My thoughts about the value of writer workshops  have been the subject of recent Blogs.  I hope any who read this will feel free to send questions I have not answered.  I'llcertainly respond if I have the answer requested.

The one area I have not treated is:  what to do with the writer who does not "fit" the group.  It occasionally happens in all groups.  In one, years ago, a very intelligent and sharp on grammar and syntax member who came regularly always wore a badge that read "AGENT." She never read any of her own work but did solicit (and gained) agenting jobs for two members.  I felt from the outset that these members should not have engaged her.  I was suspicious of her real agenting abilities and was later proven right as she collected monhtly (!) fees from the members she represented but to our knowledge never sent out a single manuscript or query to a publisher.   Our informal "rule" was that "everybody reads at least every three meetings." Ms Agent did not comply.  I solved this by re-setting the day for our meetings to coincide with her part-time job three days a week.

Although I have not set this as a rule, it might be to the advantage of a group to request that all members report at the beginning of each meeting on how many pieces of writing they have submitted to a magazine or publisher in the past month? six weeks?  These days publishers may take up to six months or more to respond ot a query or a manuscript.The president of NightWriters, a San Luis Obispo, CA writers group asks at the opening of each monthly meeting , "How many sales?  How many rejections."  This brings smiles and a reminder that unless we submit, we can't expect sales.  

This is my last Blog until I return from knee replacement surgery about June 10.  Happy writing, Willma