What we’re about
The Writers of the Weird is the author group of the Science Fiction Association of Bergen County. Its focus is the craft and business of fiction writing in the genres of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. Script writing, comic book writing, and poetry lie outside the purview of WOTW as these areas of writing have their own specialized criteria.
The Writers of the Weird supports the work of its members by organizing critique sessions, scheduling talks by authors and other experts in publishing and related fields, sharing news and information of interest to its members, organizing discussions and presentations, and promoting the work of its members.
CRITIQUE SESSIONS
Most of our sessions are held online through zoom due. We have to reopened a Sunday session as an in-person activity. This is subject to change depending on fluctuations in the pandemic. Critiques are capped at 10 participants.
WOTW critique sessions operate differently than most groups. The stories are read aloud by someone who is not the author. This is a cold read. Participants offer a first-impression reaction, not a deeply-pondered analysis. It is a format we find useful, but it is not everyone's cup of tea.
We currently run four critique sessions each month. As of February 1, 2021 we have closed the Monday and Tuesday Night Sessions to newcomers because of the high demand. The Thursday and Friday night sessions still accept new members.
First Thursday Critique Session from 7:30 - 9:00 PM. This is moderated by Matt McHugh and generally workshops one piece.
Third Monday Critique Session from 7:30 - 9:00 PM. This is moderated by Carol Gyzader and usually workshops one longer (to 5K / 20 standard mss pages) work.
Third Friday Critique Session from 7:30 - 9:30 PM. This is moderated by Philip De Parto and workshops 2 - 3 pieces.
Fourth Sunday Critique Session from 4:00 - 6:00 PM. This is moderated by A J Bartholomew and workshops 2 - 3 pieces.
Last Sunday Critique Session from 4:00 - 7:00 PM. This is an in-person event held at the home of moderator Philip De Parto and workshops 3 or more pieces. Note that the last Sunday is normally the fourth Sunday and is usually held at the same time as A J's online session, but there are some months when they are held on different days because the month has five Sundays.
TALKS & DISCUSSIONS
The Writers' Space Saloon is a zoom event held from 7:30 - 9:00 PM on the first Wednesday of the month. Most discussions are led by members with an expertise of interest to the group. Sometimes we bring in someone from outside WOTW. Recent (2020) discussions / talks / demos have included Mapmaking Programs, Psycho-Linguistics, and Fencing / Sword-Fighting.
The Writers' Space Salon is a zoom event held from 4:00 - 5:30 PM on the first Sunday of the month. This is a member discussion of various aspects of the craft of writing such as characterization, plotting, voice, etc.
PRESENTATIONS BY WRITERS AND OTHER PEOPLE OF INTEREST
The General Meeting of the Science Fiction Association of Bergen County, the parent organization of Writers of the Weird, is held on the second Saturday of the month. These meetings feature talks by writers and other experts in the field. They had been held at 8:00 PM as live gatherings for many years before the pandemic. They now run from 7:30 - 9:30 PM as zoom video conferences.
ON THE WEB
WRITERS OF THE WEIRD FACEBOOK GROUP
Tips for Writers and news about our authors appear on the Writers of the Weird FaceBook Group here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/473531096175449
Anyone can view the material, but posting privileges are restricted to members of the SFABC / WOTW who have paid the $ 10.00 Annual Membership Fee.
WRITERS OF THE WEIRD PUBLIC WEBSITE
Information about the Writers of the Weird can be found on its public website, Here are some highlights.
WOTW Home Page:
https://sites.google.com/view/thewritersoftheweird-home
Books written by our members appear here:
https://sites.google.com/view/writersoftheweird-whatwewrite/home/books-by-members
A list of our members appears here:
https://sites.google.com/view/writers-of-the-weird-who-we-ar/home/member-pages-links
WRITERS OF THE WEIRD GOOGLE GROUP
This is a Private Group restricted to members of WOTW which shares news and information.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
One becomes a member of the Writers of the Weird by joining the Science Fiction Association. The Association sponsors book groups, movie nights, astronomy programs, and other activities in addition to the WOTW events.
The Association also creates custom events for the Writers of the Weird from time to time.
PARTICIPATION NOTE:
We expect members of this group to be active participants. If you do not attend our critique sessions, general meetings, talks, or other events you will be removed from the group after three months of non-participation. An exception is made for active members of the Science Fiction Association of Bergen County who may be supporting the parent organization in some other capacity.
