The New Intimacy

#EdenLit - Club Meeting - July 2 Open Discussion

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Contributor: Ansley Ansley
Ultimately, Eden Lit is YOUR writing club. We want to know about things that will encourage you to participate on a monthly basis.

Does their need to be a wider recognition of your work or are you happy working among yourselves?

Would it be easier for you all to agree on a blog platform and create a blog ring?

What kinds of things do you want to write? How do you want to write them?

It's all completely up to you as members of the club.
07/09/2012
Contributor: Mistress Dragon Mistress Dragon
When there is already a topic to write about I am not sure if I would be able to stay on topic. I like to write on things I know, I feel more at ease that way.
07/09/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
More on the proposed changes to our forum: It's a project in the making and the busy bees at EF are working to get us separate places for our work. This is kind of why I figured now would be a good time to discuss changes to the club.

The way it has always worked is:
We meet and go over each of the stories published on the forum for the last month. We offer some general feedback and gentle critique before we move on to choosing topics for next month.
I have been offering a little lecture about a writing topic, ie: Perspective and how to change it, a little bit about grammar etc. and then I would assign a topic for those who wished to improve their skills.

That's about it though. So I could use some great suggestions about what YOU guys want to learn, brush up on, discuss whatever!
07/09/2012
Contributor: T&A1987 T&A1987
one thing we could try for a creativity exercise is to devote some excess time of the meeting to writing a short story. If there's a haf hour left, but nothing more to discuss, provide a story prompt, we write for 15 mins, post and discuss. Or, we do the prompt at the beginning of the meeting and spend part of the remainder discussing.
07/09/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by Mistress Dragon
When there is already a topic to write about I am not sure if I would be able to stay on topic. I like to write on things I know, I feel more at ease that way.
We always offer an open topic for just this purpose! You can always write whatever sets you aflame. the topics are there for continuity and as suggestions
07/09/2012
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
There is only thing we cannot do: Take the actual meeting off the forum.
07/09/2012
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
Quote:
Originally posted by T&A1987
one thing we could try for a creativity exercise is to devote some excess time of the meeting to writing a short story. If there's a haf hour left, but nothing more to discuss, provide a story prompt, we write for 15 mins, post and discuss. Or, ... more
I like that. I think it kind of gives everyone an idea of where they are and how each other's thought process works.

Airen and I were discussing something similar, but more as a game.
07/09/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by T&A1987
one thing we could try for a creativity exercise is to devote some excess time of the meeting to writing a short story. If there's a haf hour left, but nothing more to discuss, provide a story prompt, we write for 15 mins, post and discuss. Or, ... more
I like that suggestion...I thought about doing that as well as having a running story written by a couple of members as a sort of collaboration that I'd collect after the meeting and publish. I thought it might add some interest to the meeting.
07/09/2012
Contributor: T&A1987 T&A1987
Quote:
Originally posted by Ansley
I like that. I think it kind of gives everyone an idea of where they are and how each other's thought process works.

Airen and I were discussing something similar, but more as a game.
This was a contest every October in college.
07/09/2012
Contributor: Cedarlooman Cedarlooman
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
More on the proposed changes to our forum: It's a project in the making and the busy bees at EF are working to get us separate places for our work. This is kind of why I figured now would be a good time to discuss changes to the club.

The ... more
I, for one, liked the discussions about perspective. So manu writers mess.that up. I like the topics and the open is aleays there too. I have used all the different formats to publish and like Lionel Richie, I'm "Easy Like Sunday Morning" .

I would like some areas for discussion about longer topics to encourage people to write them. I have a hard time writing something less than 4000+ words so am always am.azed by the short stories
07/09/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by Ansley
There is only thing we cannot do: Take the actual meeting off the forum.
With the forum redesign I don't think that'll be necessary anyhow. Either way we'll make it work.

I'd like to see more discussion on the actual threads where the stories are posted. That way we can shift focus away from discussing the work in the meeting and focus on current writing or literary discussion.
07/09/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by Cedarlooman
I, for one, liked the discussions about perspective. So manu writers mess.that up. I like the topics and the open is aleays there too. I have used all the different formats to publish and like Lionel Richie, I'm "Easy Like Sunday ... more
Do you think that if we allow people to publish incomplete stories this might facilitate longer stories like we used to get in the beginning?
07/09/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by T&A1987
This was a contest every October in college.
How did the contest work? Could it be modified for this format? We have a budget but we can actually offer prizes. I was told way back when that one of the things I could do it actually offer prizes like books on writing (like the Stephen King one you mentioned). Would that be something that would interest people do you think?
07/09/2012
Contributor: Mistress Dragon Mistress Dragon
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
How did the contest work? Could it be modified for this format? We have a budget but we can actually offer prizes. I was told way back when that one of the things I could do it actually offer prizes like books on writing (like the Stephen King one ... more
I think that would be a good place to start with prizes to help influnce people to write.
07/09/2012
Contributor: T&A1987 T&A1987
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
Do you think that if we allow people to publish incomplete stories this might facilitate longer stories like we used to get in the beginning?
personally I do. The stories I'm working on are quite long (about 50 pages now, with more to come). When people post here, they're awarded through attention (and possible points or card, I don't know, I'm new to Lit Club) so the incentive is to finish as quickly as possible, for the rewards, ergo shorter stories. Segments, with word minimums, would allow for long segments, but still give people the reward of contribution and attendance.
07/09/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Someone also made the suggestion that we could even offer help to aspiring review writers...like a sort of here's how we do it sort of thing. What do you guys think about that idea?
07/09/2012
Contributor: Izzaba Izzaba
I think a prize would be good to get those of us who are shy about what we write be more open with it
07/09/2012
Contributor: Mistress Dragon Mistress Dragon
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
Someone also made the suggestion that we could even offer help to aspiring review writers...like a sort of here's how we do it sort of thing. What do you guys think about that idea?
I was very glad to have someone to help me write my reviews and can not even begin to tell you how much it helped me out.
07/09/2012
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
Someone also made the suggestion that we could even offer help to aspiring review writers...like a sort of here's how we do it sort of thing. What do you guys think about that idea?
I actually think this is a really good idea. It doesn't have to be as in depth as the mentor program and can help people find their voice. Especially when it comes to defining terms like buzz, throbbing, deep, rumbly...
07/09/2012
Contributor: T&A1987 T&A1987
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
How did the contest work? Could it be modified for this format? We have a budget but we can actually offer prizes. I was told way back when that one of the things I could do it actually offer prizes like books on writing (like the Stephen King one ... more
Everyone who participated went to a room, was given a prompt and two hours to contribute a story involving the prompt. The best three stories won prizes of varying caliber, with honorable mentions. They also provided coffee, tea and pastries, but that's not in the cards unfortunately. I imagine anything from toys, to gift cards to points would work as a prize.
07/09/2012
Contributor: Mistress Dragon Mistress Dragon
Quote:
Originally posted by Ansley
I actually think this is a really good idea. It doesn't have to be as in depth as the mentor program and can help people find their voice. Especially when it comes to defining terms like buzz, throbbing, deep, rumbly...
I think you are very right there Stormy.
07/09/2012
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
Quote:
Originally posted by T&A1987
personally I do. The stories I'm working on are quite long (about 50 pages now, with more to come). When people post here, they're awarded through attention (and possible points or card, I don't know, I'm new to Lit Club) so the ... more
So kind of like an ongoing NaNoWriMo but for Eden?
07/09/2012
Contributor: Izzaba Izzaba
Quote:
Originally posted by Izzaba
I think a prize would be good to get those of us who are shy about what we write be more open with it
I know that ThornRose is a good writer and this would be good for her to get some of her work out for others to read it.
07/09/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by T&A1987
personally I do. The stories I'm working on are quite long (about 50 pages now, with more to come). When people post here, they're awarded through attention (and possible points or card, I don't know, I'm new to Lit Club) so the ... more
I can see where you are going with this...we have actually traditionally offered very little incentive for participation in the club. I'm not adverse to the idea but I want the meeting participation to be the most important part in earning some sort of gift cards ect. I know we have more activity when we had our own blog but it was a mess to keep straight. The set up we have is confusing as hell and there is a character limit which drove some of our more prolific writers away.

Maybe if we break down the submissions and allow for incomplete works this might prompt some interest in coming back next month to our readers?
07/09/2012
Contributor: Izzaba Izzaba
Quote:
Originally posted by Mistress Dragon
I was very glad to have someone to help me write my reviews and can not even begin to tell you how much it helped me out.
I think the samething I need to help to get started wit hmy reveiws.
07/09/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by Izzaba
I know that ThornRose is a good writer and this would be good for her to get some of her work out for others to read it.
I would love her to join in. Hopefully when she gets back from vacation?
07/09/2012
Contributor: T&A1987 T&A1987
Quote:
Originally posted by Ansley
So kind of like an ongoing NaNoWriMo but for Eden?
pretty much. Obviously it depends upon how much each person writes, but yeah, it would help for those who get motivated for the first few thousand words of a story, but stop towards the middle.
07/09/2012
Contributor: Mistress Dragon Mistress Dragon
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
I can see where you are going with this...we have actually traditionally offered very little incentive for participation in the club. I'm not adverse to the idea but I want the meeting participation to be the most important part in earning some ... more
I hope so because longer stories make for better reading no matter what kind it is. I hope people come back and write more and longer stories.
07/09/2012
Contributor: Cedarlooman Cedarlooman
Thoae are good ideas. &T & A 50+ pages? Those are novellas, not stories!

But I think encouraging people to participate in the story threads and.commenting on works in progress would be good.
07/09/2012
Contributor: Izzaba Izzaba
Quote:
Originally posted by Mistress Dragon
I was very glad to have someone to help me write my reviews and can not even begin to tell you how much it helped me out.
I think the samething I need to help to get started wit hmy reveiws.
07/09/2012