Type & Gripe, Ink Meeting Coordination

[Shrain]

Okay, so we're not having group today. Yes, I feel scummy about it. Jena knows this. I just need to figure out if I can still be in group because I am developing a shoddy track record. I love group, I do. But I seem to be bad at figuring out what's most important now and, hence, writing gets neglected.

I've written part of a new beginning to ch 1 but it's not ready yet. Nessa said she's also extremely swamped this week, so I guess we're skipping. I think K is the only one who may be unaware of this as of yet.

In the future, perhaps we can just alternate between Nessa's piece and Jena and K's piece? Until I get my act together.

[Nessa]

After a year of balking, I have finally come to the painful conclusion that my novel should be changed from 1st person to 3rd person. (This was the suggestion of my writing group a while back, but I didn't want to admit it.) So this means we won't be going through my 2nd draft anymore. That it will, basically, be scrapped and I'll be starting over.

So the schedule is updated for the summer, and the next time we meet to go over mine we'll be reading a first chapter and a novel outline. (Once I get over the painful convulsions.)

When Shrain has something to submit, let me know and I'll shift around the schedule.

[JenaRey]

Painful conclusion, but I really really think it's the right one and we can help you with it!  You have a great story idea, just need to smooth some of that out.  Epic fantasy is hard to do 1st person because there is so much going on that your readers need a view into.  *cheers for you*

On another note, I'll have a bunch of Whispers out this weekend.  I'm going back and fixing stuff and will give you guys everything up to this point.  Then my suggestion is that we start putting in some writing practice exercise weeks.  I have a whole notebook of writing assignments from my creative writing classes and I don't think it would hurt any of us to try some of them and then read each other's assignments and talk about what works and what doesn't.  There are some basic issues with rounding characters, perspectives, etc that are happening in our books that I think can be smoothed out with some practice away from the novels that we love.  So my proposal would be that after we talk about Whispers I can give out an assignment.  Everyone turns their work into the group and we talk about all four on the following Wednesday.

Opinions?  Objections?  Anything?

~J

[Nessa]

You know, J, I think that's a good idea. I'm game for that.

[Shrain]

Count me in too. I already agreed w/ Jena that this would be a good direction for our summer sessions. I guess school is back in session.

[JenaRey]

Okay...I suck.  I wasn't able to get everything updated to do the read through all of Whispers to this point.  So my new idea is to give you another short snippet, then for the next time we want to do Whispers send the big one.  Thorry.

I will have the writing assignments for Wednesday, though.

~J

[Nessa]

I am so sorry for missing group tonight! I just barely got online after being at....the hospital.

Yes, my husband came down with such a severe case of gastroenteritis (spelling?) that he got dehyrated and I had to take him to the hospital for an IV and nausea medication. Needless to say, I would have rather been chatting it up with y'll than having a sick husband. 

[Shrain]

Oh my!  How dreadful. We thought something big must've come up to keep you away. Didn't think it'd be the ER.

As a hospitalist, you'd think your dh would know better than to wait so long before going in for treatment. (sigh) Men.

Is gastroenteritis something you can catch from a patient? Or was it from bad food or somethign?

[Nessa]

The kids gave it to him. AKA The Stomach Flu. They got it from their friends, who got it from their friends.... Ah, the joys of parenthood.

[Nessa]

Chimera says she wants to join us for writing group. Is that ok with everyone?

[Shrain]

Cool. We could use some fresh blood.  (Did we mention that one of our novels involves vamps?)

[Chimera]

Yes, I am interested. I could use the stability of a writing group to keep me more consistent in my novel writing. Plus, now that Nessa is leaving WoW (*sob*), it's a good way to stay in contact with her.

I won't be able to do it this week, because I scheduled the evening with a friend. But I'll know from now on to keep Wednesdays open. Would someone post the time again?

Also, Nessa and I have enjoyed the free program Ventrillo so that we can actually talk while we play WoW. The rest of the group might look into that--much more fun then IM!

My IM is [email protected]. I can use that email too, or I gave Nessa my yahoo email that I use, and she can give it to the rest of you.

I have a MG-YA fantasy novel I am working on that I'd like to add to the workshop. It is original, but feels along the vein of Gail Carson Levine's Ella Enchanted or Fairest and Shannon Hale's books.

And I don't mind vampires. I'm working on my own dark fantasy on the side--my first anti-hero protagonist!

[Nessa]

7pm Mountain Standard Time

[Nessa]

Even though I'll be out of town, the rest of you, I assume, are meeting to go over assignment re-writes on June 27th.

There is no meeting July 4th.

We will be going over my new story outline on July 11th, as well as a rough rough first chapter. Look for it in your mail by the 9th.

[Shrain]

Okay, I am a ninny, I know, but I forgot to post something important in regards to my attendence for group. You see, I realized that my summer class, which started last week, actually runs on Mon and Wed, not Tue and Thur like I originally thought. Over a week ago, Kris and Jena and I discussed moving group to Tuesdays depending on Nessa's and Chimera's schedule. I love group, so I really appreciated how they were willing to shift things around so that I could still come.

Yet after seeing the syllabus for my summer class, I'm realizing that Tue just won't work. I'll need every moment on Tuesday evenings to prepare for Wednesday night's class. Since Thur won't work for Kris, that means I'm just going to have to participate en abstentia until class is over. =( My most profuse apologies for bailing out--and for not emailing sooner.

Honestly, I'm quite bummed that I won't be able to come until the end of August. My class ends on Aug 8th, but after that I'll be driving across country to help my old roomie move to Cali. So I won't be available to attend for another two weeks after that. If you guys still want me, that is... 

P.S. Nessa: way to go! I'm excited to read through the outline and the revisions. Oh, and I saw the photos of the beautiful exotic flowers you saw on your trip. Looks like you enjoyed your vacay.
~SB