guest post – and so she thinks

Guest post – The Value of Critique Groups and Writing Groups

admin — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 08:12:58 +0000

This post is by Jackie Rod, author of Georgia, Stories on my Mind.

Why do writers need to join critique or writing groups?

The answer is simple. Some writers are natural-born writers; however, most of us need a lot of help.

Critique partners help you learn and grow. They ponder over your manuscript for character weaknesses, gaps in the plot, and grammar errors. Their work is invaluable. They push you to be a better writer.

The ideal critique group is made up of writers who are on the same writing level and write in the same genre. Constructive criticism and positive feedback should be the rule of the day. Be kind, but be honest. You should never gloss over poor writing. This is unfair to the other writer. Respect your critique partners. Respect is a two-way street.

Benefits of critique groups: accountability, bonding, brainstorming, craft, editing, grammar, encouragement, listening skills, inspiration, motivation, learning, and friendship.

Like any relationship, critique groups take on their own character. Select your critique partners with care. Pick a group you’re comfortable with. Set guidelines and stick to them. Be accountable to the process and each other. Everyone has an opinion. You should not change your style of writing, because someone else thinks they know better. It is your story.

Critique groups evolve over time. You can outgrow each other. Perhaps it is time to move on. Be grateful for what you’ve learned. You may decide on a writing partner rather than a group next time. Choose a writing partner whose skills and schedule work well for you.

Writing groups are essential for all levels of writing. A writing group or chapter is networking at its best. A small writing group may foster closer friendships, while a large writing chapter may have more advanced writers for role models. Bottom line–We learn the craft, and we help each other.

Presentations, classes, workshops, and conferences help us learn the craft. Veteran writers who have achieved recognition far and wide can show us how they accomplished their writing goals. We are inspired by their success.

Writing chapters offer classes and workshops that teach us how to improve our craft. We learn by doing. A writer can never take too many classes or attend too many workshops. We can never learn enough about writing.

Writing conferences are great sources of education and networking. Whatever your weakness—characterization, dialogue, point of view, or plot—you can find a program to improve your skills.

Networking at a conference helps make new friends. Be bold. Smile and speak to other attendees. Spending time with other writers can make us better writers.

I attend writing conferences as often as I can. I enjoy meeting new authors, agents, and editors. I hope to see you at a writing conference and talk about that jewel of a book you want to polish and publish soon.

Georgia Stories on My Mind

Come visit Georgia within these pages as you read heartwarming stories shaped by local traditions and legends. The characters live life to the fullest through joys and hardships. Inhale the essence of Georgia’s revitalized small town squares while eating hand- scooped ice cream on a park bench. Each town has its own magic. Sometimes the most real things in life are things we cannot see but those that deeply touch us, as the folks in these tales learn. Share smiles and shed tears as you travel the curving road of life with these Georgia characters. Are you ready for an unforgettable experience of hope, faith, trust, reconciliation, and love?

Out now on Touch Not the Cat Books.

About the Author, Jackie Rod

Jackie Rod is a fiction writer, loving wife of a legal beagle, and mother of three children who has blessed her with seven fantastic grandchildren. After Jackie retired from teaching, her love of words and stories led her to begin writing fiction. Reading and traveling enrich her life and she jumps at the opportunity to teach a workshop or attend a writing conference. She belongs to five writing chapters/groups. Jackie’s work can be found in twelve published books on Amazon, in several Metro Atlanta libraries, and independent bookstores.

Jai Paul – Jai Paul // 2013 best of

admin — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 10:25:00 +0000

Best of 2013 by Jamie Malcolm – follow him @mylittleforts
The Jai Paul story is a strange one. He’s officially released 2 songs in 7 years, with the first reportedly only down to his brother unleashing it to MySpace in 2007 because it just had to be heard. That song ‘BTSTU’ has since been separately sampled by two of the biggest artists in the world (Beyonce & Drake) the other track ‘Jasmine’ was just recently selected to be on the prestigious soundtrack to GTA V. So not bad going from a guy from Rayners Lane and with 1 tweet to his name.
After an apparent biding war he signed a deal with XL in 2010 with seemingly little pressure to release material. Rumours started to spread in early 2013 that he was going to retire an enigma and would never return. Shuffle forward to roughly 2:00AM on April 14th and this ‘album’ was uploaded to Bandcamp. Nine months later and still so many questions remain. Did Jai upload it himself? Did XL upload it without Jai knowing? Was it uploaded by a laptop robbing thief? Was this tracklisting the original plan for the album? How can something including samples from Harry Potter, Gossip Girl, Tomb Raider, KC & Jojo, Michael Caine and the beeping of a shutting tube train door be so incredible?
It clearly doesn’t have the XL polish, so i’ve always seen it as an audio sketch book. Ideas are unfinished, background fuzz is present throughout and there are multi second silences at the end of some songs, but by not being a audio nerd none of this has effected my enjoyment a single iota. What’s special to me and many others is that most comparisons don’t quiet fit. He appears to simultaneously straddle the past, present and future.
Track 2 aka Str8 Outta Mumbai is undoubtedly the biggest smorgasbord of ideas, sounds and genres to be released this year. It starts with a recording of a duo of DJ’s introducing a track by John Paul, the other corrects him ‘Jai Paul.’ This perfectly acts as a knowing wink to us from Jai of his enigmatic ways. The song has a killer combination of upbeat fun, spacey vocals and a crazy Bollywood sample harkening back to it’s use from hip hop producers such as DJ Quik, Dr Dre, Just Blaze and Timbaland in early 2000’s. The thumping drum claps on 10,000 along with the cascading synths (that I’ve spent all year unsuccessfully trying to figure out what they remind me of) are reminiscent of The Neptunes in their producing pomp. The way they fade to the background at points to highlight the vocals is such a simply beautifully technique. The audaciously odd reinterpretation of Jennifer Page’s 1998 pop gem Crush is another highlight. His style is transplanted and bolted onto it and the lyrics take a sultry modern twist. The mini riff near the conclusion feels plucked from what a Michael Jackson and Prince collaboration from 20 years ago might sound like. It’s all audaciously paired with a reverbed woodblock of all things. Jasmine is a pulsing odyssey that glides around effortlessly and perfectly suits a nocturnal neon lit journey across London. Genevieve scuttles around your ear drums in a vast array of directions – none of which you expect. Loads of ideas (audio tangents?) are being hurled around and all of them stick. All Night is a bonafide slow jam that magically pulls memories of abundant romances into your synapses. The album ends how it all started for him with BTSTU, a juxtaposition of juxtapositions. Harsh and angelic vocals spread over a beat that gets crazy and shrinks down to nothing at times.
I’m kind of indifferent as to what happens next. He and his brother Anup are obviously such talented guys and I would I love to see some new material and how all this would translate to a live environment. If this is the end and nothing new ever arrives i’m more than happy to enjoy Jasmine on a night bus home with a beaming London as a backdrop or stroll through an crispy autumnal park arm in arm with someone with All Night emanating from my headphone splitter.
I have compiled 16 pieces of digital artwork to represent each song on Jai Paul. See it here.

Fearless Vampire Killers – Live At Cockpit, Leeds

admin — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 14:35:34 +0000

Having watched a couple of their videos online and read the odd review it seemed that Fearless Vampire Killers were both receiving a range of reviews and creating a range of music, this was going to be an interesting one. In the more intimate (sweaty) surroundings of Cockpit Room 2 the small crowd was slowly growing but it was clear that Fearless Vampire Killers were still going to have to produce something fairly special to get the crowd anything like excited before the headliners, Madina Lake, took to the stage for their farewell tour.
The band set to with a frontman I didn’t recognise from the videos (Laurence Beveridge) but who produced a great variety of songs, demonstrating the bands ability to vary their approach. I would say the first few songs were more melodic than what I might have expected from a band like this and the crowd certainly seemed to respond by getting into the music and singing along. As ever, smaller bands tend to attract a hardcore following but FVK genuinely had the room going at several points, me included. A totally unexpected cover of Phil Collins’ Easy Lover was well received as was the bands own material such as Hang Low.

Not far into the set there was a frontman change to the more familiar face of Kier Kemp and the mood got a little darker, the music heavier and the crowd, after a small dip, a lot livelier. ‘Could We Burn Darling’ set the place alight and as the room filled up, the band really began to build an atmosphere and presence that had seemed at first almost nervy. This all came to a head with a fantastic rendition of their new single All Hallows Evil which has already been an online hit. Certainly FVK did not throw themselves around the stage as much as some bands I have seen but it was nice to note they focussed instead on the music they were playing and getting the technicalities of what was sometimes a complex and challenging set right.

FVK have received great critical acclaim in many magazines including being nominated for two Kerrang awards in consecutive years and headlining the Red Bull stage at Download festival 2013. Having had the pleasure to meet frontman Kemp after the gig, it was the unashamed passion of the band which really shines through both on and off stage. Their unique approach which stretches to a 334-page book giving a background story to much of their music is a unique example of this and comparisons to MCR and Panic! at the Disco are more superficial than meaningful. FVK have created new sounds, new literature and dare I say it, a new genre which mixes everything from SteamPunk to metal in one, waistcoat-clad package. Long may it continue!

John Linkins

Live music – a matter of size?

admin — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 12:42:57 +0000

When you mention going to see live music to people in the UK, everyone immediately thinks about going to see large, well-established bands. Whilst this is undoubtedly a natural reaction it has become too dominant. Tickets for these shows are usually very expensive, and often the venues are very impersonal.
The alternative, going to see smaller bands, is not often thought about in the same way. Many people will plan months in advance to see a big band, whilst if they see a smaller band it will be a spur of the moment decision, or they will stumble into it without prior planning.
This is a shame as many of the smaller bands will put on as good a show as big bands, the tickets are cheaper, and the venues are much more personal. In terms of a night out, seeing a smaller band can be a much cheaper and more rewarding experience than seeing more established acts.
The best way to change this situation is to make gigs a proper destination for audiences. This is difficult. Part of the reason people will plan in advance for bigger gigs is that tickets are often scarce. But more importantly these big acts have advertising and promotion budgets that dwarf those of smaller bands: they can begin promoting earlier and reach wider audiences.

Smaller bands must take the initiative here and promote their gigs themselves as far in advance as they can, and keep promoting right up until the date of the show. Very often hear about a gig as soon as the band have got it, and then nothing until a few days before. The key to getting bigger audiences is to promote from the day you get the gig to the big day.
Audiences looking to find live music can use the gig search at unsigned gigs and find gigs everywhere in the UK. It only takes five minutes to sign up and list your gigs, and they will be viewed by thousands of people each month.
A guest post from Unsigned Gigs, an online gig guide for up and coming bands and artists. Audiences can easily find great live music wherever they want in the UK, whilst bands and artists can promote their gigs and music to a wide audience.