how to start a creative writing group

Writing Group Starter Kit

You’ve decided to form a writing group. Congratulations! The Writing Center has established this kit to help writers like you get a group going and help it succeed, right from the start.

Starting a writing group, especially your first one, can be a little overwhelming. To help your group get off on the right foot, we’ve put together this collection of handouts for your group members to fill out before the first meeting. These will help you break the ice, learn about each other’s writing needs and group interactions, and start to plan a structure and schedule for your group that will work for everyone.

• Deciding How the Group Will Function
• Personal Goals Worksheet
• Writing Inventory Worksheet
• About My Writing Sample Worksheet
• Group Work Inventory
• Schedule Inventory

Before the first meeting, everyone should read the handouts above and prepare to discuss their answers. They should also share a short writing sample (an excerpt from a paper would be fine). Of course, your group can modify this starter kit by adding other questions you would like each person to answer beforehand or subtracting worksheets that you don’t think will help you.

In your first meeting, your group might start by talking about why each of you wanted to join a writing group (using the Personal Goals sheet), then move on to discussing yourselves as writers (using your Writing Inventory and sharing your writing samples and the “About this Writing Sample” sheets). Finally, you might discuss your preferences for working together (using the Group Work inventory) and figure out a good time and place to meet (using the Schedule Inventory). All of these conversations can help you set some ground rules for your group, which you may want to write down, and will help you get to know one another as writers and group members. You might develop your own writing group “creed” at your first meeting to set the tone for future sessions.

It may be a good idea to close your first meeting by scheduling the next meeting and setting an agenda for it. Groups usually get off to a good start when the first meeting sets most of the ground rules, at least tentatively, and then subsequent meetings get right down to talking about and working on writing. By setting an agenda for the next meeting (who will bring writing, what you will work on, etc.), you can be sure that your group will start helping one another with writing issues almost immediately, and you can all leave the first meeting knowing what you should do between then and the next session.

How to Run a Successful Writing Group

So you’ve set up your writing group. Now what?

Whether your group is newly formed, or perhaps it’s been running for a while, here are some ideas that can help you inject creative energy.

1. Create the right atmosphere

In order to get into the right creative space, you need to feel at ease with your fellow writers. Make sure new members are welcomed and introduced. And get everyone to say something in the big group at the beginning of every meeting so all members feel involved from the start.

Beginnings to break the ice could be :

• One good thing that’s happened for me in the last seven days
• One thing I’m looking forward to this weekend
• One accomplishment achieved in the last seven days (could be anything from cooking a curry to climbing a mountain).
• One new thing I’ve tried – it doesn’t matter whether it succeeded.

2. Have an agenda

An agenda that roughly follows the same formula each time means people will know what to expect.

You have options but it could look something like this:

• Welcome everyone and do a round the table check in (see above) that allows everyone chance to say something. This could include brief introductions if there are new members.
• The secretary or person in charge of correspondence gives news of writing events, courses, competitions that have arrived via post or email. Members add whatever they have heard of or spotted in magazines.
• A short spontaneous warm up writing exercise with read backs
• Refreshment break for informal friendly chat
• Read backs and feedback of pieces people have written at home. Or a group exercise designed to develop some specific writing skill with read backs.
• Anything else anyone wants to raise and date and time of next meeting.

3. Start on time and end on time

This will encourage latecomers to be prompt and enable members to plan the rest of their day or evening.

4. Share the organising

If one person does everything, the burden is awesome. Eventually you might consider appointing different people to share out the tasks.

These might include

• Secretary – a named person to receive and deal with correspondence and prepare agenda
• Someone to send out reminders of meetings. This could be the Secretary or a different person
• Facilitator to set exercises (or this might change for each meeting)
• Refreshments organiser
• Membership organiser – the role could be combined with…
• Treasurer/Accounts organiser to open bank account and collect fees, pay venue hire if necessary. Some libraries may lend you a room without charge
• Resources and library manager to look after any writing books purchased and owned by the group
• Events organiser to plan days out, theatre visits, invite visiting speakers/tutors depending on how social you want to be.

5. Set stimulating exercises

Some sources of ideas

• Beg, borrow or buy writing books and look for exercises that will develop specific skills. Try the library, bookshops, charity shops, Amazon and writer friends who may be clearing their shelves.
• Google ‘writing exercises for groups’. There are lots of ideas available free on the internet.
• Use old photographs of places or people, song titles, imaginary dialogue between two characters drawn out of a hat to trigger a story. Be creative. And enjoy!

Recommended books for writing exercises:

The Five Minute Writer Taking Reality by Surprise What If? Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers The Writer’s Block

6. Give honest feedback

One of the reasons people join a writing group is so they can have access to honest feedback. But they often report that their fellow-writers are either too nice or too negative about each other’s work. Both types of feedback can be equally unhelpful.

• Too nice is bland, boring and gives the writer no feeling of honest appreciation when they do produce something that is genuinely good.
• Too negative is discouraging and disheartening.
• What’s needed instead is a positive atmosphere in the sessions that evokes honest, sensitive and respectful feedback. Comments should be constructive and a good formula to follow is two positives and a negative.
• For instance, “I really liked the way your piece evoked atmosphere of the place (positive). And you built up a feeling of suspense and tension very well (positive). I think the dialogue could reveal a little more of the difficulties of the relationship, rather than using the narrative text to highlight the problems.

If people find it difficult to give feedback, brainstorm a list of criteria you might look at when evaluating a piece of writing and display it prominently. It might include:

• Does it begin well?
• What emotion/s does it evoke?
• What particular words or phrases do you remember?
• How do you personally relate to the piece?

You might consider appointing the two people sitting next to the reader to take responsibility for giving feedback before opening it up to the group.

Remember most writers have delicate egos and are fairly quick to criticise their own work. So you might introduce a ground rule that no one should be negative about their own writing, or apologise for what they read out. This will help generate a more positive atmosphere.

7. Celebrate your successes

When one of your members wins an award or a competition, or gets published in any small or major way, make it an excuse for celebration. A round of applause, a shared cake or bottle of bubbly. Do whatever works. And encourage your writers to aim for the stars. Who knows – one of them might be the author of the next best-seller.

For information on inviting Judi to run a session at your writing group, in person or online with Zoom click here

How to Launch a Writers’ Group: 6 Pieces of Advice

A well-known African proverb says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” The same is true for writing.

Six months ago, I had an idea to start a writers' group, a cohort of people banded together by their passion for writing. Three months later, I launched the web presence of the group, The Write Practice.

Since then, I've learned a little more every day about what it takes to start a successful writers' group . It's not easy, but it's worth the effort.

The only good reason you should start a writing group is if you don't already have access to a one. It's far easier to join a group than it is to start one.

However, for the brave and stubborn, here are six pieces of advice about how to launch your very own writers' group.

1. Help people

People join writing groups to get help, so if don't want to help other writers, don't start a group.

How can you help your fellow writers?

My group helps people develop their writing voice , but others might help you build your online platform, network with other writers, or help you deal with rejection.

The possibilities are endless, but the non-negotiable is that you must help people.

2. Have a physical and online presence

From the beginning, I wanted my writing group to be both online and off-line.

The Internet is an amazing way to connect people to each other.  Blogging especially is a great way to meet people. However, it's difficult to build deep and meaningful relationships in a writing group if you only meet online.

As the leader, it's your job to find ways to connect those people in real life. You may find yourself throwing parties, starting book clubs, or even going to writing workshops and conferences.

3. Throw parties

Chuck Palahniuk said, “Use writing as your excuse to throw a party each week — even if you call that party a ‘workshop.'”

I love the idea of a group of people coming together to celebrate their passion.

Once a month, my wife and I host a “writing feast.” We make a bunch of food, invite a bunch of our writer friends over to the house, and have a big party.

We might talk a little about our writing or the books that inspire us, but mostly, we celebrate the gift of writing.

4. Be consistent

Writers, like all creatives, can be terribly inconsistent.

We like to write when we want to write, to get together when we want to. However, to build a group you have to show up consistently.

If you're going to meet in person, meet at the same time every week. If you're going to create an online community, contribute every day or at regular intervals.

Writing groups take a long time to build, and if you don't show up consistently, no one else will.

5. When critiquing, focus on the bright spots

One of the main reasons people join writing groups is to get feedback about their work. However, there is a helpful way and an unhelpful way to do this.

The human mind naturally focuses on flaws. It's in our wiring.

When you critique someone's writing, try to intentionally look for way to praise the person's work (even if you didn't really like all of it). For example, say, “I loved what you did here . You should do that more often.”

It's more helpful when someone tells you to do something more than when they tell you what you're doing is wrong .

6. Beware “Entrepreneur's Depression”

As you are preparing to start your writers' group, you might dream of dozens of writers showing up to your first meeting. You may fantasize droves of hungry writers saying, “We've been waiting for someone to start this for years. Thank you so much! Lead us, oh fearless sage.”

But it doesn't happen like that.

The first time I threw a writing feast, two people showed up. After three months of preparation, my website had received less than 100 visits in the first week.

When you don't get the response you expect, the you may feel betrayed. This is normal . But whatever you do, don't give up. Fight through the disappointment.

If your dream for a writing group is going to become a reality, you will have to keep showing up. You'll have to persevere.

No one is going to start it if you don't.

Would you want to be a part of a writers' group? What would you look for as part of your perfect cohort? Share in the comments .

*Photo credit: Horia Varlan (Creative Commons)

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Writing might seem to many to be a solitary activity, but actually, community is a huge part of being a writer. A creative writing group is a great way to motivate yourself to keep writing, to give and get support from other writers, and to receive feedback on your work.

My own creative writing group started my senior year of college. A recently-graduated friend started the group because she wanted to have a community of writers like the one she had in her college creative writing workshops. Our group has been going strong for four years now, and it's been a wonderful experience. My group has been a source of constant support, encouragement, and joy for me throughout the years.

The most wonderful thing about starting a creative writing group is that you can build it to be exactly what you want it to be. You can make it a workshop-style group where you read each other’s work. You can form a group where you meet up together and write. You can create a group where you just meet up to talk about writing. There are no rules. For that reason, you should take these tips for starting your own creative writing group as suggestions, not rules. Every writing group is different, and you should talk to each other about your preferences. Open communication is a key part of having a group in which everyone is comfortable to share their writing.

1 Set ground rules.

Sit down and make an agreement about how the group is going to function. Consider how you want to handle people not showing up to meetings, how many people can submit readings every meeting, how to mediate discussions of people's work, whether or not you should give each other written comments, etc.. Have a conversation with your fellow writers about what you each feel is good workshop etiquette. Delegate responsibilities to each member, and (most importantly) decide who's in charge of setting meeting time. It's easier to talk about these things ahead of time, rather than in reaction to a problem.

2 Be realistic about everyone's time commitments.

When my writing group first starting meeting, we tried to meet once a week. But it just didn't work out with everyone's schedules. Be upfront about how much time you each have to commit. My group found that it's better to have more people at fewer meetings than the other way around. Maybe try every other week or once a month to begin, and add more meetings as needed.

3 Agree on a method & schedule for sharing your writing.

When my group first starting meeting, everyone shared their work at each meeting. Spoiler: It didn't work at all. It took too long, and most of else felt a lot of pressure to finish drafts before our meet-ups. Considering this, we decided to switch to a model in which two people submit their writing every meeting. These writers would send it to everyone else before the meet-up, so everyone had a chance to read them through and formulate constructive comments. We function on a first-come-first-serve basis, with priority given to people who haven't shared in a while. However, when your group first begin meeting, it might work best to create a set schedule.

4 Agree on a form of communication.

Every group works differently. Some people prefer email chains, some people prefer group texts, some people prefer GroupMe. Our group has a private Facebook group wherein we create events for meetings, post links to relevant articles, share opportunities to submit our writing, and just give each other general support. Talk to your group, and figure out what's best for you!

5 Have hang-outs that don't involve writing at all.

Having a group that gets along is super important. Do some fun stuff! Get some coffee, have a movie night, or go to a reading together.

6 There are plenty of people who would love to join a writing group.

When we first started, we didn't think we would be able to find anyone who was interested. But we soon learned that there are tons of writers out there looking for. Reach out to people you know who are writers, post a call on your Facebook page, or you could even create a group on Meetup. (Though, once your group is set, I would recommend keeping it a closed group.)

7 Make a decision about how big/small you want the group to be.

Our group has fluctuated between five to eight people over the years, which is a size that really works for us. But maybe you want to keep your group smaller, or open it up to be larger! Just make sure everyone in the group is on the same page and feels comfortable enough to write and share with the others.

8 Be prepared for people to come and go.

No group is going to remain exactly the same forever. Don't freak out if someone realizes they can't do it anymore, and create a plan for adding people to the group when the time comes. It's OK to give people a trial run to see how they play into the group dynamic.

9 Find a meeting place that is convenient and spacious.

It's harder than you would think to find a good meeting space. You definitely want everyone to have enough room and to be able to hear each other. Try a local coffee shop with an outdoor patio, or a park with a seating area. Some local libraries also have meeting rooms that you can rent out for free!

10 Have nights where you write together.

Sometimes just having someone there while you're writing is super helpful. Plus, it's easy to just send a message out to your group saying "I"m headed to this coffee shop to write. Join me if you're around!" Super casual, no plans required.

11 Don't be afraid to change things up!

The key to keeping your group going is being flexible, open, and kind to one another. Don't be afraid to make changes if you need to.

Writing Groups 101

Introduction.

Are you thinking about starting a writing group? Joining one? And what is a writing group anyway? First things first:

A writing group is a bunch of people who come together to pursue the art or craft of writing.

There are many possibilities for a group’s structure and format. What these groups have in common is that they are a place to pursue something you care about—your writing— with other people. Many offer accountability, support, feedback and encouragement. In the best, you will improve your writing and make some good friends.

In this short guide to writing groups, we will share information on some of the common formats, help you figure out what kind of group might make sense for you, give tips on what to consider when starting or joining a group, and finally share some history and additional resources.

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25 Top Tips for Writing Group Success

Here’s the thing about writing groups. A good writing group can hone your skills, give you concrete accountability, and let you share your highs and lows with people who truly understand the challenges of this often lonely profession.

A bad writing group saps your energy, steals your confidence, and eats up time you could spend just writing. It can be a seriously bad scene.

But how can you tell the difference? Once in one (or starting one), how can you set it up for success? Nobody goes into this with the purpose of wasting their time, It’s just that most writing groups are composed of people who’ve never been in or run one before.

To help you make the most of your writing group — whether you have one or are starting one up — here are the 25 Top Tips of Writing Group Success.

25 Commandments for a Successful Writing Group

1. thou shalt have a mission.

Your writing group should have a clearly worded, ideally written, mission statement to keep all members focused on their goals. This helps in two ways. First, it makes sure everybody in the group is heading in the same direction — writing groups don’t help much if half the group is writing fiction for publication and the other half is putting together memoirs for their grandkids. Second, it’s something you can look to during meetings to keep folks on track.

2. Thou Shalt Be Neither Too Large, Nor Too Small

If a writing group is too large, it’s hard to get good enough feedback to everybody, and the meetings become bulky and hard to manage. If it’s too small, there aren’t enough voices to get varied feedback or achieve a critical mass of energy and motivation. Good writing groups have at least four and at most seven members.

3. Thou Shalt Have a Mix of Experience

One problem faced by a lot of writing groups is that they tend to consist of writers all at the same space in their careers. This is fine, but it’s even better to get a group from different levels. The veterans can mentor the newcomers while the newcomers can provide a level of enthusiasm and energy.

4. Thou Shalt Have a Mix of Genres

One of the most important things a writing group provides is to give you access to a variety of voices and opinions about your work. If everybody in your writing group writes in the same genre, it limits that variety. Branch out. The different perspectives will make each session more worthwhile.

5. Thou Shalt Start Each Meeting Right Away

Listen. Your writing group people will become your friends — but friendly visiting time is for hours outside your writing group meeting. You’re all working a regular job, or taking care of a household full time, and writing, and working in the writers’ group. Start immediately with the first business, and keep side conversations to a minimum. It can help to send an email with the evening’s agenda out a day or two in advance, so everybody knows what the first minute of the meeting is supposed to look like.

6. Thou Shalt Know Each Other’s Goals

This is a good thing to go over in the first get-together of your writing group, where you’re deciding organizational stuff, rules, and the like. If you know your group members’ goals, for their writing and for any specific manuscript, you will be better able to give the most useful critique possible.

7. Thou Shalt Not Submit Your Whole Manuscript

Books are long, and time is short. If you wait on your writing group’s ability to go over every page of your work in progress, you’ll end up years behind schedule. Provide the key points of the plot and story, and especially the pieces you’re having the most trouble with. If you have to give a little summary before diving in, that’s perfectly okay.

8. Thou Shalt Give Homework

At the end of each meeting, go around the table and commit to what you will read, write, and critique by the day of the next meeting. Be as specific as possible: word count/page number, degree of review, times and dates. Setting these goals out loud in front of your buddies is one of the best accountability tools.

9. Thou Shalt Honor Thy Promises

I know: you’re busy. Number 5 above stressed how busy you all are. That said, do everything you can to keep the commitments you make to your writing group. That means write what you say you will write, read what you say you will read, critique what you say you will critique, and show up to the meeting on time. Everybody is counting on everybody else, and you would be amazed how quickly one broken link breaks the whole chain.

10. Thou Shalt Decide Oral or Online

There are infinite ways to organize the work of a writing group, but most fall into one of two broad categories:

• Having the critique read their work aloud, then have other members critique afterward.
• Having members critique submissions online, then meet to discuss the critique

Neither is objectively better or worse than the other, but keep two things in mind. One might be better or worse for you, and it is always better for any given writing group to use only one method. Decide early how it will go for your group, and stick to it.

11. Thou Shalt Have a Moderator

Somebody in each meeting should have the role of moderator. They keep conversations on point, move along agenda items, call people out if they’ve become aggressive or defensive, and keep the wheels of the meeting greased. In some cases, a writing group will have a member who’s natural for the job. Most of the time it’s best to rotate through moderators to keep the power dynamic balanced.

12. Thou Shalt  Remain Open

This one is less about the group and more about you. You want a writing group because it gives you access to opinions outside your head and immediate family. If you’re not open to those outside perspectives, a writing group only wastes your time. Listen closely, and be open — even (especially) to the things you don’t want to hear.

13. Thou Shalt Critique, Not Criticize

The reason for feedback is to help writers improve. Every member of your gang should feel safe sharing their work, which means all feedback should be delivered kindly, with positive language, and with the intention of helping the writer build a better story. Hold yourself unerringly to this standard, and if a member of your group doesn’t…they’ve got to go.

14. Thou Shalt Use the Cone of Silence

This rule is one of the few absolute, 100%, no-exceptions rules for effective writing groups. When it’s time for a member to receive feedback, they must be absolutely silent until the feedback has been delivered in full. This is for two reasons. First, it keeps things tight by preventing the critique from becoming a conversation. Second, most people need to sit with critiques and suggestions for a couple minutes — the cone of silence gives you those minutes.

15. Thou Shalt Ask Rather Than Argue

It is never appropriate to argue with the feedback you receive in a writing group. That’s disrespectful to the person who critiqued you, and wastes your time. Responses to feedback should only be questions that clarify or expand on what you’ve heard. It’s your choice whether to act on or ignore those thoughts afterward, but arguing is simply bad form.

16. Thou Shalt Do the Work

No member of a writing group gets to “audit the course.” Anybody who’s part of the group submits writing, critiques writing, and shows up. If a member can’t, they’re welcome to take a hiatus and rejoin when they have more time, but everybody needs to have real skin in this game.

17. Thou Shalt Not Be a Book Club

Everybody in your writing group is a reader (or should be — writers who don’t read will not succeed in this craft, and do not deserve to). You like and are excited about books, so the temptation to talk about the latest novel doing the rounds will be very, very strong. Resist that temptation. If needs be, head to the local pub or coffee shop after your meeting to talk about books.

18. Thou Shalt Meet in Person

This isn’t always possible, and long-distance critique groups are better than no writing group at all. However, meeting in person gives you all the facial expression, voice tone, and body language that communicates about 80% of what a critiquer means. It’s also easier to maintain attention and focus — a fact we all know from our Covid-era business meetings.

19. Thou Shalt Avoid Forming Cliques

Although some members of your group might be closer than others in real life, your time at the meeting should be a council of equals. Cliques and in-groups can be absolutely destructive to the feelings of trust and safety that make a writing group work.

20. Thou Shalt Not Share Another’s Work

Unless you have gotten permission first, never, ever, EVER share other peoples work outside the group — not even to your romantic partner or to an editor you’re sure will buy it. People are nervous about sharing their work, and trusting you with something so personal it’s almost a secret. Do not break that trust.

21. Thou Shalt Critique the Words, Not the Author

This is a subsection of #13 above, but so important it deserves its own entry. Never make a personal attack while delivering your critiques. This might feel obvious, but it’s easy to fall accidentally into this modality. Consider the difference between “this page seems to….” and “you seem to…”. The latter suggests a personality trait, a personal flaw. The former diagnoses an issue to solve on the page.

22. Thou Shalt Remember Thine Own Bias

Remember that to provide constructive feedback, you need to look at the quality of the work within its own context. You see the opposite of this in Amazon reviews all the time — feedback that amounts to “one star because I wish it was a different kind of book”. Don’t do that. Look at the words, story, characters, and plot in their own right without the filter of what you prefer to read.

23. Thou Shalt Have a Trigger Policy

Every member of every group has trouble from time to time. A trigger policy is a set of bylaws you agree to that describe under what circumstances somebody need to leave the group temporarily or permanently. This sets you up to succeed in two important ways:

• It takes worry and pressure off solid members having a bad week. If the rule is “You’re out if you miss three meetings in a quarter”, then missing just one meeting for a dentist appointment isn’t a source of stress.
• It lets you make the rules the “bad guy” instead of the group if you have to boot somebody. It’s not you doing it, it’s the rules you all agreed to when you started.

24. Thou Shalt Take Nothing Personally

As a flip side to the coin of critiquing words, not authors, you should always take feedback as asking your work in progress to change, not you. This can be as hard as remaining dispassionate when somebody says something about your child, but it’s important. You won’t be able to effectively vet the critique if your feelings are hurt.

25. Thou Shalt  Remove Trouble Members Immediately

Nothing kills a writing group faster than people who won’t abide by the rules you agreed to. It disrupts flow, erodes trust, and makes the whole thing a waste of time. Use the trigger policy to remove people who won’t respect the meeting and its members. If you’re bringing on new people, a probationary period can help you swiftly oust problem newcomers.

One Last Hard and Fast Rule

There’s one more rule to consider, and it’s one nobody can ignore. To get the most out of a writing group, you have to be in one .

That’s your homework for this month, whatever month you’re reading this in. Go find, or make, a writing group, and have your first meeting less than 30 days from right now.

Mark your calendar.

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How To Create a Writing Group

A Step-by-Step Guide

Step one: finding writers.

Writers can be an introverted group so meeting other writers isn’t always easy. The first step  to creating a writing group is finding other committed writers who are:

(1)  Willing to put in the time necessary to read and carefully critique your work. (2)  Capable of giving you constructive advice.

Taking a writing class allows you to meet other writers, read their work, and listen to their critiques. Writing clubs, community colleges, and continuing education classes are all good places to meet other writers.

Step Two: MAKING CONTACT

The second step is telling other writers you are forming a group and inviting them to join.

(1)  Person-To-Person. If you are enrolled in a creative writing class or workshop, you could make an announcement before or after class that you are interested in creating a writing group and see who responds. But use caution. It is much easier to invite someone into a writing group than to un-invite them. Therefore, BACCA suggests that you give careful consideration to which classmates you want in your group and approach each classmate individually.

(2)  Online. Talking to people face-to-face can be awkward, especially if there are some in the writing class you would like to join your writing group but others who might not be the right fit. Hopefully, the teacher has made exchanging e-mail addresses or other contact information part of the class.

Step Three: WHAT TO SAY

How do you broach the subject? Here are some example e-mails:

Example (1):

Hi-de-ho peeps,

Might any of you be interested in a critique swap? Maybe get together one Saturday morning towards the end of the month? Just a thought. 

I wrote a short story last weekend that I would appreciate some honest feedback on. I’m happy to reciprocate.

Best, Your name

 Example (2):

Hello Classmates,

Class will end in a few weeks, and then the holidays are upon us and people will be going out of town. I have a couple of questions to ponder regarding our proposed writing group.

First, would you like to meet in December or wait until January?  

Second, think about what day of week and time works best. I think around noon on Saturday once a month works well but I’m open to another time. What sort of time commitment can you give per meeting? I think two hours is a reasonable amount of time. With five of us, that’s a lot of reading and critiquing each month. If we plan to meet for 2 hours, that’s realistically 15 minutes or so per critique with time in between to shuffle papers, go to the bathroom, etc. 

Finally, please don’t feel any pressure to join this group. It’s such a big commitment of time and talent.  

Let’s get a discussion going.

Thanks, Your name

Step Four: ESTABLISHING THE GROUND RULES

(1)  SCHEDULING. Date, time, place, frequency. This will be first stumbling block of your brand new writing group:  Coordinating a regular slot of time in a quiet, accommodating location.  Time, place, frequency of writing group meetings. Examples: Saturday, noon at Starbucks, once a month.

(2)  When and how to submit your writing to the group. For instance: Submit one week prior to meeting via e-mail. See Responding to Other People’s Fiction  by Luke Whisnant for how to critique the submissions of the other writers in your group.

Step Five: MAINTAINING COMMITMENT & MANAGING EXPECTATIONS

Starting a writing group can be daunting, but maintaining it is essential.

(1) Find a group leader. See How To Lead a Great Writing Group by Bethany Carlson

(2) Remember why you joined a writing group:

• To get published.
• To support each other’s writing journey, regardless of the outcome.
• To be part of a community of writers.

— Carolyn O’Neal

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A Practical Guide to Starting a Group of Your Own

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How to Start a Writing Group

One of the best ways to improve your skills as a writer is to get feedback from other writers. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned professional, a writers’ group is an excellent way to learn by sharing with others in the craft. If you have a blog or podcast, starting your own writers’ group can be an excellent way to establish your authority in the business and build a community to help each other grow. Here are a few tips on how to start a writing group.

What is a writing group?

Why should i join a writing group.

If you are not already part of a writing group, there are many reasons why you should find one. Writing tends to be a solitary profession where we often find ourselves working at home or in a very small office. We can lose touch with trends and get into set routines that do not allow us to grow as writers. Writers’ groups are a way of fostering community and keeping perspective that we are still a part of a larger industry that has a specific role in society.

Meeting Components

The key to launching a successful writing group is to have a clear purpose and framework that will give members an idea of what they can expect to gain from membership. The first thing you need to do is to decide what type of writing group you want to start. Then, you need to set clear writing group guidelines and expectations.

Online writing groups can have many advantages. The first is convenience because everyone can attend online meetings from their home. Meeting in person has advantages, too, due to the closeness and intimacy that it fosters. You can also have a group that meets both online and in-person if you wish.

Group Framework

Regardless of the meeting place, the first step is to establish what you wish to accomplish with the group. Here are a few writing group ideas. You could start a group to:

The group content and structure can be as formal or informal as you like. It is good to keep the structure consistent, especially in the beginning. Once you are established, you can occasionally include a fun activity to add variety and make it interesting. The most important thing is to set clear rules for giving feedback in the beginning and keep it positive.

Virtual options: how to start a writing group online

Meeting in person has some advantages, especially for small groups, but starting a group online also has a distinct advantage. For one, it is convenient for members from different areas of the country to meet online. This allows you to expand the reach of your group and have access to many diverse ideas and resources. Today, online writers’ groups can take many different forms.

Once you have chosen the software platform that is right for you, it is time to formalize your format and begin advertising. You might try advertising to get members on social media, Linkedin, through writer’s platforms, and other writers’ groups.

Tips for Success

Follower of Jesus. Husband. Father. Founder of InspireFirst and Nao Media.

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How To Start A Writing Group

Writing groups can be an ideal way for writers to meet other creative people,  receive useful, constructive feedback on their work, to keep motivated, get inspiration and build up a network of support.

Writing groups can take on many different forms. It could be that you organise a small group of local people who meet up in a cafe or go for a drink. It could be that you start an online group and get hundreds or even thousands of members who join.

If you think you would benefit from being in a writing group, why not start one of your own? If you aren’t sure how here are some handy tips to get you started.

Be clear about what you want from the group

Before you even try to find people to join you think about why you are setting up the group and what you want to get out of it. If you don’t have a clear purpose and aren’t able to communicate what you are trying to achieve to other potential members, it will be hard to make your group seem appealing.

Sort the practical details

Where are these meetings going to be held? How regular will they be? Will you have an agenda or more of an open discussion? What time are you planning to hold the group discussions? All these factors will make a difference into how effective your writing group will be, as well as  hoe many and what kind of members you attract.

Make some rules

Having some rules in place about what is expected of members is important to give your group some structure and make it as effective as possible. Will you all be expected to bring a fresh piece of writing each week? Will members be obligated to share their work? Will you have a time limit as to how long people can spend on each piece of writing? Will you take it in turns to bring tea and biscuits?! Also, make sure you have some guidelines in place about giving feedback. Perhaps you’ll share your work beforehand so everyone has time to properly gather their thoughts, will you allow members to say exactly what they think or advise that it’s better to be kind and encouraging in their comments?

Will you charge a fee?

If you are paying out for a venue and refreshments to host your group you might want to charge a fee to keep your personal costs low. If your group is virtual you might want to consider how much time you will spend overseeing it - you could charge a membership fee and therefore be compensated for administering and running the group.

Get out there and let people know about it!

Advertise your group on social media, on local bulletins, on relevant writers forums and even in the paper! Obviously, the amount of time you spend promoting your group will affect how many people join, if you want to keep numbers down you might want to start small by asking friends and colleagues and promoting through word of mouth rather than pouring your heart and soul into a national advertising campaign!

Be prepared to tweak

Your first session may highlight some problems in organisation, with the venue or with how your group is run. That’s OK - just make sure you pay attention to what works and what doesn’t, get feedback from your members and work together to see how it could be improved.

Starting a writing group is an awesome and proactive step to keep you motivated, improve your writing, gain valuable feedback, and make some great friends too! Use these tips to start your writing group and remember, above all else, it should be fun!

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

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Writing Groups: Where to Find ‘Em and Why to Join ‘Em

Writers are used to being alone. In fact, many of us hunt down solitude like a starving puma stalking a fat squirrel. We crave space for ourselves—a little distance from the constant chatter of our everyday lives so we can hear the voices of our characters .

So it may feel counterintuitive to actively seek out a writing group. How can we make progress on our projects by adding more chatter to our lives—more meetings to show up for and relationships to maintain?

The short answer is that a good writers’ group can boost your productivity and skill set in ways that simply aren’t possible on your own.

The long answer is, well, the rest of this article.

You’re about to learn everything you could possibly want to know about arranging regular meetups with writerly friends. You’ll discover all the benefits of joining a group, how to find one that’s right for you, and what it takes to build a strong, supportive micro-community for the long term.

But before we get into any of that, we’re gonna want to get on the same page about what a writing group is and what you can expect when you join one.

What are Writing Groups?

When someone uses the term “writing group,” they could be referring to a lot of things.

It might be a community of writers who get together to discuss all things writing. It might be a meetup where folks get together to write side-by-side as a way to stay accountable and feel a little less alone in their craft. This is also known as a write-in.

But most of the time, “writing group” refers to a small collection of writers who meet regularly to give each other feedback on their works in progress. They might also hold write-ins and will definitely discuss writing and publishing in general. But their central purpose is to keep each other on track and help one another improve. 

That’s the type of writing group we’re talking about in this article.

Types of Writing Groups

As you’ve likely noticed, the world of writing is vast and varied. To ensure group members are able to truly connect and help one another, writing groups typically indicate a specific area of focus. 

After all, you can only get so much out of a romance writers’ group when you write science fiction . 

Here are few ways these groups might distinguish themselves:

Form - If you only want to write and discuss novels, you can find a group for that. Same deal for poetry, screenwriting, short stories , creative nonfiction … you name it. 

Genre - A genre-specific group is great for advancing your expertise within that genre. Who better to evaluate the quality of your red herrings than your fellow mystery writers? 

Goals - Some writers’ groups focus on fulfilling specific goals together. They all write and share personal essays that they plan to submit to literary magazines or support one another on their self-publishing journeys .

Mentality - Whether you’re looking to hang with chill hobbyists, driven professionals, or something in between, there’s a gathering out there for you.

Structure - Who gets to share their work when? Are there deadlines? Assignments or challenges? What’s the feedback process? We’ll dig into the particulars of structure later. For now, know that this, too, can be a defining feature of a writing group.

Benefits of Joining a Writing Group

As I previously mentioned, a writing group can enrich your work and writing process in countless meaningful ways. But before we dig into all those highly practical advantages, I’d like to point out that having a community like this will also enrich your life .

This is an opportunity to hang out with other writers and talk about something you love. You get to discuss the book you’re reading and the novel you’re writing. You can celebrate writing victories and mourn losses with the people who understand exactly how you feel.

In short, it’s fun . And you need fun, especially during those seasons when your creativity crusts over or you still can’t nail the opening scene after fourteen rewrites. 

But in case fun is not enough, here are a whole bunch of other reasons to find a group of one’s own:

Get Valuable Feedback

This is one of the top reasons writers join writing groups. Most of these gatherings center around sharing work and providing constructive feedback.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that it’s not always a joy to get notes on your work from several other people all at once, but it is a necessary and constant element of every author’s journey. Your peers' insights will make you a better writer.

Not to mention, a writers’ group offers a supportive space where you can get comfortable with the feedback process so you’re better prepared to handle the criticism—constructive and otherwise—of gatekeepers, readers, reviewers, and editors.

Learn to Read Critically

It’s amazing how much you can learn about writing when you critique someone else’s work.

When we read as readers, as opposed to reading as writers , we tend to focus more on our feelings toward the story. We know the plot dragged or the protagonist was an utter delight, but we think about the choices the author made to create that experience.

When we read for the purpose of giving feedback, however, we try to understand why something does or doesn’t work for us. 

“It was too slow” becomes “There’s a lot of background information that doesn’t directly connect to the action or help me connect emotionally with the character. Maybe you could sprinkle some of that exposition throughout the story instead of dropping it all at once.”

The more you get used to reading someone else’s manuscript this way, the more natural it becomes to critically evaluate your own.

Stay Accountable

Most writing groups are structured with regular deadlines. It might be that everyone shares their next five pages and the group discusses all the assignments in the next meeting. Or maybe the goal is to provide feedback on one person’s writing at each meet-up.

However your group does its thing, you can count on a built-in expectation that you’ll have something to share when it’s your turn. If you’re lucky, you’ll be in a group with writers who take deadlines very seriously and will lay the guilt on thick if you slack off.

Expand Your Writing Community

It’s always wonderful to make new friends who love what you love. If you plan to build an author career , however, connecting with fellow writers isn’t just nice. It’s essential.

Your writer friends will provide feedback, share resources, and keep you clued into new developments in the publishing industry. One day, they may even introduce you to agents , editors, or potential collaborators .

Perhaps most importantly, they’ll be a regular source of encouragement. No one understands this process better than a fellow writer, and no one will be quite as good at reminding you that success takes time, especially in this field.

Boost Creativity

Joining a writing group is a great way to keep your creativity switched on.

For one thing, you have deadlines to meet, a bunch of writing to read and critique, and a standing appointment to discuss the craft with fellow authors. These things alone ensure that your brain spends more time in the literary zone.

Plus, writing groups are great places to share inspiration, embark on creative challenges, and exercise those brainstorming muscles as you help each other dream up solutions to story problems.

How Writing Groups Work

That all sounds pretty good, right? But what does it actually look like to participate in a writing group? How is it structured and what will the other members expect from you?

Because there are so many different kinds of writers’ groups, there isn’t one clear answer. Nevertheless, I can offer a basic rundown of how these groups tend to operate.

Here’s the general overview:

Most writing groups have a specific system for sharing and critiquing work. As I mentioned above, your group might discuss short pieces from all members in a single meeting or spend each get-together on only one writer’s work.

Either way, you’ll likely have a deadline for submitting your story. Some writers’ groups have members share their work for the first time during the meeting, though that system is less common. It doesn’t give the other writers enough time or space to carefully consider their critiques.

Providing Feedback

As for the feedback process itself, it might resemble a typical writers’ workshop, with participants sharing their thoughts in a larger group discussion. Or it might take a more structured approach, with each member taking a turn to share all their insights at once.

Some writing groups stick with verbal feedback, but if you have any say in it, I recommend pushing for written feedback as well. This makes it easier for the writer receiving the critique to listen and absorb rather than frantically writing notes, hoping they’ll remember what their notes mean.

As you prepare your critique for a fellow writer, don’t worry much about smaller details like grammar and word choice, unless their submission is a technical mess and you want to gently remind them to do some copy editing before they submit it to a literary magazine.

Typically, writing groups focus on larger issues. Is the conflict compelling? Does the writing draw you in? Does the dialogue sound natural ? 

When you deliver your critique, remember that your goal is to be helpful and kind. Feedback is an art, and you can learn more about mastering that art here .

Receiving Feedback

We also have a guide for receiving feedback , so I’ll keep this brief.

It’s important to express gratitude for the critiques you receive, even if you don’t feel particularly grateful in the moment. 

You can expect to get feedback that’s brilliant and inspiring. You’ll probably also hear advice that feels dead wrong at first, then makes a lot of sense after you’ve slept on it. And you’ll definitely receive notes that are way off and never make it into your manuscript.

No matter how you feel about the feedback itself, you’re receiving it because a busy person took time from their own life to try to help you become a better writer. That’s something to appreciate, even if it’s obvious they completely missed the whole point of your story.

Finding the Right Creative Writing Group

These days, you can always find online writing groups if you struggle to find one in real life. There are loads of them out there. You can look for smaller groups through writing-centered sites like NaNoWriMo or join a big virtual writing group through online communities like Critique Circle .

And, of course, you can always find critique partners and writing groups in Dabble’s Story Craft Café .

But if you’d prefer to join an in-person group, start by checking out the physical and online bulletin boards at your local libraries, bookstores, and community college. If there’s a group in your area that’s currently looking for new members, they’re likely to advertise there.

You can also search for local writing groups on Google or sites like meetup.com . If you’re still not finding anything that interests you, you can always start your own group. More on that in a bit.

As you do all this hunting, remember that the goal is to find the group that’s right for you . Let’s talk about some details you should keep an eye out for.

Key Considerations

Remember way back in the day, at the beginning of this article, when we talked about all the different types of writing groups out there? You may recall that we discussed how a group might differentiate itself by any or all of these details:

• Form of writing - Is it fiction? Nonfiction? Half-hour scripted comedy?
• Genre - Are these romance writers? Fantasy ? Literary fiction?
• Goal - Does this group exist to hold members accountable for getting their words in ? As a source of feedback during the novel-writing process?
• Mentality - Do members seem pretty hardcore about building a career? Or are they looking for kindred spirits in this journey of creative exploration?
• Structure - How often do members submit their writing to one another? How does the feedback process work? 

Take some time to look at that list and consider what would be most helpful to you right now. You might not feel strongly about all five points, and that’s fine. Maybe you definitely want to be in a sci-fi writing group and your ultimate goal is to publish a novel, but you don’t care if the group is open to short stories and flash fiction, too.

Also consider the size of the group. In a smaller group, you’re likely to get more specific feedback—and get it more frequently—than you would in a large gathering.

And of course, keep safety in mind when you prepare to join any in-person group. If you don’t already know any of the current members, attend your first meeting in a public place, not a stranger’s living room.

Starting Your Own Writing Group

If you can’t find your ideal writing group out there in the wide world, start your own!

You can put out a call for new members in all the same places you looked for groups—places like library bulletin boards and online forums.

You can also build your community gradually. Already have a couple of writer friends you’d love to start a group with? Ask them if they’d be down for sharing and critiquing work in a more structured way. Encourage them to invite friends of their own. 

Even if it’s just the three of you for now, you can always add more members in the future. 

However you do it, make sure you have clear and honest conversations about what you want this writing group to look like. Discuss the structure, goals, and even the vibe you’re going for. 

If you want this to be a tough-love literary boot camp, say so. If you want it to be a place of encouragement and gentle feedback, make that clear.

Getting everyone on the same page at the very beginning ensures a pleasant experience going forward. On that note…

Nurturing a Successful Writing Group

Whether you start your own writing group or choose to join a pre-existing one, you have a role to play in helping the community run smoothly. 

Remember, your writers’ group could be a source of insight, encouragement, and even publishing opportunities for years to come. Even if the group eventually disbands, the relationships you built don’t have to.

So here are some quick tips for doing your part to make this whole thing a positive and enriching experience for everyone: 

Build Trust

For most writers, it already takes courage to state their authorly ambitions out loud. To then take it a step further and invite other writers to semi-publicly critique their attempts at bringing that dream to life… that’s a whole other level of guts.

Remember that when you share your feedback, welcome new members, and respond to your fellow writers’ stories about their publishing struggles. Everyone’s at least a little bit afraid of this bold journey they’re on, and everyone’s here to connect with people who get it.

So be that person. Listen with interest and compassion. Offer constructive feedback and celebrate great writing. And when one of the other writers enjoys a victory that sparks a little jealousy in your heart (it happens to all of us), offer nothing but excitement and support, trusting that your turn is coming.

Encourage Diversity and Inclusion

When you bring multiple people together, you’re going to have diverse needs and perspectives. Be the kind of person who can make space for others.

In the context of a writing group, this could come down to practical considerations, like choosing meeting places that are physically accessible to all group members.

Where the issue of inclusion comes up most often, however, is in feedback. 

A member might point out that a fellow writer has unknowingly written a character that perpetuates a harmful stereotype of the critiquer’s own community. Or a member who’s struggled with mental health might offer suggestions to help another writer tackle the topic in a more insightful way .

Suggestions like these are extremely valuable. They’re also generous. There’s a degree of risk when a group member offers feedback like that, as some writers might become defensive, confrontational, or accuse the critiquer of being too sensitive.

Ultimately, every writer gets to decide which notes to incorporate into their own story. But please, whether you’re the direct recipient of the feedback or a fellow critiquer, express appreciation for perspectives no one else can offer.

Stay Engaged

Like all things in life, a writers’ group can get a little too comfortable. Everybody stops worrying about impressing everyone else, and the next thing you know, someone misses their submission deadline by a day. 

That makes everybody feel okay about being late the next time around. Folks start reading each other’s work hastily half an hour before the meeting starts. Members roll in twenty minutes late. Everybody’s half in, half out, and no one’s sure if this is worth it anymore.

It’s not the end of the world. Sometimes writing groups fall apart. Sometimes members have to step away because there’s too much else going on. Life evolves and the group will, too.

But I’d encourage you to stay reliable and gently encourage your fellow writers to stay on track. Be someone your group can count on for on-time submissions, thoughtful feedback, and engaged conversation.

If you ever need to step away or miss a meeting, that’s fine. But when you’re in, be all in.

And if you’re the only one, don’t be afraid to go find a more committed community.

Wade Into the Writing Group Waters With Us

A writing group is one of the best opportunities you have to drastically improve your craft and build relationships within the writing community. It’s an excellent source of knowledge, inspiration, and encouragement.

But if you’re not used to sharing and discussing your work in a group setting, it can also be a little intimidating. That’s where Dabble comes in.

Our Story Craft Café is a free online community full of friendly fellow writers who’d love to talk shop with you. You can join conversations about craft, genre, and the business of writing . Pop in for community word sprints. Share your work and offer feedback on someone else’s. 

Find your people in a low-pressure environment and let those critique partnerships happen naturally.

You can also join us for Feedback Fridays on YouTube , where Doug and Robert offer a friendly critique of material submitted by a lucky Dabbler. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about the art of writing and feedbackery (real word, don’t question it). 

If you’re feeling bold and have a Dabble Premium subscription, you can even submit your work for a critique.

Not a Dabbler but always been a little curious? Try it for free for 14 days! Dabble is an all-in-one learning program with loads of features, but it’s easy to learn, so 14 days gives you plenty of time to decide if it’s right for you. Click here to get started—no credit card necessary.

Abi Wurdeman is the author of Cross-Section of a Human Heart: A Memoir of Early Adulthood, as well as the novella, Holiday Gifts for Insufferable People. She also writes for film and television with her brother and writing partner, Phil Wurdeman. On occasion, Abi pretends to be a poet. One of her poems is (legally) stamped into a sidewalk in Santa Clarita, California. When she’s not writing, Abi is most likely hiking, reading, or texting her mother pictures of her houseplants to ask why they look like that.

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Whether writing is your hobby or career, you'll need to deal with the financial side of authorship sooner or later. It's not as fun as coming up with love triangles or magical worlds, but this Deep Dive tells you all you need to know to get a handle on your author finances.

Themes add an important element to our stories, giving them meaning and adding extra depth. We'll cover some common book themes and how to write stories with them in mind.

It isn't easy to write a good villain, at least not without the right ingredients. Let Dabble give you the perfect recipe for a villain!

Making a Writing Group that Works

By  Travis Grandy

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Travis Grandy is a PhD student in Composition and Rhetoric at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. You can find him on Twitter @travisgrandy or at his website .

I've had a lot of ups and downs as a writer in grad school. When I was making the transition from coursework to working independently, I started having trouble writing and reading at the same pace as I did for my grad seminars. At times it can be hard to stay motivated, especially when some of those external accountability structures fall away. It can also be helpful to know where you work best (i.e. not at home), and be mindful about your writing process . While it’s easy for guilt to creep up if you're feeling isolated and/or not making a lot of progress toward your goals, finding other people to write with can really turn things around.

Thanks to encouragement from people smarter than me (i.e. my professors and senior grad students), I started seeking out support from writing groups and it's helped me in making progress toward completing my degree (take that, comprehensive exams!). By having regular due dates and lots of feedback, I found my writing has dramatically improved. If you're not sure how to approach other people to start a writing group, remember, they're probably feeling and working-through the same things as you, so it never hurts to ask!

Last year, GradHacker Kelly Hanson did a great piece on the DIY Writing Group . If you’ve never done a writing group before, below are a few examples of how you can format a group, and more importantly, how to keep them going.

(Some) Ways to Structure a Writing Group:

Write-on-site

It can help you be more productive to be around other productive people. You might be less inclined to check Facebook and Twitter when there are other keyboards clicking around you. Try making a recurring date with friends to meet at a public place and write together for a couple hours.

Writing swap

Get a group of people together and take turns sharing writing. For example, every Thursday, I get together with four other people from my program where we drink beer, and discuss works in process from one or two writers per meeting. Let me tell you, it's great to get feedback from four different perspectives!

Working at a distance

If you're working on completing your degree at a distance it might not be possible to find people who can meet up in-person. Don't be discouraged! Set up an online exchange with other writers and establish expectations for reciprocal feedback. You can swap writing entirely by email and send back annotated drafts, or set up a recurring meeting to check-in via a video conference.

Social media cheerleaders

Sometimes you just need a little positive reinforcement--tell your friends when you're planning a writing day, and post your goals on social media. At the end of the day, you can check back in about your productivity ("Hey, I wrote 500 words today!"). Reciprocity is really key here--you can't expect people to encourage you unless you're encouraging them back. If you’re looking for some online encouragement, be sure to check out Shut Up and Write, a Twitter group that holds an online “meeting” every other week for an hour of intense writing productivity. There are groups for Australia , North America , and the UK .

Planning and Accountability:

Check-in on a regular basis

Ever have a day where you had set aside time to write, but then that time ends up getting canceled or scheduled over by things like lesson planning, meetings, or your bus running late? Your writing group doesn't have to be every week, but it's good to have a regular meeting time in your calendar to encourage you to plan ahead and set aside enough time for writing (because you don't want to let your colleagues down, right?). For example, with my weekly writing group, I'm usually submitting writing every three weeks which is actually plenty of time to process feedback and then make revisions on my work. However, I also need to schedule and keep time to actually do the writing, otherwise I won’t show up prepared when it’s my turn to share.

Establish concrete due dates or deliverables

Go into your writing group meetings with a clear plan of what you're going to bring, whether that be written feedback for a peer, or a certain amount of progress on your own project. Don't say, "Oh, I'll make progress for next time," say, "When we meet next week I'll have at least 3 new pages." If you’re doing a write-on-site, have each group member say what they plan to do during your work time, then check back in at the end of the session.

Set due dates in advance

If you're working toward a big due date or project, backwards-plan and set some intermediate deadlines. This can be the number of pages you want to have written, or sections of an article or chapter. Once you establish due dates, put them into a shared calendar. This way your group members will know what you’re working on and where you’re supposed to be based on your plan. Group members don’t need to enforce your due dates (that’s up to you), but they can offer encouragement if you’re struggling, and celebrate when you meet those milestones.

Plan a format for your meetings

While you don’t need to run your writing group like a timed exam, it is good to have some expectations shared among group members about how you will share writing (in advance over email, at the meeting) as well as how you want to spend time during the meeting discussing each person’s project. If you’re using the meeting as a chance to just do some writing in a supportive space, consider using the Pomodoro Method to organize your time. This strategy can also be useful to set aside chunks of time in your workday , and there are some handy apps you can use as a timer.

Allow time to talk and catch-up

Writing is hard! Sometimes it can be really productive to talk about your lives outside of school, the trashy reality TV shows you watch, or that funny Channing Tatum .GIF you saw the other day. Consider the social time you get before and after a productive group meeting to be another way to stay motivated.

Have you had success and recommend additional ways to organize a writing group? What helps you make progress as a writer?

[Image from Flickr user, Drew Coffman , used under Creative Commons license]

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How to Start a Creative Writing Group

Last updated on July 14th, 2022 at 08:56 am

This is the first entry in a series I’ll be writing on how to start your own creative writing group/club. Though I focus on creative writing, many of these ideas can be used to start any kind of writing group. Topics will include giving constructive criticism , running a workshop , and writing games / prompts .

There are many advantages to belonging to a writing group. You can get feedback from several people at once and give yourself writing deadlines. It’s a way to steadily improve your writing through criticism and practice. It’s also just a great way to get together with friends and have fun writing.

The first thing you need, obviously, is a group of people who want to improve their writing or hope that a group will force them to write regularly. It doesn’t matter how much experience your members have. If you can find an advisor who has experience teaching or has been published, that’s great. If you’re all newbies, that’s great too. If your group is too large, it might be difficult for everyone to have a chance to talk or contribute work. Your group should be a maximum of 15 people. If you end up with 15 people, you’ll need a knowledgeable leader to keep everyone on track. I would suggest keeping your group between 4 and 8 people.

Here are your next steps:

• When do you meet? Where do you meet? How often do you meet?
• Will your meeting include food? (This is crucial.)
• Will you be critiquing one writer per meeting? Two?
• What is the maximum page number or word count that writers are allowed to submit?
• How much feedback are participants required to give? Should they write a paragraph or only provide margin comments?
• How will you keep in touch and submit work?
• You also want to decide on your group’s exact focus. If only one person if writing poetry, is the group’s feedback going to be useful to them? Are your members writing only for fun, or is everyone hoping to get published? You also might want to choose a genre. Every genre has its own rules and tropes so it might be helpful to only focus on fantasy, romance, etc.
• Decide how your meetings will be organized. I would suggest a minimum of an hour. The first half hour can be something fun like writing prompts or a game. The second half hour can be dedicated to workshopping someone’s work. You could also treat it a bit like a book club. Spend the first half hour on a book you’re reading together. Focus specifically on the writing. For instance, the protagonist is surly and rude. How does the writer make their reader sympathize with them?
• Establish a schedule so everyone has a chance to be workshopped. Make it clear that these are firm deadlines that everyone must meet. Make sure there is space between when writers submit their work and the group meets. Generally, readers need 24 hours, but your group may need more time if everyone is busy.
• Optional: start a small library together. Compile a list of the writing books everyone owns and are willing to let others borrow. Great suggestions include Noah Lukeman’s The First Five Pages and Stephen King’s On Writing.

Every group is different so try out new things, and let me know how it goes! If you already have a writing group, tell me some tips that worked for you. Have I missed anything?

• Pingback: How to Give Constructive Criticism – Erin Lafond
• Pingback: How to Run a Workshop – Erin Lafond
• Pingback: Four Creative Writing Games to Get Your Group Started – Erin Lafond
• Pingback: 10 Creative Writing Prompts to Get Your Group Started – Erin Lafond
• Pingback: Four Creative Writing Games to Get Your Group Started – Erin Lafond

Hi Erin, if possible would you mind expanding on why it’s crucial to determine if food is involved?

Thanks Kate

Hey Kate! Sure! So, I personally worked with a library teen group, so providing food was a way of keeping their energy up and keeping them engaged. We all know teenagers love food. This also meant I had a fund that I could use to feed them. However, I think this applies to an adult group as well. If you have food, then the group has more staying power, and it can also just be more fun. You can rotate through the members with someone else bringing food each meeting or everyone contributes to a fund that buys food. This won’t work for every group, but it’s definitely worth considering and talking about. I hope that helps!

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