Chalk Scribblers

Would you like to join a group of writers exchanging constructive criticism of one of our works in progress?

For every session, one of our members shares a story, chapter or screenplay for discussion. Every member then gives their opinion without interruption or contradiction, then the writer responds and we open it up to a broader discussion.

You're welcome to join through the link though if it’s your first time, we'd appreciate it if you would message one of the hosts below to let us know you're coming.

We share passages for critique through a closed Google Group, which ensures the writer retains the copyright. Because it's where we share our unpublished drafts, we do not open it to anyone we haven't confirmed is not a troll, ghoul, marketeer or any other member of the internet bestiary so we'll sort your access out when you join the session.

Would you like to join a group of writers exchanging constructive criticism of one of our works in progress?

For every session, one of our members shares a story, chapter or screenplay for discussion. Every member then gives their opinion without interruption or contradiction, then the writer responds and we open it up to a broader discussion.

You're welcome to join through the link though if it’s your first time, we'd appreciate it if you would message one of the hosts below to let us know you're coming.

We share passages for critique through a closed Google Group, which ensures the writer retains the copyright. Because it's where we share our unpublished drafts, we do not open it to anyone we haven't confirmed is not a troll, ghoul, marketeer or any other member of the internet bestiary so we'll sort your access out when you join the session.

A story is driven by the stuff that happens and the plot outlines what happens, who it happens to, who makes it happen and when it all happens. It’s the plot that leads the characters through the settings to explore the themes and ideas of the story. If the plot doesn’t do its job of showing those other elements, then all the craft that went into them will be forever hidden from the reader.

In his Seven Basic Plots, Christopher Booker identified his eponymous seven archetypes drawn from stories ranging from the present day back to The Epic of Gilgamesh. We’ll be discussing his breakdown of those plot archetypes and discussing how we can use them as templates for our own stories. We’ll also consider ways to subvert them; after all, the basic plots are so widely used that they describe reader expectations as much as story structures.

There’s no obligation to read The Seven Basic Plots, much of which is taken up with outlandish ranting about how storytelling was ruined by the French Revolution, but you’ll get more out of the workshop by giving the topic some thought before the discussion and ideally, work through the process below:

Booker’s seven plots, with examples, are:

• Overcoming the Monster

- Beowulf
- Androcles & the Lion
- War of the Worlds
- Dr No
- Alien

• Rags to Riches

- Jane Eyre
- Puss in Boots
- Le Rouge et Le Noir

• The Quest

- Watership Down
- King Solomon’s Mines
- Moby Dick

• Voyage and Return

- The Time Machine
- The Third Man
- Orpheus & Eurydice

• Comedy

- A Midsummer Night’s Dream
- Pride and Prejudice

• Tragedy

- Macbeth
- Lolita
- The Picture of Dorian Grey

• Rebirth

- A Christmas Carol
- Crime and Punishment

Would you like to join a group of writers exchanging constructive criticism of one of our works in progress?

For every session, one of our members shares a story, chapter or screenplay for discussion. Every member then gives their opinion without interruption or contradiction, then the writer responds and we open it up to a broader discussion.

You're welcome to join through the link though if it’s your first time, we'd appreciate it if you would message one of the hosts below to let us know you're coming.

We share passages for critique through a closed Google Group, which ensures the writer retains the copyright. Because it's where we share our unpublished drafts, we do not open it to anyone we haven't confirmed is not a troll, ghoul, marketeer or any other member of the internet bestiary so we'll sort your access out when you join the session.