Thank you. See you Monday.
Pretty scathing stuff, huh? Let's see what Ryan, the author of this missive, was really trying to say:
I would have liked not to impose a "rule" for the group to keep this more casual
I thought we could be relaxed and laid back, but now I'm gonna have to get all control freak on y'all.
but after a member came in last week, nearly 1/2 an hour late
he emailed me ahead of time to let me know he'd be late, but this kind of behavior can NOT be tolerated, so I felt compelled to make an example of him.
and expecting feedback on work
he didn't actually say this, but I have to make these charges stick, so it's okay.
then admitting
after I grilled him in front of everyone and made him squirm a little
he had not only NOT read the 2nd part of another member's story, but that he hadn't even bothered reading the first part
having other obligations is no excuse not to read something in depth and recall every detail of it
I felt compelled to remove the member, simply because I find that kind of mentality rude.
he really, really hurt my widdle feelings, so he's gone now. How dare this insensitive Philistine have an unusually hectic month - excuses, excuses!
Thank you. See you Monday.
You don't want to see me angry!
My last graded English class was back in the days of "A vote for Nader is a vote for Bush!," so my in-depth analysis skills might be a little rusty, but I think this'll pass muster. I'm not sure which is sadder; that I'd wanted to see a writer's group here in Burlington (and had considered starting one a few months ago), only to get kicked out for a relatively minor infraction; or that out of the 39 people here in Burlington who want a Meetup for writers, only 2 or 3 seem to be interested in coming out to this one.
Not to dwell excessively on it, but it got me thinking. Writer's groups can be good because, done well, they pull the writer out of his or her solitary bunker, face-to-face with fellow scribes. As a writer, it's good to be around other people sometimes who don't go "huh?" or "that's nice" when you tell them about the story you're writing. And feedback is good, vital sometimes, even. The only trouble is that the only three certainties in life are death, taxes, and stuff happening.
If you're in charge of a group of people, sometimes you have to allow for that, for stuff happening, for plans to change, for others to be short on time. Otherwise, I guess you could banish everyone who doesn't do as you'd wished, but you're only shooting yourself in the foot, pal.
As for me, I'm planning to take a nice, long break from writers groups. Sometimes it just takes one guy with a chip on his shoulder and a harsh, accusatory attitude to suck all the enjoyment out of it. And after that, it's better, for sanity's sake, if writing is a solo affair.
On a happier note, I've been getting involved with Burlington City Arts these days - I guest blogged for a recent event last month, and I'll be helping set something up on the waterfront this weekend. Should be good times.
Speaking of blogs, when you start a blog entry and never finish it, do you leave it there under "private" or "protected," or do you get rid of it altogether?
