Vision: A Resource for Writers
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Holly Lisle's VisionDiscovering
Forward Motion
By June Robertson©
2002, By June Robertson
As
a writer, I'm more a solitary than a social person. Still, the need to
share with others who love the same things I do can't be denied. It's nice
to have a place to go where people will cheer for my successes and put their
heads together to find a solution to the challenges that arise with every
manuscript. Early
in the spring of 2001, I found myself in real need of this kind of support.
I was planning a new novel and really wanted some writers to talk to while I
worked on it. The Internet is the first place I looked -- it's as close as
my office computer, always there, and I don't have to worry about the weather
when I go there. I found a lot of different communities. Some
offered detailed systems for critique. Others offered news. Some
were in email list-serves, others on web sites, and still others in newsgroups.
But Holly Lisle's Forward Motion was the most comprehensive and easiest to
navigate that I found. Here's where I decided to hang out for a while. What
I discovered was the true community I'd been looking for. I could get
answers to my research questions as well as market news. I could nearly
always find someone to cheer or commiserate with in chat. There were
classes as well, and fun things to do to spur myself on when I felt that dreaded
writer's block coming on. But most of all, what I found were friends -- friends who were also writers. These are the people to whom I run to announce my successes and cry over my failures. Home is where my husband, my son, my dogs and cats are, and that's great. Still, home without community can be lonely. Forward Motion has become my virtual community, my extended family. I love it here. THE
GREAT REJECTION/ACCEPTANCE CHALLENGE
Sometimes
the hardest thing isn't writing the story or book, but summoning the courage to
send it out into the world. In the hope of encouraging our members to
submit their work, Forward Motion is running The Great Rejection/Acceptance
Challenge Rules are simple:
The
Contest runs until midnight 31 December, 02 and is updated as quickly as
Moderator Justin Stanchfield can type! Sign up and play at: http://www.network54.com/Hide/Forum/thread?forumid=64272&messageid=1009914696 GENRE
OF THE MONTH
Unfreeze
the creative juices this year by trying your hand at something new.
Forward Motion will tackle a new genre every month. January's genrewas
'Twisted High Fantasy' -- don't know what that is? Don't know if you can
write it? See what it's all about at: http://www.network54.com/Hide/Forum/message?forumid=64272&messageid=1010191180 FORWARD
MOTION MEMBERS HAVE FOUND THE JOYS OF WEBLOGS
These
on-line journals give a glimpse into the exciting, painful, frustrating, joyous,
and uplifting day-to-day lives of writers. Come and see what our writers
are saying about their writing journeys. http://www.hollylisle.com/weblog/index.html
SURVEYS
We've
had some fun surveys in December and January. Among the latest is a
discussion of our Vision theme for February/March -- what about families in
fiction? Burning the Midnight Oil -- most of our writers seem to be night
owls! Come by and participate in the community surveys. You may
learn something new about yourself as a writer -- or just get a chuckle over how
the rest of us 'do it'. HERE'S
ONE LAST CHALLENGE FOR YOU -- THE 50 CHARACTER TEST:
Moderator
Jennifer St. Clair Bush brought this to Forward Motion. See if you can do
it! http://www.network54.com/Hide/Forum/thread?forumid=64272&messageid=1011290478
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