experience that is interesting but the will for involvement
The star rating is not something I myself put weight into either
I'd prefer that any member of this alliance give straight threes in their reviews and focus on what they're actually trying to convey instead. After all a well written afterthought to a line or two I've written is worth more than any five stars to me.
I'm interested. As far as the critique style, whatever is helpful. I don't need a specific format to be followed. More than anything it's combining the different reactions of several reviewers. The star ratings are certainly subjective, it's the specific reactions/suggestions that are the most helpful to me.
I guess we would really need to work out how we want to approach it. Do we get together this small group and we all just agree to review eachothers posts, so we're guaranteed that many critiques? Do we do a workshop seperate from the one here, meaning emailing each other directly?
I feel the same way you do. I want to do everything possible to improve my writing and help others improve theirs.
My preference would be that we post as usual, my intention is not to shut out the rest of the litreactor community
But yes ideally this would work as a kind of "You get out what you put in" kind of guarantee.
However a deadline is necessary to make sure things progress, and it's good to have to make sure you don't accidently slack off.
Once a month is the basis I think will work easiest to start with to make sure everyone is keeping pace. Of course any devoted writer out there can just keep posting other submissions and reviews on the side if they feel like that pace is too slow
When it comes to submissions I'm a major tinkler, I'll hog my words for way too long, then I get stuck. At the same time I'd rather have an extra week to tinkle than to let go of something that feels half-assed or not thought through.
If this is successful though who knows maybe we'll all get so motivated that we want to produce more and faster
OK, sounds good to me. Post as per usual on the site, and whoever is in the side group will review in addition to anyone else on the site who wants to. I'm cool with that. Same for the timeframe, one post/review per person per month sounds fine. I guess we'll just have to wait and see who else is interested. Thanks man.
Just to clarify, I don't write for games anymore (though I'm planning a text based adventure.)
I just meant I break it down.
I may have to wait for another opportunity. I can't currently submit anything. Though I would if I did.
I'm bumping this, come on citizens get involved
maybe if you defined "piece" to everyone
I had no specific limitations for what kind of piece you can write in mind except for a word count we can all agree on is resonable
Money is going to be an issue, for the actual workshopping.
As far as pieces, I'm not sure what an episode per episode word count is going to be. I'm trying to plot like I used to (a sixteen page seven point structure per chapter), but I just can't work with it anymore.
I'm in this flash fiction mode, yet wanting to write my life's work as a 1,000 page short story collection.
Why would things cost money?
What I see in the submission section of the workshop here is that people tend to avoid pieces over 3000 words, as long as it's all give and take I'm flexible on this point.
But I can understand if people don't want to read through six 8000 word submissions if all they want to do is submit a poem
I don't think we should get to hung up on the limitations of this, rather try to imagine the possbilites
Oh! I thought you meant the lit-reactor workshop. (Still trying to get employment at the moment.)
Yea 3,000 words is perfect.^^ (That used to be close to where I would top out: 4,000 words.)
I am talking about the lit-reactor workshop. I see no reason why submissions shouldn't be posted the same way as usual. There is no reason to exclude the rest of the community whom might have an interest in your work is there?
The difference will be a deadline each month that we all can agree on and that we all continously review each other's work
My pieces tend to land somewhere around 4,000 words too. As long as we all agree on the limit I don't care where it lands. I'll gladly read submissions on 4000 as long as I get reviews on that size myself
Another thought would be a limit on 3000 words and if you exceed it with a 1000 one month then you only submit 2000 next month
But where would I post them without a membership?:P
That sounds like a good word count. (My chapters tend to be around 1,000 to 1,500 words.)
Well yeah that's a problem I don't really know how to solve for you
I kind of just assumed when I posted this that I was adressing paying members
I'm game for this. I hope I can keep up with that pace, typically I write in spurts with varying time in between, but I am interested in having some kind of deadline to kick me in the butt and keep going.
Glad to hear it, that's the whole point with the deadline. To make everyone involved more consistent so that writing stop coming and going on the whim on something as phoney as inspiration
Well, sounds like a great idea to me. More and more I'm learning that this whole writing thing is easier with friends, a community to talk to so I don't go nuts and pull my hair out.
This is a great initiative and for anyone thinking about making a commitment, I'd encourage you to stop over thinking. Go for it!
Critiques are like writing; you have to do a pile to improve. Reading what other reviewers bring to the same piece helps you see the work through a different perspective. You learn what your unique strengths as a reader are, too.
As a writer, having a deadline and accountability to the group can keep you motivated. It's all very win win.
From my experience, knowing who you're working with (ie through workshop or a class) is preferable but not always possible when you meet online. Be cautious, be kind, and listen to your gut if you have any concerns or encounter situations that are either weird.
Sorry, either weird or don't help your process (like unfinished thoughts and poor editing - ha.)
Thanks for the input Drea.
The group has begun to take shape, we still lack any female writers, which I hope we can fix.
Did you shoot this message with the intend of being part of this or did you just want to cheer us on?
I went to your profile to have a look at your writing. I noticed however that you have no submissions out, are you not part of the workshop activity?
Definitely interested if you still need members. I thought about it for a bit and every excuse I came up with was about time and effort, so this could be just what I need to get me to start taking my writing more seriously. At the moment I have literally nothing to hold me accountable for my work, but I'd love to get involved in something like this that forces me to do it. I'm in!
Glad to announce this workshop has offically started with it's first hand in on the 25th of January, followed by the last Sunday every month.
If you are interested in joining the ranks give a shout out we are still not at capacity.
BUMP
Our group are looking for new members
Next submission date March 1st
I'm definitely down!
I feel a bit out of the element reviewing some pieces because my punctuation skills are stuck in the gutter so if I see poor punctuation all I can really do is recommend they have someone else look at it. Other than that I reckon I can decently asses themes, character development and stuff of that nature.
More reviews are always helpful. Looking forward to seeing how this pans out.
We all have different strengths and weaknesses man, I'm convinced you'll be an asset!
I'm still in dubio on whether I'd become a paying member or not. The workshop's workshop certainly is an asset.
bump
May submission date is coming up, because of transitions in our group we are looking for one or two new members.
Tucson, there are big holes in both my sneakers bought for 7 dollars last spring.
This said about my economical situation, in my opinion, LT's membership fee is basically for free.
You have to make sacrifices if you want to invest in your writing.
As of June I can be a regular part of this. As of right now I'm finishing my undergrad. 15 more days!
Double major, English and Philosophy!!!!
Oh, it's not really about the economics, but recently I saw someone who posted a thread publically because he wasn't heard privately (as a member), so where's the gain for paying. If there's no gain, I'd rather throw it in a well and wish for something nice, same effect.
But I'm still interested if you'll have me.
Are you still doing this? I'm interested.
