Forum / What's the Point of Groups?

  • Dsc_7543.thumb
    Gloria Garfunkel
    Feb 03, 09:28pm

    I'm baffled. No one talks to anyone in groups. Topics raised drop like dead fist. The only purpose I see them serving right now is allowing you more face space for your stories once they are off the main page. I'm also trying some theme groups hoping they might connect people with similar interests. I feel kind of pathetic, but if you throw some groups my way I'll be ever grateful:
    FREINDS
    COUPLING, UNCOUPLING AND IMBROGLIOS
    CYCLES OF BIRTH, LIFE, AND DEATH
    ADOLESCENCE
    WRITING ABOUT WRITING
    METAMORPHOSIS
    CHILDHOOD
    SIBLINGS
    PSYCHOTHERAPY: YOU NEED HELP
    DREAMS
    BUREAUCRACIES AND CORPORATE SURREALISM
    TOXICITY: THE POISONS THAT LURK IN OUR LIVES
    SERIAL FLASH FICTION
    13. Unlucky number. It feels stupid being the only one or two persons in a group. If you think there should be groups, you should be joining them. When your story goes off the main page, think of what group topic it fits. If no one contributes to the group program then there is no group program. It's a charade. Most people haven't posted in a group since November or June if at all. Is this useful or should I stop wasting my time. I personaliy like to read stories on similar themes. Doesn't anyone else? I'm on the verge of giving up due to its apparent pointlessness.

  • Dsc_7543.thumb
    Gloria Garfunkel
    Feb 03, 09:36pm

    That should read drop like dead fish. My brain injury. Lots of typos. Sorry.

  • Frankenstein-painting_brenda-kato.thumb
    Sam Rasnake
    Feb 03, 09:49pm

    The many different ways to approach groups, Gloria. The only FN group I'm continually active in is a private workshop group here. We post to the group unpublished pieces for comment, revision, and so on. Some of the group members may then post the works on the public wall here or submit them to venues. Everyone has a different philosophy. I don't post unpublished work to the main wall, but many do. Different philosophies. The writers' group has been helpful to my work, and I hope the feedback I've contributed as been constructive as well.

    I will, on occasion, post pieces to the many public groups I belong to here at FN - but normally, that will only be published works.

    If you want to work on unpublished material in a very direct manner with feedback from readers, you might consider starting - and you may have done this already - a private workshop-type group - asking 5 to 10-15 or so writers who have similar writing motives or interests to join. A group larger than that - at least to mind - would most likely not be as helpful or as useful as a smaller group with members dedicated to the cause. Even in a small group, though, the submissions and feedback need to consistent for the process to work well.

  • Dsc_7543.thumb
    Gloria Garfunkel
    Feb 03, 09:54pm

    Thanks, Sam. You are describing a completely different group experience than I have had here because I have not had access to any of the private groups. If the private groups work well, then what is the purpose, if any, of the public groups? That's what I don't get. Is there a purpose to public groups at all or should all groups be only the private ones?

  • Frankenstein-painting_brenda-kato.thumb
    Sam Rasnake
    Feb 03, 10:30pm

    Public groups do give a writer a wider readership, can also give access to other writers and works that otherwise would possibly be missed. Also, an editor from FN or one outside FN might visit public groups in search of works or writers.

  • Dsc_7543.thumb
    Gloria Garfunkel
    Feb 03, 11:12pm

    That's extremely rationale and sensible as you always are. As long as I know SOMEONE is reading them, even though not many contribute.

  • Rebel.thumb
    Sally Houtman
    Feb 03, 11:57pm

    I'm starting a war for peace.

    %)

  • Dsc_7543.thumb
    Gloria Garfunkel
    Feb 04, 12:14am

    Is that a group?

  • Rebel.thumb
    Sally Houtman
    Feb 04, 12:54am

    Not yet...

  • Better_than.thumb
    Sally Jayne Heymann
    Feb 04, 01:10am

    Gloria, you recruited a piece from me, which actually made me aware of the groups. Before that, I had no idea what they were or were for. Maybe there should be more recruiting to bouy participation and sharing.

  • Dsc_7543.thumb
    Gloria Garfunkel
    Feb 04, 08:33am

    I agree. I've started to suggest to people when I think their story would go well in a group. I'm realizing groups are like little chapbooks that people and even editors with an interest in a theme can read for content and get to know a writer's work. It provides some structure to the chaos of all the different stories on the site. I am feeling more positive about it as a next step to just posting. I'm also against posting your story on fifty groups. Thats just random and uncool. Pick one to at the most four groups and that's it. I'm getting on the case of people who do zillions of random postings. It defeats the purpose of focus.

  • Dsc_7543.thumb
    Gloria Garfunkel
    Feb 04, 09:17am

    GROUPS are for everyone. But pick your one to four groups for a story carefully for relevance. If you stick it in all the groups it won't be taken seriously and I will ask you to please remove the story down to a few thoughtful entries. Random posting of groups makes a joke of the whole endeavor. Your stories should meld with the others of that theme. I can't speak for the journal groups. They seem to have their own varied rules of you either published there or want to, but I'm counting them in your 1-4 choices that I think is an appropriate, classy, serious number.

  • You must log in to reply to this thread.