Today I am subjecting myself to a “Writers Critique” provided by the Atlanta Writers Club an organization started in 1914 for the purpose of promoting and assisting aspiring writers. The club has over 500 active members, holds monthly meetings forming a supportive network of aspiring writers, publishers and agents. I see writers arriving for their critique ranging in age from 18 to 70. There are six authors doing the critiques three in three different genre in fifteen minute sessions throughout the day.
I’ve submitted 20 pages of my second book, Grasshopper, for Jackie Cooper, a published Atlanta author, to review and offer suggestions in our fifteen minute session together. As is my habit I’ve arrived early for our 12:30 appointment partly because that’s who I am and partly because I want to absorb as much of this atmosphere as I can. My first impression is how wonderful it is that the Writers Club has taken a very solitary activity and turned it into a social and supportive community. I also recognize that there are a lot of people who share my ambition to share more of myself than is normal. I think this can be said of everyone
who pursues the arts at any level.
My time came and I related well to Jackie. His message stated with the advise Hook, Develop and Wrap, you are a story teller, “you hooked me but I wanted more development and a wrap.”
“But I was only allowed to give you 20 pages so all I was trying to do was hook you.”
“ Well you achieved that but I want to know more about your main character Kobie, I need to get more emotionally involved with him. You made me jump from Chapter 1 to Chapter 4 and I felt that I was jumping around.”
“I did that so that I could set the hook deeper and make you want for more.”
That’s how it went, but most important I left with the message, “You’ve got talent, you’re a story teller, find yourself a publisher and have a follow-up book because they’ll want a three to four book deal. You need the find the guy the believes in you and your work so don’t give up he’s out there.
I’m flying high.
Tags: life review