Writer Club Introduction

-Melville, why do you use those goofy words? Cervantes, enough with the flowery language. Joyce, what are you doing? Shakespeare, you can’t just make up words, speak English. Twain, does historical context justify child abuse?

When you come to writers club you will receive our raw first impression. We may not get it. One of our authors wrote a lovely piece about Spellman College. I felt I was there. She fell in with an agent who had a set demographic. Watching the metamorphosis of her piece was heart breaking.  Today, just as anyone can be President, everyone can publish. This is a problem. We can’t be your editor. We can be a test audience.

We are fussy about grammar, syntax, spelling and quotation marks. We like consistent point of view, linear exposition, flow, simple language and show not tell. We often don’t agree. We are here as a service. If you don’t like a ground rule, change it for your review. I prefer someone read my piece. That allows me to observe the audience and hear the awkward parts. Unless it is a thesis, there is no point in answering criticism.  We try to avoid judgement of the material. I showered scorn on the argument that headaches were psychosomatic.

We are well aware of the thrall of writing, its vulnerability and that writer’s block is sanity.

Welcome.