What we’re about
*Currently collecting interested people to reboot group meetings in the Spring*
This is a group for fiction writers to read and critique each other's work. Our aim is to help each other improve their writing with the ultimate goal of publishing or self-publishing your work.
We are open to members of all levels of experience, and of all ages and interests but with the ambition to publish in common. Novels, short stories and everything in between are all fine. All genres are welcome, but we are not a general-interest writers’ group. If you want to write non-fiction or poetry etc., but have no interest in fiction, we are not the group for you.
While we hope to have fun at our meetings, we are not geared toward socializing (or endless chatting on random topics). We are a working writers’ group, and our main premise is that writers write. If you join, be prepared to show what you are working on, to take criticism, and also to give it. We’ll help you achieve your goal of getting your stories into print—your goal is one we share.
The group will be conducted in English, so if you're not a native speaker your level should be at least near-native.
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VERY IMPORTANT!!!
In order to attend the group, you MUST bring a piece of work of between 500 to 2000 words in length. Please bring at least three copies so members can have one copy between two (but more, if you can). You will take back all copies of your work after your critique.
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Rules of Critiquing:
- Critique the writing, never the writer. Never say, “You are…” or “You should…” Instead say, “The writing is…” or “The story should…”
- Find what is right in each piece as well as what is wrong.
- Don’t say, “This is how I would write it;” how you would write it isn’t the point.
- Remember that subject matter is personal. You don’t have to like a story to give it a fair critique.
- Remember what your biases are and critique around them.
- Remember that real people wrote this stuff, and real people have real feelings.
Things you may not say while critiquing.
“That’s awful.”
“That’s stupid.”
“You couldn’t write your way out of a paper bag."
Rules of Being Critiqued:
- Listen. The person who is speaking has taken the time to listen to your work, and wants to help you find ways to make it better.
- Wait until everyone has finished critiquing before making comments.
- Explain only if necessary. Don’t rebut.
- Take notes.
- Realize that everything can be improved.
- Be willing to make changes. Conversely, don’t change anything you feel must remain in order to make the story yours.
- If you have burning questions about your work you want answered, include them underneath your text. Try to limit them to two or three in number.
Things you may not say when being critiqued.
“You’re wrong.”
“You’re an idiot.”
“Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries.”
This is a group designed to encourage and nurture budding writers. Members who are abusive or mean-spirited will be removed from the group permanently by a vote of the members.
If the above sounds scary (badly written and/or bloody long), don't worry! I have only been writing for a few years and have not published anything yet. I wanted to start this group as I attended other writing groups in Seoul and felt this type of group was missing. Getting constructive feedback is crucial for writers at all stages of their careers. I have spelled out exactly what I'm looking for simply because I don't want to waste people's time and enable everyone to get as much out of the group as possible.
We will meet at Coffee Namu (카페나무) which is on the ground floor of the huge entrance building of Hongik University (Hongdae). As this is a new group be aware the time, day and even location may change in the future.
https://naver.me/GDcBqcF0
