My friend Jackie runs a writing group for women called Mimosa Musings (we always meet on Sunday mornings, and she always provides mimosas). She sends letters to women writers she admires looking for tips on the writing life, and has gotten some impressive results, including a response from Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love.
Check out her letter to Michelle Goodman, author of The Anti-9-to-5 Guide: Practical Career Advice for Women Who Think Outside the Cube, and Goodman’s response.
Goodman suggests the following writing exercise:
“Think of a scene, a story you’ve been wanting to tell, whether it’s how you’re pissed at your landlord for not fixing your toilet or how you met some sweet young thing at the Barack Obama rally last month. Set the timer for 15 minutes. Now write it from the perspective of your archest enemy. Or the writer currently seated to your left. Or your grandmother. Or Hillary Clinton. Or John McCain. Or your favorite third grade teacher. Your favorite writer. Your dog.”
To check out Goodman’s book on Amazon, click here.
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i used to have a writers group. we always met at chipotle. [wistful sigh] i miss it and want to start a new one up again. i find i’m always better about writing something – anything – whenever i have people counting on me. i need eyeballs and deadlines!
i love that excercise, though. maybe i’ll force myself to do it this weekend.
i emailed an author i really liked, lately. not about writing, but about the subject of one of her books that’s really spoken to me. she responded a lot faster to my emails than i have to hers!
I really do need to catch one of your group’s meetings…
hooray for the writing group! see you on sunday