Let me tell you a story … the first writing group experience I have was at least ten years ago, maybe more. There was a Saturday morning group that met at the TAFE college in town (TAFE, for non-Aussies, is Technical And Further Education, and it’s a place where you can learn anything from how to cut hair or speak Spanish through to, apparently, creative writing).
The story: This writing group didn’t work out well
I’ll say right from the start that this first writing group experience was not exactly positive. I remember how nervous I was the first Saturday morning as I waited outside the room. And waited, and waited. When nobody had showed up fifteen minutes after the start time, I went to the administration floor and checked I was in the right place. I was, but the teacher had cancelled the class that week because she was sick. Apparently I was the only new student being added to the writing group that term, so nobody had contacted me.
So, take two. I arrived just as nervous the second time round, and I never got to the point of feeling very positive about the group. The format involved the teacher giving us a writing prompt and then some time to write. After that, we could read – either what we’d just written, or something we’d prepared earlier, as they say on all the great cooking shows.
I remember a young girl – just a teenager I think – who introduced herself by saying she was addicted to this writing group. I soon found out why – it was surely the only outlet she had for her truly terrible writing, which she read aloud for what felt like hours, with no interruption. Others read various bits from ongoing projects, a few read what they’d just written, and there wasn’t too much time for discussion in between. I didn’t read anything of mine until the third or fourth week, didn’t get any particularly useful feedback, and I soon dropped out.
Apart from the format and the other people who just didn’t appeal to me, I’m just bad at listening. I need to see the written word in front of me, or I just zone out. This experience turned me off face-to-face writing groups, perhaps for good – but never say never.
Are online writing groups any better?
Online writing groups obviously have one huge advantage for me – they always involve reading on the page (or screen) rather than trying to listen to what someone’s written. Perhaps eight or nine years ago I was involved with a small group of Australian writers online, where we passed around stories and got some reasonably useful critiques.
Recently I’ve been thinking that I need to get my fiction writing in front of more actual writers. I’m so shy about showing my fiction, which is dumb when my non-fiction gets plastered on high-traffic websites for thousands of people to see every day. But obviously if I’m ever going to get published I have to get more feedback. (And obviously too, if I ever do get published, then lots more people will read what I’ve written. OMG!).
Anyway, as so often happens when you’re in need of something, Amy aka Quiet Rebel Writer came up with the idea of forming her own QRW writing group. I’ve joined up, introduced myself, and already feel quite intimidated by the other members. Of course, some of them sound like they feel the same as me. I think it’s a common fiction writer’s fear to think that they’re just not good enough. Anyhow, I’m looking forward to seeing what develops there and if you’re interested too, pop over to to Amy’s great site and read more.
And while we’re on the topic, have any of you had experience with writing groups, online or off? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
Tags: online versus offline, Quiet Rebel Writer, Writing Groups
can’t wait for you to show some of your fiction. I’m currently holding a thrice weekly murder series in my blog called The Devil Wants You Dead – 1 . Feedback has been great. I’ve also gotten some constructive criticism and it’s a challenge to pace myself and improve my writing everyday.
I don’t have a writing group here in China
With English as their second language, it’s even tougher for them just to read The Da Vinci Code let alone tackle the Oscar and Lucinda. I’ve joined an online one but I didn’t know how to go about it really so quit. I didn’t know any people there too so that was a downer. I’m heading over to Amy’s site and check out the writing group now so hope to see you there!
Don’t get too excited Kate, maybe my fiction is terrible and it’s only my blogging that’s halfway readable!!!! I’m so nervous about letting people read my fiction, you’re much braver about that than me.
Have you heard of Authonomy.com? It’s a social networking site for writers opened recently by Harper Collins. It’s possible to upload work to your profile, join in discussions and comment on other authors.
Rumour has it that publishers and agents will also be keeping their eyes on the site and famous authors are involved giving advice and tips.
There’s also something similar called the Red Room although I don’t think it has the publisher tie in.
Elaine Saunders
Author: A Book About Pub Names
Fiction Writing Exercises
Complete Text
It’s A Book About….blog
Yay! So glad to have you onboard, Amanda. And no need to feel intimidated. That’s the hallmark of a crappy group. I am all about making this group what we want and need, without asshats and asshattery. So I hope you dig, and I hope all your readers will check it out!
If there’s one thing I miss about college (and actually, there are lots of things I miss), it is the writing workshops and classes where we shared work and then gave or received critiques. It’s truly one of the best ways that a writer can grow, receiving feedback like that. I only wish I knew how valuable it was at the time because I recall taking it for granted and of course, I always hated having to read my work out loud!
@ Elaine, thanks for the tip on Authonomy, it sounds interesting and the rumour (I love how you spell that my way!) that some VIPs might run their eyes across it is intriguing. Will check it out!
@ QRW, I have a good feeling you’ll make this group great. I don’t feel intimidated because of the people, just because of myself! Dumb, hey
@ Melissa, ooh I’m jealous, I wish I could go back to my teenage years and choose to study writing at college. My teachers told me I was “too smart” to be either a teacher or a writer so I studied mathematics. Blah … Anyway my original ideas were right because now I’m working as a teacher and a writer!
I like your blog, too.
I’m kind of joining a writing group. I’ve made it to exactly one meeting, but was too scared to say anything. But they do seem like a good group full of encouraging people and some of their work is really good, so hopefully I make it back.
Thanks Lizard! Good luck with your writing group. The idea of doing it face-to-face is still a bit too freaky for me, so I’m trying online instead. But I hope you are braver than me and end up getting lots out of it.
Just ran across your post and had to weigh in. In the past, I’ve had mixed success with online writing groups, but recently some friends and I have undertaken to build a site for facilitating online writing groups and so far it’s going really well. It’s located at http://www.reviewfuse.com.
You can upload your work and get reviews from peers. We provide helpful reviewing frameworks and inline commenting to make reviewing enjoyable and easy. You can even create you own private group if you only want to interact with just your friends or people who share similar interests. Plus, it’s free!
If you want to check it out, I’d love to hear any feedback you have for us.
Oh, and if you really don’t like our site, you can also check out a few others:
CritiqueCircle (this is my favorite of the non-Review Fuse sites)
FanStory
TheNextBigWriter
Gather (this one isn’t specifically for writing groups, but several groups use it for that)
Now I’m on my way to check out Authonomy since that’s a new one to me.
Good luck!
Thanks for the tip Clark, I’ll have a look at it!
I’ve tried a bunch of sites and made my home at http://www.TheNextBigWriter.com. It has the most serious authors of the groups I’ve participated in and is still the most fun.
They also run some fun writing contests.
Phil