Hey all, have just moved down here and looking to set up some kind of writing workshop. I know we tend to be a hermitlike bunch, but its good to get out sometimes...
I have no set idea of what it could be - could get together and do some writing or bring your work along to share/discuss. Any type of writing would be cool, Lets see whats out there - even if you have never written before and want to give it a go or discuss ideas - all is good.
Conversely, I've also thought about a reading group, but I believe there would be too many problems in getting hold of books here....
Look forward to hearing your thoughts :)
hi rossa, i have been considering starting to do some writing. maybe something a bit academic, more than fiction. but it might be cool to get a group going. what day/ tome are you thinking? evenings/ weekends suit me better.
i think there already is a reading group ahppening somewhere in Kunming.
Hi Rossa,
As to books, Yunnan Library down by Green Lake has an entire section of English books (I believe on third floor). I also have a collection of over 500 books.
In what area of the city were you thinking of meeting? And - - time - place?
Cheers - - JJ
Rosaa, there used to be a reading group which met at The Box (bar in the Wen Lin Jie area). It seems to have died down at the moment, but there's no reason it can't be revived.
Re: books, there are fair numbers of books circulating on-line in the e-mule/a-mule file sharing system. It's random, of course, but it's a cheap way to acquire, eg, the entire Cambridge History of China. It's all pirated, I would suspect, but "it is a marvelous thing to be a pirate king."
I'm involved in translating a French traveler's account of Yunnan in the 1870s. I know that there are other Kunming expats writing/editing seriously.
Hi Rosaa,
I'd love to join a writing group depending on my time availability. Let me know when and where. There's a new book club meeting at the Slice of Heaven Cafe (see classified/forum thread) if you're looking for a reading group. I can help out with the books depending on what you are looking for either used (I run the book exchange and book nook) or new (I can order from our supplier).
Let me know what interests people.
Steve (The Book Exchange and The Book Nook)
Great to hear people are interested, With the holidays and everything, I don't know whether this week is the best time, if people are going away from Kunming etc, so lets say Monday, at 8.
I want to find a good quiet tea house that never gets too busy, any suggestions? for me inside the green lake is the best, but I think we should have a first meeting in a place where everyone knows ie. Wenlin Jie.
The Vintage cafe seems to be empty most of the time, so I think for this purpose it would be good.
The group has no set form so just bring along your ideas, or what you're interested in writing for. If you want to bring pieces of your own work, you're welcome to, but this first meeting will just be to see how the group could work for us.
So 8pm on Monday, Vintage Cafe, Wenlin Jie, Hope to see you there
Might head there, dunno if I can produce anything worthwhile in time. Most of my writing has been thrown out into the internet, but I can be useful as an editor, or just to meet new people.
Bump... so 8pm, tonight, Vintage Cafe, Wenlin Jie.
I'll try and make it too.
