You just didn't understand what I was going for . . .

December 12, 2012 5:34 PM

Is there some sort of active MeFi writers group? If yes, how could one be initiated? If not, can there be?

I'm thinking some form of google group where we would each take turns with submissions and then the rest of us can offer some vigorous criticism. I feel that the size of the group would have to be limited as well so that each user's critique/submission ratio is fair. Does that appeal to anyone? I am rather inept at managing these types of things, but if anyone would be willing to help set that up with me I think it would be extremely awesome.

posted by Think_Long to MetaFilter-Related at 5:34 PM (14 comments total)

Rory Marinich and a few others (including myself) started and are a part of a google group which is supposed to do the same function but it's open to all creative types. This is known as the Mefi Creative Coop
posted by hellojed at 5:36 PM on December 12, 2012 [1 favorite]

Oh, this is why so many new applicants have written. I was wondering what caused the spike.
posted by Rory Marinich at 6:26 PM on December 12, 2012 [2 favorites]

Rory, do you say that like it's a good thing or a bad thing? (Before I consider joining the flood.)
posted by Glinn at 6:59 PM on December 12, 2012

It's a great thing! In groups like this, there's a certain inertia that you have to overcome when it's online. People don't have the time/interest to post once an hour, or once a day, or once a week even, so although we have plenty of people, discussions still move on the slow-ish side. The more people we have, the more steady the workshop becomes, so come one, come all!
posted by Rory Marinich at 7:05 PM on December 12, 2012 [1 favorite]

I applied.

And I'm trying not to say it as "MeFi Coop [rhymes with hoop]" But, this is hard.
posted by SMPA at 7:37 PM on December 12, 2012

What's the matter, SMPA? Chicken?
posted by Rory Marinich at 8:28 PM on December 12, 2012

I believe the word is "balk" -- SMPA is balking.

As in: "Balk? Balk. Balk, balk, balk."
posted by not_on_display at 8:35 PM on December 12, 2012 [6 favorites]

You will know there is one when I call upon you.

You will only see the light of my lit cigarette.
posted by The Whelk at 8:51 PM on December 12, 2012

Like that scene in The Third Man when Orson Welles emerges from the shadows. Aww yissss
posted by Doleful Creature at 9:31 AM on December 13, 2012

Some of us tried, but it didn't work out. The number of people willing to submit work or crit others' work was too low.
posted by paduasoy at 11:39 AM on December 13, 2012

what ever happened to Fiction Fights?
posted by The Whelk at 12:21 PM on December 13, 2012

What's Fiction Fights? Is it like dueling pianos? Sounds fun.
posted by Doleful Creature at 12:58 PM on December 13, 2012

I like this idea in theory - in practice I am not really likely to participate.

A) There are some good sites that already have the give-and-take system in place and have a critical critic mass (I've used critiquecircle.com and it's fine)

B) I don't actually want critiques by people who know me, unless they are really really carefully pre-vetted, and I am not at all willing to critique people who might take critique badly and then have that reaction spill over into other contexts. This is made worse by the mod thing, of course, but even leaving that out it's a weird dynamic and I'm really leery of getting into it. It means I have a small in-person critique group and otherwise I'm going to use totally anonymous sites if anything.

So hey, go on with your bad selves if it works for you, but I'm not going to take part - not because I don't love you, but because I love you too much.
posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 1:53 PM on December 13, 2012 [5 favorites]

I always like the idea of an online writing group, but they do pretty much peter out immediately. I think it's too easy to forget to do something online, as opposed to "I've got that meeting Thursday to show up for."

How is the Creative Group different from that, I wonder? Is it thriving?
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:11 PM on December 13, 2012