In Which Our Group Plays Silent Hill 2

I didn’t get home last night until 2:00.  Our writer’s group didn’t start until 9 PM, and it was amazing. I had been struggling with a personal essay for the last two months, and I finally brought the sad little thing to the Illiterati.  Within three minutes, I kid you not, they dug down and got to the heart of the problem, and the thing is ready to rock and roll today.  Then we talked Battle Bunny out of going to the gym and into staying and eating pizza with us.  Sodas flowed.  We played Silent Hill 2 for a few hours, and I realized how hilarious games can be when played by a group of writers. 

“Whoever wrote this dialogue should be shot.  It’s unbelievable and the use of ellipses is criminal!”

“Foreshadowing! Foreshadowing!”

I think the breaking point was when I was trying to get into a church that obviously had no entrance, and when they told me to just leave it, I shouted, “But this place should be essential to the plot!”  Later on I was still trying to explain myself.  “If you have a gun, it has to go off. Why would they have a frickin’ church if it isn’t necessary to the story? It’s just extraneous!”

It was a fabulous time!  I can’t tell you how important and helpful a good writer’s group is. It isn’t necessary that you be friends outside of the group, but it certainly helps.  If you don’t have a good group, I’d suggest that you try to find one.  My work is 100 times better after the Interdimensional Wombats take an axe to it.

But finding a group isn’t always easy, and a bad group is worse than no group at all.  I met Mason at the Las Vegas Writer’s Group, and he introduced me to the group already in progress: billie the girl and Battle Bunny.  They’re the best group that I’ve ever been in, and I honestly think we’re a group for life.  But I’ve been in some terrible groups, as well.

Do you have a group? If so, are you happy with them?  How did you guys hook up?  Would you sit around for five hours and play horror games with them?  Can I come?  Because that would rock.

7 Comments on “In Which Our Group Plays Silent Hill 2”

  1. I have a writers’ group. It’s lovely, but I don’t think we’d ever hang out till 2am playing horror video games. We did, however, hang out watching Dr. Horrible and drinking wine this one time. That was awesome. 😀

  2. Your writer’s group sounds amazing. I’ve been searching for a good group for some time. The only critiquing I’ve done is through online forums, which has been helpful sometimes and other times, not so much.

    The game looks intriguing. I may have to check it out.

  3. Oh, I know it, Ray. Call it serendipity or divine providence, but I know how fortunate I am. Took me 30 years to find them, though!

    Good to see you, Jamal! I’ve never played it before, so yesterday was the maiden voyage. I’ll never get used to the broken controls. It was maddening!

    Dr. Horrible is awesome! You should come to our group for a Guest Night in March. We’ll make you play video games until your thumbs bleed. Oh, yeah, and maybe critique stuff, too. 😛

    Mason! And don’t forget that there is something “wrong” about this town. Misused quotes. Grrrr. Now I have to go slash me something. Where’s a board with a nail in it?

    billie, there were some skittering things. We all cringed a little bit, no doubt.

    Hi Paula! It’s a fun game. Old, fairly easy to find. Creepy and atmospheric. You spend a lot of time running through fog. We played late at night with the lights out. I’m sure it’s a totally different experience during the day. But the music is awesome!

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