Compass Points - The Writers' Group Handbook: Getting the Best For and From Your Writing Group

Introduction:

What A Writing group Can Do For You

Why Form/Join A Writers’ Group

As any writer knows, writing can be isolating. Spending hours hunched over your computer, typing your latest Work In Progress, can play havoc with your creativity. It’s all too easy to become disengaged from the world around you and it can sometimes feel, after receiving rejections, that you are the only writer experiencing the disappointment rejections can bring.

But help is at hand if you want it. Joining a writers’ group may seem daunting. You might even be in denial and not recognise yourself as the true writer you are.

What will a writers’ circle make of me?

I’ve not been published.

I’ve only ever had a letter published in my local paper.

They’ll laugh me out of the room.

These are all negative things I’ve heard fellow writers say when I’ve asked if they belong to a writing group. There can be no room for such negativity!

It’s no surprise so many writers are dubious about joining a writers’ group when some groups are so dysfunctional it’s a wonder they have any members left. I’ve heard tales of private feuds between members careering out of control, cliquey groups who are disparaging of any new members and groups that do the same boring read-a-round, meeting after meeting. You only get one life and sitting for an hour or two in a room full of blinkered, single minded, unhelpful writers is soul destroying and not conducive to creativity!

But, thankfully, most groups are fantastic, so don’t be put off. Finding the right writers’ group can be a challenge but not impossible. You need to try several on for size, fitness for purpose and comfort, as you would a new coat to get the right fit for you. There are no one-size fits all writing groups and no two writing groups will function in quite the same way.

I decided to join my local writing group, Wrekin Writers, www.wrekinwriters.co.uk, in 2008. I had just finished an Open University Creative Writing course and knew if left to my own devices I would struggle to find the motivation and inspiration to continue writing.

I also had little clue as how to progress my writing career. What I needed was a writing group to kick me into touch and keep me on the straight and narrow (as well as stop me from drowning in clichés!) But I have to confess that, at that time, I found the thought of walking into a room full of real, professional, experienced writers terrifying! I wasn’t a real writer. I was just playing at it! I very nearly didn’t make it through the door. I am so glad that I did as it kick started my professional writing career.

So, if you are a writer who is a member of a lacklustre writing group and you want to liven things up, or you are thinking of joining your local writing group but are unsure, or maybe you want to start your own writing group but have no idea where to start, this book is for you.

If you are a writer of any description, whether you are in a formal writing group or you just occasionally meet with writing friends, you will find lots of practical, motivational and inspirational advice here. With the knowledge and experience of a wealth of writers from a variety of writing groups across the UK, USA, Australia and Europe, you will find the answers to the many questions you have about writing groups.

Four years after I joined a writing group and several short stories, many articles, two blogs, an online short story critiquing blog, a column in one of the leading writing magazines in the UK, running several workshops, running an after-school creative writing club and now this book, I can say from experience that, for me, joining a writing group was the best thing I ever did for my writing career. Under their wings I was cajoled, encouraged, inspired, motivated, pushed and guided to be the writer I am today. Without their, quite frankly, bad influence, I doubt I would have ever found the self-confidence to even dare to send my writing out, let alone try to get anything published. And joining the right writers’ group could be the best thing you ever do too.

Chapter One

What A Writer Wants

What Makes A Good Writers’ Group?

If you are sitting at home, in a café or bar, lamenting your lonely life as a writer, you have probably received plenty of rejection slips to add to your wilting self-confidence. Oh, most of your family and friends will probably be supportive in the special way that only your closest friends and family can be. That’s nice, dear, they’ll mutter, eyes still glued to their favourite TV programme. You have to remember that these are the same people who stuck your latest messy, sticky, early childhood attempts at art work on the fridge door every week. They are proud of you whatever you do.

But there can be no substitute for meeting with a group of like-minded, experienced writers who will tell it like it is. They will support you like your family but will tell you the bits you might not want to hear but should hear about your writing and how you can move forward with it. So what does a good writing group need?

Pam Fish, chair of the National Association of Writers’ Groups, www.nawg.co.uk, says, The group must have a dedicated leader. Because however much you try to get everyone involved and taking part there does need to be an ‘organiser’ to keep it all together, someone who will keep the continuity of the ideals of the group going. The group needs only to have a simple plan, but this plan needs to be kept to and unless there is someone to do this the group will likely fall apart.

Having your family and friends’ support and attention, although important and nice, is not the same as having a roomful of professional, dedicated, know-what-they-are-talking-about writers who will study your writing in detail and give you the kind of constructive feedback you need. You won’t hear any, That’s nice, dear, comments at a good writers’ group meeting, or, at least, you shouldn’t.

There is nothing better for gauging readers’ reactions to your work as to reading it out loud in front of them, nerve wracking though it might be. Writers know writers. They understand what writers go through. They get you. Only another writer can understand why you spend hours typing away at your latest Work In Progress only to receive rejection after rejection, get up and dust yourself down and do it all again. Seemingly bashing your head against a brick wall is not the behaviour of a sane person!

When you join a writers’ group you have the benefit of having access to a group of writers with the tools to help you to realise your writing goals. Writers’ groups are a wonderful resource to tap into. You will find all kinds of writers there: professional, published writers, new writers, writers who write for pleasure and people who pretend they write but who just come along to the group for the social side or to publicise their cause. It takes all sorts to make a writing group and thank goodness for that! You will find a rainbow of colourful characters hanging out at a writers’ group meeting who wouldn’t be out of place in a novel! There is much inspiration to be had from simply observing your fellow writers.

So