Writers group rivalry: Picking a name

A Facebook friend of mine recently started a meet-up group that was meant to keep himself on task with his writing at least once a week. Borrowing from the “Sit Down, Shut Up and Write!” meet-ups in our area, his group meets ridiculously early on Sunday mornings (8:30 a.m.) at a coffee shop with plenty of plugs for computers, and allows chit-chat for half an hour, then writing must ensue for the following hour, at least (more if you’re into it).

Literary turf war: Hemingway, poised to pop a cap in yo’ ass

I finally got around to committing myself to the concept of waking up earlier than usual, driving to this rather distant coffee shop, and gluing myself to a chair with caffeinated bribery as my reward for pounding out some pages last Sunday. And guess what? The bastard didn’t show! Instead, I met up with Black Heart’s new Fiction Editor and gave her the low-down on the magazine, and tossed her the keys to the fiction slush pile, which I believe she has now fully decimated.

Oddly enough, our fearless leader is again planning to be absent for this Sunday and next, so I’m starting to take this personally. I’m thinking of starting a rival literary gang that will set up shop in a café closer to my own ‘hood and write FAR MORE WORDS than his group ever did, through harsh task-mastery and caffeine bribery.

The only question is… what should we call ourselves?

I was thinking “Literary Vice Squad,” or maybe “Give Us the Coffee and Nobody Gets Hurt.” Thoughts?

8 Comments

  • Graham Strong

    When I was in university, we created a literary society for writing, reading, discussing. Didn’t go very far, really, But I really liked the name: Literary Society, Darling. (And yes, you have to say it with a mock British affectation.)

    The initials of course were LSD.

    Perhaps a little childish (hey, I was about 17) and not the edgy title you’re looking for, but this post reminded me of that, and made me laugh. Thanks.

    ~Graham

  • Laura Roberts

    LoL, nice one! Writers’ groups do often seem to have an air of affectation about them, so I suppose throwing in the British accent makes sense. The original group that inspired this post is named “The Writer Also Rises,” and features some commentary about how it should’ve been named after a different Hemingway novel, or how Hemingway isn’t a good role model for the group (which is mostly made up of women), or how there should’ve been some LoTR puns instead, which I find funny as well. Ah, writers, we’re a funny bunch, aren’t we?

  • Halifax

    That you are up so very early, “The Wise Cracks of Dawn”…or perhaps since it’s a Sunday morning ritual “The Early Service”

  • Laura Roberts

    Halifax: I am still debating whether I would even hold my group so early in the morning, but I do like “The Wise Cracks of Dawn.”

    Shandyowl: Unacceptable as in Comic Sans?

  • You're Gullible if You Think This is Actually My Name :)

    How about…
    Write Away
    Write the Right Stuff
    Write On
    FBA-Future Bestselling Authors
    The Write Stuff

    Okay, I know this is long overdue, I’m just going to return to this page later to see what I wrote.