How to Have an Effective Writing Group
BY STEPHEN EARLEY JORDAN, II
The works you’ve written are numerous,
ranging from short stories to even the novel, hidden in a storage bin
(under the bed) collecting dust. But there comes a time when you must
wipe away that dust, regain your pride, and prepare your babies for
publication! But, how do you get such a critical, unbiased eye to
analyze your works, offering both praise and criticism?
It’s simple — start a writing group!
Creating a writing group is the easy
part, but creating a functioning and beneficial writing group can be
quite a task.
Writing groups are age-old sessions
where writers obtain helpful evaluations for their works. Nowadays,
though, writing groups seem to be a fad, and for many a status symbol
reassuring them of their writerdom. Don’t create a writing group simply
for the sake of saying, “I belong to a writing group”. Create or join a
group because of the numerous benefits that come along with them.
Keep Number of Members Limited.
You don’t want just one other person in this group. So shoot for 3 or
more members. On the other hand, you don’t want to have 30 people in the
group either. Try approximately 8-10 members. If one person leaves the
group, replace that person with a new recruit. Keep the same standards
for all members. Make it standard that members can only join by an
invite. Allowing your group to be very exclusive brings the group more
pride.
Select Randomly. It’s okay to
have a friend in this group, but you chose to create this writing group
for unbiased opinions. So don’t allow ALL the members to be your best
friends in which you see on a daily basis. Perhaps one member is 18 yrs
old, while the other is 35. Keeping age, sex, ethnicity, and educational
levels of your group will allow a diverse critique — which is ultimately
what you’re seeking. A diverse group will only make you and the group
much stronger.
Meetings. We’re all struggling
writers, so most often the other members of the group will have jobs to
attend. So finding an appropriate time for a meeting is crucial. I’ve
found that one Sunday per month, after 2 p.m. is great. Make it an odd
time. Creating times such as 2:07 p.m. will stand out and allow members
to remember. Where are these meetings held? Keep switching locations.
Allow the members to rotate the location to each of their homes. If
homes are not available, then a select person should discuss where they
choose the next meeting should be held. This is the reason membership
should be limited to a few members. It’s much easier to meet with just a
few people.
Text. Focus your group on either
poetry or prose—try not to mingle the two. If the text is prose, and the
writer wants his novel critiqued, suggest that the novel be submitted on
a “per chapter” (or two) basis. Don’t overwhelm the members with too
much to read at one time — or you’ll end up with no members. The month
before your work is critiqued, each writer should submit photocopies of
their manuscript to each member.
Know your intentions. Make sure
that, for the most part, members have similar goals: to be published or
for sheer enjoyment of writing. This will eliminate time wasted if you
know this upfront.
Critiquing. When critiquing the
text, encourage the members to speak as if the writer isn’t present. In
the meanwhile, the author can sit back, take notes, and write down
questions the critics may have posed. Encourage the critics to write on
their versions of the text before meeting. Allow approximately 20
minutes to discuss each member’s work. Upon completion of the critique,
critics should give the author their “corrected” versions. Complete the
critique by allowing the author to explain any unanswered questions and
to thank the critics.
If members can’t keep up with reading
that much work per month, then divide it up. Four writers submit one
month, while the remaining four submit the following month. Above all,
writing groups should be a relaxed environment — away from your
significant other, your children, and your job. Let this be a time where
you hone your writing skills with the assistance of others who simply
seek the same thing.
Stephen Jordan has five years
experience within the educational publishing industry. Stephen was a
freelance editor with such educational foundations as Princeton Review,
The College Board, New York University, and Columbia University. Away
from the office, Stephen promotes his creative writing with his
home-freelance business OutStretch Publications and his artwork. Stephen
holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees in writing and literature from
Alderson-Broaddus College of Philippi, West Virginia.
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