I want to see the interest in a Fantasy only group. Please reply here in.
Posted by dee_boncci (Member # 2733) on :
I would be interested in participating in such a group, but being relatively new to the site I don't know when I meet the familiarity criteria to participate in a group.
Posted by pixydust (Member # 2311) on :
My novel's fantasy. I'm not sure how commited I can be to a group, but if you get anything started let me know. Maybe by then all my moons will be alined. Posted by tchernabyelo (Member # 2651) on :
I thought an a-line was a kind of dress (but what would I know)
I'm potentially interested in a Fantasy group, since that's almost exclusively what I write.
I'm finding time an issue, though. Two jobs and this forum aren't helping me actually write very much...
[This message has been edited by tchernabyelo (edited July 20, 2005).]
Posted by abby (Member # 2681) on :
I would be interested. I do have one fantasy novel I have started. My primary one right now is more an adventure story. I too am spending too much time here and not enough time writing. Maybe a good critique or two would help spur us all along.
Posted by benskia (Member # 2422) on :
Hi, I'm interested. Currently, I am working on a novel. Did you have longer works in mind, or only short stories?
Also, my work is a mixture of fantasy and serial killer thriller. At the moment, most of it is fantasy, but once I get a bit further down the track more of the action will take place in the real world. Does this still fit?
Thanks, Mr Desperate to get into a group Benskia.
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
If you decide to do novels as a group, you might want to look at my "novel critique suggestions" for groups which is at
Okay tchernabyelo, very funny. "Aligned". BTW I got your re-write and I'll get back to you ASAP. I most likely won't have much to say since I liked it so much the first time.
I'm up for whatever, and I could really use an excuse to get moving on my novel.
Let me know what's up....
Posted by dee_boncci (Member # 2733) on :
Okay, I'm relatively new to the site, so I don't know how the formation of a group is supposed to work. To my inexperienced eye it appears we have a quarum here. What should happen next?
Posted by pixydust (Member # 2311) on :
I have no idea. I think we just trade emails and then work out a schedule. I think that everyone who wants to join should read the link that Kathleen posted above. It's very helpful for the logistic side of it all. Then we'll all be on the same page. Posted by dee_boncci (Member # 2733) on :
It looks like the majority is interested in novels that puts me a little behind the curve. I do have 50k words of a novel drafted, but I was planning on putting that one aside and doing a shorter novel ahead of it. So I'd be more inclined to take the chapter (or two) at a time approach since I'll be making this up along the way.
Posted by bradford (Member # 2708) on :
Looks like a good group. I will try to set up the details. Look for an email by mid week. Basicaly we will each take a turn in submitting a section of our writing. I would say no more than 10 double spaced pages in length due to everyones time. This would be sent out on a set day, the crits and feedback would be then sent to the group email so we could all learn. And would be due by a certin day as well. Doesn't matter if it is novels or short fiction. Everyone agree? I will start to build the email list tonight.
Later
Posted by pixydust (Member # 2311) on :
Sounds good to me. Posted by benskia (Member # 2422) on :
Sounds good.
Posted by tchernabyelo (Member # 2651) on :
Count me in, at least to start with. If I find I don't have time I shall have to gracefully fall by the wayside.
Posted by abby (Member # 2681) on :
Count me in, I will just have to start working on my fantasy novel today.
Posted by dee_boncci (Member # 2733) on :
Sounds good to me
Posted by tchernabyelo (Member # 2651) on :
Forgive me, but as they say on stage... "is this thing on"? I haven't heard anything as yet, but there are times when I wonder if my yahoo email is getting a bit flaky.
Posted by abby (Member # 2681) on :
I hadn't heard anything yet either, that's okay, I am way behind in my writing, though I hope to have a bit more wrote today. I can read someone else's but won't send mine until I get at least a chapter written.
I did find a flaw today, and am working to fix that flaw, it could be central to the story line. It could also make it related (by a few thousand years) to another story I started, but was stuck on.
Posted by benskia (Member # 2422) on :
'kay folks. Unless anybody else wants to step in and take the lead, I dont mind setting this thing up.
I could create us a phpBB for the crit group & then on an agreed basis, our members get chance to post their section for review on the board. We can all leave our crits under the persons post. That way, we dont have to do too much repetition & can argue other folks's crits if required.
I'll give it a couple of days incase anybody else has any better solutions & then start on getting it organised. I dont want to feel as though I'm stepping on anybody's toes though.
I suppose the main thing to agree will be the submission schedule once we've identified the members of the group.
Anyone else?
Posted by tchernabyelo (Member # 2651) on :
I can safely say that no toes of mine are feeling remotely stepped on. I don't have nearly enough time to organise something like this and have only admiration for those who can.
Posted by abby (Member # 2681) on :
I don't have the time to organize right now either. I did like the idea of emails. Not sure about posting it on a board, though, doesn't that affect publishing rights? Of course, I have no idea what a phpbb is.
Posted by benskia (Member # 2422) on :
Maybe, could do e-mails then, but I dont have the faintest how to organise it through that route. And I reckon it would be difficult to keep track of things that way.
phpBB is the bulletin board s/w that nearly all online forums use (I dont think this one here uses it though).
The board would only be private and only viewable by authorised members, so it wouldn't count as being published as far as I know.
But, like I say -- if anybody else can run it & with a more preferable system, that's cool.
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
I think Liberty Hall (where they do the flash challenges every week) is a phpbb, if you want to see what one looks like.
Hatrack is not a phpbb.
I'm going to start a topic with some group organization guidelines, based on what I used to tell groups when I was doing the organizing.
Maybe they will help you figure out how to organize your group.
Posted by benskia (Member # 2422) on :
Hi Kathleen. Thanks for the advice on the other thread you started. Certainly, it gives us a few great starting points. From the options stated, I feel that I am more in favour of the turn-taking approach. Where each week a nominated person submits their piece for critique and then the others comment on it. It seems more likely that everybody gets a fair number of critiques for their writing this way. However, the downside of this is that person number six in the queue, has to wait an awful long time to receive any input. Perhaps it would be possible to shorten the critique period to speed things along a bit. If we can get a group formed, issues such as this will need to be agreed by each member. I've got a feeling that a lot of the rules will emerge once things get going though.
Anybody with preferences please speak up so we can suggest a possible starting point.
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
If you pick a day each week (Saturday might be good) and each person volunteer for a specific Saturday (6 August, 13 August, 20 August, and so on), then you will have a schedule set up. That way, if someone is particularly anxious to get going, that person can volunteer for an earlier date, and one who is doesn't feel quite ready yet can volunteer for a later date.
If you are all eager to go, you can try doubling up (if you all have time to do it faster), or you can go alphabetically by username.
The sooner you all agree on a schedule, though, the sooner you will actually get going.
Posted by abby (Member # 2681) on :
I'll gladly take a lter date, I'm not quite ready yet. Still working on the first chapter. I am debateing about the ending scene. I'd rather wait until I'm into chapter two to recieve more than the 13 line (or so) critique.
It shouldn't be too hard as we can all get each others email from the email link. All we have to do is decide when we want to start and who wants to go first. And also, to realize one month, one person may be early, and another late, which may work to their advantage.
Hope to hear from you all soon.
Posted by benskia (Member # 2422) on :
Me again. Righto. I've setup a rudimentary forum. A bit more work to do on it yet. Maybe I'll get chance later tonight. But, in the meantime, if you're interested in joining our critique group go to:
and sign up (taking a slight liberty here, but I feel that Kathleen will let this one slip by).
I'll sort out permissions to hide the subjects etc once we've got a group together. But for now, the forum is open to view by everybody.
I've added a poll in the Polls section to get some early feedback on what type of critiquing system the members may like best. Vote away.
Also, I think this is going to be aimed at longer works of speculative fiction. But I'm sure we'll welcome a change now and again and like to read a short story or too.
If you want to join, you may also like to tell us about yourself and a synopsis of the work that we will be critiquing in the relevant section.
Let me know if you would like anything else adding to the board.
Posted by dee_boncci (Member # 2733) on :
Okay, I went over and signed up. I'll work out my synopsis and add it to the thread there.
Posted by bradford (Member # 2708) on :
sorry i did not get back to everyone, I did submit our group as suggested to the Board Gods here but did not hear anything. I have set up a yahoo board for us if we want. It is "http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Fantasy_Writer_group" We can post messages and submot storys etc. It also has the chat function etc. I will go with what ever the group thinks. I will be sending an email today to the members I have the email address for
Posted by benskia (Member # 2422) on :
Oh. Ooops, sorry Bradford. It appears I may have got too impatient. Mebbe we can still bring the e-mail group into it somehow though. We will probably need to send out reminders to the group or something.
Or, maybe the e-mail system might work better anyways?
Posted by dee_boncci (Member # 2733) on :
I am totally confused now.
Would someone thell me what I should do next.
Posted by abby (Member # 2681) on :
Dee, we are going to go ahead and use the site Benskia created.
Due to careing for two motehrless pups, I still don't have chapter one finished, and they won't be going to their new homes for another week.
I am not ready yet to post, but if anyone wnats to go ahead and post theirs, I will read it, it just might take me a few days to critique it.
How to make 4 week olds sleep more than two hours a day?
Posted by benskia (Member # 2422) on :
Hi guys.
That's cool if we're going with the board I setup. Nice one.
I notice that we've only got 3 votes as to which style of critique schedule is preferred. Please cast your votes and post a bit about yourself in the synopsis section, if you're still interested.
Thanks.
Posted by benskia (Member # 2422) on :
Thanks folks, I see a few more results in the polls.
Well, it wont be long now until I'll have to start reporting progress etc over there to stop annoying other Hatrack visitors with our posts.
But for now, anymore takers, please feel free to sign up.
I'll be setting some rules etc and starting the thing rolling soon.
"Aligned". BTW I got your re-write and I'll get back to you ASAP. I most likely won't have much to say since I liked it so much the first time. 