The Writing Life: Tips for Finding a Writer’s Group
by J.J. Murphy
I typically write and research alone, but without the feedback and support of other writers, I’ll miss out on valuable information and take longer to reach my writing goals.
Kudo’s to Suzanne Lieurance, who has a well-deserved mention in this article.
Here are some tips for choosing the writer’s group that fits your needs and goals.
1. What do you want the group to do for you? Do you want format, syntax and grammar checks before submitting to a publisher? Do you want marketing support and leads? Do you want feedback on the content and ideas in your writing? Do you want face time? Writers are surprised at how much mapping goes into writing. You need to know where you are and where you want to go before you start out. Wandering is OK, but not an efficient way to reach a goal.
2. What are you willing to do for the group? Most groups have expectations. In my poetry workshop, each reader was limited to two minutes. Period. No matter how long your poem, you had to pick the best two minutes. In my critique group, each participant has to contribute four times a month; you can submit work four times, but if you don’t critique what other people submit, then people will not critique your work. I critique more than I submit and try to go above the minimum.
3. How does the group meet? I’ve discovered that phone meetings are more effective than online meetings. I get information from people’s voices and I can take notes on my laptop while we speak. I like groups that meet in person, but I do not like to travel long distances by car. In any group, I do best when there is a leader who sticks to an agenda.
4. Are all the participants writing? In this day and age, most writers have a website. Visit their website and read their content. If it doesn’t resonate, keep looking. That is not a judgment on the quality of someone’s writing; it’s a way of narrowing your focus to the kind of writing group you are seeking.
5. Are the participants willing to share? I cannot believe how much free information is on some of these sites. I’ve been feasting at this online smorgasbord for months. There is more information than I can possibly absorb. One of the things that caught my attention is Suzanne Lieurance’s free ebooks. I like her writing style, so I am willing to participate in groups and forums where she is a leader or a participant.
6. Are you enjoying what others are writing? If you are not engaged in their work, then you are in the wrong group. Listening or attentive reading is a large part of writing; feedback is the lifeblood of a writing group.
7. Are the ground rules clear and do participants stick to them? Courtesy and respect should go without saying. Regardless of specifics, an effective group will have members motivated to help each writer improve their skills. Are there rules about who joins, number of absences tolerated, lateness, and the number of times a single piece can be resubmitted to the group? Is there a way for members to express concerns when the group is not meeting their needs?
8. Cultivate your critiquing skills. Give the type of feedback you expect to receive. It is more tactful to say, You may want to consider changing this scene to clarify which character is speaking, than You need to rewrite this because I can’t tell who is speaking. When reading, think about both the strong and the weak elements of the piece and give feedback on both. When receiving critiques, remember not to be defensive. If several readers or listeners have trouble understanding what you have written, that’s a clue that you need to revise your work. If one person makes a suggestion that is not shared by others in the group, you may decide not to incorporate those suggestions.
As a writer, you will always be dealing with style, clarity, tone, pace, theme, first sentences, credibility, the nuts and bolts like spelling, grammar, and syntax; if you write fiction, you can add plot, characterization, setting and dialogue to the list of skills the members of your group are trying to hone.
Once you have the ability to provide and receive informed suggestions to improve writing, a writer’s group is a wise investment of time.
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Platinum Level Expert Author for ezinearticles.com , JJ Murphy, offers creative nature curriculum, wild food recipes, fiction, poetry, articles and writing services for individuals, entrepreneurs, small businesses and ecologically aware companies. Visit http://www.WriterByNature.com for samples of her work.
Topics: writers groups, writers groups guidelines, writing group guidelines |