We meet in two separate places, for two styles of meeting......
Wanborough
The format of these meetings is very simple: members bring a piece of prose work that they would like constructive and supportive critiques on from the rest of the group. The word limit is 2,500 words; longer chapters or stories may need to be broken up into shorter sections if they exceed this limit.
People wishing to read work out bring copies of their text for everyone to look at during the meeting – between 6 and 10 is usually enough. Whilst a piece is being read, please feel free to write comments on the text in front of you– it is helpful for the reader to have written feedback to take away, and even ticking places you enjoyed is very confirming, as several members marking the text in the same way can show the reader a great deal.
After the piece has been read, a discussion takes place around the table: this is a very important part of the process, and we encourage ever member to make an effort to contribute. We welcome the reader joining in too, to clarify points or ask for more details; however, we would ask that you do not repeatedly refute or ‘bat back’ all the criticisms made. (Of course you might disagree, and not want to follow through on a suggestion, but sometimes taking the points away and thinking about them is productive. Many members have found that criticisms they didn’t agree with initially later began to make sense.)
We completely understand that receiving criticism is daunting, especially the first time you come, and taking people’s sensitivities into account is a vital part of being a trusted member; but we all need honest opinions and rugged critiquing, so the ‘default setting’ of the group is constructive criticism that will help shake our texts into professional shape. If you are feeling daunted, or in need of a softer touch, that’s absolutely fine. Just mention it before you read and we will be supportive of that.
The Good Intent Pub
The meetings in The Good Intent are very different. We use these to explore individual areas of writing that are of interest to us, such as characterisation, plotting, submissions etc. The meetings take different formats depending on the subject matter - email or check the website for details.
The Good Intent is in Puttenham, (GU3 1AR for Satnavs), which is a couple of minutes off the Hog's Back. This is where we meet to discuss things other than our individual texts, such as characterisation, plotting, submitting to agents etc. We usually meet here on the third Monday of the month, from 7:30 to 9:30.
Joining
We like to hear visiting members read three times before they officially join. This is so that everyone has had the chance to get to know them a little, and for them to decide they like us before we ask for anything as binding as a membership fee. The current rate (2014-2015) has held at £40 a year, and this covers the cost of the hire of halls, with a little left over for the possibility of having guest speakers etc. Ask the Tresurer for more details about how to pay.
The Village Hall in Wanborough is just off the Hog's Back (A31), near Guildford. (For Satnav use GU3 2JR.) As you approach the village you will see two large black barns. Turn up this lane, and use the car park next to the barns. However, the hall we meet in is further up the path, next to the church. We meet here on the second and fourth Mondays of the month, from 7:30 to 9:30.