Sundays Mean Starbucks with the Writers Group
So, the Santa Monica Writers Group is getting a bit smaller than I’d like. One of our members moved back East and another is shooting a movie in Hungary or somewhere Eastern European. Recently, there has been a push among the remaining four members to add a couple more.
Obviously, I’m happy to look for more members. More eyes mean more perspectives, and more perspectives hopefully mean a more well-rounded criticism. Also, writing is a lonely pursuit, and it’s always good to have more friends who are writers. We can be lonely together.
Yet I also don’t want to make the group too big. I have been in rooms with too many writers and it’s not fun. Writers are a prickly bunch and when they don’t feel like they are being heard they get ornery. Attention, space, laughter all become commodities and the conversation can become something of a battle—who has the best joke, who can command the most attention, etc. Plus, with a group of ten, it becomes harder to find a table at our Starbucks HQ. I’d like to keep the group down to five or six.
I’m going the Craigslist route in terms of advertising, but if anyone is in the LA area and reading this, you are more than welcome to join the group—just send a ten page writing sample.
Applicant or not, I’d like to hear your thoughts on this pressing matter.
When Pico Met Sepulveda (alternatewrites.wordpress.com) 
I’m in ; ) Always love to chat about writing : )
Great! Maybe you can skype in?
Does that work with typewriters? *G
Wow they want a bigger group? My writing group is four people, and that feels like the limit to us. Three was pretty comfortable, not that we regret adding the fourth. But we definitely don’t want to add more–there just isn’t the time when we meet to discuss that much work, or during the week to read all those pages.
On top of that, I have two other writing buddies. When all five are active, I feel deluged. Again, not that I regret any of them! I’m just saying, it’s a lot.
But everybody’s different, every group is different. So good luck finding another good fit or two!
No one has responded just yet–so it may be a small group after all.
I would totally join if I was in LA.
As for size – I’m good at a max of 10. My writing class in college had about 12-15 which seemed like a mess, but kinda worked well enough. If you can ensure one screenplay gets concentrated on at a time, it helps control the situation.
Thanks Kevin! Consider moving out here and joining up.