I have joined a writers’ group at the recommendation of a good friend who’s been a member for a while. She told me I might like it but that openings in the group were scarce. So did I want her to tell me when one occurred? Why not, I said.
That was the beginning of February; and here I am at the once-a-week, two-and-a-half-hour class. We start each session with a relaxation and a poem and then, given a prompt that can be ignored if the muse insists, we write for fifteen to twenty minutes.
Next some writers volunteer to read their first drafts, knowing that the class rules require listeners comment only on what was strong and what we shall remember. Nitpicking is not allowed because first drafts are fragile and deserve breathing room.
I made my living as a corporate ghost for a long time. In that role, I became thick skinned regarding criticism. If the client didn’t like what I wrote, I redid it. No questions asked. I realize some might say, “Yes, but that was corporate writing; and Sunset Coast Writers is a creative group.” To which I respond, “It’s all creative writing.”
So this idea of offering only positive comments on first drafts has taken some getting used to. After three months, however, I’m growing fond of the nurturing atmosphere and the gentle respect of each writer’s efforts. Now I look forward to leaving real life at the door and crawling into my writing persona knowing no client will require changes on the spot.
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