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This is a critique group for writers that will be entering a story for the third quarter of 2008 in the Writers of the Future contest (25th year).
Anyone is welcome to join. If you do though, please follow the directions for such. Currently, the group consists of me: WriterDan
If you want to join the group for this quarter, please repost the current names list in a reply and add your name to the bottom.
Deadlines for this quarter's crits are as follows:
May 7th: First drafts out for high-level crits (plot, character arc, etc.)
June 7th: Second drafts out for low-level crits and line edits
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If you reverse annepin and darklight's nicks and read the first letters down it's Wibad (we bad). *bored*
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Skadder and I are waiting for A R Martin or Acriter to join so we can call this group Wi-bad-ass
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____IN FOR THIS QUARTER_____ WriterDan InarticulateBabbler Bent Tree annepin darklight Kayti skadder snapper Christopher Patrick James Cheyne
Swack PCB kids
OK people we need more vowels. Unless Annepin and IAB can promise two stories. Or do we recruit?
seriously, this is my first time even considering a contest so if someone can post a link to any guidelines that would be helpful--i know so is google.
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And thanks from me too, IB. I should know the maximum length by now, but I just can't seem to remember it. I've been meaning to look it up for a few days but never got around to it. Thanks to you, I now have a quick and convenient link.
I'm a bit over 9,500 words in, so I don't have much more to play with. How's it going guys?
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Actually, been kind of rough. About 2500 words in, but think I'm going to cut the last 1000 or so and rewrite them. Need to work on my character some more. Had another great idea for a story yesterday, and actually considered writing that one instead. Really want to get this one out though. We'll see. Looking forward to the deadline and getting nervous already. Write!
Posts: 599 | Registered: Sep 2007
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I'm a little worried about the #s involved. Can we consider breaking into two groups to crit? I just can't imagine having time to read and crit 10 other stories that probably average 10k each. My writing time is limited enough, critting pulls from that time. I know not everyone (me in particular) gets drafts in by the deadlines and such, but still, it's a daunting number.
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IN FOR THIS QUARTER_____ WriterDan InarticulateBabbler Bent Tree annepin darklight Kayti skadder snapper Christopher Patrick James Cheyne Jared Page ___________
P.K. Dic_ B saw as JC
[This message has been edited by Patrick James (edited April 11, 2008).]
quote:Probably not a half bad idea(splitting the group). Is there a precident for doing this?
I'd recommend that you split up a bit. When I used to actually create groups, I would keep them at six or fewer.
The hard part may be figuring out who goes into which group. I'd be willing to assist, if you like. I could think of a number from 1 to 50, or something like that.
Seriously, we are doing two crit dates, right? We can split and view half the submits for the first reading then we can read the other half at the next reading, got it? So everyone reads all the submissions but they only give one crit apiece.
[This message has been edited by snapper (edited April 12, 2008).]
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Okay, so a ton of people have signed up and I'm feeling like the whole split group thing would be a good idea. I think if KDW split us up into two groups of six (Group1, Group2). If we have anyone else sign up, we'll have to split into three groups. Take us down to 4,4,5. I agree that any more than six people in a single group would be tough. Additionally, I also really like the idea of switching across groups for the second round of crits. This would allow for new perspectives on the same story after the first round.
KDW, could you split up the twelve of us into two groups? That would be the easiest, I think. If it comes to another split (into three groups), we may ask for some more help. Hope that's okay. Thanks for the interest in what we're doing.
If anyone else has an idea, please put it forward and we can discuss it. I've just found that with these types of things, it's best to just get something on the table and move forward.
So, there'll be two group lists from here on out. Hope this works okay. I don't know that we have much choice but to split. Let's get writing people!
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I'm glad you guys have decided to split into two smaller groups. I was beginning to have palpatations thinking about all the stories I would have to crit at once. Many of us are always willing to do early crits too, though.
Good idea about mixing it up for the second round, but at the same time, its also good that the first readers read again to see if the changes work, so there are pros and cons for both methods.
Well, how are we going to split? I have straws if anyone wants to pick?
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I'd suggest that the new participants and the experiecned participants be paired accordingly. And that at least two more experienced be in each group. But, what do I know?
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Because they had a terrible attrition rate. Groups that are self-selected seem to work better than ones that I put together.
As for IAB's suggestion, I think it's a good one, except I'm not sure how to judge your experience. You all look good to me when I see your participation in the F&F areas.
How about if I think of a number between 1 and 50, and you each choose one, posting your choice here? Then I'll go by the numbers instead of the names in sorting you into two groups.
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You know, it maybe wiser to just spilt into three groups now. Then if any one new wants to join we can just him/her into group one. If its a number thing, I pick 3.141592653589793 or did you want us to use round numbers Kathy?
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By the time we get everyone to pick a number it will be June 28th. I have a solution. It's a little complicated but you are all bright people. Here's the list.
WriterDan InarticulateBabbler Bent Tree annepin darklight Kayti skadder snapper Christopher Patrick James Cheyne Jared Page
Let me reorganize it. This is the same order just listed from left to right.
You do crits for all the names that are horizontal and verticle from your own. So darklight does IB, snapper, Cheyne, annepin, and Kayti. Christopher would do Bent Tree, Kayti, Jared Page, skadder, and snapper. Got it? Everyone does five crits and gets five at the same time. If the order doesn't suit you feel free to reorganize it. I think it's fair the way it is and I think we should reshuffle for the second read as well. What do you think?
[This message has been edited by snapper (edited April 14, 2008).]
I think snappers suggestion would work. We could have our first drafts reviewed by the people in the same horizontal and vertical columns, and then our second drafts could be reviewed by the remaining six people who haven't looked at our story yet.
Although, that method could get confusing if we have new people join.
I don't think it matters very much how we split up. It sounds like the consensus is that we are going to be having different people reviewing our work for the second draft. This means regardless of how we split up, each story will be viewed by everyone or near everyone.
[This message has been edited by Jared Page (edited April 14, 2008).]
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I hope that I am not screwing up someone's well thought out critting plans, but I was just handed a huge workload that will interfere with my secondary career (the one that is not paying the bills). So it is with deep regrets that I will be pulling myself from the game. Please don't use this to exclude me in later groups, i just thought i'd better pull out now rather than later.
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Snapper, if you look back at your post, it apparently appears different in the posting window. From here, the groups read as follows:
Group 1
WriterDan
annepin
Skadder
Patrick James
Group 2
Me
darlklight
You (snapper)
Cheyne
Group 3
BentTree
KayTi
Christopher
Jared Page
The problem I see is that Group 3, as I understand it, is newcomer-heavy. Only KayTi has entered before. That would be okay if we alternate on round two to say:
Group 1
Me
Jared Page
annepin
Christopher
Group 2
Skadder
Patrick James
darklight
BentTree
Group 3
snapper
KayTi
WriterDan
Cheyne
The Final Polish groups (Which may vary due to drop-outs and late-runners) would be: