Aimee, you should be in here, all the time.

Thanks, Cindy. I am usually in lurker mode in here cause, well, still a little shy. :)

still a little shy. :)

Who are you and what have you done with Aimee?

Hee, just kidding. I felt the same way when I first started posting here, which I think was only about 3 months ago. It didn't take me very long to realize that being in here only makes my writing better. There's so much experience here to draw from when you need help. And I don't think you need a whole heck of a lot of help. Your drabbles have been exquisite.

Thank you, Sail. One day, I mightn't feel so intimidated (for lack of a better word) and post a bit of my novel in here.

I only re-started writing a bit ago and the drabbles are wonderful for me (Thanks, Steph).

Writing is good. Writing is our friend. Or, anyway, it's sure as hell my friend - it keeps me sane.

I am nodding like a fiend over Sail's, but jumping up and down over Allyson's horoscope, because, well, yes.

Aimee, you have a novel? What's it about?

I'm in, um, three critique groups now. I feel like they're all useful, because they're all providing a different type of support and feedback, but if I start making noises about joining another, someone thwap me upside the head, because my days are running out of hours.

Heh. Susan, mine's been on hiatus, because I host them and there was first the thing with the floors, and then two of our group went out and had babies.

They're fun, but I feel like I've reached the tipping point where if I take on any more, they'll eat my writing time rather than spurring me to write more. But I've got one group that sees the rough stuff and let's me know what's working and what isn't, another that looks at bigger chunks of material at once and therefore has a better big picture perspective on the story, and then the newest, which is online and feels like it's going to offer really good give and take and specific ideas for strengthening the story.

I'm terrified of writing groups. I'm not so much afraid of criticism of me, but I'm an awful person. I have attended groups, and it took all my energy, gripping the chair, to not say to some folks, "let me explain why you suck and should find a new hobby that won't make my brain bleed."

I'm bad at criticism, and there's a give and take. I take way more than I give, and I'm always suspicious of encouragement without reason.

I just want a reason to write right now. I feel desperately unmotivated.

That won't last, it never does, but in the meantime, the clock's ticking and I'm staying alert doing drabbles and song lyrics.

"let me explain why you suck and should find a new hobby that won't make my brain bleed."

Oh, man, I have so been there. We had a member of my meatspace group - Betsy will remember this guy - who, heaven help us, could not put three words together without making my head explode. He was dreadful.

I wrote him and suggested that he needed a different level of group. I honestly thought, if I had to try and critique him, I would be struck by lightning.