New Guidelines for Meetings

Based upon input from a number of concerned members, we are transitioning to a more structured meeting schedule and critiquing requirements. 

Beginning immediately, there will be a time limit for critiquing each submission during the meetings. We have 120 available minutes for each meeting and that time will be divided equally among the submissions and the critiquing for each submission will be timed. 

For instance, if we receive six submissions then each submission will be assigned twenty minutes for critiquing. Also, each member who submits a piece must refrain from excessive back and forth feedback during the critiquing. Once each member's allotted time is up we will move to the next piece. Submissions will be assigned in the order of page length with the longest saved for last. By critiquing the shortest pieces first, and assuming that some submissions will not use up their allotted time, it will allow additional time for the longer pieces toward the end of the meeting. 

Members are expected to be on time for each meeting. We begin our meetings at 10:00 AM sharp. If you show up late, your submission will be moved to the end regardless of its page length.

We need to treat our meetings in the same way as a writing class at MCC. It is imperative to get down to business during the time set aside for the meeting and not waste valuable productive time with discussions not related to our submissions. Personal news, questions about future meetings, classes at MCC, or social discussions must take place either prior to or after the meeting. 

If some members wish to extend the meeting to three hours for further discussion, that is a possibility if we find that we cannot adequately address every submission and provided that some or all members are willing to stay.

Also, because some members still work and have limited time to read submissions during weekdays, beginning with our first meeting in October, submissions must be presented no later than seven days prior to the meeting. This means that the submission deadline will be exactly at 10:00 AM the Saturday prior to the meeting. NO SUBMISSIONS will be accepted for critiquing if they do not meet this deadline. Our Saturday, October 6th meeting will be the first meeting subject to this rule and the submission deadline for this meeting is 10:00 AM, Saturday, September 29th. Once the submission deadline has passed, please do not resubmit submissions since that will only add an extra burden to other members. The submission deadline will be adhered to with no exceptions.