Topic: So - lets agree a rough constitution and plan how to run our 'meetings'

[Tobes]

... like the title says!

[Simon]

I have a question about scope... What sort of writing is this group for? Are we talking fiction, short stories, that sort of thing? Or is the scope wider than that?

The reason I ask is because I don't have much interest in writing fiction (I don't think I've written anything like that since I was studying GCSE English), but I do have an interest in using the written word to influence people and to further the causes I believe in, and I feel there is plenty of room for improvement in my writing style.

[Geoff Reid]

Never been involved in creating a constitution before, so blagged a copy of the Willesden Green writers group constitution.....

....stripped out the officious stuff, 'sensibilised' what was left and ended up with:


Writers’ Group Constitution

1. Title

The group will be called The xxxxxxxx Writers’ Group, hereafter referred to as "the group".
 
2. Objectives

The group aims to provide a practical support network for aspiring local writers in the following ways:

2.1 The group will hold regular meetings where members can give and receive honest feedback on each other’s work, share in and mutually support each other in the process of developing their writing.

2.2 The group will also provide a permanent 'online' meeting place on the Talkswindon forum, where members can give and receive honest feedback on each other’s work, share in and mutually support each other in the process of developing their writing at times which suit them.

2.3 Group members will share information and advice on getting their work published and will also disseminate information of interest relevant to writers eg: literature events, small press publications, competitions and courses.
 
2.4 Group members will share information and experience on techniques and ways in which they might improve their writing ability and further develop their work.

2.5 Group members will share information and experience on, and where practicable, support other members participation in activities such as public readings, seminars and submissions to any group magazines and anthologies.

2.6 The group welcomes all creative writing  including, but not limited to: fiction, poetry, travel, memoirs , essays and feature writing. The group will not generally deal with technical writing or the writing of textbooks.  *** add genres as needed *** geoff.


 
3. Contacting Group Members

3.1 The group will keep a small data base of members’ contact details which will be used to send members details of group meetings, competitions and other items of information related to the group. By joining the group, members will have agreed to receive this material via email, sms text message, phone call or post.

3.2 The group will not share members contact information with other members without permission

3.3 The group will not pass members contact details to 3rd parties external to the group unless members expressly request, or consent to this occurring for the purposes of submitting work to competitions or facilitating the publication of a members work.

3.4 No one will receive less favourable treatment within the group on the grounds of sex, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or racial origins, disability, marital, status, trade union activity, age, political or religious beliefs.

3.5 Members may not be disadvantaged within the group by conditions or requirements that cannot be shown to be justified.



erm..... on the right track? Too formal?, not formal enough? 

edit: 8th Jan '09  jiggled 2.6 slightly   

[Tobes]

Nice one Geoff! I'll read through this in detail later - but looks smack on to me...

Simon - I for one would fully support essay writing in its broadest sense, no reason why we should keep what we want to explore purely to fiction.