Smooth move E! Though we still luff ya anyway.
I have a log of the evening, but it's on my home computer. I'll see about cleaning it up and sending it out for those that want it.
I do think adding a little bit of structure would be helpful to our meetings, since we have shown in the last two that we do tend to get going.
My thoughts were a couple fold:
1: When a work is submitted to the group some additional information to go in the email.
.) The intended audience. YA, for example, is a broad span of folks. The language considerations and such is different based on the age of the audience. Gender concerns may also come into play. The Anne of Green Gables books are written very specifically for girls and women. Doesn't mean men can't read them or don't enjoy them, but it changes the expectation of the readers.
.) How complete is the work? Is this the first time scribble on something without much fleshing out having gone into it? Or the first chapter of something that's been entirely completed?
2: I really like the idea of starting with the positive and ending with supportive suggestions and positive. No, we don't need to be blowing hot air, but it's much easier to face rewrites and such if you feel like there are redeeming things that are worth the effort of fixing.
3: The "Zone of Silence" is a good thing, but then everyone else needs to be quiet and give the author a chance to address the points that are brought up, both the positive and the negative. I think we kept cutting Robert's train of thought off last night and want to keep things moving forward in a way that is helpful for everyone.
More ideas as they strike me.
~J
