RedPen Nine-Online

Is this you?

• Planning to write/edit something substantial in the next 12 months (a novel, memoir, or a collection of essays)?
• Keen to make this year the year you finish that project?
• Looking for feedback on your work-in-progress project?
• Looking for more efficient, less overwhelming, ways of editing?
• Needing an introduction to (or a reminder of) of the fundamentals of writing craft?
• Or wanting to learn more sophisticated writing craft techniques?

RedPen Nine Online is designed for you

RedPen Nine Online provides an opportunity for writers to share extracts from their projects and to give and receive feedback through a private Facebook community.

Within the Facebook group, I post tips and guidance on both writing craft topics and editing techniques, and encourage discussion on best practices.

The focal point, though, is within the online Zoom workshops where authors ‘enjoy’ a spotlight session and receive verbal feedback on their work.

There are nine workshops per calendar year, bookable in groups of three, allowing writers to take breaks to make identifiable progress on their projects between times. Summer term bookings are now open.

How long is each workshop?

Each Zoom session is 2½ hours in length: 3.30-6pm UK time.

Within each session, there will be several ‘spotlights’ and a break at about half-time, to grab a cup of coffee or have a comfort break – so you are not staring at the screen for 150 minutes solid.

How much does it cost?

Prices reward those who commit for the longest.

• £225 if you book for 3 consecutive terms ie 9 sessions, equivalent to £25 per session.
• £90 if you book for a term of 3 sessions, equivalent to £30 per session
• £40 if you book to attend a single session as an observer

How do I pay?

Visit the RedPen Shop and select:

• Nine Online Observer for the session on 8 May
• Nine Online 3 for just the Summer term
• Nine Online 9 for Summer and Autumn terms of 2024 and Spring term of 2025

What am I expecting from the writers?

A lot! Most important: commitment.

• I’ll ask you to commit to regular writing/editing for a particular project, eg a novel, a memoir, a collection of short stories,…
• I’ll suggest you view being a member of Nine Online as a way to make yourself accountable to yourself (and others).
• It’s important for those attending to commit to all sessions within any block of three, so we build a strong supportive network of writers which will result in greater progress for all.
• I’ll encourage all writers to take a turn in the spotlight at least once a term.
• Before every online session, I’d appreciate writers reading the spotlight material scheduled for that Zoom session and leaving a short review.
• During each Zoom session, I’d appreciate everyone being there! But if, for whatever reason, you can’t attend, you should definitely review all pieces scheduled for that session ahead of time, fleshing out your review to provide as much help as possible to the writer. (Thank you!)
• Between terms, there’s a break which should be long enough for you to make significant progress on your WIP, ready for your next spotlight.

What’s a ‘short review’?

For a short review (the minimum!), copy and paste these four statements and fill in the blanks.

1. What I liked about this piece was …
2. It made me feel …
3. What puzzled me was ….
4. I’d like to know more about …

How will the read-review schedule work?

The focus in Nine Online is the development of your writing craft – while maintaining/finding your voice – with a view to producing a completed piece of writing of which you can be proud. We don’t consider ‘creative writing’ as such – join Wednesday Writers for that. Having written a piece, before you can move beyond self-editing, you need feedback from other writers … so Nine Online is all about sharing your work and reading and reviewing the work of others, and learning writing craft and editing techniques.

• In the Summer term, all those who’ve been members of Nine Online before (AKA returners) are asked to share their piece by 24 April so that ‘newcomers’ have time (in session 1) to understand how we read-and-review material and to gain the confidence to share their own material before the newcomers’ deadline: 22 May.
• We review all submitted pieces and tackle several writing craft topics in session 1 and carry what’s left into session 2, and so on into session 3.

What form should the reviews take?

• The minimum requirement for a review is those 4 sentences PLUS verbal feedback at the Zoom session, so the writer can hear your views and all points can be discussed further during the Zoom.
• If you can’t attend a Zoom, as well as the 4 sentences, additional feedback would be useful ahead of the discussion – so whatever you spot can also be discussed during the Zoom session. This could be given via the FB group thread for that author’s work – or by email to me.
• In addition, you might provide detailed feedback direct to the author. If you feel able / have time for this, I’d recommend you identify one or more writers in the group as a feedback buddy – so you give greater feedback to them, and they do the same for you in return.

What are those sharing deadlines again?

• For the Summer 2024 term, the ‘returners’ deadline will be 24 April. Writers joining us for the first time then will be asked to share by 22 May.
• For the Autumn 2024 term, the ‘returners’ deadline will be 11 September. Writers joining us for the first time then will be asked to share by 9 October.
• For the Spring term 2025, the ‘returners’ deadline for sharing was 8 January. Writers joining us for the first time will be asked to share by 5 February.

Any ‘rules’?

• WHAT to SHARE?
  It’s up to you what you share: a short story, a chapter from your novel/memoir, an outline of a something you are planning to write, supporting material (like a character sketch, a beat sheet) or a treatment (your author bio, pitch, blurb, synopsis).
• HOW LONG a PIECE?
  A piece can be as long or as short as you wish, but anything over 2500 words needs either to be quite polished (short time to read and review) or, if it’s an early draft, the reviewers might choose to focus on only part of the material.
• HOW POLISHED DOES a PIECE NEED TO BE?
  It’s up to you.
  • You are welcome to share a first draft (Really? Yes!) A first draft will provide an opportunity for a review of your natural writing craft techniques and maybe help you to decide how you might organise your editing going forward.
  • A later, more polished, draft might provide additional opportunities to focus on structure, characterisation, sense of place/tension etc.
  • Sharing what you consider to be a finished draft might provide reassurance that there is very little more for you to do before sharing more widely (eg publishing).
• CAN YOU SHARE a PIECE MORE THAN ONCE?
  Yes, you might like to spend time revising a piece in the light of comments and then share the newer version to see how you’ve fared, and maybe find out what else needs attention. This is particularly helpful for writers new to this game as a single spotlight is unlikely to reveal every aspect of writing craft that the writer might learn during the editing process.

What will I provide?

• I will host the Zoom meetings, providing a safe environment for you to share your work and receive feedback from me and the others present.
• I will identify issues that arise for more than one writer and share writing craft techniques to address these issues. If time allows, this will be done within the Zoom sessions, but otherwise, it will be via posts in the FB group.
• I will schedule reviews within each Zoom session so as to address common issues while, at the same time, meeting the individual needs of writers.
• I will post links in the FB group to articles etc about writing craft.
• After the Zoom meeting in which their piece is spotlighted, I will email the writer with a private detailed editing review, identifying issues that they might address.

Ready to join?

Purchase a block of three, or a block of nine sessions at the RedPen Shop. Or come along as an Observer.

Need more information?

For more details, contact Anne Rainbow on 07721 695044 or by email at anne.rainbow@btinternet.com

This is me, Anne Rainbow.

• I’ve worked as an editor for decades and help writers to polish their manuscripts via mentoring on a one-on-one basis.
• I’m a published author of a variety of material – fiction and non-fiction – plus my ScrivenerVirgin blog.
• I facilitate the creative writing workshops: Wednesday Writers Online.
• I host 4-day writing retreats at the Cottage Hotel each March and November.