Hey everybody,

I don't think I've sent up this info to this listserv, but saw the note from
Chris asking about the writers group, so I thought I'd write and give you all
the skinny.

Below is the standardized shpiel I usually send folks who write when they are
interested. If you want to become a part of the group, reply as instructed
below (to me directly - no need to write to the group) and I'll set you up.

Happy new year,
Wade

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This e-mail has 7 parts that detail the nature of the group, and outline several
logistics. Please take the time to read it over. If you have ideas on how any
of the below can be improved/streamlined, I'm all ears.

Included:
- Please reply with
- Next meeting
- Email forwarder
- Google calendar
- Meeting frequency / location
- Meeting structure
- When your work is featured

I look forward to working with you,

Wade Wofford
Writer/Director/Producer
Dedalus Films
www.dedalusfilms.com


----- Please reply with -----

The group has a contact sheet of everyone involved that I'll distribute from
time to time at meetings. To keep this list current, will you please reply with
the following info:

- First Name:
- Last Name:
- Primary Phone:
- City of Residence:

----- Next meeting -----

date & time:
Monday, January 8th
6:30pm

reading:
"The Answer," by Wade Wofford
a feature-length screenplay (drama)

address:
6 Trumbull Rd
Northampton
(3 blocks north of Main St, just west of King St)

map:
http://tinyurl.com/yx7vzb

----- Email forwarder -----

The writing group has 2 e-mail addresses that are associated with it:
1) nohowriters@...
This e-mail forwards to all writers who have expressed an interest in the
group.
2) nohoactors@...
This e-mail forwards to all actors who have expressed interest in reading
roles in workshopped scripts from time to time.

If you reply to this note with the above info, I'll set you up on the
appropriate forwarder. If, at any time, you'd like to be removed from this
forwarder, shoot an e-mail to me personally (wofford@...) or reply
to the forwarder address itself with subject "unsubscribe" and I'll take you off
immediately.

* Note - Please exercise discretion when sending to the lists. Also, when
replying, please reply directly to the sender and not to the entire list.

----- Google calendar -----

The group has a shared calendar which you can access at any time online:
Northampton Dramatic Writers. I have just set you up to access it. You should
have gotten an e-mail from Google (it will come from my address). If you have
not, check your spam filter, and let me know if you still can't locate it.

Note: Annoying, but Google requires you to "register" to use the calendar.
Registration takes about 30 seconds, and you can use your existing e-mail (you
don't have to have a google e-mail account) to set it up. Please take a moment
and do so now. The calendar will come to provide all meeting, cast, attendance
& location/logistical details for every meeting.

----- Meeting frequency / location -----

The group will meet twice a month. The present membership has agreed upon
Monday evenings, but that date can be changed as needed. Meeting regularly
keeps each author actively writing, which is one of the benefits of group (you
have to answer to others if you've slacked off :). Obviously, the more frequent
the attendance of our writers, the more value everyone gets out of the group.

We are still looking for a permanent home for our meetings to take place. If
you have access to a space that we could use, please let me know! For now,
we'll work on locations on a meeting-by-meeting basis.

----- Meeting structure -----

At the beginning of each meeting, we'll have brief introductions of new faces,
and make selections as to which writers will be featured for upcoming meetings.

Each meeting will "feature" a different writer. The precise structure of each
meeting will change according to that writer's needs at the moment (he/she may
bring an outline, a completed script, a scene or act that they're have problems
with, etc). However, a basic structure for each meeting will take place in four
parts:

1) Featured Writer's Comments / Requests

At the start of group, the featured writer says a few words--whatever they feel
is necessary. If they're looking for feedback of a specific nature, they say
that. If they're *opposed* to feedback of a specific nature, they let people
know that as well. If they feel a preface is necessary to the piece, here's the
time to say that.

This is more fruitful for each writer as an individual. Some writers are
thick-skinned; other writers are very opposed to criticisms of their theme
specifically, or comments that challenge their motivations for telling a story.
Some writers go into group wanting to target a specific corner (say,
characterization) and are not interested in hearing comments on another element
of the piece. This group aims to breed an atmosphere where writers feel that
their specific needs are not only taken into account, but respected by the
others present.

This part of the meeting provides a good moment for writers to identify both
their needs and their sensitive areas--to prevent comments of a certain nature
from "making them deaf" to everything said.

2) Designation of Moderator

If the featured writer wants to designate someone to lead discussion after the
reading of his/her piece, now is the time to do it. Certain authors are sure to
identify with others in the group, to appreciate a certain person's "style" of
moderating a discussion that is most fruitful for them.

Of course, if an author prefers to lead the discussion themselves, or if they
prefer a more open forum where individual reactions to the piece give rise to
whatever debate happens, they are free to choose this course.

3) Reading of the Piece

There are no reading assignments before or after a group; all materials being
discussed are read aloud in group.

We believe that reading the piece *in* group rather than having assigned reading
is the way to go for 3 reasons:
- It has the subject matter fresh in the minds of the group, and oftentimes
gutteral responses are very useful.
- People are unlikely to do assigned homework; coming to group for 3-4 hours a
week is commitment enough.
- Hearing the words out of someone else's mouth can help the writer step back
and listen.

There will be a "bio break" mid-way through the piece, for water / bathroom /
cigarette etc, to avoid constant traffic during the reading.

4) Discussion

As outlined above, this can be structured or free-flow, moderated as the
featured author desires.

In the event that the author opts for an unstructured discussion, and there is
only silence, we can revert to this series of questions to incite conversation:
- Go around the circle and state what the piece is *about*
- Go around the circle and state what you *like* about the piece
- Go around the circle and state elements that did not work
- What/who is the protagonist of the piece? The antagonist?
- What is the author driving at? (theme / "the point" / motivation for telling
the story)
- What role does structure play?
- ...anything else anyone wants to add...

----- When your work is featured -----

The featured writer of the week takes on certain responsibilities, to even out
the distribution of labor in administrating the group.

In preparation for group, the featured writer will do 2 things:

- Figure out a realistic/minimal distribution of roles
THIS IS IMPORTANT! Doing this *at* a meeting wastes valuable time.
Example: a new screenplay has 70 characters - many of which are one-liners.
The writer will need to make sure that there are a minimal number of readers,
and that each reader not play multiple characters in the same scene. So the
writer assigns roles to each reader, like...reader#1 will be reading garbageman,
joey, chuck, man#1 & sam; reader#2 will read man#3, clerk, doctor & jerk; and so
on.

- Make sure there are enough readers for all the roles. The RSVP on the online
calendar will indicate how many actors and how many writers will be present at
group. If extra readers are needed, the featured writer will need to round them
up him/herself.

The featured writer will bring the following to group:
- enough copies of their materials for everyone to read (check the RSVP on the
online calendar to see how many are attending)
- wine, soda and/or snacks (keeps blood sugars from crashing if group goes long,
and alleviates strain on the spatial host)