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@karthmin

Hmm, I like that idea, but (and this might just be my sleep-deprived brain) I’m not sure how it would help forge closer writing communities. It seems it may just help writers learn and grow in their skills, which is great in itself, though may not help the community aspect much. If I’m totally missing the point, please do explain more, because I am a bit tired at the moment 😛

From my understanding, the idea of the guilds is to build close-knit communities of like-minded writers, right? Then, all the other stuff follows: enthusiasm for guild wars, critiques, learning from each other, encouragement, fruitful discussions, etc. While all those things can work apart from a close community, having a close community makes them that much more helpful. So I’m assuming the conundrum you all have (and I remember having as a guildmaster) is just how to create those communities, or how to create an environment that those communities will create themselves in.

Maybe I’m the only one who’s had this experience, but I do think it is quite difficult to create close communities in an online environment. Yes, it seems to work in some places, but most of the time I’ve found that the groups of writers who seem to really “click” online have met in person before. Blame it on human nature, but seeing other people face to face makes friendship and community-building much easier and quicker. Your focus is (hopefully) entirely on the other person, compared with typing a quick reply to a forum topic while on your way to walk the dog. I believe that’s part of the reason why the SE staff has yearly retreats and part of the reason you all have been able to form something more akin to the Inklings than any of the guilds have (and that’s also why writers who meet and hang out at writing conferences usually become fast friends, I think).

I think what I’m trying to say here is that live interaction may help the most in community building. Perhaps that means creating a means by which Christian writers can find other Christian writers near their area and meet up in person once a month, even if the rest of the time they interact online. Or it maybe it means live video calls, which, though not quite as good as in person interaction, are the next best thing. While discussions in a forum may be more coherent as we take time to mull over and edit our words (which I probably do too much), having the discussions verbally and in real time can be incredibly fruitful and build a bond of friendship more quickly. Perhaps even the same with accountability and encouragement.

I’m not saying that online communities are terrible. They seem to work great for some people. I’ve personally always wished I could speak voice to voice with the person I was communicating with so I could learn to communicate with them better and really show them I’m listening to what they’re saying; that feels more real, authentic, and dynamic to me. I might be the only one with this opinion, but I really think that perhaps complementing online interaction with live interaction would help the communities in the guilds.

Sorry that’s a bit long. Maybe it’s something you all have considered before, or maybe it’s not really what you’re after. Either way, I hope it’s helpful 🙂