Someone recently posted an ad on yours2share which I’ve reluctantly decided I have to remove because it isn’t really about sharing an asset, or sharing the cost of anything. But it did make me think hard about the boundaries of yours2share.
The ad read:
I am the catalyst for a new group, the South Norfolk Writers’ Circle. My purpose is to give new writers an opportunity to mix with and learn from those who are more experienced – both professional writers, and people in the publishing industry. To provide an arena in which those of us more knowledgeable will listen to, critique, advise, and encourage other writers. Perhaps with some, to “disciple” them, to mentor them, and whether they write for a hobby or have big dreams, to lift them in those dreams.
At the same time, even the most advanced of us are always learning, and I’m looking for writers who are willing to share their own minds and talents, and also who are enthusiastic about wanting to discover what’s in other writer’s heads.
I would love to end up with a really diverse group of people, of all ages and levels of experience, feeding and feeding off each other’s aspirations and mental stirrings. Who knows what brilliance will be the outcome? We could end up with out own “Inkling Bar”, like Lewis and Tolkien!
So, if you’re a writer (of any level) and are willing to share, we meet twice a month – on the First Saturday afternoon, and Third Thursday evening.
First Saturdays: Surlingham Ferry House, meeting starts 2.30 pm, optional socialising / eating from about an hour earlier.
Third Thursdays: George & Dragon, Thurton, just off the A146. Meeting starts 7.00 pm; optional socialising / eating from an hour or so earlier.
I have been thinking for some while that training is an obvious thing to share, particularly if someone wants expensive one-to-one training that could be one-to-two or one-to-three, provided the other people can be found. Personal trainers are another good example of training that can be shared. It is often easier to keep going and more fun if there are two or three of you, rather than just one.
There are two key differences between creating specialist groups and training: training is expensive and the partners need to be like-minded.