Creating a writing group can be incredibly rewarding for any writer, but it comes with its own set of challenges, and one challenge in particular can make or break your group. Here's what I mean:
I met a couple of people who shared my enthusiasm for creative writing several years ago and we decided to form our own little writing circle. Envisioning get-togethers in trendy mid-town Manhattan cafes, I couldn't wait to vent about writing and publishing and get the latest intel on what genres were selling. Meanwhile unknown to me, each of my buddies imagined the group going in other directions. You can probably guess what happened next. The group quickly faded away. Snap.
Thinking about that time, I realized we were vague about our focus, and missed an opportunity to help ourselves. Our opportunity was to have a conversation about the purpose of our group. If we had gotten past the 'concept' and then agreed on why we wanted to have a group, we would have had a solid foundation for working together.
If you're planning to launch a writing group of your own, here are some thoughts about articulating your purpose to better ensure your chances of success and to maximize your group's creative potential.
What is a Writing Group's Purpose?
When a writing group states its purpose, it outlines the core beliefs, values, and objectives of the group. The statement serves as a guiding light, promoting a shared understanding, and could include things like:
Group goals: What do you want to achieve together? This could range from developing writing habits, sharing industry updates, facilitating skills growth, exchanging works-in-progress or collaborating on a project, such as an anthology or a group blog.
Expectations for members: What is required from each member in terms of work, time, and participation? If the group is working on a shared project, what are milestones that the group needs to be aware of?
Communication philosophies: How will you connect and communicate?
The purpose statement is not a set of rules. Instead, it's a shared vision that answers your group's 'why' and inspires and motivates every member of the group. It can be as formal or informal as you like, as long as it's clear to everyone in the group.
How to Clarify Your Purpose
Clarity of purpose is not hard but people don't necessarily take this step: If you're in the throes of creating your own group, have a conversation and kick it off by asking yourselves a few questions:
Why are we choosing to work together?
What writing-related areas do we want to explore?
What does working as a group look like?
What outcomes do we expect as a group and as individual writers?
What are we comfortable committing to, and what expectations do we have of each other?
For instance, a group that is interested in meeting on certain days and times for writing sprints will answer these questions one way, while a group that wants to exchange short-story manuscripts will answer another way. All answers are right! But group members need to contribute their views as the first step so that everyone understands. That way, each member will feel invested in their group's purpose, and experience a strong sense of belonging.
Keeping it Flexible
While it’s vital to have a purpose, flexibility should also be a key ingredient. Group dynamics evolve. As a group, plan to revisit your purpose from time to time to ensure it aligns with your current goals and relationships—and don’t hesitate to make changes.
Time for Action
Crafting your own writing group purpose statement is a powerful way to create a cohesive and motivated writing group. If you're planning to launch your own writing circle this year, be sure to gather your writing buddies together for a conversation, where the group's pupose is clearly articulated, laying the groundwork for effective collaboration and personal growth.
You can find more tips about writing groups in my ebook, The Write Group, available from Amazon and other selected retailers.
What do you think about the questions to explore your group's purpose? Are there others that you would add? Let me know in the comments.
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