What is Golem?
Golem (aka the Allegheny Creative Writing Group) is a group of students interested in creative writing who meet once a week to provide creative writers on campus with feedback on their stories, poems and plays.  Each semester, Golem also publishes a journal of Allegheny students'creative works, and holds poetry readings.
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When and where does Golem meet?

Members currently meet each Wednesday at 6:00 PM, at the Writers' House, 382 East College Street.  That's the red house behind the library.  Back to top How can I get my work critiqued? You don't have to be a member of Golem to get feedback on your creative writing.  All you have to do is email the Golem account at golem@allegheny.edu or our groovy president, Carolyn at kellerc@allegheny.edu with a copy of your work in progress and ask to have it critiqued.  Your piece will be sent out to all of the Golem members, who will read it and comment on it in writing.  You'll receive an email telling you when the meeting where your work will be discussed will be. At this meeting you'll receive verbal feedback from the Golem members, and copies of your piece with their comments.  Back to top

What exactly goes on at a Golem meeting?
Members of Golem meet each week to discuss the submitted work and give constructive criticism.  They talk about what they like about a piece, what seems to be working or not working, and sometimes suggest how the author might go about making changes.  During this time, the author remains silent so as not to bias any of the feedback.  Most Golem members have had their own work critiqued by the group at some point, so discussion is never harsh or mean-spirited. 
After members have given their comments, the author is free to ask questions/explain/elicit further comments.  At the end of the meeting, the author receives copies of his/her work from each member with their written comments. 
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Tell me more about this weird silence rule.
It's natural for a writer to be uncomfortable when sharing a draft with others, and to want to explain or defend the piece while it's being critiqued.  Once a work is published, however, it must stand on its own.  In order to let the piece speak for itself during the critiquing session, Golem has the author remain silent.  It is easiest this way for critiquers to pinpoint what's not clear, what doesn't work, etc., and for the author to get quality feedback. 
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How can I become a member?
All you have to do is show up for the meetings, Wednesdays at 6:00.  If you aren't already on the Golem mailing list, just send an email to golem@allegheny.edu or kellerc@allegheny.edu asking to be signed up.  From then on you'll receive the weekly submissions to be critiqued by email.  If you aren't signed up for the email list, you can come to meetings anyway.  Hard copies of the submissions are always available at the meeting. 
After you've come to three meetings (not necessarily in a row), you are considered for membership (by which we mean, you will be a member after three meetings, unless you don't want to be).  You'll be given the password for the Golem FTP account, where you can find old meeting minutes, journals, submissions and other randomness.  Once you're a member, you might want to check out the information for new members page as well.
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Why become a member?
Golem members:
-befriend other writers with whom they can exchange ideas and problems about their writing
-have the opportunity to be on the Editorial Board and help decide what goes into the Golem Journal each semester 
-practice thinking critically about creative writing, which can help make their writing stronger
-experience all the fun and writerly growth of a creative writing class without the pressure of deadlines and grades
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How do I submit something to the Golem Journal?
Just email your piece to golem@allegheny.edu or drop a hard copy of it in box 1542, along with a note that it's a journal submission (so our president will know it's not a submission for critique). Every semester the deadline and page limits for these submissions are posted all over campus.  You can submit work to the journal whether it's been critiqued by the group or not.  In addition to poetry, fiction and drama, Golem also accepts artwork. 
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What happens to my piece after I submit?
All of the submissions are collected and sent out, without the authors' names,  to that semester's Editorial Board members.  The Editorial Board is made up of a group of Golem members which changes every semester.  The board members all read the submissions, then meet to discuss them and vote on which will be included in the journal.  The authors whose pieces are accepted are notified and asked to provide a brief bio, for which factual information is completely optional.  The journal is then printed and distributed free to the campus. 
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How can I stay informed about Golem events?
If you'd like to be notified weekly about Golem happenings, send an email to golem@allegheny.edu or doddk@allegheny.edu, asking to be put on the email list.  If you'd rather not receive emails, just watch the doors of the campus center and post office for fliers announcing poetry readings and submission deadlines. 
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Where does the name "Golem" come from?
The golem (not to be confused with Tolkein's Gollum) is a figure from Jewish mythology.  A golem is a human-like creature created from clay or stone or some other earth material, which is brought to life when written words are placed in its mouth.  The founders of Golem thought it was pretty cool that written words could have that much power.  And thus it came to pass that the group was called Golem.  And it was good.  You can find more information of the myth of the Golem here.
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