I’ve been co-running the local writing group at Barnes & Noble for a year now and have learned a thing or two. Things that help when the time comes for 2 to 8 faces, with high expectations for themselves and for the group, turn towards me for where we will be heading tonight.
I have learned that being prepared with notes and possibly handouts is a must. Preparation in general is key. Some nights I am tired and a little frustrated with how things are going and I don’t prepare as well as I should. These nights usually turn into social hour. Not productive and it adds to my frustration.
Read and critique sessions are all very well but when you have an open attendance policy it leaves new people out in the cold. They haven’t had a chance to read the pieces that are up for discussion. It leaves them feeling left out and I hate that feeling and don’t want to inflict it on others. Writing prompts and discussion of different writing techniques, markets, and events are much more successful. Everyone can contribute and join in on the fun.
A note on read and critiques: If you do them be careful not to let any one person monopolize the speaking time. Then it becomes a lecture and that is a whole different kind of meeting.
Forums for the group are only handy when used. If traffic and posting on the site is sporadic at best, the tool gets rusty and no one wants to use it.
Come early to set up the space but not too early or you end up alone with passersby staring at you. Having the space ready for the members is nice as they can come in and set down their grande/venti mocha-whatever and start catching up on the news. This allows for gossip and the like to get out of the way before the serious business of writing discussion begins.
Be open to new events around town and share, share, share, with the members of your group. Open mic nights, writings conferences, lectures; all of these things could be of interest to one or more of the group. Sharing with them encourages them to share back. The group learns more and bonds more over these kinds of events.
In general the most important thing is to be willing to learn and change your mind as things go along. Open attendance combined with once or twice a month meetings that last for barely more than an hour means things can’t always go the way you want. Being flexible and ready to go with the flow, as long as that flow is towards better writing, is a good thing.
Note: I have also learned I ramble.
What have you learned about writing groups? Have you any suggestions for me?
