Writer's Groups: Are They Worth Your Time?
After you've generated interest, you'll need to form the group, which should not be too large. Seven to twelve people is generally a good number. If you have many more who are interested, it may be a good idea to break them up into different groups based on skill level or genre. Perhaps a beginners group and an advanced group. Or a group for romance writers, fantasy, horror, etc. Each group will need a facilitator and a place to meet.
Find a meeting time which is convenient to everyone. You can meet weekly or monthly depending on the time and interest of the list members. It is best to establish a routine so that people can clear the time in advance. Determine the purpose of your group, whether to give and receive feedback, share writing opportunities, and/or provide motivation and support. Regardless of the purpose of your group, the focus should be on writing. A writing group created for purely social reasons will provide little help to anyone.
Not enough time to get a group up and running? Technology is a wonderful thing for writers. Now, we can communicate with other writers all over the world via the Internet. Online writer's groups offer wonderful support and feedback, all in the convenience of your home.
Online writer's groups fall into three broad categories: courses, chat groups, and e-mail groups. You might want to experiment with all three to determine which format you prefer.
As more and more online courses for writers crop up, the likelihood of finding one that suits your needs is high. Generally, these courses combine traditional writer's groups with a "college" type atmosphere. Most are divided into study groups where members give critiques and feedback to each other. There is usually a mentor and assignments are handed out on a routine basis. These groups provide the most structure of the three as you are encouraged to post your completed assignments for the group to view. They can also provide motivation if you are having trouble getting started. The drawback, however, is by doing the assigments instead of submitting your own works, you are not getting feedback on things you may need assistance with. The most notable of these is Writer's Village University, which offers a variety of courses, workshops, and seminars. Membership is $59 per year, but they offer a free course, Fiction 98, if you want to try
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