I was about to write a post called “It’s working” when it all fell apart. I had placed an ad in a local forum, asked for two writers to join me in a fabulous strategy group.
To my surprise, after many weeks of silence, three people wrote back. I started to feel energised and typed up an agreement. It seemed necessary that we would all agree to the same objectives and basic rules. I also had a hidden agenda to dismiss future passive members before we started. After sending this out, two of our new group members bailed out. They had two different reasons: one is already writing and making money with it, hence she has no time, the other has not started writing and was looking for a writers’ group.
I don’t want to sound too defeated or negative, but my feeling is that people who actually read stuff more or less related to their field of interest do not actually read. At best they scan the article, at worse, they only read the title.
My other realisation is that people will also join groups to see what they can get handed over for free. Writers: Be the change you want to see in the world! is what I want to claim. Stop sitting by and waiting to be spoon-fed. Give and you shall receive!
Now, for the happy ending: I found one person who has understood my quest, who is willing to participate and is active about it. Hooray! My venting stops here.
Free Writing in 2013 