How Do I Join?

Although we’re close to capacity in our meeting space, we do accept new members at times and may expand the meeting schedule to accommodate more.

The first step is to read the post “What Is Literary Fiction?“ If the characteristics it mentions describe your writing or your values as a writer, you might be a good candidate. That’s not to say that your writing must already exhibit most of those characteristics. It’s more along the lines of “If this is the kind of fiction you read and aspire to write…” or “If you’ve found that some critique groups simply haven’t understood or have discouraged these aspects of your writing…” then you might well feel more at home with us.

Some further principles are set out in our Critique Guidelines.

If you support the foundational notions in those links and are interested in joining us, the second step is to email Jim Trueblood.

My name for such purposes is ATLW. My host is called mailcan and has the usual, most common extension following a dot. Or you can look me up on the Atlanta Writers Club page about critique groups for a clickable email link.

It will save a step if you attach one or more samples of your writing to your first email, totaling no more than 9,000 words—preferably half that, unless you need to showcase a variety of styles. We cast a wide net, but it’s important to match group style with your writing style. Following literary-style suggestions in genre-style writing is likely to directly reduce its publishability in the market where it properly fits. (And vice versa.)

We’re always delighted as a group to welcome a new member whose writing brings a breath of unconventionality in style, depth, or perspective.