Jacksonville Freelance Writers' Group

First Timer

I have read about them on every writer's Blog. I have heard about them in sundry other ways. Yet, until Tuesday, January 12, 2010, I had never attended a writer's group meeting. On that day, I attended the Jacksonville Freelance Writers' Group's first meeting of 2010. I learned what the experience is like and why it's important for writers to find, then attend, meetings of a good writer's group.

Deborah Hansen

Deborah Hansen is the leader of the Jacksonville Freelance Writers' Group. She has a background in Education and is a self-published author. More importantly for the group, she is an excellent group leader. She served as our guide and organizer throughout the meeting. She kept things casual enough to keep a new member; me, relaxed enough, to enjoy the experience. She made it obvious why we were there; to improve our writing. Much to my surprise and delight, freelance publishing, did not come up in this first meeting of the new year. Care and feeding of the muse was the main focus.

Jane R. Wood

What is a writer's meeting without a writer with a new book? In Jane R. Wood, we had a writer with a book due to be published Feb. 2, 2010 for children 9 to 14 years old. Jane's a veteran teacher in the Jacksonville, Florida School System, which gives her insight and experience into the kids she writes for. Jane R. Wood brought excitement and energy to the meeting. She is busy touring Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, where she did research for her book series. The book is called Ghosts on the Coast: A Visit to Savannah and the Low Country. She shared a damaged copy with me, for my review. I hope to interview her for The Writer Interview.

Jim McCormack

Like me, Jim McCormack was at his first writer's group meeting; brought by a friend. He was the most famous person there. If you know the song Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head by B.J. Thomas, Jim McCormack was the drummer on that million selling song. He toured as the drummer for B.J. Thomas for many years. He likes to be called Jim Mack. He writes music, sings, and has earned the title of master drummer. There is much more to know about him, but I will save that for my music Blog The Music Muse Interview. Next up for this accomplished gentleman? A literary future!

Accomplished People

The 10 to 14 people there were accomplished people in other areas. I am lucky I was not starstruck. Three people proved to be in the music business, while several others were former educators. If you have never been to a writer's group meeting, it is worth it to go, just for the people you might meet there.

The Writing and Critiques

Yes, the meeting included writing. Despite other business and the relaxed nature of the meeting, I had a fictional short story critiqued by the group, which was enlightening. Others read short pieces based on a prompt from a previous meeting. Their job was to write an acceptance speech for receiving a dubious award from a family member. One fellow had an amusing acceptance speech upon receiving a Roach Motel Award---need I say, these were fictional awards and speeches? We were given a prompt to write about what our face looked like before we were born, with 5 minutes of writing granted, before we had to read our works. Fascinating how different our works were.

Final Thoughts

My first meeting with a writer's group was everything I hoped it would be, without the scary things, I feared it would include. Naturally, future meetings will be more serious. The Jacksonville Freelance Writers' Group appears to be what I am looking for. There is a chapter of the Florida Writer's Association, which lucky for me, meets at the same location. I hope to eventually join them too. If you can't find a writer's group in your area, then start one. There are many websites which give insights on what a writer's group should and should not include. I noticed Deborah Hansen, our leader, seemed to follow the typical blueprint I have seen on the internet, for writer's groups. Based on that, if you choose to start your own group, there is ample information on the internet to help you be successful.

Thank You

My thanks to Suzanne Young, Angel Young, Tammy L. Boehm, Laini Taylor, Christy Raedeke, C.N. Nevets, and numerous others, whose Blogs I read regularly. Your postings pushed me to attend a writer's group. Nothing like being in a room with fellow writers. In such a room, you stop feeling like an alien from another planet; even if, you often sound like one!