"Oh, magic hour, when a child first knows she can read the printed word."

by

Hayley Morris

 

A highly regarded group, Magic Hour Writers is a cherished part of the writing community and continually supports IWC. Because of their value within the NWI community, earned from dedicating time and resources to promoting literacy and writing for children, IWC is highlighting the Magic Hour Writers this week.

Magic Hour Writers primarily work with children’s writing. Its mission statement is: “To encourage and promote excellence in writing for children through friendship, education, and peer support among writing colleagues.” According to Judy Whitcomb, the group’s name was taken from a quote from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, “Oh, magic hour, when a child first knows she can read the printed word.” Judy said this quote represents why the group writes for children.

The idea for Magic Hour Writers emerged in 2009 when Judy Whitcomb and Jackie Huppenthal took a children’s writing class from Sharon Palmeri. The group’s meetings began in January 2010. Along with Judy and Jackie, five other founding members were in that same children’s writing class. The group averages about 11 members per year.

As creative writers, Magic Hour members are involved in events and activities throughout the year to promote and encourage children’s writers. Members of the group have provided support for the Power of Poetry Project (P.o.P.P.), which is sponsored by IWC and primarily funded by the Crown Point Community Foundation. This year, four of the members volunteered to judge flash fiction and poetry entries by middle school and high school students for the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.

In order to stay in touch, the group meets on the second Thursday of each month. But, to keep communication open and make sure that members are up-to-date, Jackie and Judy send daily/weekly emails that inform members of contests, new publishers, agents looking for clients, etc., so that members do not miss any valuable opportunities.

During each meeting, the members work together in different ways to ensure that the group fulfills its mission statement. They work as a team, with many subgroups that make up the entire group. During the critique group session, there is time to read and critique each other’s work. Though the main focus is on children’s writing, if a member has another piece of writing to share, the group eagerly critiques and provides feedback for that piece as well. For yearly educational goals, the group brings in speakers to their meetings from time to time, and they purchase books annually which become part of a lending library for member use. Members provide peer support to each other by having a directory that indicates what the members are interested in and what they are working on, which allows sharing of information. If other members come across something that another member may find useful in their work, they send it along.

The community built within this group is one of admiration. It is always comforting surrounding yourself with people who have the same interests as you. This group does just that, with its main focus on promoting reading and writing for children. Magic Hour Writers, in fulfilling its mission statement, is making a better community for children and children’s writers. 



Encouragement, Critique, and Networking for Creative Writers

by

Hayley Morris

 

IWC would like to highlight the Highland Writers Group this week.

I spoke with Gordon Stamper of Highland Writers Group (HWG) and would like to share some more information about the group and what they do.

The group was first established by Larry and Sharon Ginensky in 1997; however, six years ago, Gordon and his wife, Heather, took over the co-moderating duties. Gordon said, “…although we have changed over time and may meet in different locations, the dues-free and free-spirit attitude of Highland Writers Group still abides.” While the group does not have a specific mission statement, Gordon added that the group is here to “provide encouragement, critique, and networking for creative writers who are serious about exploring their craft.”

HWG meets on Saturdays. Meetings are held at the Grindhouse Café in Griffith at 3:30 pm on the first and third Saturdays of the month. On the second and fourth Saturdays, the meetings are held at the Blackbird Café in Valparaiso, also at 3:30 pm. At the weekly meetings, members generally socialize for the first half hour and talk about writing news. HWG members then pass around copies of their writing pieces and read them aloud to other members. This, then, is followed by a section of critique for the member’s work, and this cycle is repeated until the members have finished. Typically, meetings end around 6:00 and last no later than 6:30. Highland Writers Group members write in all creative genres—short and novel-length from creative nonfiction to poetry and fiction. Three hours of quality reading and writing, and a community of writers sharing their work—what could be more rewarding than this?

In addition, as an affiliated group of Indiana Writers’ Consortium, members of HWG have, in the past, served as officers, board members, and active volunteers in the organization. HWG also has special holiday editions of its meetings. Gordon said, “This year, HWG will have special Saturday meetings marking the unique poetic and storytelling possibilities for St. Patrick’s Day and Halloween.”

All of Highland Writers Group’s activities and the events they participate in are valued highly as ways to encourage, critique, and network with creative writers. HWG works together to do all of those things, “and we try to do it with a sense of humor when we can,” Gordon adds.

This kind of community creates an environment that allows creativity to flow and inspires new creative works—which keeps writers writing and encourages writing enthusiasts to emerge.