It was great to see so many of you again at the second meeting of Island Writers, and some new faces, too – Angela, Yvie and Mike.
Our writing topic this time was Water. I asked you to write about someone or something underwater, and it was impressive to see how keen you were to wade in and respond to the challenge. Some pieces were dark and brooding, others playful or intriguing, with settings ranging from waterfalls, rivers and canals to the sea and even a bathtub. I’m hoping some will appear on our blog soon.
We spoke about beta-readers, and I noticed some of you were unfamiliar with the term. It’s used to refer to someone who will read and critique your whole manuscript, whereas your first reader (alpha-reader) might look at it in parts, as you write it. Here’s a link you might wish to explore about the difference between alpha- and beta-readers.
If you have a book or any other piece of writing that’s ‘kind-of-finished’ and you’d like a first critique of your writing, I’ll be happy to give you my suggestions, whether you want to call me an alpha-reader, a beta-reader, or a @!?&# pain! You don’t have to follow my advice: the important thing with sharing our writing is that we have the humility to listen to other people’s opinions – and the confidence to decide our own way is better.
I’m still working on the ‘humility’ bit!
Our assignment for next time is a piece of writing including (or inspired by) the phrase, ‘Swept by the tide’.
See you on Tuesday 4th December.