Trying to write without feedback

[debikm]

I must smell funny.

It’s the only thing I can think of. The online writer’s group I’ve hung out with off and on for years, small but helpful and fun, has gotten so small that I think I’m the only one posting anymore. I miss the cameraderie, the sharing of ideas and resources and just the general sense of community. The boards used to be jammed with fellow writers, all challanging and supporting one another. Nowadays I just hope someone posts something, anything, once in a while. Comments on posts are just gravy at this point.

Yes, there are other groups out there that I could join. I’ve even signed up for some of them, but nothing ever sticks. Most have lots of rules, with complex equations for calculating how many crits you can get based on how many you do. There are differing types of crits, all carefully spelled out. I don’t want to do that. I enjoy the informality and friendly atmosphere I have had.

Old Dogs should be further along. I’ve read it backwards and forwards. I still like what I read, but at the same time, I worry that it’ll never see the light of day. I worry that it’s not marketable because there’s nothing spectacular going on in it. It’s just about people, regular people. There are no explosions, nothing paranormal, no murder mysteries, no police crime drama.

I should have gotten at least one complete review from someone other than myself since I declared myself finished. I’m at a loss. I understand people are busy, so am I. It’s only that I’ve been on vacation (at home) that this has really bothered me. In the four months since I ‘finished’ and gave it to a few, select people, I’ve gotten some comments, some great reviews, but only on the first four chapters. I have one more person reading that has offered some excellent advice, but again, only on the first four chapters and real life has interfered with further progress. I’m afraid I’m going to have to resort to one of those large, anonymous sites in order to get the feedback I need.

Forgive me, it’s late and I’m tired and whiny. Anybody want to read a novel?

Comments

[wolfette]

remember the days without the internet, when we used to write just for ourselves, with no feedback until the 'zine was published - unless you had an editor, which could cause it's own problems (my friend once had an editor change her description of a character's "Hispanic eyes" to "his panicked eyes" which changed whole meaning of her paragraph)

[miafeliz.livejournal.com]

I guess we're on the same page tonight/today. See my earlier post. Maybe today we can switch novels and go from there.

[xenaclone.livejournal.com]

We can swap stories?

[jongibbs.livejournal.com]

Hang in there.

[elfmama.livejournal.com]

Hey, I think you should feel pretty good. You post on LJ after some time, and you get a half dozen comments. I post and post and get nada. Seems like somebody's listening.

As for the lit forum. I haven't been on it as long as you, but I can see it definitely goes in cycles. People get busy. I miss RL Lassie. I really liked her story of Sam and the Grey.

As for me, I don't mean to ignore the lit forum, but I'm really working hard on cutting down my word count. I don't want to write any new scenes for it and I'm trying hard to stay focused on it and not start something new until its done, especially before my kids get out of school. Then, I may be more ready to play.