- Anna Maria Junus
Nanowrimo: The Things You Can Learn From Writer's Groups - And My Promise
One of the blessings that has happened from moving back to my homeland (Vancouver Island) after being in the strange land of the prairies (Alberta), is that I found a writing group.
Writing is an isolating hobby. You hunker down in your hobbit hole, and have a relationship with your computer and your imaginary friends. You are the power. You become God as you create your world and weave your spells and give voice to your characters – although if you are in a real writing euphoria your characters take over and tell you what to write.
It’s not a world that regular people understand. “What did you do last night?” Co-workers might ask when you show up to your job.
“Oh, I wrote,” you answer.
Their eyes glaze over and they might reply, “I don’t even read.”
It’s not glamorous, or exciting unless you travel the world doing it. Most of us don’t. We go home, we write, sometimes we write about writing in forums and blogs.
So those writer’s groups become important. It’s a place where we can go and talk about our writing. We get to interact with other people who understand how important it is to write. We are all often writing different things – two are working on fantasy novels, another is writing a romance, someone else is writing a teen novel, there’s a science fiction writer, someone else is working on a mystery, while another writer isn’t writing or publishing but just juggling work and kids and ill health and hoping to get past writer’s block.
But whatever we’re writing - or not writing, we all understand each other.
Last night I went to a write in, which generally means we all get together talk a bit, then start a timer and write for a certain amount of minutes, share how many words we’ve written, talk a little more, then set the timer again. We do this during Nano season (which for Nanonians is actually a fifth season that bridges between autumn and winter).
Except last night, after we all opened up our computers to be ready, the timer never got set, no one wrote and we never got further than the talking stage.
Which was fine with me. I love timed writings. But I needed the break. I can do timed writings on my own. I needed the social aspect of it. I needed to talk and laugh.
What’s the point of being a writer, which is supposed to be a mastery of communication, who never really communicates with people right in front of you?
Most of what we talked about was fluffy. I like fluffy. We all need fluffy. Besides talking about Sam and Dean is always interesting. But some other interesting things came out. Scams that writers have been involved with (not any writers there). How some writers have got themselves underhandedly on best seller lists. How some writers have got insincere reviews that hurt other writers. How multiple author box sets work and how they can backfire on a writer. I discovered kboards, which is a kindle forum board for readers and writers.
Which brings me to this morning, instead of writing on Nano I was thinking about all this and feeling a little defeated by all the underhanded tactics that some writers use. What is the point of my being published if I have to fight injustice on top of it. I'm already wearing too many hats? So here is my promise.
I will not be using any tricks.
It may mean that no one ever buys my books. But I will not participate in ways that are unfair to other writers.
I will write stories as best as I can. I will publish them. I will market them. I will learn my craft and put on my too many and different assorted hats, some of which don't suit me very well.
But I won’t be looking for devious ways to get on best seller lists. If my book gets on a best seller list, it will be because enough readers have deemed it worthy of being there. Anything else is hollow.
The reviews you see attached to my books, are all honest reviews. I did not solicit them. Except for one, they are by people I don’t know and have never met. I have never paid for a review. I’m too cheap for that anyway. I have never asked someone to write a positive review. And although I see nothing wrong with paying reviewers (it takes time to read a book and write a review), there is something most definitely wrong about specifically paying for a five star review. All reviews should be honest whether they are one or five stars.
Further, although there is nothing wrong with paying to be part of a boxed set group, I will not be doing so. I can’t afford it for one. Secondly, I’m not willing to put myself in the hands of someone who might participate in underhanded practices. If I do a boxed set, it will be mine. Or it might be with a group of writers I know and trust, who all are equal and make decisions together. Or, I would do it with an already established reputable company who know the rules and play by them.
One of the problems with doing underhanded tactics, is that like pyramid schemes, they eventually backfire. And it can destroy careers. Further it hurts honest writers who have nothing to do with the schemes. It hurts the review system, makes a joke of bestseller lists, and doesn’t help readers find authors who are worthwhile to read. It buries the good writer. These practices are career destroying for everyone, not just the guilty. Good writers don’t need to be dishonest. Good writers let their work stand on its own merits.
I believe I'm a good writer. So here I am, hunkering down, and determined to be a writer helper instead of a trap setter.
