vague idea for a fic community

[sophinisba]

I've been toying with the idea of setting up an LJ community for giving and getting constructive feedback on hobbit fics, and I'd like to, well, get some constructive feedback from you all on the idea. The general idea would be something like a writers' workshop -- mind you, not the lame kind of writers' workshop where people try to shoot each other down, but the cool kind where people are genuinely interested in helping each other improve as writers.

I'm not dead set on the idea by any means. I realize there are a lot of ways it could turn ugly and people's feelings could get hurt. The main strategy I've come up with so far for avoiding unpleasantness is "The mod would pay really close attention", but honestly I don't know if I want to take on that kind of commitment or those kinds of conflicts. Anyway, fanfic is something we do for fun, and maybe it would be better to stick to the positive feedback most of us give each other on our fic journals, or suggestions made by the beta reader and in occasional e-mails. I really believe that the main way we get better at writing is by writing (a lot); and I think the kind of negative feedback that inhibits creativity and keeps us from writing (a lot) is really not helpful.

Still, it could be nice to get honest reactions and suggestions from other writers and readers, especially if there's, I don't know, a fic that we're just not satisfied with, or a certain goal we're not sure if we're reaching (does the dialogue work? was the surprise a surprise? is the sex scene sexy?). It would be like the beta process, only with more people, and maybe the other people watching could learn something about the process of writing and revising as well.

By the way, I do realize that lotrfic_crit exists. What I'm envisioning would be different in that it would focus more on hobbits than Elves, and we would only review fics posted to the community by their authors. (There would be no snarking or ranting about random badfic on ff.net.) If you think hijacking that community (say, posting a whole bunch of good quality fics about hobbits there) would be a better strategy than starting up a new one, please say so. And please let me know if there's another community that already does what I want.

Honestly, in general, what do you think? Would you play? Do you have suggestions for keeping it truly constructive and helpful? Do you think people who want concrit would be better off just saying so wherever they already post? Do you think the hobbit writing community is too closely knit and public concrit would create serious conflicts between friends? Would you like to co-mod with me?

Comments

[mariole.livejournal.com]

Baranduin does have a point about size. I've participated in probably over 20 RL critique groups--I've lost count. I've seen plenty of types of dysfunction, and I'm sure there's plenty more. The majority of these CGs are failures, where people are more interested in complaining about something or trying to appear clever at the writer's expense than honestly trying to help. Also, critique ability will vary tremendously. You'll get someone who can only do commas-- that's fine, that's where they're at. Then someone else will be good at motivation and plot, etc.

But if you get a CG that works, it's really helpful (_I_ think, which is why I keep seeking them out until I find one that works). I've been in successful groups with 22 members and with 5 members. I think the most common number is 10, but that can get pretty difficult to manage if everybody "brings". Concrit takes time. I personally prefer no more than 8 members, but this is a RL workshop where you sit around and discuss 4-7 ms in an evening.

What the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers does is spin off numerous CGs so each group has 10-12 authors in it. Then you don't get overwhelmed with ms but you also have enough opinions to see what is generally working or not. I don't have any experience with online groups, so you'll have to take this with a grain of salt. Cheers!

[sophinisba]

Heh, I'm actually really good at pointing out other people's comma mistakes. Score!

Thank you for this, Mariole. I've never been in any writing groups -- in fact, haven't written any fiction to speak of except for what fanfic I've done -- and I know people who've had really great experiences with the process and others, well, not so much.

I was thinking as an LJ comm it would be open, the way they usually are, so as many people who wanted to could post when they have something to share, and as many who wanted to could comment, as long as they have something helpful to say.

I almost feel like restricting it to a small group and keeping it closed and locked would make it too intimate for me, because I would tend to invite people I'm closest with and we would be too sensitive about getting critiqued by each other, though I know that works for Carole and her friends.

*all kinds of indecisive*

[mariole.livejournal.com]

I think your concerns are valid. I really don't have a good online model. You could let anyone comment, but you'd have to learn where each person is coming from in order to judge the value of their remarks. There are plenty of know-alls who are really idiots with big mouths running around, but it will take time to learn who they are. I really have no idea how to manage such a thing online, because the typed medium is difficult to express subtleties in unless you spend a lotta lotta time on it (hence emoticons). The potential for ruffled feelings is high-- I've left CGs and cried all the way home. But if people are being professional and adult (as Abby says) and if you really want to write, you'll work through all that.