By Erik Day
The anthology is ready to take its next leap forward!
The collection of stories has eight amazing authors, each of whom have contributed their 20-minute exercise version and a carefully edited version. The next step is framing these short stories within the writer's Quill and Pint experience. This is as much an exploration of writing techniques and methods as it is the narratives we've created. Consider it a "Behind the Scenes" of the Q&P weekly exercises.
The anthology is going to work like this:
The first chapter is an overview, a welcome to readers of the Quill and Pint writing group. We'll start with an introduction, a little of where we've come from (as a group), and what our writing and feedback styles and goals are.
Then we set the scene of what you, the writers, have to contend with on a weekly basis: Man vs Man, Man vs Nature, and Man vs Himself… and that's just sitting down for a normal writing session!
We close the first chapter with the prompt itself.
Each of the contributing writers will have their own chapter. Between the intro, eight author chapters and the conclusion, that gives readers (and potential writers) eight wildly different takes on a single prompt.
Each author chapter will be broken into five sections:
An intro to the writer within the Q&P context...
The 20-minute exercise draft...
Some author insight on the bridge to the edited draft...
The [presumably longer] edited draft...
Then author reflections on the final product.
Not sure of the writer order yet, but it'll be something dignified and democratic, like rolling dice or tequila shots.
Where does that leave us? Building those framing experiences. I'll be sending out emails to our authors with three sets of questions. Each set has notes on where those questions and answers will go in relation to the rough and polished drafts.
Be on the lookout for those questions – and do be honest. This is for posterity.
Also, while you're answering, if any other questions occur to you that would make this a more insightful, educational or entertaining anthology, share 'em!
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