Would you like to help me start something potentially big?

[jongibbs]

The other week, I posted something about why I thought a good writing group was a boon for any writer. Some of the folks who commented mentioned how hard it is to find one, which in turn led to comments from people like my friend, mtlawson, who went on to post his own entry about how it would be great to have some sort of searchable database.

The

Comments

[lmurph524]

meetup.com does this as well.

[jongibbs]

Thanks. I'll look into that :)

[jongibbs]

I had a quick look. They seem to be more of a general noticeboard kind of a site, rather than a specialized interest one.

[dendrophilous]

Yes, they collect any kind of group, including writing groups. They also collect fees from the group owners.

[bogwitch64]

Wow--that is a BIG endeavor! Cool!

[jongibbs]

Lol, I've done most of the groundwork already. If it takes off it'll be worth the effort. I'm hoping the guest posts will be mostly cutting and pasting, and I already do my links list, so it should be okay.

[mtlawson]

That might work. It's a little more decentralized than what I was thinking of, which was essentially mimicking the database used for boardgames at boardgamegeek.com for writers groups. However, as long as the majority of the work is done by the groups that want to stand up and be counted, this could do the trick without driving you bananas.

You can also link to other potential sources of information, such as local bookstores, libraries and coffeehouses.

[jongibbs]

'...could do the trick without driving you bananas'

Lol, that was a major concern :)

I'm thinking that lots of folks in lots of Yahoo groups will keep their links up to date better than any one centralized place (including, as you say, local bookstores/libraries etc.

Care to set up the FAWG group for Ohio?

[mtlawson]

I figure it'll end up being either me or Missy (mela_lyn).

How do you want the Yahoo group to work? Have people petition to put their group in like a public billboard?

[jongibbs]

'I figure it'll end up being either me or Missy (mela_lyn

[cloudscudding]

Writer's Market is setting up a database like this too.

[jongibbs]

I think there's is a central list, rather than a network of little 'communities' though.

From a self-promotional point of view, I think FAWG could be good for everyone involved.

[jongibbs]

Lol, I'm sure there are other writers in Germany :)

The website is the central hub with good stuff for writers (I hope) and links to national/state Yahoo groups.

It's the Yahoo groups which will have all the writing group info, whether they be national organizations or just a bunch of guys (and gals) getting together at the local B&N.

Not only that, I'm thinking they're a good way to find out about conferences/events and simply mingle online with people from your own country.

That's the plan anyway, whether it works out that way remains to be seen :)

[jongibbs]

I'm not too familiar with how Yahoo works, but I assumed the Yahoo group for (say) Germany would be in the German language. Is that not possible?