Since I have a peculiar habit of flitting in and out of what can be, at any given moment, the present, I should mention an important point about myself. At age 14, only a short while before the core section of this narrative takes place, my body and I parted company rather abruptly. Although how I died may not be crucial to the telling of this story, it does have some importance. On the dark morning I became the late Lee Cruz, I was beginning my newspaper route, riding my bicycle in a state of semi-consciousness.
I started across a familiar street on my way to cover the first half of the route. I glanced to the east and west and, not seeing anything large and metallic coming my way, I continued across. Unfortunately for me I failed to see a car which was approaching at high speed from the east.
The driver sped through the stop sign and never braked before or after hitting me. I recall he had an astonished but not necessarily concerned look as our eyes briefly met. Both my skull and my neck were fractured. The accident was reported by a McArthur Dairy milk truck driver.
The first officer on the scene realized I did not look in tip-top condition, but he still had an ambulance take me to Jackson Memorial Hospital. To be more specific, the ambulance took my body away. A personal memoir or an autobiography? Are you planning on making a fortune writing? Well, good luck, I know hundreds of writers but only a few who can call it a profession. Whom are you writing for? Who is your target audience?
If you are writing an autobiography, which is the usual genre for new writers, there are only two possibilities to determine who will read your looming masterpiece: You are already famous and people know you by name and image You are like the rest of us If you fall into the first category, you probably don't need a writers group, your book will probably sell very well. If you fall into the second category, however, the writers group probably doesn't want to read it, but they'll help you write it.
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You may find even your relatives won't read your manuscript, but they will tell you they will read it when they get a chance. But, they won't, although they skim through it to see what you wrote about them. The best advice for new writers is to finish your autobiography and put it on a thumb-drive. Put it away until you're famous and can update it.
Myahmuh: A Novel of Miami, Florida: George N. Collias: theranchhands.com: Books
Now sit down and write for fun, write because you enjoy writing. Write because you have a story to tell, you know the one you just made up. Then bring it to a writers group and read it out loud in front of people you don't know. Yes, you may want at least a warm, comfortable feeling with the group before exposing your soul, but when you do read in front of a writers group: Read only enough to make them want to hear more. You are giving a sample of your writing, a taste of your descriptive powers or wit, to the group to view their response. If you are intent on reading every single word of your book, don't expect anyone in the group to buy it when it's finished.
After all, we heard you read it. There isn't enough time at any meeting to listen to more than words or several pages of material from any one writer. It only takes several hundred words to appreciate a writing style or the dialog between characters. Listening to someone read page after page of their own work can be an endurance test for the audience. Many writers will at one time or another inadvertently revert to writing about personal experiences.
The memories are often painful and unexpectedly personal. Writing is often cathartic, especially for new writers. While an insensitive writer's group might dampen a new writer's candid honesty, most members understand the self-discovery process. Shared experiences can become part of the camaraderie of a writers group, but don't overdo it. Constant repetition of personal problems is a sure way to shut off a receptive group of listeners anywhere, much less a writers group. I have watched people join our writer's group and grow beyond their expectations, and conversely, I've seen talented writers drop by the wayside, discouraged or disappointed with their work.
Many new writers take critique of their writing as criticism, and unfortunately, depending on the critiquer, sometimes it is. A new writer must be thick-skinned when submitting work for critiquing, but at the same time be open to change if the criticism is valid. Being poorly critiqued has probably discouraged more aspiring authors than any other single factor. Most critiques I've read are given in good faith, meant to improve the caliber of the work under review. Unfortunately, critiques are a direct reflection of the talents and skills of the critiquer.
I've seen great writing attacked because the critiquer was repulsed by the subject. It is often hard for those who aren't professional editors to separate the stimulus to an emotional response from the writing that triggered it. Often religious or political viewpoints become the focus of the critique instead of the writing itself. Novels in the sexual realms tend to be fire-starters. I can only imagine what kind of responses E L James would have gotten with her Fifty Shades of Grey from most writers groups.
On the other hand, the book, in my opinion, could have used the help of a good writers group. Sir Salman Rusdie said about the book: The fine line is critiquing the quality of the writing itself as opposed reacting to the emotionally charged nature of the subject. First, you need to understand: You can't please all readers Arthur Godfrey once famously said, "Some people just don't like ice cream. Sometimes critiques are ego based, or subconsciously prejudiced and those are deadly to a new writer.
Here's a look at some Book Club Meetups happening near Miami.
I can read anonymous critiques from members of our group and tell who wrote it by the style of the critique. Alan Sherman wrote a parody of Peter and the Wolf, performed by the Boston Pops Symphony Orchestra, and one line from the work has stuck with me since I heard it almost fifty years ago: The poor writer being critiqued doesn't know which way to go, or, which path to follow to gain acceptance with the group.
I was once critiqued for using too many adjectives in a manuscript while another critiquer said the same article was bland and needed better descriptions. I know one writer who attends several writers groups, and much to his dismay, can't satisfy any two of them with any one piece of writing.
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One group felt a narrative he wrote was flippant, distasteful, childish, while the other group thoroughly enjoyed the same piece of work. Some people just don't like ice cream. Writers groups are basically mutual admiration societies If you read in front of the group, rejoin the group when you are finished.
Be polite enough to listen to others who read their material, after all, they were polite enough to listen to you. If you head for the door as soon as you're finished reading, don't expect the welcome mat to be out when you return. Don't let your speaking style detract from your writing. If you sound like you're reading the telephone book when you are reading Steinbeck out loud, get someone else to read your material to the group.
We have a regular member who is in demand to read other people's work.
We call her the "Voice of FM," and her interpretation and inflection when reading makes even the aforementioned telephone book a pleasure to listen to. I recently read a member's final proof and was astounded to find myself intrigued by the book that I had a hard time following during the readings. I realized then that every reader embeds their own images and emotions on the written material, quite different from having it interpreted for you by a reader who flavors it by the way they speak.
So, once again, don't expect an audience to cheer your first attempt at explaining how you helped develop nuclear fission if you, like me, read out loud like Elmer Fudd. Get a good speaker, or hand out enough printed copies for everyone so your audience can read for themselves.
I've attended writers groups that follow a specific reading and critiquing format almost religiously, often intent on developing writers in a competitive environment such as winning awards for the group members. Other groups tend to mix up the readings with presentations from outside guests, from published authors to publishers and editors while critiquing is done separately from the meetings. Comments are almost always called for after a reading so a writer has immediate feedback on their work. Every group is different in its makeup and purpose and rarely are there any fees associated with writers groups.
If the group you visit doesn't offer the education or experiences you are looking for, try another group. We have members who routinely drive thirty miles one way to attend our meetings, while active authors who live in the neighborhood prefer a different format and attend other groups in the area. I have one piece of advice for new writers: It is your story and you are the one telling it! Write it your way and let your writing reflect your heart and your soul if necessary. You are the artist and this is your medium. I like my own writing, I can read it for hours and I'm sure you can read your own writing for hours as well.
Bring it to the next writer's group meeting, well, words of it at least, and see if others hear it as you meant it. Don't be discouraged if the group you meet doesn't like your writing. Take the criticism and find another group and see if they accept your style and content. Our group likes vanilla, pistachio, chocolate, and just about every other flavor of ice cream, but every once in a while, someone is looking for upside-down cake instead.
Dirty Secrets of a Writers Group. Wednesday, November 19th meeting. Our special guest was Dr. After Dr Van Cleave's well received presentation and a break to chat and mingle, we heard from 8 readers great readings tonight even though most were short! Next meeting will be December 3rd, and we've tentatively dedicated at least half of our December 17th meeting to our holiday party, open to all members and their guests.
Saturday, October 11, Congratulations! Gulf Writers Association Writing Contest. Friday, October 03, Kick Off Meeting. Julie Ann's great presentation on publishing and on Peppertree Press was warmly received by 20 attendees, 10 of whom are FWA members. Julie gave out four gifts, selected by drawings, at the end of her presentation. We will ask the popular Julie Ann back again in the future. We had a short break following Julie Ann's presentation, and listened to two, short readings before wrapping up the evening.
We were fortunate to have Weslynn McCallister join us as well. Wes is a lifetime member of the FWA and one of the original founding members. Congratulations to Kerri Dieffenwirth for being a Nominee for Still: Congratulations Kerri for the nomination. Our next guest speaker will be Ryan G. Next Sarasota Writers Group meeting will be Oct 15th.
Tuesday, September 30, Get Ready!
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Our own Rodney DiGruttolo, chief cat herder and master of ceremonies for our FWA writers group meetings, has published his wonderful anthology of Skeets and his buddies growing up in southwest Florida. We have listened to the many great tales over the years and wondered if and when the stories would be available in a single, continuous story. Well, we wait no longer, the book, "Snakes, Spiders and Palmetto Bugs," is available both as a paperback and an e-book from Amazon.
A picture book is more than just words, more than just pictures. It is a physical object that melds the two. Bring your manuscript or your sketches or your concept outline. Join us for a day of information, imagination, evaluation, and inspiration. Reconnect with your inner child. Shape and pace its content. In early s Miami three young friends go on a long planned Everglades camping trip. The intrusion of a murderous psychopath transforms a cheerful outing into one of violence. Read more Read less. Here's how restrictions apply.
About the Author George N. Infinity Publishing January 22, Language: A Novel of Miami, Florida on your Kindle in under a minute. Don't have a Kindle? Try the Kindle edition and experience these great reading features: Share your thoughts with other customers. Write a customer review. Showing of 6 reviews. Top Reviews Most recent Top Reviews.
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There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. Kindle Edition Verified Purchase. Discover Miami in a bygone era, a camping trip in the Everglades, and a dark rainy night you won't forget. Despite the title, there wasn't too much about the city included. Really liked the boy's stories, but didn't not care for the ending. Author got it just right, simpler times and attitude certainly ring true, I found tge 3rd person narrator style particularly interesting.