Shut Up & Write!® Santa Cruz / Monterey Bay

This group welcomes SUAW via Meetup and SUW via shutupwrite.com. This terrific writing motivation model is effective and motivating for writers worldwide! I happen to be born and raised in Santa Cruz County, California. If you've got the writing bug, then we've got something in common.

We write silently and feverishly from 10:15 to noon. At noon we reconvene to talk about how our writing went. If you are not able to check in at the end, please tell us about your writing experience in the comments section, below.

Shut Up and Write welcomes any project, any genre, whether you're an author pushing through your first draft, a grad student working on their dissertation, a blogger polishing a post, or anyone needing to set aside some time to start/finish/resume a writing project. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done.

** If the link asks for a passcode, please enter a comment to that effect on the event page. **

SCHEDULE:

10:00 am (zoom meeting starts) - we go around and give quick intros, what we plan to work on.
10:15 am (time varies by size of attendance) - time to "shut up and write" for the remaining time. (the zoom meeting ends at this time)
12:00 noon* (zoom meeting restarts, using the same link) - join the closing check-out session, or just keep writing. Take satisfaction in having done some writing tonight!
*On occasion, by attendee consensus, checkout may start at 11:45 am. If so it will be noted below in the comments.

Looking forward to seeing you (virtually)!

Due to The Abbey changing its summer hours to close at 2pm, we'll be meeting at alternative locations over the summer. Please check the event page on Meetup for up-to-date information.
This week we'll be meeting at Java Junction again by the Harbor and Crow's Nest.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/FZRtg4xhWYRgqR2YA
Some of us may stay after to hang out and enjoy the live music and barbeque offered by The Crow's Next.

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Join us for our latest in-person writing event!

RSVP if you'd like to stay informed of our mid-week, late afternoon writing sessions.

As per usual, we'll have 15 minutes to check in, focused writing for 1.5 hours, and a quick wrap up with option to read a bit of your work aloud if you like (no critique, just encouragement).

Hopefully that'll give you time to get home and join the 6:30pm Tele-Story event on Zoom if you like, where you can hear inspiring readings by four of our members, perhaps including you, and life-giving feedback.

Every third Thursday of the month, we'll have a share and tell where you can read some of your reading aloud and get feedback on it. This is more informal than the Tele-Story zoom sessions, so no need to RSVP, just bring a few pages with you, aiming for 5-10 minutes of reading. If there are many people who'd like to read, we'll split into small groups for listening and feedback.

Guidelines for sharing and giving feedback are below:

1. Before you read, indicate what level of feedback you would like from the group. Suggested options are:

• The Good - people will only tell you what they liked and what was good about your work.
• The Bad (compliment sandwich) - people will give you a compliment on your writing and tell you something they liked about it, but also give you constructive criticism.
• The Ugly - you would like your work ripped apart and only want to focus on the things that could be improved or don’t work.

2. Confidentiality- There are many memoir writers in the group, and even in fiction writing people often draw on true experience, so sharing can be a personal and vulnerable exercise.

• If you are sharing a true experience, consider anonymizing the other characters (especially considering Santa Cruz is a fairly small town!) to protect everyone’s privacy in general.
• If you see someone outside of the context of the writing group, refrain from mentioning potentially personal experiences they might have shared in their writing. General safe topics are ok, like travel experiences, etc., but more personal topics (addiction, grief, illness) shouldn’t be brought up unless the person who shared it brings it up first. Use common sense!

3. Feedback format: Following the Tele-story format, we'll have a "lightening round", where everyone has the option to give one minute of feedback, with extended discussion at the discretion of the author.
4. Feedback tips - focus on what you liked and what could make it even better, rather than what "didn't work". Also, focus on the content or story more than phrasing. Other things to think about:

• Is there too much dialogue, too little?
• Too much description, not enough?
• Unlikeable characters?
• Slow moving plot?
• Inconsistencies in plot or characters? Plot holes? Confusing parts?
• Suggested changes in phrasing are helpful but not the main focus.

Lastly, for those who are interested in sharing their work more in the wider world, we've compiled a list of open mic nights around Santa Cruz. Please let us know if you have one to add or if there needs to be a correction made. Also, come to the group and let us know if you'll be reading so we can come cheer you on!

Open Mic places (for reading your poetry or writing):

1. Satori Art Space (1st & 3rd Tues at 7pm)
2. Second Saturday of every month at Center for Spiritual Living (CSL) on Felt St. (off of 17th) at 6:30pm?
3. Kava Bar every Monday (more music, but reading is allowed)
4. The Abby - ask if poetry
5. Ugly Mug -
6. 11th Hour - Wednesday at 7pm.