Insecure Writers....Get a Writer's Group!

So it's insecure writers' support group day (actually it's the end of insecure writer's support group day and I almost missed it because I'm scatterbrained).  Anyway, I just came back from writer's group.  If you're a writer, and you don't have a writer's group, get one.  Every three weeks I meet with five supportive, skilled and talented people.  Our meetings are an equal mix of socializing, constructive critique, and patting each other on the back.  All three are important for writers (and mothers).

I go to the group feeling like my work sucks, and leave feeling like a real author.  No, they don't sugar coat their critiques, but no one's as bad as my inner voice.  In the end, I know that I must be good to belong in the company of such wonderfully brilliant people.

Two of my writer's group friends have books that you may purchase (and I encourage you to do so).

Linda Cassidy's poetry book Inland Waterways can be purchased here (just scroll down a bit on their page).

Siobhan Minty's ebook A Gay in the Life of Melinda Finch can be purchased here or here. 

Writing Retreat

Today I am blogging to you, on location from Halcyon Haven in sunny Lombardy. I'm attending a writing retreat with five of my fellow authors,three of whom I know from writer's group, and two new faces.

Yesterday my friend (and fellow writer type) Siobhan and I drove seven hours through traffic.  We ate at a restaurant frequented by truckers which was attached to a convenience store. There were quite a few flies but the food was decent.  Plus, my meal came with ice cream (no, I did not order from the kids menu).  Anyway we arrived last, in the dark, and got slightly lost by the end because my GPS, a typical male, only pretended to know where it was going.

This place is quite nice, right on the lake.  Looking out the window, it feels as though the whole house is floating on the water.  My friend Sharon (also a writer-type, just assume everyone I mention is a writer) organized this whole thing and has all kinds of workshops planned.  She also has a delicious menu and made us a fritata this morning with lots of delicious vegetables ( I love when my eggs have many colours in them). Of course I'm more excited about the woman-food than anything else.

Anyway, in the interest of social networking, here are links to everyone's websites:

Carole Ann: TK

Elaine: elainecougler.wordpress.com

Siobhan: agayinthelifeofmelindafinch.blogspot.com

Sharon: sharonclare.com

Sherry: sherryisaac.com

me: jennifer.filipowicz.ca

Neglect.

It's happened again, I've neglected my blog. I have a few excuses for this:

• William is in the process of giving up naps and thus I have less me time during the day. Also my exhaustion level rises proportionate to his crankiness level.
• I've been spending my evenings watching DVD box sets of tv shows I borrowed from the library. They only give you a week before you get slapped with a fine and forget about renewing because they're all on hold.
• I've actually been writing my novel for a change. The wonderful people in my writer's group know that I'm pretty good at neglecting that.
• General laziness.

I have been doing things, though. My mind is itching with events that, while perhaps not interesting to the world, are blog-worthy at least for documentation purposes. Stay tuned.

Writer's Group

Last night I met with my writer friends in a kaffeeklatsch/mutual editing session known as a writer's group. I haven't gotten much writing done in the past few months, but it's nice to spend time with people who refer to me as "Jen" instead of "Mommy" and who don't demand that I produce peeled apples, large quantities of cheese, and yoghourts out of thin air. My friend Geoff actually brought grapes and shared them! In my house, grapes are only for the boss. If I ask William to share, he answers "No my grapes" (some things he shares, but grapes are way too valuable).

I read everyones work from the last few months back to back and I must say it was a delight. Reading several chapters back to back is like reading a real book, you get so much more of a feel for the story. Also because I wasn't really expected to read everything, I didn't feel like something I had to do. I was reading for pleasure.

It's enough to make me want to write again so today, if the boss lets me, I will totally finish the chapter I'm working on and go onto the next one. Right now he has me held hostage in the basement watching "Cars" but sooner or later I'll get onto my computer upstairs with all my files on it.

Clay Time Fun Begins Tonight

For Christmas, my extra wonderful loving husband, signed us both up for a pottery and clay building course at the Burlington Art Centre. As a University of Toronto art and art history graduate, I've taken many an art course, and as a child growing up in Burlington, I've taken many a clay course at the BAC (though in my youth it was called the Cultural Centre). To date, however, I have yet to take an art course at the BAC with my loving husband. Should be extra fun.

My goal for this course is to create something so fabulous that I will keep it around for at least 15 years, breaking the records set by the heart-shaped smiley face jewlery box which I made in grade eight (and still use), and the clay elephant above our fireplace that I made in grade nine.

Later this week, on Wednesday to be exact, I'm going to my writers' group for the first time since before Christmas, so I've been busy reading all the stuff my colleagues have written over the break. Everyone seems to have had an explosion of creativity, even though most of them have real day jobs. Unfortunately, my own novel is dawdling along. I hate when writing is hard.

In other news Adam and I have finally taken down our Christmas tree. So the holidays are officially over.