Two Quick Questions--Writing groups and writing time

Photo: Fish in a fence after Hurricane Ike.  This is representative of my anxiety re: these two questions.

Okay, a quick shout out to the readers of this blog: I have two questions I'd very much like your answers or opinions to.

1.  Writing groups.  Are you a member of one?  What are your rules, if any?  How many members are in your group?  What are you getting out of it, if anything?  I'd especially appreciate commentary about the number of people in the group, and anything at all that's mandatory about the group.  I've heard that a) smaller numbers are better, such as maybe 5 to 8 members; b) consistent attendance is mandatory, such as every other meeting, if not actually every single meeting; and c) consistent submissions to print or online markets (or contests) are mandatory, like maybe three submissions per meeting, or per month.  Whatever.  Copies of submissions, rejections, acceptances, or applications to contests or projects like NaNoWriMo are acceptable as well.

2.  Writing time.  How do you get writing done?  Where do you do it?  When do you do it?  How do you come down from the career/job, clear your head, see your characters, and start writing?  How do you find the time for submissions?  Certain days of the week?  Certain hours of the day?  Whenever?  Gimme all you got, whatever works for you.

Thanks, guys.  'preciate your time and response.  As always, thanks for reading!!!

"Hide the Weird" to appear in Space and Time Magazine, January 2012!!!

According to Hildy Silverman, publisher of Space and Time Magazine: The Magazine of Fantasy, Horror and Science Fiction:

"Hiding the Weird is slotted for inclusion in the next issue, #116, which is set for release this winter (January, 2012)."

Very exciting!!!  Write it down, everyone, and buy the January, 2012 issue of Space and Time Magazine to read my story!!!  In fact, buy the current issue of Space and Time, as well.  It's a cool magazine with a fine mix of fantasy, sci-fi and horror.  And I'm not just saying that because they were awesome enough to purchase and publish my story.

It's because my story is technically speculative fiction, which is not specifically fantasy, horror or science fiction.  So it's got a bit of everything in there.  Go take a look: Space and Time Magazine. 

Please spread the word to any and all online writing or discussion groups that you're a member of.  If anyone who reads this is a published author in a print or online magazine, please let me know in a comment or email and I will spread the word for you, as well.


Thanks, everyone!


(And I apologize in advance for the reminder posts that may come in December and/or January.)

It Is Accomplished

 Photo: Dojran Lake

Okay, so no posts the last two days because I was working on my paper.  Turns out, I was able to do the whole thing in two days, Sunday and Monday.  I stayed at my job until 9pm Monday getting it done.  I was on a roll and didn't want to stop because I knew I could finish in time for the game.  So I worked on it for over 7 straight hours and got it done.  Yes!  I think it turned out fairly well, and I think I can conclusively say (as far as such things are said) that Alice Munro definitely had a copy of Chekhov's "The Kiss" opened in front of her while she wrote "Floating Bridge," which essentially is the Chekhov story told in reverse.  And I spent about 18 pages proving this.  In the meantime, I found a great library to work in, and I'm now free (until the next class) to work on my writing and my office to get more done.  My next goal is to move the two or three stories that I still haven't sent out yet, plus work on a few more.  I also joined two other writing groups, both much closer than the one I've been going to for the past two years, so hopefully that's all good.  I'm very excited about all this.  I'm looking forward to writing more, and writing better.