Wednesday, April 21, 2010

In Which We Hang At The O.C.

So we had the writing/crit group on Monday. It was awesome, as usual. Ever since Nano we've been a lot better about meeting regularly (except over the winter holidays. We tend to go a few months without meeting around then).

We went over the first 10 pages of chapter one for me and hit chapter two for Teebore. Hannah (Palindrome) is in the midst of outlining a new (exciting?) project and didn't have anything to crit this week (though she'd thought she might be able to push something out, but she's been uber busy in the real life).

I was wondering where everyone else meets with their crit group?

We always meet in the bar of a local Old Chicago. It used to be our hangout when we all still worked at Barnes and Noble, so we're just used to it. I just wonder if meeting in a bar is unusual?


hanging out at the O.C.



Do other people meet at homes or libraries or schools?

I don't think we've ever discussed meeting elsewhere. It's pretty central to all of our homes, being as that Teebore and I live in opposite suburbs (northeast baby!)

Do you like where you meet?
Do you ever think about meeting anywhere else?

27 comments:

JE said...

When I was in a critique group, we did everything online because we were all so far apart (different countries even). If I had one with people who lived nearby (that would be awesome btw) I would probably meet at the library, or the park if it was nice. I like quiet places, so anyplace quiet would work for me.

~JD

Anne Ahiers said...

It would be hard to be the United Midwest Writing and Drinking Society if you DIDN'T meet at a bar

Matthew MacNish said...

Old Chicago rules!

I love their deep dish pizza and 100s of different beers. I used to spend a lot of time at the one by Har-Mar back in the day.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I'm not part of a crit group although I have a couple test readers.

Karen Jones Gowen said...

The one group I was in met in a home once or twice, in the meeting room of the electric power building the rest of the time. Very uncomfortable. Old Chicago sounds good. I think environment is everything for writers and their groups.

Sarah Ahiers said...

Justine - i always wonder about online writing groups. I suspect you meet more often because people don't actually have to "go" anywhere

Anne - pshaa, we could drink in other places. As long as the cops don't see...

Mathew - ... Holy Hell - THAT is our OC! I didn't know you used to live here. Cah-razy!

Karen - meeting room sounds so fancy. But uncomfortable is never fun

Hannah said...

Awww, I see my name up there!!

And you'll not hear this often, but Anne's right. ;P We couldn't be the UMWADS without the bar...or at least drinking.

@Matthew--GAH WAH?! DUUUUDE! We all could've passed each other in time, back in the day.

Summer Frey said...

I only WISH we could meet in a bar. I have to make do with making my desk into a bar. Because we meet online, coming from Georgia, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Utah... But the few times I've met with a friend to exchange critiques, we meet at a really cool coffee shop called Inman Perk.

Hilary Wagner said...

My husband is my crit group! I never been in a crit group, but yours sure sounds like a good one! :)

xoxo -- Hilary

Tahereh said...

awww that sounds like so much fun!! i wish i had a crit group :(

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

I belong to two critique groups. Both of them are on-line. I occassionally get to meet up with one of my buds. Our meetings consist of reading, critiquing, playing games and hanging out...

Lola Sharp said...

In my college days we met in the library or a coffee house.

I haven't been in a crit-group in many years. If you are getting the real work done, then I'd say you have a good place. Plus, there's good food and booze.

Patti said...

I meet on-line as well, but I'd love some real life writer friends to hang out with.

Creepy Query Girl said...

My critics group and I have our own private group within our writer's social network (The Word Cloud)- We have conversations and post up feedback that we give on what the other members have sent us through email and we have our own private forum to debate and exchange ideas. So far it's been a blast.

larainydays said...

Thanks for your comments on my YA excerpt yesterday. I really appreciate your help.

Anonymous said...

I actually don't have a crit group so I just meet with myself when I get the chance. *Runs and hides from the eyes of judgment*

I have an award for you at my blog!

JournoMich said...

I love Old Chicago! We had one in college and used to go there a lot. I also love that you meet in a bar...Sounds like a good way to get the juices flowing. ;)

I don't have a crit group at the moment. Most I know meet in coffee shops, but I like the idea of meeting in libraries. I think being surrounded by books would be inspirational. The library near my parents' house has a nice, comfy room--fireplace and all!

Michele
SouthernCityMysteries

Sarah Ahiers said...

Palindrome - yeah it is part of the name...

Summer - i bet drunken online critiquing would be awesome!

Hilary - awww! well have your husband buy you a beer

Tahereh - yeah they're fun. I'd say you should get one, but i know hard hard a task that can be

Sharon - oooh playing games sounds fun! Ours is usually chatting for awhile until we force ourselves to crit

Lola - yeah the good food is always a plus, though usually i just drool in envy because dinner is waiting for me at home

Patti - it is pretty awesome having writer friends.

Creepy - ooh, private forum eh? fancy!

Laraine - no problem! I enjoyed it

E Elle - thanks! And sometimes meeting with yourself is the hardest thing to do

Michele - i think we'd be too loud for a library...

Talli Roland said...

I meet my writer's group in a pub. It can get quite boisterous and packed out (even on a Monday). We eat dinner together, have drinks, then get down to business.

Your group sounds great!

Elana Johnson said...

I think my group would get kicked out of a public place. We meet in our homes. We've gone to lunch before, but we didn't bring pages. Just friendship.

Barbara Ann Wright said...

My group meets weekly at our members' houses. It's a lot of driving, especially since I moved out of town, but it's worth it. ^_^

Austin Gorton said...

Southside represent!

Yeah, what Anne said.

DL Hammons said...

I LOVE Old Chicago!!! Now if I only had a critique group to meet there.

Sarah Ahiers said...

Talli - usually Teebore and Palindrome eat some dinner and then i'm jealous

Elana - yeah, i'd be worried about meeting in a library or coffee shop for the same reason

Teebore - pshaa, you can keep your southside and its flooding.

DL - well just move on over to the Twin Cities, we could accomadate you

Austin Gorton said...

Flooding? What flooding? It's not like I live in Shakopee ;)

Joan Crawford said...

I can't think of a more natural environment than a bar for writers. Sounds like fun - reading, eating, drinking - yeah, I could be down with that.

Sarah Ahiers said...

Teebore - Ha! ZING!

Joan - it's totes fun. If you ever come down here, you can be an honorary UMWADS member

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