A Writing Guild!

I'm loosely a member of two remote writing groups. 

Group #2: a great writer friend and myself. We have gone through some not-so-great writers who join us, drive us batty with their poor story ideas and insane egos. Then we move on, type several thousand more words and start again. She's that friend who will shoot straight, tell me what I'm writing is utter bilge, my characters lack personality, and please! for the love of all readers everywhere, just scrap it and start over. To her credit, she also tells me when she likes my characters, story and plot.  

Group #1: we've been "together" since January 2022. One member has given us two chapters in 18 months. She's scheduled to be induced with her first child on Friday and (though she doesn't know it), won't be giving us another chapter until she's had a good night's sleep and a hot meal. The other writer feels the phrase, "I hugged her with my gleaming eyes," is perfectly acceptable and I pity the poor fool who tries to point out the obvious, because I've been that fool. 

Recently Gleaming Eyes made the executive decision we needed another writer in our group #1. She made a stupid questionnaire and sent it out to four writers on Ticktack to see which one would be a good fit. Then, she presented me with her best applicant. The applicant wrote, "She smiled with precious eyes." I nixed the applicant which caused an epic conniption with my fellow writer. I don't care. It's my  my time I'd be wasting. If we need another writer (we don't), at least find one who uses the right body part for the correct movement.

Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for these two writing groups. I've developed two novels because of these women. I've outgrown writing group #1 and am more than willing to let that season end. I will be forever committed to my friend who is Group #2.  

The reason for these two groups is because there are no local writing guilds around the Texarkana area. The closest one might be in Longview. Or Shreveport. Or maybe Tyler. Those groups are well-attended by the locals who are willing to drive 70-plus miles one way on a Tuesday night to hear other writers wax eloquently about their craft. I might even be willing to do so as well, if I wasn't afraid of driving long distances along country roads after dark. 

Today I met with three other local writers and we created a steering committee to form a local writing guild. Of the four, I'm the only one who doesn't have a published book (next month--fingers crossed! come on graphic artist... get your job done). We haven't come up with a name yet, but the guild will be meeting once a month starting in September and bring in a speaker on different topics from marketing, publishing, editing, story development, etc., because that's what these kinds of organizations do.

We also decided to let writers organically form their own writing groups. That way, if someone wants to work with an author who writes about their characters smiling with precious eyes, they can. However, it won't be me.