The Connection

The first meeting of the Great Falls Writer’s Group was held in August and group facilitator, local author Kristin Clark Taylor, reported via e-mail that, “because folks in the community are so thirsty to not only write, but to share their feelings about the writing process itself, we had to move the meeting to the large conference room—we had more than 30 attendees!” Taylor feels that it is “vital and extremely important” to hear a personal introduction from each person in order to maintain “an intimate, comfortable collective feel no matter how large our group becomes ... turns out we have doctors, lawyers, housewives, former and current NSA-types, teachers, retired teachers, published authors, men and women, young and old, and most important, everybody just wants to write!” Participant Nancy Hannan of Great Falls agrees that the group is “diversified … and willing to share,” and she looks forward to connecting with the group: “I write and find the energy from like-minded people a great asset. It helps the writing flow.” Great Falls resident Raymond Rollins says that the writer’s group is, “very much what I was hoping for,” and that like Hannan, Rollins is “energized by discovering how many similar souls there are in this community.”

THE SECOND MEETING, held on Sept. 10, was equally well attended. Opening the meeting in the same spirit, Taylor asked the new attendees to introduce themselves, and to briefly discuss how and why they want to incorporate writing into their lives more diligently and passionately. Great Falls resident Anastasia Kurbanov commented that, “writing has always been a passion, an opportunity to reflect on life and connect with my readers. Writing is a bright and colorful journey!” Kurbanov expects that the writer’s group will be a very interesting experience where she will be able to learn more about the writing process, obtain personal feedback and get valuable advice from fellow writers. Marjaneh Adell of McLean is writing a memoir and says that she needs to learn about the style, and the pros and cons of writing that kind of book. The group discussed methods of working through blockages when reflections may be painful and where making a connection with the reader may be difficult.

Rollins would also like to learn more about writing memoirs and family history. To that end, Great Falls Library Branch Manager Daniela Dixon provided the group with information on the Fairfax County Public Library’s Virginia Room, housed in the City of Fairfax Regional Library and described in its brochure as “one of the most comprehensive collections of historical and genealogical information in Northern Virginia,” containing “basic U.S., state and international genealogy research techniques materials for beginning to advanced researchers, referral sources for research in other states … [and] in-depth genealogical material for Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland counties with statewide materials for some other states and U.S. regions,” including war rosters of soldiers and indexes of pension files, passenger and immigration lists, and online resources such as Ancestry’s Library Edition and Heritage Quest. Dixon encouraged the group to use her as a resource, “if you are doing any research for your writing, any esoteric research that you may need help with”; and to contact her if anyone needs books or microfilms from outside the Fairfax County system that may be available on interlibrary loan. “We can get you a book from anywhere in the country,” says Dixon.

How to cull and generate material is one of the steps in the creative writing process that Taylor thought the group might want to explore. Rollins sought suggestions on how to organize notes and materials. Great Falls resident Patricia Attkisson wanted input on the methods and mechanics of getting thoughts written down or recorded.

ACCORDING TO TAYLOR, at the next meeting, the group will continue, “to delve into deeper discussion about the writing process,” by focusing on a single element over which the writer has control. Taylor emphasized that there is no need for participants to have attended prior meetings and there is no requirement that participants attend on a regular basis.

The next meeting is Thursday, Sept. 26, 11:15 a.m.-1 p.m., at the Great Falls Library, 9830 Georgetown Pike; phone: 703-757-8560.