May 2008 Starting A Writers' Circle

May 2008 Starting Writers' Circle

April and May were busy months - apart from the trip to Stratford-on-Avon for the literature festival (photos as soon as Steve, the director sends them to me) we went for a five day holiday to Isle of Wight, which was lovely. Lots of visitors too, so, me making excuses for not getting on with the writing again!! At least I recognise them as excuses. It is true that when you have a break of several days from writing you lose the continuity somewhat. However this week I am back at my desk and applying myself to work. There have been some good reviews of the three books that came out last year and next month, on 15th June, Tin Hats and Gas Masks will be available in audio. Details will be available on my website which is http://www.joanmoules.co.uk/ The book is already out in large print and all editions, hardback, large print audio and CD will also be in the libraries.

DO YOU BELONG TO A WRITERS’ CIRCLE?

Writing is a lonely business. O.K, so you’ve heard that before. Do you belong to a writers’ circle? Have you recently moved to a new district and tried to join one, only to discover there isn’t any such animal? That’s what happened to me and after a while I decided to start a circle in my area. Surely I couldn’t be the only one tapping away day after day and having no feedback from other writers - no communication with my own kind?I began with a letter in the local paper inviting interested people to telephone me. Six did, and that was the nucleus of our circle. I had prepared an agenda as follows:
1. Each person to say his or her name and areas of interest.
2. Arrange a venue, a day, time and frequency of meeting.
3. Appoint a steering committee and talk about finance.
4. Work out a programme
5. Any other business.

The initial meeting went well and we set up our group in the local library. It could just as well have begun in any one of our homes, or even alternated among them all. We opted for evening meetings because it suited us and we agreed to meet every second and fourth Monday each month. The reasoning behind this was that weekly might be too much for those with a lot of other commitments, and monthly too long a gap for the circle to become a habit. We wanted an active circle with each member contributing and benefiting from it.The alternative from hiring a room is to meet in member’s houses. The disadvantages of this (which do not always apply) are that sometimes members become too relaxed and comfortable and less work is done. It can also lead to members being in competition with each other over who supplies the best coffee and biscuits, and therefore detracts from the main purpose of the meeting. Sometimes prospective new members do not like to attend a meeting in a private house so you could be restricting growth.Finance will depend on whether there is rent to pay and how much it is. An annual subscription is often the answer, and perhaps a small attendance charge. The areas of interest of the members will decide number 4 on the agenda.It is better only to plan the first five or six meetings of a new group, rather than working out for the whole year, because you will discover the real needs of your members as you go along. There is value in mss evenings and in having speakers, and a good mix will keep members interested and happy.Number 5 – any other business, gives the chance to everyone present to mention and discuss anything that has a bearing on the setting up of a writers’ circle. It is important to structure the circle in an effective manner if it is to be of real use to the members. We worked out a constitution when we had been going a few months. Our programme is still worked out six monthly, by the committee and is based on the suggestions of the members as to what they would like for the coming year.
We have had some very good evenings both with speakers and with constructive comments among ourselves on mss nights. We have also had working outings to the theatre, where the entire group meet the author after the play (usually in the bar) and we have made friends with other circles who are not too far distant from us. This way we can share each other’s speakers to the undoubted benefit of us all.
The Warminster Writers’ Circle is twenty two years old. When I moved from Wiltshire fourteen years ago we decided to continue the annual summer party which had always been held in our home.Now every July a coach load of writers and their spouses travel from Wiltshire to Sussex for what has become known as The President’s Party. (They honoured me with that title when I moved) After lunch the results of the summer competition are announced, prizes awarded and the winning entries read out.
Many friendships have been made since that day over twenty years ago when six people met in my front room. The circle has gone from strength to strength, it even has a website now. There have been many successes, articles, poetry, short stories and books.
So, don’t sit in front of a blank screen/sheet of paper/notebook. If you need stimulation and contact with another writer who will understand your highs and lows, join a circle, and if there isn’t one to join, than start one. Maybe then your writing won’t be such a lonely business in future. Happy writing. Joan Moules.
Link: Starting Circle
24/05/08
by Joan. M.Moules