Picking Up the Pen

You're one of the group's organizers. Have you always written? Yes ... well, I guess so. I've always needed a story to accompany my comic art, so yes, I have been writing since I was little. Is it a hobby or a profession for you? Right now writing is still more of a hobby than anything else. I don't quite see myself as a professional writer. At least, not yet. So, why join a writer's group? I think the main reason is to keep up the motivation to write. There's more pressure and it's also encouraging to hear other people's ideas and bounce yours off other people. What does one do in a writer's group? We discuss our own writing, read out segments of what we're working on, have general chit-chat about the world of literature and entertainment and do set exercises once in a while to help motivate and improve our writing skills. Do you find it difficult to write on command? I find it quite difficult to write something worthwhile on the spot. New ideas I get turn into epics and I don't usually have time to write it all down-we usually get around five minutes to complete the exercises! When are you most creative? Definitely in the evening, too many distractions during the day. Pen and paper or keyboard and MS Word? I always get the initial idea out on paper, then it becomes easier for me to edit. I usually change quite a lot when transposing to computer, but I also find it harder to see the bigger picture on a screen. Mind you, it's great how you can cut and paste entire paragraphs on the computer. Many authors say the key to writing is simply sitting your butt in a chair and writing something from start to finish. What's the hardest part of the writing process for you? Exactly that! I'm good at starting something, but staying focused is incredibly difficult. I end up wanting to change stuff constantly, then newer and better ideas come along, and it ends up one big editorial mess. Any tips for those dabbling in writing on the side? Sure, set aside 15 minutes per week, the same day every week, to write something, anything. From there, the juices should start to flow. Or, join the group!

Details

When: Every Monday, 7:30pm
Where: Figaro Coffee > Xingye Lu
Email: edofuijkschot@yahoo.com