Group Projects

So there is something that never occurred to me, once upon a time, as a nice writing skill... But you know what? I think there is a reason to develop this... I wouldn't have known it until I participated, but since you are HERE, you can learn from my experience.



Let me E'splain...



The Burrow Goes Public



In 2008 my writing group decided we had a better shot at drawing public attention collectively than individually. I was more private in my Nakedness then and my first book was not done. Not that that would have made this group effort less valuable. But we were just thinking... it would be good to have a record of our work... of what we could do... we wanted to begin our legacy.

We considered a couple projects, with varying degrees of progress, but finally, Tara found an art gallery in Cardiff, Castle Gallery, and she convinced them, using her substantial charms, to do a project with us... they do a 'show' releasing their winter art in December, and agreed to let us write 'drabbles' to be displayed with their various art works.



This nice little 'project' really opened my eyes.



[This is where I confess that though I've done a number of these projects, there needs to be a coordinator, and I deeply LACK coordination... never take on a group project without somebody who is GOOD at this kind of thing... cat herding would be a fine resume marker, but lacking that... at least being the liaison for prior group projects].



But we pulled it off, and have been doing group projects since.  http://www.the-burrow.org/ This site holds a pretty good record of them... most recently, our Pay it Forward project.





So Why do YOU need some group projects?





Cooperation



While writing seems a solitary experience, and in many ways, it is, PUBLISHING is a group project. You need to communicate and cooperate. We need to be willing to fight for ourselves sometimes and give in sometimes, and it is honestly GOOD FOR YOU to know where you are willing to yield and where you aren't. This is GOOD PRACTICE! (I swear!)

Humility



When work is put out under a group project, we need to be willing to seriously consider the perspectives of our co-presenters. Their names can be affected by what WE choose to present, so, for instance, if you are a shameless NUDIST, you maybe want to be careful how you might affect your beloved co-conspirators.



Perspective



In our vacuums, it is easy to think we are FABULOUS or LOUSY (typically these two alternate for writers). Working on a group project we have a little reality check, because we all are mutually obliged to give each other a reality check, both in the positive and the negative.





As for FINDING Groups... that is a little trickier. I found my peeps over a long period of time where we interacted and made some judgments on compatibility, but if I have ever seen a better ground than the blogosphere for getting to know people you don't KNOW, I can't think of it.



So I strongly recommend it... it doesn't matter what it is. I think a group project will help to prepare you for the publishing adventure.