About the Group
We are a group of fiction writers who workshop and critique each other's work, keep each other on a schedule, and support and encourage each other as we strive to improve, complete, and publish our fiction.
The animating principle of this group is the mutual recognition that We Are All in This Sh*t Together. ("This Sh*t" meaning both striving to better ourselves as writers as well as trying to live good, meaningful lives while we're here on this Earth.) This means that we respect each other as fellow imperfect, complicated humans and fellow imperfect, growing writers. The tone will be respectful, encouraging and supportive. Critique should be generous and constructive while directly addressing perceived shortcomings or opportunities for improvement, with the objective of providing concrete, actionable suggestions to improve subsequent drafts. Writers should take criticism as the honest and respectful responses of the peers and as constructive recommendations.
Who? Mature, non-newbie, but aspiring and not yet established writers. Some training and/or workshop experience preferred.
What kind of writing? Literary speculative fiction and magical realism; science fiction and fantasy; alternate history and historical fiction. Short stories, novels, novellas.
Meeting how often? Every 2 weeks.
Where? Online, via Webex, Zoom, or Facetime (depending on which works best for the members).
What is up with the group's name? This was the name of a reading group from my undergraduate years. I always assumed that "abstract flesh" signified the human imagination.
- Critique
- Workshop
- Encouragement
- Accountability
- Have workshop experience
