Ever since I took a class on C.S. Lewis when I was a wee slip of a girl, I've been intrigued with The Inklings. That was the name of the informal writers' club started by Lewis, but included Tolkien, poets, and critics alike. What brought them together was a shared love of literature and a dedication to improve their craft. Such literary clubs are not uncommon. What is uncommon is that they were drawn together to create something that did not exist at the time---literature that was not simply "art for art's sake." They wanted to write the sort of thing that they loved to read.
I can't imagine writing without keeping some Other in mind.
That said, there is something attractive about sharing work-in-progress to those of like (and different) minds. To have one's work critically engaged and seriously debated as you are writing is such a help. Not only does it let you sharpen your own critical/creative approach, but you start to get a sense of what others may see when they read your words. Such a humbling process requires a certain amount of loving-kindness on the part of everyone involved to make such criticism work and allow the truth of a piece to be fully explored.
What I am proposing is a local writer's group (i.e., within traveling distance of Dayton, OH) meet, beginning on a monthly basis. For those who cannot be present, I can set up a faceboook group that will allows people to network, post to discussions, and receive critiques of their work.
If you are interested in meeting, or being a part of the writing group, just email me. You can also post below. Feel free to forward this message to those who might be interested, but might not indulge in facebook :)
-Looking forward to hearing from all my creative friends,
Rachel
Friday, February 05, 2010
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