John Kador, founder of Susquehanna Valley Independent Writers, explains who we are.
The best way to think about Susquehanna Valley Independent Writers (SVIW) is as a writer’s support group. The group is open to anyone who struggles with the identity of a writer.
The group has two main goals. The first goal is to remind each other that we are not alone in the lonely world of writing. The second goal is to let go of our internal editors, judgments, and mental habits that undermine our ability to find our authentic voices and to make it happen. To that end, the group employs a variety of quick writing exercises and automatic
writing. We are big on goal-setting, because we know that holding ourselves publicly accountable for what we take on moves our writing forward.
We do not practice the type of critical reading of manuscripts typical of many writing groups. We encourage people to read short pieces of their work with the goal of finding their own solutions to particular writing problems.
For more information about the group, contact Mike Badger.
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Hi! I’m a published non-fiction author trying to finish my novel. I am looking for a supportive writer’s group to join. Can you let me know the specifics of meetings for the new year, and if you are open to new members?
Thank you!
Hi Susan,
Thank you for the question. The group started out as a good idea, but we ultimately did not have the momentum to keep the group meeting on a regular basis. We disbanded about a year ago.
I’ve since moved closer to Williamsport and have been thinking of forming a similar group. The SVIW was a free write group. A few writers met and we wrote based on a couple of prompts. We read our work aloud, if we wanted to. The big rule was – no critique. Just write, experiment with words, and enjoy the company of other writers.
Would you be interested in this type of group?
Mike