Question 1: What do you wish people would ask you about your writing?
What I enjoy the most is writers geeking out together about different ideas and exploring them together. I like brainstorming concepts, and world-building with friends especially when they lead to a fun story. As a result, I am happy when someone asks anything that leads to one of these discussions and we start picking apart what I have written and work to make it richer, more engaging, and unique.
Question 2: Which one of your characters would you most like to meet?
I don't have characters of my own that I would like to meet, generally speaking. Perhaps I haven't created The character yet. So I supposed this is a bit of a cop-out. If I was to pick from a favorite author, Harry Dresden from Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series would be top choice.
Question 3: What possessed you to run a writers group in Ann Arbor?
I was looking for a writing group and found that there wasn't one or at least one of a style that I wanted so I started one.
Usually writing groups are very much for those that have a manuscript and looking to refine it to get published. Those groups generally work with smaller memberships focused on feedback and editing. Other groups are simply networking venues for writers, editors and publishers.
What I wanted available for people in Ann Arbor (and surrounding areas), since there was nothing like this, was a social writing group that focused on actual writing.
A group for getting excited about writing, getting comfortable with what you write, sharing, supporting, helping, finding kinship and friends, networking and do writing as a fun enjoyable social activity that eventually can lead to publication. Even if someone doesn't get published they are doing something fun with a good group of people and having fun doing it.
Further, I really wanted the group to be a supportive community that felt like a comfortable environment where people could be themselves, write what they wanted but still push boundaries into their less comfortable zones and not feel pressured but encouraged to do so.
As corny as it sounds, I have worked to ensure the group culture became a warm nurturing environment as much as possible. I think it has worked and the wonderful amazing people in the group that show up frequently reinforce the idea in my mind that I must be doing something right and this is a community we need.
The End?
Links
Harmony through Expression (personal blog): http://harmonythroughexpression.blogspot.com/
Wisdom through Knowledge (personal blog): http://wisdomthroughknowledge.blogspot.com/
Suleman on Twitter: @SulemanDiwan
Suleman on Google+: Suleman Diwan