Leaving the Talecrafters

I've stepped down from active participation in the Talecrafters workshop. I had planned on leaving it until July to tell them I was going to call it quits, but James emailed the group asking us to let him know if we were still in or not.

I had suspicions back in December that I wouldn't be able to make it work. I've always said that I'm not going to start workshopping my current novel until the first draft is completed, and that's not changing. I'm just not writing enough short stories to warrant staying in the group. Sure, I could continue reviewing without actually submitting anything but, selfish as it sounds, I'd be working for nothing. I want to get something out of the group if I'm going to be putting this much time in.

So, I've stepped down. I think it's a good choice, although I do intend participating in some sort of review group when I finally get the first draft finished. Just not yet. Even though I'm fairly motivated at the moment, I just don't have that much free time. Any of this free time spent reviewing, is time not writing. Take last night, frex; by the time I'd got home, gone for a run, showered, ironed shirts for work, cooked and eaten tea, and washed up, it was nine o'clock. Okay, every evening's not that bad, but it's just an example. I want to review -- and I will try and get the odd one done -- but it's pointless doing that if I'm not actually writing.

Regardless of how much reviewing can help your own skills develop, the writing's got to come first.