There are many short courses and talks about writing your family history, including those of the GSV. But when the course or talk finishes, and the demands of everyday living flood back in, it is often hard to maintain your resolve and enthusiasm.
Many years ago a small group of family-history writers at the GSV formed a self-help group to address this 'problem'. And today this group has ninety members and monthly gatherings of 25-30 who share their writing dilemmas. There is nowhere else you can receive such ongoing support and continue to learn about writing once the course is long over.
'Margaret Flockton: A Fragrant Memory' by Writers Circle member Louise Wilson
The Circle includes many published - and award-winning - authors, as well as those who are just facing the challenge of their mounting research jottings. You can find out more about this GSV Writers Discussion Circle on the website here.
Last month Helen Pearce and Anne Semple submitted two very interesting and quite different pieces of work for review. One piece was an example of creative non-fiction in which the writer put herself in the mind of a forebear as he considered his life on the land during the famine in Ireland. Using contemporary idiom and ways of thinking is challenging but can help us evoke the 'truth' of their lives. The group always provides lots of useful suggestions that often only 'fresh eyes' can bring.
This month Bernece Schultz and Tina Hocking will be facilitating a discussion on What constitutes a great introduction and conclusion.
In order to help each other with some of the technical matters of writing, the group occasionally hosts extra sessions for members. This month Anne Semple has kindly offered to demonstrate how to annotate old maps and images, using built in apps to Windows 10. Martin Playne has also offered to distribute information on how to do similar with a Mac.
In June will be reviewing two works from John Gowdie and one other writer from the group. Members take turns to facilitate the sessions, to spread the administration roles. Many members are happy to listen and pick up tips without having to join in the debate about a particular paragraph or the use of a comma!
Now's your chance for members to put up your hand to get some invaluable feedback. There's still an opportunity for members to submit draft work for review in August and November. These will be filled on a first come, first served basis so don't miss out.
July meeting
Andrew Linden will be facilitating a discussion on Dealing with the conflict between creating a complete record and writing a non-boring family history.
And the group is adding to its program by hosting occasional presentations by guest presenters for members. Recently a talk on writing memoir by Irene Graham was well-received and a possible talk by a print-on-demand publisher is being considered.
So there is a lot going. In between we hope everyone is encouraged to get writing and publishing.
There is little point just leaving boxes or memory sticks full of research jottings.
Penny Mercer - Convener, GSV Writers