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Should you join a writing group? Understanding the pros and cons

Posted on September 21, 2021 at 1:10 PM by Guest Author

If you’re looking to develop your writing skills, you may want to join a writing group. Learn what to expect from meeting up with fellow authors regularly.

Table of Contents

What Is a Writing Group?

Reasons to Join a Writing Group

Pros of Joining a Writing Group

Cons of Joining a Writing Group  

What is a writing group  .

Are you struggling to decide whether you should join a writing group? In that case, you’re probably already familiar with the concept. But to avoid any potential confusion, it’s still worth outlining what a writing group is. 

Simply put, a writing group is a gathering of people who are passionate about the craft of writing and meet up regularly — either in person or online — to hone their skills. 

You should note that no two writing groups are the same. They often differ in purpose, format, and overall approach.

For example, one group may be more informal and focused on simply giving members a place to discuss writing; another might have a strict schedule and exist to critique members’ work. 

Although authors debate the value of writing groups, many consider these communities essential, especially at specific points in the writing journey. 

Let’s look at why...

Reasons to Join a Writing Group  

Writing groups offer various benefits, which we’ll touch on in the next section. However, there are usually three main reasons to join a writing group:

1. You’re in search of support and socialization. 

If you’re looking to break out of your bubble, joining a writing group may be the perfect solution.

Writing is, by nature, a very solitary activity. Unlike other jobs that allow you to socialize with coworkers, being an author means you’re usually on your own.

But participating in a group gives you the opportunity to interact with others, experience a sense of community, and gain emotional support.  

2. You’re struggling with accountability.

You may decide to join a writing group if you’re having a tough time holding yourself accountable.

When writing in isolation, staying motivated can be a challenge. You’re at a greater risk of letting self-imposed deadlines pass by you.

However, taking part in a writing group can give you some much-needed structure, especially if you’re expected to share what you’ve written so far or update the group on your progress.   

3. You need feedback on your writing. 

Finally, a major reason to join a writing group is that you need unbiased feedback on your writing.

When working on a new project, you’re often too close to view it objectively. And getting loved ones to read your work in progress isn’t always the best approach, as they may worry about hurting your feelings.

But having a group of fellow authors to share with can give you some much-needed insight into areas of weakness.     

Pros of Joining a Writing Group  

If you’re still on the fence about whether you should join a writing group, you may want to learn a little more about the benefits. After all, it helps to know what you have to gain. 

With that said, here are some of the pros of joining a writing group:

It’s a cost-effective way to strengthen your skills. 

If you’re starting your writing career , you need to invest in your craft. But chances are you still have a budget in place.

In that case, you’ll be pleased to learn that joining a writing group is often an affordable method of developing your writing skills. Typically, groups are free to join — or, at most, require a modest membership fee.

And in the process of participating, you’ll receive invaluable feedback, education, and encouragement that will help you become a better writer.

It often aids in overcoming writer’s block. 

Another advantage of being part of a writing group is that it can help you overcome writer’s block.

Although there are many reasons you may experience a creative slowdown, engaging with your group members can typically resolve the core issue.

Meeting with fellow authors can give you a much-needed energy boost, provide you with fresh insight, and help broaden your horizons.  

You can get tips on the business side of writing. 

If you want to become a career author , you don’t just need natural talent and sharp writing skills — you also need business savvy. Fortunately, that’s something you can work on when you join a writing group consisting of members at varying levels.

Those who have more experience can provide you with tips on publishing, marketing, networking, and more that will serve you in your career.  

It can help you rediscover your love of writing. 

Often writing can begin to feel like a chore, especially if you’re working toward finishing a book . But when you join a writing group, you’re able to find joy in writing again.

After all, enthusiasm spreads. Meeting regularly with others, sharing in their triumphs, and getting encouragement can go a long way in transforming writing back into a fun activity.  

It gives you a pool of potential beta readers. 

One of the benefits of signing up for a writing group that often goes overlooked is that it can help with finding beta readers .

For starters, those in your group are likely readers on top of writers. Further, being in a group with them means that by the time you’ve finished your first draft, you’ll know whether you can trust their judgment and feedback. 

Of course, not everyone in your group will be up to the task (all you can do is ask), but it gives you a great place to start looking.  

To make an informed decision about whether to join a writing group, you need to consider both sides. Although there are plenty of benefits to look forward to, there are some drawbacks as well.  

Here are some cons to keep in mind:

Not all the advice you receive will be helpful. 

Giving feedback is a skill that needs to be developed. This means that you can’t expect all the advice you receive to be good, especially if a group is in its early stages.

Some members may not understand the concept of “constructive criticism,” whereas others may deliver vague advice.

Additionally, the feedback you get from those at or below your experience level may not be as helpful as input from those who have been writing longer. 

There may be some personality clashes. 

A writing group is like any other community based on a shared interest — it’s filled with passionate people who have their own opinions and egos. Because of this, there may be some personality clashes that result in arguments and hurt feelings.

Before you join a writing group, you need to think about how you would handle negative comments or pushback from other members.    

It requires a time commitment, just like any other activity. 

When you join a writing group (and truly participate), you must dedicate a fair amount of time to it.

And it’s not just the meetings themselves; it’s also the time spent keeping up with communications, preparing for each session, and traveling to the meeting place (if the group gathers in person).

Depending on your schedule, this may prove hard to manage. 

It’s not uncommon to stray off course without leadership.

It can be tough to stay on track if a writing group doesn’t have an official leader (or even an unofficial one).

Without someone in charge who’s committed to providing a productive, nurturing environment, the group can fall into chaos.

At best, the group can become disorganized. At worst, it can become toxic.    

Sometimes you’ll want to break the format. 

Depending on the type of group you join, you may find yourself stuck to a format that doesn’t always work for you.

For example, you may want to share a recent chapter you’ve written during a session when you’re scheduled to do writing exercises.

If there’s no flexibility in activities, you might not get the most out of the group. 

Takeaway  

There are many reasons to join a writing group, especially if your goal is to become a published author. But when it comes down to it, you need to consider what’s best for you, analyzing the pros and cons.

Hopefully, the information provided here will help you decide on the best course of action. 

And remember, if you decide to join a writing group, it’s important to look for one that fits your needs (and avoid groups that do more harm than good ). 

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Massucci.com

  • 15 Tips for Successful Writing Groups

by Joe Massucci

writing groups

Maybe you’re not as good a writer as you think you are. It’s true. We tend to fall in love with our own writing, blinded to our imperfect technique. How do you know? Join a writing group and get feedback – lots of it.

Writers at every stage of their careers from beginners to seasoned best-selling authors benefit from feedback about their work from other practicing writers. In fact, many published novelists will tell you that writing groups taught them how to write – from basic sentence structure and grammar, to sensational characters, pacing and plots. Not to mention learning the secrets of the genre.

As a member of a writing group, you surround yourself regularly with like-minded professionals who come together week after week for a single purpose: give and receive feedback about works in progress.

But not all writing groups are created equal, or exist for the same purpose. It’s important to understand the ground rules before forming or joining a group.

Here are my 15 suggestions:

1. Does the group have a clearly stated purpose?

A writing group should have a written mission statement to stay focused and help new members determine if the group’s purpose is in sync with their goals.

The statement should answer these questions: Does the group get together to critique or for support? How often do they meet, and what’s the workflow? Do writers gather to socialize and network, or to finish manuscripts? What genres are represented? How much writing experience do you need? Is the group stable, or do new faces come and go weekly?

2. Size matters

A writing group should have four (minimum) to eight (maximum) members. Any fewer and you may not get enough feedback. More than eight, and you’re in for a long and tedious evening if everyone is reading. And be selective about who to include. New members should be added by invitation only following a group discussion and consensus.

3. Similar goals and writing levels

Members should generally be at the same level of their writing careers. For example, some groups require that every member be published. Others require that every member complete at least one manuscript, whether it’s published on not.

If you mix successfully published authors with beginners struggling to complete their first manuscript, the group becomes unbalanced. You risk alienating the pros and discouraging the beginners.

Newbies who wish to have their work reviewed and critiqued by professional instructors should first seek out academic courses and workshops.

4. Mixing genres

You can learn a great deal by working with writers of different genres. For example, if you’re a male thriller writer, critiquing and being critiqued by a female mystery writer might help you with characterization and a different gender point of view. Conversely, mystery writers might learn some tips about pacing and plot from thriller writers.

5. Get to work on time

Don’t waste each other’s time by filling the first half hour or so with small talk while waiting for latecomers to show. Begin work promptly at the stated time, and let chronic latecomers take notice.

Once all of the work has been read and discussed, then members can socialize, but not before.

6. The workflow

Each writer should come prepared to read 10 pages or less aloud for no more than 10 minutes. The writer passes out copies to each member on the spot. While the writer reads, members follow along, making notes and suggestions on their copies, which are collected and returned to the writer at the end of their session.

When the writer finishes reading, each member in turn offers several minutes of critique. Some give line-by-line suggestions, while others are better at offering general impressions. It’s acceptable for another member to interrupt with a comment appropriate for that discussion, as long as it’s brief and on point.

7. Who moderates?

Determine who’s in charge at each meeting. This can be the same person, perhaps the group’s founder, or you can rotate the responsibility.

The leader makes sure the meeting starts on time, stays focused, the rules are followed, and intervenes if the discussion veers off-topic or turns into a debate. In large groups, the moderator uses a timer to limit each reading to 10 minutes, and gives each member two to three minutes of critique time.

8. Critique, yes … criticize, NO!

There are two types of people in this world: those who find fault to hurt, and those who offer suggestions to help build something better.

Put-downs and attacks are out of place in a writing group. This is a critical rule that must be enforced, or you risk alienating members, or worse. One mean-spirited comment can cause a talented beginner to lose faith. It’s stupid and pointless.

Keep in mind that the reason for giving feedback is to help the writer improve, not wound him. Every member should feel safe sharing. Good critique is specific, constructive, sincere and helpful, and inspires the writer to do his or her best work. Be honest and tactful, keep your language positive, and give encouragement and praise when appropriate.

Focus on three things:

  • Start with the positives – what works
  • Point out what isn’t clear, what doesn’t work, and what could be better
  • Offer suggestions for consideration

9. Shut up and listen

writing_group2

This isn’t a debate club. You came to get feedback to improve your work, not to explain what you intended to do. While you’re explaining and defending, you’re not listening!

When you push back on someone’s comment, you close off any chance of benefiting from constructive feedback, and your writing will suffer for it. It’s okay to answer a question about what you’ve just read to the group. Otherwise, shut up and make notes about how others reacted to your work.

If you receive a comment you don’t agree with, keep quiet, listen with an open mind, and learn something. Writers who want to do their very best will consider everything they get.

10. Be open to possibilities

A critique is one person’s opinion. You are still the author of the work, and you can choose to ignore something you don’t agree with.

But be open to all possibilities.

You never know when a rogue comment will inspire you to come up with something new and exciting to improve your story. But if several reviewers point out the same issue, you should make changes.

Keep in mind that nice, superfluous comments are great on the ears, but they won’t necessarily improve your writing. Put your ego aside and encourage hard discussion about what you’ve written. It can be emotionally exhausting. But that’s how you learn.

11. This isn’t a book club

Don’t confuse your fellow writer by stating how one of your favorite authors, or a movie you’ve seen, or your workshop writing instructor might have better handled the scene or characters. This isn’t helpful.

A critique group is not the appropriate place to drop names in order to gain clout. Be honest and speak from your heart and experience rather than lobbing jabs while hiding behind someone else’s work.

12. All members should be working on something

You should write every day. Depending on your schedule you may not have a scene ready to read each week, but you should be working on at least one project that you’re comfortable sharing.

Reading your work to a group can be a humbling and often humiliating experience. Members without work to share keep their hearts and souls safely hidden. They don’t risk humiliation or rejection.

I’ve seen non-sharing members become arrogant and even contemptuous toward the working writer. They’re more apt to criticize than critique.

But when each group member puts his or her heart and soul on the table each week for scrutiny, the circle of bonding is complete.

Remember that the purpose of the group is to give and receive feedback about your work in progress. So, if you attend weekly writing groups only as an observer, perhaps you should stay at home and write.

13. Read each member’s work … all of it!

Every member should agree to read each other’s work. Not parts of it. Not whatever is convenient. ALL OF IT!

It’s hard enough to follow a novel one scene at a time, week after week, over the course of a year or more. A member who misses some of those readings becomes hopelessly lost. And asking too many questions trying to catch up becomes disruptive, counterproductive and deprives members of good feedback.

If you miss a week, agree to read and critique what you missed before you attend the next meeting. And expect others to do the same for you.

14. Remove troublesome members … quickly!

Working with a group of writers is a privilege that should be sacredly guarded. That’s why you need a removal rule. If your group has a Writer From Hell who ignores the rules, attacks other writers, hogs discussions, won’t listen to criticism, and generally creates a negative and unproductive environment – he or she must go.

The group should agree in advance what behavior merits grounds for expulsion. And act quickly.

15. Online writing groups – a last resort

One final thought: If your only option is to join an online discussion group, then go for it. Getting feedback electronically from people you may never meet in person is better than getting no feedback.

However, the benefits of regular face-to-face meetings with serious writers you respect and trust can yield golden opportunities that just aren’t possible with an online community.

And who knows what network connections and long-term friendships may develop over time from people you’re in the same room with week after week.

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Collaborative and Group Writing

Introduction

When it comes to collaborative writing, people often have diametrically opposed ideas. Academics in the sciences often write multi-authored articles that depend on sharing their expertise. Many thrive on the social interaction that collaborative writing enables. Composition scholars Lisa Ede and Andrea Lunsford enjoyed co-authoring so much that they devoted their career to studying it. For others, however, collaborative writing evokes the memories of group projects gone wrong and inequitable work distribution.

Whatever your prior opinions about collaborative writing, we’re here to tell you that this style of composition may benefit your writing process and may help you produce writing that is cogent and compelling. At its best, collaborative writing can help to slow down the writing process, since it necessitates conversation, planning with group members, and more deliberate revising. A study described in Helen Dale’s “The Influence of Coauthoring on the Writing Process” shows that less experienced writers behave more like experts when they engage in collaborative writing. Students working on collaborative writing projects have said that their collaborative writing process involved more brainstorming, discussion, and diverse opinions from group members. Some even said that collaborative writing entailed less of an individual time commitment than solo papers.

Although collaborative writing implies that every part of a collaborative writing project involves working cooperatively with co-author(s), in practice collaborative writing often includes individual work. In what follows, we’ll walk you through the collaborative writing process, which we’ve divided into three parts: planning, drafting, and revising. As you consider how you’ll structure the writing process for your particular project, think about the expertise and disposition of your co-author(s), your project’s due date, the amount of time that you can devote to the project, and any other relevant factors. For more information about the various types of co-authorship systems you might employ, see “Strategies for Effective Collaborative Manuscript Development in Interdisciplinary Science Teams,” which outlines five different “author-management systems.”

The Collaborative Writing Process

Planning includes everything that is done before writing. In collaborative writing, this is a particularly important step since it’s crucial that all members of a team agree about the basic elements of the project and the logistics that will govern the project’s completion.Collaborative writing—by its very definition—requires more communication than individual work since almost all co-authored projects oblige participants to come to an agreement about what should be written and how to do this writing. And careful communication at the planning stage is usually critical to the creation of a strong collaborative paper. We would recommend assigning team members roles. Ensure that you know who will be initially drafting each section, who will be revising and editing these sections, who will be responsible for confirming that all team members complete their jobs, and who will be submitting the finished project.

Drafting refers to the process of actually writing the paper. We’ve called this part of the process drafting instead of writing to highlight the recursive nature of crafting a compelling paper since strong writing projects are often the product of several rounds of drafts. At this point in the writing process, you’ll need to make a choice: will you write together, individually, or in some combination of these two modes?

Individually

Revising is the final stage in the writing process. It will occur after a draft (either of a particular section or the entire paper) has been written. Revising, for most writing projects, will need to go beyond making line-edits that revise at the sentence-level. Instead, you’ll want to thoroughly consider all aspects of the draft in order to create a version of it that satisfies each member of the team. For more information about revision, check out our Writer’s Handbook page about revising longer papers .Even if your team has drafted the paper individually, we would recommend coming together to discuss revisions. Revising together and making choices about how to improve the draft—either online or in-person— is a good way to build consensus among group members since you’ll all need to agree on the changes you make.After you’ve discussed the revisions as a group, you’ll need to how you want to complete these revisions. Just like in the drafting stage above, you can choose to write together or individually.

Person A writes a section Person B gives suggestions for revision on this section Person A edits the section based on these suggestions

Person A writes a section The entire team meets and gives suggestions for revision on this section Person B edits the section based on these suggestions

Think through the strengths of your co-authoring team and choose a system that will work for your needs.

Suggestions for Efficient and Harmonious Collaborative Writing

Establish ground rules.

Although it can be tempting to jump right into your project—especially when you have limited time—establishing ground rules right from the beginning will help your group navigate the writing process. Conflicts and issues will inevitably arise in during the course of many long-term project. Knowing how you’ll navigate issues before they appear will help to smooth out these wrinkles. For example, you may also want to establish who will be responsible for checking in with authors if they don’t seem to be completing tasks assigned to them by their due dates. You may also want to decide how you will adjudicate disagreements. Will the majority rule? Do you want to hold out for full consensus? Establishing some ground rules will ensure that expectations are clear and that all members of the team are involved in the decision-making process.

Respect your co-author(s)

Everyone has their strengths. If you can recognize this, you’ll be able to harness your co-author(s) assets to write the best paper possible. It can be easy to write someone off if they’re not initially pulling their weight, but this type of attitude can be cancerous to a positive group mindset. Instead, check in with your co-author(s) and figure out how each one can best contribute to the group’s effort.

Be willing to argue

Arguing (respectfully!) with the other members of your writing group is a good thing because it means that you are expressing your deeply held beliefs with your co-author(s). While you don’t need to fight your team members about every feeling you have (after all, group work has to involve compromise!), if there are ideas that you feel strongly about—communicate them and encourage other members of your group to do the same even if they conflict with others’ viewpoints.

Schedule synchronous meetings

While you may be tempted to figure out group work purely by email, there’s really no substitute for talking through ideas with your co-author(s) face-to-face—even if you’re looking at your teammates face through the computer. At the beginning of your project, get a few synchronous meetings on the books in advance of your deadlines so that you can make sure that you’re able to have clear lines of communication throughout the writing process.

Use word processing software that enables collaboration

Sending lots of Word document drafts back-and-forth over email can get tiring and chaotic. Instead, we would recommend using word processing software that allows online collaboration. Right now, we like Google Docs for this since it’s free, easy to use, allows many authors to edit the same document, and has robust collaboration tools like chat and commenting.

Dale, Helen. “The Influence of Coauthoring on the Writing Process.” Journal of Teaching Writing , vol. 15, no. 1, 1996, pp. 65-79.

Lunsford, Andrea A., and Lisa Ede.  Writing Together: Collaboration in Theory and Practice . Bedford St. Martin, 2011.

Oliver, Samantha K., et al. “Strategies for Effective Collaborative Manuscript Development in Interdisciplinary Science Teams.”  Ecosphere , vol. 9, no. 4, Apr. 2018, pp. 1–13., doi:10.1002/ecs2.2206.

writing group how does it work

Writing Process and Structure

This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.

Getting Started with Your Paper

Interpreting Writing Assignments from Your Courses

Generating Ideas for Your Paper

Creating an Argument

Thesis vs. Purpose Statements

Developing a Thesis Statement

Architecture of Arguments

Working with Sources

Quoting and Paraphrasing Sources

Using Literary Quotations

Citing Sources in Your Paper

Drafting Your Paper

Generating Ideas for Your Paper Introductions Paragraphing Developing Strategic Transitions Conclusions

Revising Your Paper

Peer Reviews

Reverse Outlines

Revising an Argumentative Paper

Revision Strategies for Longer Projects

Developing Strategic Transitions

Finishing your Paper

Twelve Common Errors: An Editing Checklist

How to Proofread your Paper

Writing Collaboratively

The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Activities for Writing Groups

Touching base.

Mutual support can be one of the most important functions of a writing group. Sometimes encouragement and the knowledge that others are interested in and committed to your work and your progress as a writer can be just as helpful as feedback. To that end, your writing group may want to reserve some time in each session to “touch base” or “check in” with one another. During this time you could:

  • Describe your writing activities since the last group meeting in terms of pages written, parts of a project completed, or hurdles overcome.
  • If you haven’t written much since the last meeting, you could talk about the kinds of pre-writing activities you have undertaken (research, reading, editing previous work, meeting with a professor or advisor, etc.). Or you could talk about the obstacles to writing that have hindered your progress (writer’s block, having a big exam this week, needing to gather more data before you can write, etc.).
  • Explain how work that was discussed during the last meeting is now evolving in response to group comments. You might explain which comments you chose to act on, or tell how a section of the piece has been reorganized or rethought in response to the group’s feedback.
  • Share your writing plans for the coming week or two so that your group members will know what kinds of writing they will see and so that you can help one another stick to your goals.
  • Decide, as a group, on a theme for the next meeting—brainstorming, drafting, proofreading, style, writer’s block, etc. Choosing a writing issue to tackle together will help you understand the challenges each member is facing at the moment and enable you to plan meetings that will help group members meet those challenges.

Systems for sharing work

Some writing groups ask members to distribute their work in advance of the group meeting, particularly if the piece of writing in question is lengthy. Internet-based file-sharing platforms make it easy to share files, and groups can choose a platform that will offer their members the appropriate level of access and security. Standardized file-naming conventions will help members locate documents easily, e.g., consistently naming folders by Date_Name of writer (11.14.20_Maria or Nov. 14 Maria).

Responding to work that you read outside of the group

The following ideas might help you respond to work that has been distributed beforehand:

  • Group members could write comments and suggest editorial changes on their copies of the paper and give those to the writer during the group meeting.
  • Group members could prepare a written response to the paper in the form of a letter to the writer, a paragraph, a written discussion of the work’s strengths and weaknesses, or on a form developed by the group. See the Responding to Other People’s Writing worksheet in this packet for a helpful model.
  • Group members could respond verbally to the piece, each offering a personal, overall reaction to writing before opening the discussion to a broader give-and-take.
  • You could go through the piece paragraph-by-paragraph or section-by-section, with each reader offering comments and suggestions for improvement.
  • The author could come prepared with a list of questions for the group and lead a discussion based on those questions.
  • One group member, either the author or (perhaps preferably) a different member of the group, could keep careful notes on key reactions and suggestions for the author’s future reference.

Responding to writing presented during the group meeting

Some groups prefer to bring writing, particularly shorter pieces, to the group meeting for immediate discussion. You might bring a draft of an entire paper, a section of a paper, or just a sentence or two that you can’t seem to get “just right.” Many of the above ideas will work just as well for writing that has been presented during the meeting of the writing group. However, since writing presented during the meeting will be new to everyone except the author, you might try these additional strategies:

  • Read the paper aloud to the group before launching discussion. The author could read, or another member of the group could read while the author notes things that sound like they might need revision. You could either read the entire text or break it into chunks, discussing each after it is read.
  • Group members could also read silently, making notes to themselves, before launching the discussion.
  • Read the first paragraph or first section aloud and have everyone in the group briefly write down what he or she thinks the paper will be about or what he or she thinks the thesis of the paper is. Share those responses in discussion.

Sharing writing without the anticipation of feedback

Sometimes, especially with new writing or writers needing a boost of confidence, it can be helpful to share writing without anticipating feedback. This kind of sharing can help writers get over fears about distributing their work or being judged:

  • For writers undertaking long projects, sharing a piece can serve to show the rest of the group the progress made since the last meeting, even if the author doesn’t need feedback right now.
  • Sharing a piece of writing without expecting feedback can provide the writer with a deadline to work toward without generating anxieties over whether or not the piece is “good enough” to share.
  • Sharing writing early in a writing group’s work together can be a no-pressure way to get to know one another’s projects and writing styles.

Brainstorming as part of the group process

Writing groups can provide not only feedback and a forum in which to share work, but also creative problem-solving for your writing troubles. Your group might try some of these brainstorming ideas:

  • Have one group member identify a writing problem that needs to be solved. Ask each group member to free-write possible solutions.
  • Cut up a copy of a paper that needs organizational changes so that each section, main idea, or paragraph is on its own slip of paper. As a group, move the pieces of paper around and discuss possible options for reorganizing the work.
  • After reading a piece, generate a list of items that the group might like to know more about. Organize these questions into categories for the author to consider.

Writing during writing group meetings

Your writing group may choose to write during some of its meetings. Here are some ideas for what to write:

  • If everyone in the group has a major deadline approaching, use one session as a working meeting. Meet in a computer lab or other location in which everyone can write and work independently, taking breaks periodically to assess your progress or ask questions.
  • Use some writing group time to free-write about your writing project—new ideas, to-do lists, organizational strategies, problems, or sentences for your drafts would all be appropriate topics for free-writing.
  • Free-write about the writing process (you could all write about “How I start to write” or “The writing environment that works for me” or “When I sit down to edit…”) and share your responses with one another.
  • Write about the dynamics of the writing group as a way of getting everyone’s ideas out on paper. You could free-write about the kinds of feedback that help you, what you like about each other’s writing, your frustrations with the group, and your suggestions for improving the way the group works.
  • Spend a few minutes of each meeting practicing a new writing or editing technique you would like to explore.
  • See the Writing Exercises handout for more ideas.

Reading during writing group meetings

Just as writing during group meetings can prove beneficial, reading can sometimes help writing groups work together better:

  • Pick a book on writing such as Bird by Bird, Writing with Power, Writing Down the Bones, Writing Without Teachers, or Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day and assign yourselves sections to read for each meeting. Discuss the reading during some part of the group’s meeting each time.
  • Read about a particular writing topic such as editing techniques or writer’s block during the group meeting, and then spend the session working on that aspect of one another’s writing.
  • Bring a piece of writing (an article in your field, an article from a journal or magazine that you enjoyed, or a piece of fiction) that you think is especially well-written. Read over it as a group and talk about what the author did in the piece that made it so effective.
  • Bring pieces of data or evidence that you are using in your writing and share them with the group. If the group becomes familiar with the things that you write about, they may be better able to help you write about them effectively.

Bring in a guest

Just as guest lecturers in courses sometimes spice up the classroom experience, guests in writing groups can enliven the discussion:

  • Invite a friend’s writing group to have a joint meeting with yours. Share writing from all participants and also talk about writing group strategies that have worked for each group.
  • Invite a faculty member or other guest writer to your group to talk about his or her writing process and to offer suggestions for improving your own.
  • Bring in a friend who is working on a project related to the project of a group member. This may help your group member develop a network of people interested in his or her particular topic and may also show your friend how helpful a writing group could be.

Your writing group can also help you plan your writing schedule for the week:

  • Discuss your writing goals, both broadly and for the immediate future. Ask your group if those goals seem realistic.
  • Ask group members to e-mail you with reminders of deadlines and encouragement.
  • Create a group calendar in which you all set goals and deadlines for your writing. This calendar could be for a week, a month, a semester, a year, or more. The Writing Center publishes a planning calendar each semester.
  • Give each other writing “assignments” for the next meeting.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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How to Run a Writing Group: A Proven System to Keep Feedback Positive and Helpful

Are you tired of going it alone as a writer? Joining or starting a writing group is a wonderful way to build community and improve your writing skills.

But beware. For every good experience of participating in a writing group, there are ten horror stories. Too many times unclear goals, personal egos, and loose structure lead to hurt feelings, unproductive meetings, and breakdowns in relationships.

Worst of all, it doesn’t actually improve your writing!

In this article you will learn the systems we use in our Guild Editor Mentorship program to keep the writing feedback positive and helpful so it enables writers to reach their goals.

How to Run a Writing Group

What are the Benefits of a Writing Group?

Why bother with a writing group? It’s a hassle to find meeting times, share your writing, and deal with other introvert’s personalities when we would all rather be curled up at home with a good book.

However, we at Story Grid think it’s worth the effort.

There are three main benefits to participating in a writing group.

1. Makes the Writing Process More Enjoyable

Writing is a lonely process. It requires you to sit alone in front of a keyboard tapping away.

This loneliness often leads us to focus on the negative. We often get stuck spiraling in our head, frustrated with both the process and the results.

By meeting regularly with a group of other writers, we often get a truer sense of our place and progress. We have others cheering on our wins, mourning our losses, and reminding us of our progress along the way.

Non-writers do not understand what it means to pursue the art of writing. By regularly meeting with other writers, it eases our loneliness and reminds us why we pursue this noble goal.

2. Creates Accountability

We’ve all been there. 

We miss a day of writing. Then two. Then a week. Then we turn around and realize it’s been five months since we’ve written anything more than an email or tweet.

By committing to a writing group, we stay engaged so we can turn in our work before each meeting. Additionally, the added pressure of regularly sharing our work with peers will keep us sharp and pursuing excellence.

3. Improves Writing Skills

Adding outside perspectives to our writing allows us to get helpful feedback (if it’s done correctly—more on this below) that we could not generate on our own. 

This type of group workshopping will unlock ideas we didn’t know we had. Often, it won’t be any exact idea that someone shared, rather, their ideas will spark our own creativity.

These types of communities increase our creativity and drive us to stay engaged with the work.

The Rules for a Writing Group

In order for a writing group to stay helpful and positive, we have found it’s important to establish a set of rules for all participants to agree to and follow.

Rule 0: Abide by the Basics

These are the obvious bits. 

Show up to meetings on time or communicate in advance if you are unable to attend. Share your drafts in the agreed format. Check the ego at the door. If you find yourself getting defensive or upset, take a break to calm down before reengaging. 

Focus on making the experience positive for all involved. 

Rule 1: Choose a Common Curriculum

Choose a book, topic, or training to work through together. We, of course, recommend the Story Grid Guild training.

This provides a common structure and goal for our work together in the group. Each week we are focused on a particular skill set. Perhaps it’s dialogue or fight scenes or context description.

By focusing on a common curriculum, we tend to offer and receive feedback that is clear and focused instead of random..

Rule 2: Focus on the Iterative Practice of Skills and Concepts over Finishing a Work-in-Progress

If all of the participants are submitting their work-in-progress for feedback, it causes two main problems:

  • The writer is emotionally attached to the work because they are working towards a final publishable piece. Instead, by working on small bits focused on the concepts from the common curriculum, it is much easier to cut, rewrite, and throw way.
  • All the participants are at different places in their story. This makes it impossible to focus on a common concept or skill.

Instead, each week write or edit drafts that are created for the sole purpose of practicing the current concept or skill and getting feedback from the group. This will allow us to let go of attachment to our writing and be quick to accept and apply feedback.

The goal of the writing group is skill acquisition and leveling up our writing instead of finishing a work-in-progress.

Rule 3: Meet Weekly

Scheduling a week between meetings allows for time to study and practice the concepts and skills while not letting too much time pass before getting feedback.

Here is how the weekly meetings should be run.

  • Have one person review the topic from the previous week and the goals for the week’s practice writing.
  • Each person gets a set amount of time (5-10 minutes depending on the number of participants) to receive feedback from the group on their writing sample. Feedback should follow the guidelines for HOW TO GIVE GOOD FEEDBACK .

In our Guild Editor Mentorship program, since each writer gets one-on-one feedback with their Editor Mentor each week, we spend the group time deep diving into one participant’s iteration for the week. This allows us to dig deep and learn more as a group.

  • Once all the feedback has been given, move to the topic for the week.
  • Discuss the topic until there is common understanding. Talk about what isn’t clear and try to build a shared understanding of the concepts and goals before moving forward.
  • Each writer should identify which aspects of the concept are most interesting and exciting to them. Every participant should share specific skills they are looking to improve in their writing.
  • Harvest the meaning from the discussion and set an intention on how each person will practice the concepts in their writing over the coming week.

Start Your Own Writing Group

When done correctly, a writing group can be a source of great support for you as a writer while also helping you develop new skills to level up your ability.

Gather three to five people together and start meeting weekly and working together toward your common goal.

Join the Guild Editor Mentorship

Writing feedback and weekly groups are a huge part of the Guild Editor Mentorship Program. Here’s what are current students have to say:

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Write It Sideways

How Writing Groups Can Work for You

January 12, 2012 Susan Bearman Filed Under: Productivity

How Writing Groups Can Work for You

Today’s article is written by regular contributor Susan Bearman .

Writing can be a pretty lonely business. Butt in chair, eyes glued to computer screen or favorite notebook is not the most social activity, but it is the way most of our work gets done.

Joining a writing group can keep you from turning into a total hermit and put you in contact with other people who love writing just as much as you do, people who may be able to help you or who you may be able to help somewhere down the line.

Writing groups come in all shapes and sizes:

  • workshops and lectures
  • critique groups
  • writing conventions and conferences
  • online groups
  • MFA programs
  • residency programs

The length, meeting frequency, duration, and location of these programs vary widely, but they all have one thing in common: they offer a community of and for writers.

It’s fine to talk to family and friends about your writing, but unless they are writers themselves (or at least avid readers), their eyes will eventually glaze over somewhere between the third and thirtieth revision of your work in progress.

Each of the kinds of writing groups listed above has advantages and disadvantages . Today I’m going to talk about a specific kind of writing workshop, one that meets weekly and has speakers who are professionals in writing.

I’m lucky enough to live near Off Campus Writers’ Workshop  (OCWW), the longest continuously running writing workshop in the United States. Our group meets weekly for two-and-a-half hours on Thursday mornings, September through May.

We have speakers from all areas of the writing spectrum covering topics that range from a close investigation of the ending of novels to how to write an effective query letter to how to set up a blog and Facebook page. Some speakers offer critiques, others do not. Each week is like a graduate-level class on some aspect of writing.

If you choose to join a group like OCWW, here are some of the things I’ve learned along the way to make them work for you:

Make a Commitment

Go to every session. This should be your time, an investment you make in your writing and your career. You never know what you might miss if you skip a week. There was a time when I used to pick and choose which sessions I would attend.

One time, I got the dates mixed up and showed up for a speaker who wrote fantasy novels, completely out of my realm. During her presentation, she spoke a lot about the business of writing, showed us actual (redacted) contracts, and helped me better understand how to market myself and my work. Had I followed my inclination, I would have missed all that valuable information.

Being around other writers is always inspiring. As the speaker shares his or her knowledge, I find the synapses in my writer’s brain start firing a lightning speed. If an idea occurs to me during a session, I turn to the back of my notebook and write it there so it’s easy to find later. We frequently have an informal lunch after our sessions. Some people are eager to continue the discussion, but I know just as many who are eager to get home and get writing.

Don’t Judge by Genre

I read a lot about the kind of writing I do. I’ve been studying it and doing it for a long time.Through my writing workshop, I have found I often learn more from writers who work in different formats and venues than I do.

From our poet speakers, I have learned about pacing, rhythm, and economy of words. From the mystery writer, I learned that every page you write — no matter what your genre — should have your reader asking, “I wonder what comes next?” From the food writer and restaurant critic, I learned the importance of setting the mood, identifying the telling detail, and finding words that will make your readers feel as if they are living the experience themselves.

Every single speaker has had something to teach me.

Participate

Most groups offer time to meet and greet before or after the session, or sometimes during a break.

Make the most of these opportunities. Introduce yourself to your neighbor on either side. If possible, try to meet the speaker. If you don’t already have a business card, you can get very inexpensive ones made (100 cards for under $10) or print them yourself. It doesn’t have to be fancy — just your name, title (“writer” will do), and email address. Hand them out and collect other people’s cards to start your writing network.

If there is a discussion or Q&A, by all means, ask your question or offer your opinion. But don’t monopolize the discussion, and always be polite and as positive as possible. When offering a criticism, make sure its constructive.

Take Good Notes

Some people at our workshop bring laptops and type their notes right into their computers. I use the spiral notebooks I buy from Target at the beginning of the school year (10 for a dollar). I’ve seen others use fancy journals and fancier pens, but I like the working attitude of my spiral notebooks. If a session is particularly inspiring or germane to my my writing, I type up my notes at home.

Be sure to note the date and topic, as well as the speaker’s name and any contact information he or she shares. If the speaker invites you to friend him on Facebook or send questions by email, do it. Start that conversation and expand your network, but use common sense. If the speaker offered to answer questions by email, keep yours relevant to the topic of the day. Don’t expect her to be your new best friend or to introduce you to her agent. In other words, don’t be a pain.

Join the Board

Joining the board of a writing group is a great way to beef up your writing street cred. It shows that you are passionate and committed to your craft, and it looks great on a resume or query letter. Most writing groups are run by volunteers. Our board has 15 members, others are much smaller, some even larger.

If you have a particular affinity for numbers, you might want to volunteer to be the group’s treasurer. I’m currently the communications chair for OCWW, because even in my volunteer activities, I like to be writing. It keeps my skills sharp and pushes me to stay current on social networking. Our programming chairs often extol the value of the contacts they have made while booking speakers for our sessions. Use your vocation or avocation and find a way to make a difference in your group.

Writing groups can be a great way to expand your knowledge, meet other writers, and develop a valuable network. Like anything else, the more you give, the more you get. The Writer magazine maintains a list of writing groups. In the UK, check out the National Association of Writers’ Groups . Or do an Internet search using “writing groups” and your location.

Editor’s note: Are you part of a writing group? What are your best tips for making the most of group experiences?

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About Susan Bearman

Join the discussion.

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January 13, 2012 at 7:53 am

Great post, Susan! I second your comments about becoming a committed, active member of a writing group. When I first joined OCWW I was picky about which sessions I attended. I sat in the back of the room by myself and left as soon as the session ended. I changed my approach, started attending as often as possible, and joined the Board. In addition to learning more about writing, I added a wonderful group of people to my life.

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January 13, 2012 at 11:20 am

Thanks, Karen. You were a great inspiration as OCWW president.

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January 14, 2012 at 4:45 am

We joined a writers group a few years back in our old town before we moved. I had read a book written by a man who attended our church and thought, “If he can do that, I can too! I can write that well!” Soon after, he started the writers group and when he and his wife stepped down two years later, my husband and I took the group over and ran it for another two years until we moved away – to a town with no writers group anywhere near us 🙁

I’m sad to not be part of a group, but one of the things we implemented in that group was to have one person be the note-taker and put the note in e-mail form to be sent out to participants who couldn’t make it that month. I still receive these recaps of the meetings and it reminds me to keep on plugging away at my craft.

One thing we really liked doing in our writers group was to pick a subject and give every member fifteen minutes to write about that subject and then we’d all share what we wrote – we called these writing exercises. It was such a neat experience to see how 10 people could come up with completely different stories based on the same subject. It helped us keep our improvisation and creative juices flowing.

We also had guest speakers come and talk about certain aspects of writing or publishing occasionally. I even spoke about my “flog” which was a term I coined for a Facebook group I ran. I sent messages in blog post form regarding the subject matter and that is what eventually led to my wanting to start the blog I currently have.

I highly recommend joining a group. Just having like-minded people around you is very beneficial.

January 14, 2012 at 5:54 am

Thanks for sharing your writing group experiences, Cindy. Sounds like it’s time to start a group in your new community. It’s wonderful that you and your husband ran the group together. I hope you find (or start) a new group soon.

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January 14, 2012 at 7:14 am

I have found in younger years a great deal of practical help from overnight workshops. These days, I am getting unbelievable levels of inspiration and practical pointers from my online poetry community. I must be doing something right, because almost all of my followers(gaining 2-3 new ones almost every day!) beg me for each new installment in my current adult fairytale series!

January 14, 2012 at 8:13 am

Congratulations on your following, Rose. I also find my online friends to be incredibly supportive. The Internet provides amazing opportunities for creating community.

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January 14, 2012 at 10:38 am

No groups close to me to my knowledge. But starting one is on my list for the future!

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January 15, 2012 at 7:14 am

Rebecca, keep us posted. I’d love to hear about creating a group from scratch.

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January 15, 2012 at 1:46 am

I have recently joined a photography group and can confirm the value in stepping out of the comfort of my own assumptions and into the edginess and reality-check of being with others who have a passion for a world of creativity as vast as writing. The other members of the group–rather than offering ONE way of doing things, offer me their experience-what has worked, what hasn’t, etc. then, I find that I have more to share than I thought-tidbits about my own creative journey that inspire someone else. In the end, I realize that I AM walking the walk of an artist-and have finally left behind the illusory thought of, “someday I’m going to…,” replacing it with my unapologetic passion for what wants to be expressed TODAY!

Inspiring post. Thanks for this.

January 16, 2012 at 5:25 am

Britton, that’s exactly what I have found about writing. The more I immerse myself in it and surround myself with passionate, creative people, the more inspired I am. Good luck to you in all your creative efforts.

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January 16, 2012 at 8:06 am

Great points, Susan. I do participate in a writing group, and find that it’s a great motivator– just the extra push I need to finish or polish a piece rather than letting it sit in limbo. I like what you said about not judging by genre– there’s a mix of genres in my group, and we learn from each other nevertheless. Many of the principles of imaginative language and theme carry over multiple genres.

January 16, 2012 at 9:08 am

Glad you have found a group that works for you, Sarah. I’m learning more and more from different genres every day.

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January 20, 2012 at 3:11 pm

I recently joined a very casual weekly writing group. We started as a “write-in” during NaNoWriMo. During those meetings we all just sat together, worked on our novels and even challenged each other to word wars or other games to get the creativity going. We clicked as a group so we kept on meeting. We all work on different things, but we have each other there to ask questions, offer advice share tips. I’ve been infinitely more productive since meeting this group. It’s not formal or structured, but it works. I also belong to a monthly critique group for work-shopping near-finished or stuck pieces.

January 24, 2012 at 3:35 pm

Becca, productivity can be a great side-benefit of writing groups. I know I have always worked to get something done for my critique group so I don’t miss the opportunity to share. I’m also always inspired to write after my regular writing group with speakers. Thanks for sharing your experience.

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January 21, 2012 at 10:29 am

Hi Susan, and sorry it’s taken me so long to comment! It’s great that you mention how you’ve learned a lot from writers of other genres. I have a friend who writes romance, whereas I tend more toward literary fiction. Although we acknowledge the differences between our work, it’s been great getting a chance to read each other’s writing and provide perspectives that perhaps people who write in the same genre might not have. Thanks for some great tips!

January 24, 2012 at 3:36 pm

Thank you, Suzannah. I think the more we open ourselves up to learning from other writers, the better.

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April 22, 2012 at 5:43 pm

Hi, I shave a question…if you are writing a novel, would you share your work with your writer’s group?

April 23, 2012 at 1:56 am

Hi, Missy. I think it depends on what stage you’re at in your writing and what kind of writing group you have. We were just discussing this at my writing group (which is not a critique group, but speakers will occasionally critique excepts). The consensus was that you should be far enough along in your story that you won’t be swayed by every comment or confused by other visions.

If you feel you are ready to start getting some feedback, most of our group suggested asking one or two trusted beta readers. Don’t pick friends or family members unless they are writers. Be clear about what kind of feedback you want. Give a few guidelines, like: In this read through I’m primarily interested in feedback on plot. Does everything make sense? Are there any holes? Was the plot too obvious? Did it flow well?

Or you could ask about character development or subplots or general writing. But it usually works best if you ask your readers/critiquers to concentrate on one area at a time.

I hope this helps. Best of luck.

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December 28, 2012 at 11:03 am

I searched for a writers’ group for about a year before starting my own. This piece gives me several ideas on how to improve Owensboro Writers Group. Do you have any suggestions on how to find published writers that are willing to talk to my group without paying them much, if any, money?

[…] you can’t find the help you need online, look to your local writers’ group for resources. Subscribe to industry publications that include marketing tips. Take a class at […]

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How To Run A Successful Writing Group

  • by Hannah Collins
  • April 12, 2017

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The act and art of writing are usually solitary endeavors, even with a head full of a hundred different characters. If you’ve had enough of pacing around your living room trying to ease writer’s block, or terrifying your pets by acting out sword-fights, then a writing group might be just want you need. Maybe you’re even hoping to find the C.S Lewis to your J.R.R Tolkien .

But what can you do if there isn’t a writing group in your area, or the groups that do exist don’t meet your needs? Well, since writing groups can be so important for writers, maybe you should start your own. Here’s how.

Set objectives for your writing group

This is important to establish as early as possible. After all, success is based on achievement, so naturally you need something to achieve in order to feel like a successful writing group. And, without wanting to sound like a fun-sponge, it’ll also help give some structure to your meetings. Each member will probably have their own aims in mind already, so the best thing to do is discuss and collate all of these individual goals, then create a set of goals or a shared, singular goal for the writing group that everyone agrees on.

This could be many things, but here are some common examples to get you thinking:

  • To write more often,
  • To network with other writers working in similar genres,
  • To critique each other’s work,
  • To support and champion each other,
  • To become better writers and editors ,
  • To give each other industry or professional insight,
  • To help strengthen each other’s manuscripts from first drafts to publication.

Settle on a format

Again, structure is the foundation on which success is built. Set guidelines on how the group will operate and establish clear expectations. This could include word or page counts for submissions, when and how submissions are distributed among the group, and how participation will work.

For instance, it’s worth considering how distribution will work in your writing group. Will you distribute printed copies on the day, read work aloud, send submissions out by email prior to the meet, or provide copies at one meeting to be critiqued at the next? Likewise, how will critique work? You could opt for spoken feedback, but written mark-ups are easier to refer to later. On that basis, would you prefer people write on their copies or type up a ‘report’?

Agree on a format with everyone and see how well it works. You can always try something different if it doesn’t.

Establish a critique model

Who really enjoys receiving criticism ? No-one? Thought so. We all know how important criticism is, even if we’d also rather it didn’t need to exist and we could all just blindly agree to love everything equally. Criticism can be equally hard to provide, especially if you’re having to deliver it to someone’s face on a regular basis.

Firstly, you need to decide on who gets critiqued, for how long, and when. Will all members critique all submissions at every meet-up for an equal amount of time? Will there be a minimum participation system for each submission? Will you intensively critique a different member’s submissions each time? Your writing group’s decision on this may also depend on the number of members in the group.

Then you need to decide on how the critiquing should be delivered. This can be tricky to balance, as common advice dictates that withholding feedback doesn’t best serve anyone, and yet needless criticism just for the sake of contributing can be harmful. Probably the most effective and universally-agreed-on structure for providing feedback is the critique ‘sandwich’. Here, the bread should be something complimentary and the filling should be something advisory. Positive, negative, positive. In other words, criticism is far easier to swallow when it’s presented inside encouragement.

Discuss the various options with the group and settle on a model before your first proper meet.

Be prepared

Bring notepads. Bring spare paper. Bring pens or pencils. Bring your wallet to keep coffees or beers topped up. But most importantly, bring critique notes with you if you’ve already seen the submission before the meeting. Have specific examples ready to serve up alongside the positives and negatives you highlight in someone’s work.

It’s not helpful to just shruggingly tell someone you liked or disliked their submission if you can’t tell them why. Have some questions ready to ask them, and in turn, note down any comments or questions directed at you.

Be open to change

This may sound like counter-intuitive advice considering how much I’ve banged on so far about setting ‘structure’ and ‘rules’, but flexibility is important too. Encourage feedback every now and again from the group to check that the established format and meeting schedule is still working for everyone. Is the group meeting too often? Not enough? Would a different day or time work better? Or a change of location? Is commitment to the group too much of a burden? Is there too much homework? Is everyone getting the same opportunities to contribute? Is one person contributing too much? Or too little?

You may also need to react to changes in membership numbers. If they increase, you might need to take another look at your format and submission guidelines to check they’ll still work if the group dynamic changes. If you experience a loss or stagnated membership numbers, maybe it’s time to review your recruitment policy, or push for a new recruitment drive.

Try out different ways to meet/communicate

Obviously, the main advantage of meeting in real life is the excuse to get out of the house and do some good, old-fashioned socializing (as well giving those traumatized pets I mentioned earlier a break from your one-person shows).

But, if you’re struggling to find warm, breathing, writerly human bodies within a reasonable distance, you could always use virtual space instead. Email, chat rooms, private Facebook groups, Skype, Google Hangouts, forums … the list of options just keeps increasing each year. Obviously, there are certain pitfalls associated with online, non-verbal communication, such as misinterpreted tone of voice and people’s propensity to be harsher when speaking to people they can’t see. For this reason, video or phone conversations for writing group critiquing may be best.

You could also use these methods as supplementary to physical group meet-ups. Conversations and support could continue online between each meeting, and those who are forced to miss one can still feel like they’re part of the group.

All work and no play…

You’ve got your shared objectives in mind and you’re all working hard to achieve it/them. But, taking a break from your routine can be beneficial too. Mix things up every now and again by doing something totally different to your usual meeting. Go to a book reading, or a talk from an author, or catch a movie together. Create some writing prompts or have a go at some fun writing exercises with the group. Or maybe arrange to meet up in a completely non-writing-related way, just to get to know everyone better. Often, it’s easier to be honest with people we have a rapport with.

Set the rules – and stick to them

The key to running a successful writing group can really be boiled down to three things:

  • Creating a shared group objective,
  • Establishing guidelines for participation,
  • Following through.

There’s obviously no point in going through the trouble of adhering to the first two steps if you’re not going to stick to them. Everything should be agreed on democratically, but as the founder, you need to take responsibility for steering discussion and ensuring the group is on track to achieving its shared objective.

Starting a writing group may seem daunting, but if you take it one step at a time and make sure to consult on what works for the group, you’ll have an amazing resource that can enhance both your writing and career. Share your writing group tips in the comments, and, for more on getting great criticism, check out Your Complete Guide To Getting Useful Criticism and Everything You Need To Know About Working With Beta Readers , or if you need more convincing, try Why Joining A Writing Group May Be The Best Thing You Do All Year .

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Hannah Collins

Hannah Collins

8 thoughts on “how to run a successful writing group”.

writing group how does it work

Aah, those critique groups…. bane or bonus? My experience has been that perception is everything. When I perceive someone as not being a strong writer, I find it difficult to accept critique of my writing from that person. One more thing: The golden rule for all groups should be that the person whose work is being critiqued must sit silent, lest the whole exercise turns into a scene resembling a courtroom with the writer defending or explaining her/himself.

writing group how does it work

Thanks for the insight. That’s certainly an interesting rule that groups might find helpful to try out.

writing group how does it work

Thanks, Hannah. Your information is excellent.

Local writing groups are subject to the same peer pressure and relationship difficulties as any other group. Many people find it difficult to look someone in the eye and offer criticism.

However, online groups solve that problem. A writer can give and receive criticism, taking the requisite time to act and react. If a critique raises our hackles, we can stew until our adrenaline settles before deciding whether we want to accept the advice.

Thanks, I’m glad you found the advice to be sound.

You’re right – online groups give people a chance to meditate for longer on the feedback they get before possibly lashing out in the heat of the moment. I’ve definitely found this to be more useful than face-to-face meet ups at times, though the adrenilin rush of a hot debate in person can be quite fun!

writing group how does it work

I joined an online writing group in February this year. It was predominantly to support the novel I started writing. They ask that each submission is matched with at least two critiques of submissions from other members. Each week brings a different prompt to inspire the submission. The first critique can be difficult, but there are far more benefits. I have been able to explore a variety of genres, making me realise my strengths and weaknesses.

Thanks for the insight into how an online group can be run, and it’s great to hear you’ve benefitted from being a part of one.

writing group how does it work

I think the best case scenario is to be involved in both in-person and online groups. There are pros and cons to each and this way you get the best of both worlds.

Hi Kristen,

That certainly seems like an ideal solution for those having trouble choosing!

Thanks for the comment.

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writing group how does it work

How to run an effective writing group

writing group how does it work

Australian Writers' Centre Team

  • March 4, 2021

There's no better way to improve your writing than to share and workshop it with other writers. This idea can terrify some people, but once you conquer your fear, you'll find it invaluable. However, you need to find the right group for you, and your writing group should have clear guidelines.

If you've decided to start your own writing group, or want to improve how your current one runs, we've asked some of Australia's top authors – Pamela Freeman , Nicole Hayes and Pamela Cook – to share their tips on how to run an effective writing group.

When should your writing group meet?

The first thing you'll need to establish is your schedule. Most groups meet fortnightly or monthly, and a few meet weekly – although that can be harder to commit to. Pick a schedule that works for everyone in your group and stick to it.

“I’ve been involved in several different groups as a participant and each had a different composition and format,” says YA author Nicole Hayes. “But the one that worked best was when there were usually five, but no more than six members – often one would be absent – and we met monthly.”

As part of your schedule, it's a good idea to map out who's turn it is to workshop ahead of time.

“Do the schedule a long way ahead, so people know when they’ll be submitting,” says award-winning author and AWC presenter Pamela Freeman.

Who should be in your writing group?

At each session, it's good to have around five or six writers. Keep in mind that there will almost always be someone who can't make it, so your group should have between six and eight members to allow for that.

“There are eight people in my writing group and seven of us meet fortnightly,” says bestselling author Pamela Cook. “Everyone is published in some form ranging from short stories to multiple novels.”

Ideally, you'll have a range of different backgrounds, careers, family life, genders, ethnicities, etc. There is nothing like a different perspective to help see your story in a new light. However, while you do want a diverse mix of people, you should all be at a similar level of writing experience.

“Think about the composition of the writers and their level of experience,” says Nicole. “In a perfect world, you’d have a mix of experience and success, but truthfully, that benefits the less experienced more than those further along. Striking that balance is key, and it’s important to know what to expect from others upfront.”

Finding that right mix can be tricky. You want a diverse group of people, but you should share a common goal: to improve each other's writing and to support each other. If someone is only interested in their own writing goals, then they won't be a good fit for a supportive and collaborative group.

“Research the group before joining – or before adding a new member,” Pamela Cook says. “Personality clashes can bring the whole thing down in a screaming heap.”

Often, a writing group will form naturally out of an event like a course, workshop, or conference, after people have already formed a connection. Writer Kylie Fennell found her ‘ write people ‘ after attending GenreCon, a writing conference in Brisbane.

“A light-hearted dinner conversation led to a collaborative, multi-genre anthology, Lighthouse ,” Kylie says. “Sure, there were dozens of steps and lots of hard work in between, but it all started with a simple conversation.”

That conversation can also start online, in a Facebook group or Twitter conversation. We've also seen countless writing groups form after writers connected in one of our writing courses, especially Novel Writing Essentials and Write Your Novel .

Where should you meet?

Commonly, writing groups will meet in a library, community centre, or each other's homes. Cafes and restaurants are not great settings because they're noisy and full of distractions – like food and alcohol.

For Pamela Freeman, this is her most important tip. “Do NOT serve food and drink until AFTER the discussion is over (if then),” she says. “Coffee, yes, but no food or alcohol. Otherwise, it descends into a social occasion, instead of a focused workshop. This is not a book club! You are here to work!”

A lot of writing groups fail for this reason, so choose your location wisely.

If you are geographically close, then meeting at each other's homes is a good option. Pamela's own group would meet on a Saturday morning at the house of the person whose work was being workshopped, which was decided several weeks in advance.

If you're further apart, then choose one central location – again, ideally a library meeting room rather than a bar. You can also meet online via Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp, Facebook or myriad other communication platforms.

“If you’re on Zoom, you might want to nominate a moderator – you can rotate the moderation so that someone whose work is not being discussed does it,” Pamela Freeman advises. “You can also run it remotely via email.”

Of course, plans and situations change, so it's good to have both a physical and virtual location to meet. This allows members to ‘phone in' even if they can't attend physically.

“We try to meet in person but in the depths of Covid we ‘met’ weekly or fortnightly via Zoom,” says Pamela Cook. “We are back to fortnightly face to face meetings at one of the member's homes as it’s central for everyone.”

Do you all need to be writing the same genre?

The answer is a definite ‘no'! Having members writing across several genres can help everyone. Similar to having different life experiences, people writing in different genres will ask questions and see issues that would slip past people who are immersed in their genre.

“In fact, having people who don’t know the genre can be great, as any slightly confusing bits will confuse them a lot!” says Pamela Freeman. “It’s terrific to have different perspectives.”

Pamela Cook agrees. “Everyone in our group writes in different genres ranging from romance, suspense and literary to crime and women’s fiction. We are all pretty eclectic readers and have a broad understanding of genre so that helps.”

Of course, if someone in the group absolutely despises sci-fi, then they may not be a good fit if the rest of the writers focus on speculative fiction.

“It is completely useless to listen to a critique from someone who expressly or genuinely doesn’t like – or even read – your genre,” says Nicole. “There’s really nothing they can offer that others who are better read in your genre can.”

How should you structure each workshop?

Once you've found the right people and have an idea of the schedule, you should establish the structure of your meetings. That means that each time you meet, everybody knows what happens at the start, they know how many pieces will be workshopped, and they have a good idea of when it is going to end.

Some writing groups are very structured, with a clear agenda. Others are a bit looser. Either can work, depending on your group, but each time you meet, you should follow a familiar plan. Start with a catch up and allow everyone to settle in and share any news. But you should have a definite time when the work properly starts.

Pamela Cook's writing group has a fairly loose structure, with a strong emphasis on camaraderie, not just workshopping, but there is still an order of events.

“We generally do a roundup of how we are going with our writing and any issues we are having,” Pamela says. “If someone has a scene, chapter or blurb they need feedback on, that comes next. Then we discuss a podcast or article we have read on craft or another aspect of the business like marketing or querying. Then we lunch! We also swap longer pieces via email.”

Even within Pamela's loose framework, the time is focused on the art and craft of writing. Nicole agrees that this is essential.

“Ensure the night is about work, and not about the social experience,” Nicole says. “Or set a time for catching up before, then designate a hard and fast ‘start work' time that you police rigidly.”

Decide in advance how many pieces you'll workshop each meeting. For example, you can workshop just one writer's work per meeting, or you can do several.

“We would often discuss two or more people’s work in each session, with strict time limits so that no one missed out,” Pamela Freeman says.

For Nicole Hayes' group, they prefer to focus on one writer at a time.

“Ordinarily, there would be a designated week for your work to be read,” Nicole says. “You would provide the work at least a week in advance so everyone had a chance to read and write comments. On the night there would be a discussion that allowed everyone to flesh out their critique, ask questions of the author, and for the author to respond or ask questions of the critique group.”

If you don't have guidelines for how your writing group runs, it will quickly turn into a disorganised (but fun!) social event. Or it will be hijacked by the writers with the strongest personalities. Guidelines create structure and a safe place for writers to share their work.

Keep the following in mind:

Deadlines. If someone is submitting their work for critique, they must meet the deadline. Everyone's time is valuable and meeting deadlines shows respect for your fellow writers. One week before the meet-up is a good rule of thumb. If anyone doesn't submit on time, they don't get feedback.

Word or page limits . Make it clear how long a writer's submission can be. If you're only workshopping one writer during a meet-up, then they can submit a longer piece – for example, up to 5000 words. But if you plan to workshop a few writers during the group time, then each person needs to keep their submission short – say 1000 words.

Timing and moderation As well as deadlines, have timelines during the event. For example, each person has a maximum of 10 minutes to provide their feedback. Having a moderator/timekeeper can help your workshop to run more smoothly.

Reading work out loud . Will writers read an excerpt from their submission? Or the whole thing? Or will you workshop it without having the writer read it out loud? Factor this into your timings.

How do you provide feedback?

It's important that you set out your feedback protocols explicitly. You need to make sure every writer in the group feels comfortable both giving and receiving feedback and having protocols in place will help with that. You can do this in a welcome email, a shared Google Doc, or in a Facebook or WhatsApp group.

Providing feedback is (usually) the whole point of a writing group. To make sure it works for everyone, have clear guidelines about what is expected and what is unacceptable.

There are several different ways you can run the feedback portion of the writing group but two main ones are:

1. Read, critique, listen, respond. 

The writer sends round their workshop piece at least a week before. Everyone reads it several times, making notes. At the writing group, each person provides their verbal feedback and the author is not allowed to respond. Once everyone has critiqued the piece, the author can then address anything that came up.

This is the system that Pamela Freeman prefers.

“It allows the writer to actually LISTEN to what people are saying, rather than start thinking about their response to it,” Pamela says. “It allows things to sink in, particularly if several people are saying the same thing. It allows space for embarrassment to subside and stops you crying as you blurt out a defence of your work. And, importantly, it reassures the participants that they are not going to get into a nasty argument with the writer. This encourages honesty.”

At the end of the session, members share their written notes with the writer, either in hard copy or via email.

2. Read, critique, discussion.

Similar to the above example, writers send round their workshop piece at least a week before. Everyone reads it several times, making notes. During the meet-up, people provide their feedback in turn, but the writer can respond, and all the members get involved in the discussion.

This is the preferred format for Nicole.

“On the night there would be a discussion that allowed everyone to flesh out their critique, ask questions of the author, and for the author to respond or ask questions of the critique group,” Nicole says. “Some say the author shouldn’t speak before their work is read and the critique provided. I’m not sure that’s helpful. We put ourselves in a vulnerable position when we share our work, and unless the read is a final draft, where it really is entirely about what’s on the page, then everything is a work in progress and will require additional thoughts and conversation. Whatever makes the authors and those providing their critique comfortable is what matters.”

If you're providing feedback by email, rather than meeting up physically or virtually, make sure you have a shared Google Drive or Dropbox folder where everyone can put their stories and comments. It's fine for the discussion to take place via email (or chat), but keeping all the submissions and feedback in one place will make your life easier.

Have fun and be supportive!

Finally, enjoy the process! If you hate it, you won't benefit from it. And if you do hate it, question why. Is it the people? Is it the structure? Is it the timing? All of those things can be changed. If you simply hate giving or receiving feedback, you have to ask yourself if a writing group is really for you.

The best writing groups are composed of people who share a goal – to improve their own writing and to improve the writing of their fellow writers.

“You are all there to support each other’s writing,” Pamela Cook says. “It’s a give and take process.”

Being supportive means going beyond the allotted time at your meet-up. You can also share Tweets and Facebook posts, celebrate each other's successes, commiserate over rejections, and exchange opportunities.

“Support each other, encourage each other, barrack for each other – publicly, privately, every chance you can,” says Nicole. “It’s a glorious thing to watch a manuscript and author rise out of the ashes and into the publishing world – and to know you’ve had a hand in it. Celebrate others’ successes because 1) it’s the right thing to do and 2) you helped build this thing and that’s a great feeling!”

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Writing Critique Groups: Everything You Need to Know

Krystal Craiker headshot

Krystal N. Craiker

Writing Critique Groups

When someone asks me for my best piece of writing advice, I usually say, “Join a critique group.”

Since joining a writing critique group, my writing has improved by leaps and bounds. Critiques are an important part of my editing process because they help me figure out what really needs improving. But critiquing others is just as important for my writing process. I learn so much by reading other people’s work and listening to what other people say about the same pieces.

There is a lot to consider before joining a critique group, but this guide will tell you everything you need to know.

Critique Groups Versus Critique Partners

How does it work, maintaining constructive criticism, how do i find a critique group, final thoughts.

I’ll be the first to admit that having a group of writers read and critique your work is terrifying. I still get a little anxious when it’s my turn to be read. Many people prefer having a critique partner instead of a whole group for this reason.

In my critique group, Fiction Crafters, we all have different strengths and weaknesses. As a result, we all pick up on different areas for improvement. We joke that we need T-shirts that have our taglines on it. Mine would say, “More action beats!” One of my friends always asks about character motivation. My co-admin is the queen of showing instead of telling.

Likewise, it’s easy to see which issues need the most attention when more than one person mentions it. When only one person reads your work, they may see an issue where there isn’t one. When you have five out of six writers pointing out a problem, it’s definitely worth fixing.

Critique partners and critique groups are not a replacement for an editor. An editor is there to give you detailed feedback to fine-tune your manuscript, but they’re still just one person. I’ve written before on why I believe in delivering a polished manuscript to my editors. Critiques help you polish your work.

critiquegroupsone

Every critique group will have a different process for critiques. I’ll explain a few ways that a critique group can be structured, but I’ll go into detail about my group.

Here is what you can expect from most groups:

  • a word count limit
  • a method for delivering critiques
  • deadlines and time limits

My critique group meets every week. I know that is a commitment that might not be an option for many people, but it’s also my main social outlet. Currently, we have eight active members. We read two writers a week, who submit up to 5,000 words. The deadline to submit is Sunday night, and we meet on Wednesdays, so everyone has plenty of time to read.

We spend the first part of the evening socializing and eating. Each writer then gets forty-five minutes to be critiqued. We pass a talking stick and each person gets around four minutes to critique uninterrupted. Then the writer of the piece gets a chance to ask more questions or clarify things that the critiques brought up. The rest of the forty-five minutes is spent in open discussion about the work.

We submit through a shared Google Drive. Some of our members find it helpful to fill out a feedback form while others prefer to leave in-line comments.

Other groups might do all critiques online through a platform like Google Drive and never meet in person. I’ve also seen critique groups where you read your piece out loud and then you receive critiques. There’s no right or wrong way.

Like all groups, Fiction Crafters has had some growing pains. We’ve set up some guidelines to keep all feedback constructive and kind.

Types of Critiques

One of the things that has helped the most is classifying types of critiques. We used editing definitions for developmental, content, and line edits. Almost all critiques fall into these three categories. We ask that the author who is being critiqued specify what types of critique they want.

  • Developmental edits: major plot and character issues.
  • Content edits: more in-depth issues about plot, character, setting, pacing, etc.
  • Line edits: phrasing, word choice, literary devices, etc.

These are our adaptations of widely-accepted editing definitions. You may have heard different terms for these. I think of these like an inverted pyramid. Developmental edits are the big issues, and the edits get narrower from there.

Why do we do this? We have found it makes our feedback more refined and helpful. If I’m submitting a first draft, I don’t necessarily need line edits. I may scrap the whole chapter! If this is a refined draft that has been through multiple rounds of edits, I’ve moved past most of my developmental issues.

We also limit proofreading critiques. Proofreading for spelling, grammar, and typographical errors is the last step for a manuscript because so much gets changed in early drafts. Between software like ProWritingAid and a professional proofreader, we don’t need to spend valuable critique time on comma mistakes. Offering a general feedback for repeated mistakes like “you might want to review the past perfect tense” or “look up comma splices” is fine, though.

Kind and Useful

Critiques should be two things: kind and useful. Strong negative language like “I hate this” or “this is terrible” should be avoided. It’s also not helpful to tell a writer that everything they did is perfect.

Indie author Rosalind Wulf taught our critique group some great tips for giving balanced critiques. She said that critiques should have meat, bones, and fat. Bones are concrete examples from the text.This makes sure that critiques are specific. Meat is the specific feedback about the text. Fat are the overall compliments.

Here’s an example from Rosalind. The fat is highlighted, the bones are underlined, and the meat is bolded.

  • “ I really loved this whole chapter. I feel like the early scene where your character has a breakdown really made your character likeable . The pacing of the last part of the chapter, where your other character is fighting the big bad, felt a little fast.”

critiquegroupfc

Depending on where you live, there may already be established critique groups that you can join. Try searching Facebook, Meetup, or Eventbrite. If there are other types of writing groups in your area, connect with them. They might know of a critique group that is accepting members.

NaNoWriMo is a great way to meet other writers and find writing groups. That's how I found mine (pictured above). Go to write-ins in your region during November. That’s how my group got started! Also check the calendars at your local libraries and bookstores. Online critique groups are another option.

If you can’t find one that fits, start one!

Starting and Running a Critique Group

The first thing you need to decide is how often you want to meet. Weekly is a heavy commitment. Monthly is more realistic. But you can also meet biweekly, bimonthly, or quarterly. It’s really up to you.

You also need to decide where to meet. We have a reserved table at a local cafe. You can meet at someone’s house or at a library. Just make sure wherever you meet is big enough and quiet enough.

If you want to run an online critique group, there are several great ways to meet. You can meet through video conferencing with programs like Zoom or Google Hangouts. A Facebook group is another easy option for written critiques. Discord allows you to have voice calls or a chatroom. Slack is another great chatroom-style program.

Find other writers in your area. Go to writing events and book events. Ask around on social media. Do you want a large group open to anyone? Do you just want three close friends? How will you accept new members?

Learn from my mistakes: have clear rules in place and adapt as necessary. You’ll avoid hurt feelings from unkind and unhelpful critiques.

One of our biggest rules is “read to be read.” If you want to be critiqued, you must also make sure you are reading the other writers’ work on a regular basis. Don’t be that kid in a group project! Pull your weight!

Critique groups are invaluable for writers. If no one ever critiques our work, how do we improve? But I always say I learn even more from critiquing than being critiqued. I have learned what other writers notice when they read. We all bring in our own strengths and our own expertise. Critiques often turn into craft discussions, which benefit every writer in the group.

I challenge you to add critiques to your writing process. Your craft will grow in ways you didn’t know were possible.

writing group how does it work

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

Krystal N. Craiker is the Writing Pirate, an indie romance author and blog manager at ProWritingAid. She sails the seven internet seas, breaking tropes and bending genres. She has a background in anthropology and education, which brings fresh perspectives to her romance novels. When she’s not daydreaming about her next book or article, you can find her cooking gourmet gluten-free cuisine, laughing at memes, and playing board games. Krystal lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband, child, and basset hound.

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Writing in a Group

How to write in a group.

There are many ways you can approach the task of writing in a group. Whatever your past experiences and approaches may be, taking the time to implement these four simple steps will go a long way in helping you not only have a successful writing product, but also an enjoyable writing experience:

  • Get to know each other
  • Organize the work
  • Accomplish the work
  • Review the work

Get to Know Each Other

Sometimes you will enter a group already knowing all of its members. Other times, you will be asked to complete a project with group members you hardly know at all. If the latter is the case, you will want to take the time to get to know each other a little better. As mentioned in the lesson called " Introduction to Writing in a Group ," group writing can sometimes be a challenging experience. That experience can be made even more challenging when all members of the group are unaware of the unique talents and skill-sets other group members are bringing to the table, much less their differing personalities and life experiences.

A simple way to combat this problem is to take just a few minutes to get to know your group members. Set aside some time to talk together and break the ice with a few simple questions. They needn’t be complex or overly deep, but rather just enough to ease some of the tension while providing a bit of background information on the members of your group. According to the employment search website Indeed.com , here are a few simple questions you could start with:

  • What is your work or educational background? 
  • What has been your favorite thing about going back to school? 
  • Who inspires you? 
  • What kind of music do you like? 
  • What’s the best place you’ve traveled to? 
  • What’s something you’re proud of? 
  • What is one thing you’re really good at? 

Ponder and Record

  • What other questions could you ask to get to know your group members better?
  • Are there any questions you could ask your group members that might help you organize the work of your group better?

Organize the Work

Once you have taken the time to get to know your group members a little better, your next step should be organizing the work. Organizing the work essentially has three steps:

  • Plan the work
  • Make assignments
  • Create a schedule

Step 1: Plan the Work

According to the University of Wisconsin Writing Center article Collaborative and Group Writing , “Planning includes everything that is done before writing. In collaborative writing, this is a particularly important step since it’s crucial that all members of a team agree about the basic elements of the project and the logistics that will govern the project’s completion.” One of the easiest ways to check understanding and ensure that all group members are in agreement on the basic elements of the project is to actually review the official assignment together . Read it through line-by-line and check occasionally for understanding amongst all group members. Take notes, if you need to, and start to identify the main parts of the assignment so smaller, individual assignments can be made later on.

One way you can really start to plan your work is by asking and answering the following questions in your group:

  • What should the finished product look like?
  • What is its purpose?
  • Who is the intended audience for this product and what are their likely expectations?

Step 2: Make Assignments

Once you have fully examined the work that needs to be done and checked for understanding amongst your group members, your next step should be making assignments. As you worked your way through Step 1: Plan the Work, you likely noticed that there are some specific tasks that need to be completed in order for the project as a whole to be completed. Some of these tasks are likely smaller pieces of the project— pieces that could potentially be completed by an individual or smaller group and then brought back to the larger group for later discussion, revision, and integration into the final product.

If you find you have limited time to collaborate and write in a larger-group setting, breaking up the project into smaller pieces like this is a great approach to take. Not only will it reduce the amount of live seat time, it will also give all group members a highly specific way to contribute to the final product so no one person is carrying all the weight.

If you choose to make individual and small-group assignments, be very specific about what those assignments are and who those tasks are assigned to. Check for understanding of assignments from all group members before moving onto the next step.

Take a moment to review your group assignment and then consider the following questions:

  • What parts can your group assignment be broken up into?
  • Which group member(s) would be the best fit for each part of the assignment?

Step 3: Create a Schedule

Every assignment has a due date— a deadline for when the finished product is delivered to the intended audience. Group work is no different. A sure way to underdeliver on a group assignment is to fail to understand and meet important deadlines. Before any group meeting adjourns, it is vital that all group members understand not only their individual assignments, but also the due date of their individual assignments.

The due date for individual assignments should always be before the due date for the group assignment . This will give the group adequate time to come together again before that group assignment is due so the individually-completed work can be combined, reviewed, and refined to the larger group’s liking.

How far in advance that individual due date needs to be depends upon the size of the project and how soon the due date is. As a general rule though, try to give the larger group at least a few days to combine and refine the work. You may find that some individuals don’t always complete their work on time. You may also find that others don’t produce the quality of work that you were hoping for. Giving the group the buffer of a few days to work on the finished product will help the group to remain calm and unrushed, thereby leading to higher-quality writing in the end.

Take a moment to review your group’s assignment and consider the following questions:

  • How big is this assignment?
  • When is its due date?
  • What would be a reasonable and safe due date for individual assignments that are made?

Accomplish the Work

Once you have taken the time to get to know one another and also organized your group work through planning, making assignments, and creating clear due dates, your next step should be to actually accomplish the work.

If you followed the steps above for organizing the work, you likely received an individual or small group writing assignment— something that is a much smaller piece of the larger group assignment you will be turning in. As you begin to work on this part of the assignment, it is vital that you keep the larger, group assignment in your mind at all times. You can do this by continually asking yourself a few basic questions throughout your writing process:

  • What is it I am supposed to accomplish with my writing in this section I am working on?
  • What comes before my section?
  • What comes after it?
  • Where and how does my writing fit into the larger assignment?

Continually returning to these four questions throughout your writing process will ensure that your writing doesn’t veer too far off the path that the other writers in your group are likely taking. It will also save the group a considerable amount of time later on when all the individual work of the group members gets combined. The more focused and contextualized your writing (and the writing of your other group members) remains, the easier it will be to combine and shape later in preparation for submitting the finished product.

Review the Work

The final and perhaps most important step to successful group writing is taking the time to review the work before it is submitted. This step usually goes beyond simple line-edits. As the University of Wisconsin Writing Center explains, “All [group members will] need to agree on the changes made...Revising together can spark debates and conversation that may [actually] strengthen the final paper. [For this reason], revising...will need to go beyond making line-edits that revise at the sentence-level. Instead, you’ll want to thoroughly consider all aspects of the draft in order to create a version that satisfies each member of the team.” There are many ways you can approach this task, but in general, following these four basic steps will help ensure a much better finished product:

  • Combine the work
  • Revise the work - Part 1
  • Revise the work - Part 2

Step 1: Combine the Work

A good first step you can take to start this process of reviewing and editing is to combine all the individual work on a single document. Perhaps when you organized the work, you already considered this and had every group member complete his/her work on a single document. If not though, make this a top priority going into your final meeting.

Step 2: Review the Work

A good second step you can take to continue this process of reviewing and editing is to invite the members of your group to review that single document either before or at the beginning of your final meeting so you can collect thoughts about the initial draft. Many of those thoughts will likely focus on the varying thoughts, ideas, and even writing styles present on the draft. This observation is to be expected in group writing situations since the various parts likely had different authors. Part of the revision process should include fixing/creating a logical flow of ideas within and between the different sections and also correcting any major stylistic differences between those same sections.

Step 3: Revise the Work - Part 1

As you begin to make revisions, a good third step you can take is to focus your revisions on the larger, global issues first instead of the pesky sentence-level errors you might be seeing. Questions you could ask to easier discover these larger, more global issues might be:

  • As we return to the original assignment description, what does it appear the overall purpose of this product should be?
  • Is that purpose currently being fulfilled? If not, why, and how can we fix it?
  • Who is our intended audience and what are their likely expectations?
  • Are those expectations currently being met? If not, why, and how can we fix it?
  • What should the finished product look like and does the product currently resemble it?
  • If not, why, and how could we fix it?

Step 4: Revise the Work - Part 2

Once you have addressed these questions and revised the document to better align with them, your fourth and final step should be to take care of those pesky sentence-level errors. A simple way you can do this is by assigning your most skilled writer/editor to do one final readover of the document to correct these more minor issues. Allowing one person to review the document and make the simple final edits is a great way to polish and better unify a group writing product so it feels like a cohesive piece of writing with one voice/author instead of many.

TWO WRITING TEACHERS

TWO WRITING TEACHERS

A meeting place for a world of reflective writers.

Small Groups: Writing Workshop Fundamentals

writing group how does it work

Writers, like rocks, contain unique and sometimes unseen properties. A nudge can uncover a bright spot or strength once left unnoticed. Using a writing workshop model allows a teacher the freedom and flexibility to uncover these unique qualities of the writers within the classroom. Small group work is one way to see your writers with a new lens and reveal bits and pieces of your writers you haven’t seen before.

What is a Small Group?

A small group allows efficiency in our teaching while pairing the qualities of our writers with objectives to nudge them forward. Writers are offered the opportunity to learn from one another while engaging in the mutual benefit of each other’s examples and a teacher’s guidance.

Before we can plan for small group instruction, we need to collect observations, pieces of writing, and review our previous minilesson teaching points. Looking for common needs or qualities within the work of the writers in our classroom is a natural first step toward sorting students into a group setting.

As we begin sorting through our collection of work, being flexible, intentional, and reasonable are important components to consider in each of our planned small groups.

  • Flexible:  Are we prepared to adjust the instruction as needed once the group is in motion?
  • Intentional:  Is our goal clear and well planned?
  • Reasonable:  Do we know the sustainability of the skill we wish to teach?

How to Collect and Polish Small Groups of Writers

One tool often used by collectors is a magnifying glass. A magnifying glass allows one to see what might be unseen. When we initially monitor our students’ writing, we can quickly glance for common characteristics or needs. You might equate it to the shape and size of the next step. You will likely see patterns within your notes and observations. As you begin to group students together in your plan, remember to magnify your understanding of what the needs are and what the nudge should be. Think about what strategy or model would be most helpful to the writer. Magnifying the need allows us to identify a specific teaching point that will lead to building a foundation under the writer.

Note: If you are struggling with what to look for or what to observe within a student sample, Melanie’s post on small group work has a nice monitoring checklist. Also, this post articulates with a more primary focus on what to monitor and observe in our youngest writers.

When you have identified the needs, look at the size of the groups. Small groups during writing workshop are best when they include three-four students. If you have seven students who all have the same need, try two back to back small groups with the same teaching point. It is likely that you will be more efficient if you chisel the group down to size, as opposed to attempting to reach all seven with your message at the same time.

Chipping off and picking bits of writers up during the workshop can be tricky to manage. One way to begin is to stay at the meeting area following your minilesson to meet with your first group. The small group is already with you, and the rest of your class is prepped and ready to begin independent writing time. Easing into small groups in this way can make finding the time less daunting. Setting a small goal to meet with one group and confer with two individuals following your minilesson can help you find the rhythm to your workshop structure. When you are ready, and students demonstrate more proficiency during their independent writing time, you can re-adjust and meet with more students each day.

Much like a minilesson, explained in a post by Stacey  within this series, the structure of a small group is very similar. Just as you would carefully plan a minilesson, small group lessons are no different. However, the exception can be when you spontaneously pull together three-four students who are in need of some guidance or re-teaching of a similar or previous teaching point in the midst of your workshop. Small group lessons offer an opportunity to polish a writer’s skills in a specific area that is geared directly toward the need.

writing group how does it work

Just like in a minilesson, you want to remain clear, offer an opportunity for practice with active engagement in the strategy, and take a moment to allow some independence before students disperse.

To allow this full immersion within the task, I find that I must walk-away completely from the table or group. This communicates to the students that I now trust them to try it out on their own and allows me a moment to explore the other writers in the room. Stepping away can be difficult; however, it is my belief that if you have pulled students together to nudge them, it is because you feel they are ready to pursue the task independently. The group remains together in the space, and you are then able to check back in with students to note and observe how this true independent practice was utilized.

Before releasing your students back to complete independence, remember to make your expectations clear regarding their use of the strategy from that point forward. I often find I can quickly assess the likelihood of this when I note observations from the active engagement and upon returning from the “walk-away” period of the small group session.

Even when it doesn’t go well, make a note, reflect, adapt, and continue. Examine the structure of your workshop and where you fit in your small group. Does it work best to start right after your minilesson before students have left the meeting area or is it better to do your small group right before the share portion of your workshop? You may find it best to pull over three-four students in the middle of the workshop. Ask yourself these questions as you watch and guide your small groups toward their next steps.

writing group how does it work

Quick Tips for Beginners

  • Take time to observe writing behaviors and samples.
  • Keep your groups small and start with one per day.
  • Encourage students with a focused teaching point that nudges their current understandings.
  • Watch and guide engagement within the teaching point and walk away.
  • Make a note for next steps, including, both group notes and individual notes for later reflection.

This is where you maintain your flexibility, noting when something worked or did not. You may see a need to adjust the teaching point or repeat the demonstration again in a different way to encourage success. As you become a seasoned writing workshop teacher, you will become better prepared and more focused.

Next Steps for Seasoned Workshop Teachers

  • Seasoned workshop teachers will be able to come to small group time prepared and ready to tackle the objective. Be sure to have all the tools necessary (charts, demonstration notebook, teacher and student samples or mentor texts).  For more ideas take a look at Melanie’s post on tools for small groups .
  • Allow students to set their own goals or next steps. See this post on student goal setting.
  • Encourage students to lead a small group session with a teaching point they have mastered.
  • Think about trying student seminars, allowing students to choose the focus of their small group lesson. See Melanie’s post here where she discusses student seminars.

Link Round-Up

Want to learn more and need a place to start?

Beth Moore wrote a post with three quick tips for small group strategy lessons.

Melanie wrote a series of three posts all focused on small group instruction.

  • Getting Started

Suggested Reading

Here are some of my favorite resources when I am planning a teaching point or lesson for a small group.

Strategic Writing Conferences: Smart Conversations that Move Young Writers Forward by Carl Anderson

Note: Anderson’s resource is intended to be used for conferring. However, I have found it has inspired lessons for small group work within my own classroom as well.

Craft Moves: Lesson Sets for Teaching Writing with Mentor Texts by Stacey Shubitz

The Big Book of Details: 46 Moves for Teaching Writers to Elaborate by Rozlyn Linder

Information regarding our Twitter Chat on Monday evening, as well as giveaway information, can all be found below. 

writing group how does it work

  • This giveaway is for a copy of Renew! Become a Better — and More Authentic — Writing Teacher . Many thanks to Stenhouse Publishers for donating a copy for one reader. (If the winner has a U.S. address, you may choose a paper or eBook. If the winner has an international mailing address, then you will receive an eBook.)
  • For a chance to win this copy of Renew! Become a Better — and More Authentic — Writing Teacher , please leave a comment about this or any blog post in this blog series by Monday, August 7th at 5:00 p.m. EDT. Beth Moore will use a random number generator to pick the winner’s commenter number. His/her name will be announced in the ICYMI blog post for this series on Tuesday, August 8th.
  • Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment so Beth can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win.  From there, our contact at Stenhouse will ship your book out to you.  (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)
  • If you are the winner of the book, Beth will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS – RENEW BOOK. Please respond to her e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn’t received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

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writing group how does it work

Published by Betsy Hubbard

Daughter, sister, wife, mother, teacher, and writer. View all posts by Betsy Hubbard

14 thoughts on “ Small Groups: Writing Workshop Fundamentals ”

I love this post! I wonder though how people have a writing group time in addition to guided reading groups each day.

So many great reminders in this post! I love the ideas and links provided; they can certainly help to strengthen my implementation! Thanks!

Thank you for sharing these practical tips!

I love this analogy! The tip about meeting with the first group right at the carpet, right after the minilesson is so practical and keeps the momentum going. Thanks!

Betsy, I love this post. So many good tips in here- the need to walk away after instruction and what that communicates to the writers, keeping small groups small, even if it means two back to back with the same teaching point… such good reminders. Thank you.

Thanks so much, Lisa.

I too am an avid rock and seagoass collector and loved this comparison. What great tips and inspiration!

Great post! I need to be better about pulling small groups in WW. These ideas are really helpful.

I am enjoying these daily, focused posts! Today, I noticed the clear distinction between new and seasoned teachers-allowing us to set goals for ourselves, too. Reflecting on our practice is so rewarding and I’m thrilled to see your support here. Thank you for your hard work!

Betsy, this is such an incredible post! I love the gentle way you approach student writers. Your charts and images are fabulous.., what did you use to make them?

Kathleen, I used LiveCollage for the featured image and Canva for the longer graphic. Both are so user friendly. LiveCollage was new to me and super easy. Thanks for the compliment.

As always, so helpful. New year, new class, renewed dedication to work with small groups in writing workshop. Thank you. Happy New School Year! D 🙂

good article

You’ve included so many wise tips in this post, thanks & nice job!

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Classroom Q&A

With larry ferlazzo.

In this EdWeek blog, an experiment in knowledge-gathering, Ferlazzo will address readers’ questions on classroom management, ELL instruction, lesson planning, and other issues facing teachers. Send your questions to [email protected]. Read more from this blog.

How to Help Students With Their Writing. 4 Educators Share Their Secrets

writing group how does it work

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Teaching students to write is no easy feat, and it’s a topic that has often been discussed on this blog.

It’s also a challenge that can’t have too much discussion!

Today, four educators share their most effective writing lessons.

‘Three Practices That Create Confident Writers’

Penny Kittle teaches first-year writers at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire. She was a teacher and literacy coach in public schools for 34 years and is the author of nine books, including Micro Mentor Texts (Scholastic). She is the founder and president of the Book Love Foundation, which annually grants classroom libraries to teachers throughout North America:

I write almost every day. Like anything I want to do well, I practice. Today, I wrote about the wild dancing, joyful energy, and precious time I spent with my daughter at a Taylor Swift concert. Then I circled back to notes on Larry’s question about teaching writers. I wrote badly, trying to find a through line. I followed detours and crossed out bad ideas. I stopped to think. I tried again. I lost faith in my words. I will get there , I told myself. I trust my process.

I haven’t always written this easily or this much. I wouldn’t say I’m a “natural” writer because I don’t believe they exist. Writing is work. When I entered college, I received a C-minus on my first paper. I was stunned. I had never worked at writing: I was a “first drafter,” an “only drafter.” And truthfully, I didn’t know how or what to practice. I was assigned writing in high school and I completed it. I rarely received feedback. I didn’t get better. I didn’t learn to think like a writer; I thought like a student.

I’ve now spent 40 years studying writing and teaching writers in kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, and high school, as well as teachers earning graduate degrees. Despite their age, writers in school share one remarkably similar trait: a lack of confidence. Confidence is a brilliant and fiery light; it draws your eyes, your heart, and your mind. But in fact, it is as rare as the Northern Lights. I feel its absence every fall in my composition courses.

We can change that.

Confidence blooms in classrooms focused on the growth of writers.

This happens in classrooms where the teacher relies less on lessons and more on a handful of practices. Unfortunately, though, in most classrooms, a heap of time is spent directing students to practice “writing-like” activities: restrictive templates for assignments, with detailed criteria focused on rules. Those activities handcuff writers. If you tell me what to do and how to do it, I will focus on either completing the task or avoiding it. That kind of writing work doesn’t require much thinking; it is merely labor.

Practice creating, on the other hand, is harder, but it is how we develop the important ability to let our ideas come and then shaping them into cohesive arguments, stories, poems, and observations. We have misunderstood the power of writing to create thinking. Likewise, we have misunderstood the limitations of narrow tasks. So, here are my best instructional practices that lead to confidence and growth in writers.

1. Writing Notebooks and Daily Revision. Writers need time to write. Think of it as a habit we begin to engage in with little effort, like serving a tennis ball from the baseline or dribbling a basketball or sewing buttonholes. Writers need daily time to whirl words, to spin ideas, to follow images that blink inside them as they move their pen across the page. In my classroom, writing time most often follows engagement with a poem.

Likewise, writers need guidance in rereading their first drafts of messy thinking. I’ve seen teachers open their notebooks and invite students to watch them shape sentences. They demonstrate how small revisions increase clarity and rhythm. Their students watch them find a focus and maintain it. Teachers show the effort and the joy of writing well.

Here’s an example: We listen to a beautiful poem such as “Montauk” by Sarah Kay, her tribute to growing up. Students write freely from lines or images that spring to them as they listen. I write in my notebook as students write in theirs for 4-5 minutes. Then I read my entry aloud, circling subjects and detours ( I don’t know why I wrote so much about my dog, but maybe I have more to say about this … ). I model how to find a focus. I invite students to do the same.

2. Writers Study Writing . Writers imitate structures, approaches, and ways of reaching readers. They read like writers to find possibilities: Look what the writer did here and here . A template essay can be an effective tool to write for a test, but thankfully, that is a very small and insignificant part of the whole of writing for any of us. Real writing grows from studying the work of other writers. We study sentences, passages, essays, and articles to understand how they work, as we create our own.

3. Writers Have Conversations as They Work . When writers practice the skills and embrace the challenges of writing in community, it expands possibilities. Every line read from a notebook carries the mark of a particular writer: the passion, the voice, the experiences, and the vulnerability of each individual. That kind of sharing drives process talk ( How did you think to write about that? Who do you imagine you are speaking to? ), which showcases the endless variation in writers and leads to “writerly thinking.” It shifts conversations from “right and wrong” to “how and why.”

Long ago, at a local elementary school, in a workshop for teachers, I watched Don Graves list on the chalkboard subjects he was considering writing about. He read over his list and chose one. From there, he wrote several sentences, talking aloud about the decisions he was making as a writer. Then he turned to accept and answer questions.

“Why do this?” someone asked.

“Because you are the most important writer in the room,” Don said. “You are showing students why anyone would write when they don’t have to.” He paused, then added, “If not you, who?”

confidenceblooms

Developing ‘Student Voice’

A former independent school English teacher and administrator, Stephanie Farley is a writer and educational consultant working with teachers and schools on issues of curriculum, assessment, instruction, SEL, and building relationships. Her book, Joyful Learning: Tools to Infuse Your 6-12 Classroom with Meaning, Relevance, and Fun is available from Routledge Eye on Education:

Teaching writing is my favorite part of being a teacher. It’s incredibly fun to talk about books with kids, but for me, it’s even more fun to witness students’ skills and confidence grow as they figure out how to use written language to communicate what they mean.

A lesson I used to like doing was in “voice.” My 8th graders had a hard time understanding what I meant when I asked them to consider “voice” in their writing. The best illustration I came up with was playing Taylor Swift’s song “Blank Space” for students. Some students groaned while others clapped. (Doesn’t this always happen when we play music for students? There’s no song that makes everyone happy!) But when they settled down, I encouraged them to listen to the style: the arrangement, her voice as she sang, the dominant instruments.

Then, I played a cover of “Blank Space” by Ryan Adams. Eyes rolled as the song unfurled through the speakers, but again I reminded students to listen to the arrangement, voice, and instruments. After about 60 seconds of the Adams version, heads nodded in understanding. When the music ended and I asked students to explain voice to me, they said it’s “making something your own … like your own style.” Yes!

The next step was applying this new understanding to their own writing. Students selected a favorite sentence from the books they were reading, then tried to write it in their own voice. We did this a few times, until everyone had competently translated Kwame Alexander into “Rosa-style” or Kelly Link into “Michael-style.” Finally, when it was time for students to write their own longer works—stories, personal essays, or narratives—they intentionally used the words and sentence patterns they had identified as their own voice.

I’m happy to report this method worked! In fact, it was highly effective. Students’ papers were more idiosyncratic, nuanced, and creative. The only change to this lesson I’d make now is trying to find a more zeitgeist-y song with the hope that the groans at the beginning die down a little faster.

itsfun

Teaching ELLs

Irina McGrath, Ph.D., is an assistant principal at Newcomer Academy in the Jefferson County school district in Kentucky and the president of KYTESOL. She is also an adjunct professor at the University of Louisville, Indiana University Southeast, and Bellarmine University. She is a co-creator of the ELL2.0 site that offers free resources for teachers of English learners:

Reflecting on my experience of teaching writing to English learners, I have come to realize that writing can be daunting, especially when students are asked to write in English, a language they are learning to master. The most successful writing lessons I have taught were those that transformed the process into an enjoyable experience, fostering a sense of accomplishment and pride in my students.

To achieve this, I prioritized the establishment of a supportive learning environment. At the beginning of each school year, I set norms that emphasized the importance of writing for everyone, including myself as their teacher. I encouraged students to write in English and their native language and I wrote alongside my English learners to demonstrate that writing is a journey that requires hard work and dedication, regardless of age or previous writing experiences. By witnessing my own struggles, my students felt encouraged to persevere.

My English learners understood that errors were expected and that they were valuable opportunities for growth and improvement. This created a comfortable atmosphere where students felt more confident taking risks and experimenting with their writing. Rather than being discouraged by mistakes, they viewed them as steppingstones toward progress.

In my most effective writing lessons, I provided scaffolds such as sentence stems, sentence frames, and word banks. I also encouraged my students to use translation tools to help generate ideas on paper. These scaffolds empowered English learners to independently tackle more challenging writing assignments and nurtured their confidence in completing writing tasks. During writers’ circles, we discussed the hard work invested in each writing piece, shared our work, and celebrated each other’s success.

Furthermore, my most successful writing lessons integrated reading and writing. I taught my students to read like writers and utilized mentor texts to emulate the craft of established authors, which they could later apply to their own writing. Mentor texts, such as picture books, short stories, or articles, helped my students observe how professional writers use dialogue, sentence structure, and descriptive language to enhance their pieces.

Instead of overwhelming students with information, I broke down writing into meaningful segments and taught through mini lessons. For example, we analyzed the beginnings of various stories to examine story leads. Then, collaboratively, my students and I created several leads together. When they were ready, I encouraged them to craft their own leads and select the most appropriate one for their writing piece.

Ultimately, my most effective lessons were those in which I witnessed the joyful smiles on my English learners’ faces as they engaged with pages filled with written or typed words. It is during those moments that I knew my writers were creating and genuinely enjoying their work.

To access a self-checklist that students and EL teachers can use when teaching or creating a writing piece in English, you can visit the infographic at bit.ly/ABC_of_Writing .

iprovided

‘Model Texts’

Anastasia M. Martinez is an English-language-development and AVID Excel teacher in Pittsburg, Calif.:

As a second-language learner, writing in English had not always been my suit. It was not until graduate school that I immersed myself in a vast array of journals, articles, and other academic works, which ultimately helped me find my academic voice and develop my writing style. Now, working as an ESL teacher with a diverse group of middle school multilingual learners, I always provide a model text relevant to a topic or prompt we are exploring.

When students have a model text, it gives them a starting point for their own writing and presents writing as less scary, where they get stuck on the first sentence and do not know how to start.

At the start of the lesson, prior to using a model text, I create a “do now” activity that guides my students’ attention to the topic and creates a relevant context for the text. After students share their ideas with a partner and then the class, we transition to our lesson objectives, and I introduce the model text. We first use prereading strategies to analyze the text, and students share what they notice based on the title, images, and a number of paragraphs. Then, depending on the students’ proficiency level, I read the text to the class, or students read the text as partners, thinking about what the text was mostly about.

After students read and share their ideas with partners and then the whole class, we transition to deconstructing the text. These multiple reengagements with the text help students become more familiar with it, as well as help students build reading fluency.

When deconstructing the model text, I guide my students through each paragraph and sentence. During that time, students orally share their ideas determining the meaning of specific paragraphs or sentences, which we later annotate in the model text using different colored highlighters or pens. Color coding helps visually guide students through similar parts of the model text. For instance, if we highlight evidence in paragraph 2 in one color, we also highlight evidence in the same color in the following paragraph. It helps students see the similarities between the paragraphs and discover the skeleton of the writing. Additionally, color coding helps students during their writing process and revision. Students can check if they used all parts of the writing based on the colors.

Furthermore, one of the essential pieces during deconstructing model texts that I draw my students’ attention to is transition words and “big words,” or academic vocabulary. We usually box them in the text, and I question students about why the author used a particular word in the text. Later, when students do their own writing, they can integrate new vocabulary and transition words, which enhances their vocabulary and language skills.

As the next step, I invite students to co-create a similar piece of writing with a partner or independently using our model text as their guide. Later, our model text serves as a checklist for individual and partner revisions, which students could use to give each other feedback.

Model texts are an essential part of the writing process in any content-area class. As educators, we should embrace the importance of model texts, as they provide a solid foundation upon which students can develop their unique writing skills, tone, and voice.

modeltexts

Thanks to Penny, Stephanie, Irina, and Anastasia for contributing their thoughts!

Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at [email protected] . When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it’s selected or if you’d prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.

You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo .

Just a reminder; you can subscribe and receive updates from this blog via email . And if you missed any of the highlights from the first 12 years of this blog, you can see a categorized list here .

The opinions expressed in Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

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ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form .

How to use Copilot Pro to write, edit, and analyze your Word documents

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Microsoft's Copilot Pro AI offers a few benefits for $20 per month. But the most helpful one is the AI-powered integration with the different Microsoft 365 apps. For those of you who use Microsoft Word, for instance, Copilot Pro can help you write and revise your text, provide summaries of your documents, and answer questions about any document.

First, you'll need a subscription to either Microsoft 365 Personal or Family . Priced at $70 per year, the Personal edition is geared for one individual signed into as many as five devices. At $100 per year, the Family edition is aimed at up to six people on as many as five devices. The core apps in the suite include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote.

Also: Microsoft Copilot vs. Copilot Pro: Is the subscription fee worth it?

Second, you'll need the subscription to Copilot Pro if you don't already have one. To sign up, head to the Copilot Pro website . Click the Get Copilot Pro button. Confirm the subscription and the payment. The next time you use Copilot on the website, in Windows, or with the mobile apps, the Pro version will be in effect.

How to use Copilot Pro in Word

1. open word.

Launch Microsoft Word and open a blank document. Let's say you need help writing a particular type of document and want Copilot to create a draft. 

Also: Microsoft Copilot Pro vs. OpenAI's ChatGPT Plus: Which is worth your $20 a month?

A small "Draft with Copilot" window appears on the screen. If you don't see it, click the tiny "Draft with Copilot icon in the left margin."

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2. Submit your request

At the text field in the window, type a description of the text you need and click the "Generate" button.

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Submit your request.

3. Review the response and your options

Copilot generates and displays its response. After reading the response, you're presented with a few different options.

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Review the response and your options.

4. Keep, regenerate, or remove the draft

If you like the draft, click "Keep it." The draft is then inserted into your document where you can work with it. If you don't like the draft, click the "Regenerate" button, and a new draft is created. 

Also: What is Copilot (formerly Bing Chat)? Here's everything you need to know

If you'd prefer to throw out the entire draft and start from scratch, click the trash can icon.

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Keep, regenerate, or remove the draft.

5. Alter the draft

Alternatively, you can try to modify the draft by typing a specific request in the text field, such as "Make it more formal," "Make it shorter," or "Make it more casual."

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Alter the draft.

6. Review the different versions

If you opt to regenerate the draft, you can switch between the different versions by clicking the left or right arrow next to the number. You can then choose to keep the draft you prefer.

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7. Revise existing text

Copilot will also help you fine-tune existing text. Select the text you want to revise. Click the Copilot icon in the left margin and select "Rewrite with Copilot."

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Revise existing text.

8. Review the different versions

Copilot creates a few different versions of the text. Click the arrow keys to view each version.

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Review the different versions.

9. Replace or Insert

If you find one you like, click "Replace" to replace the text you selected. 

Also: ChatGPT vs. Microsoft Copilot vs. Gemini: Which is the best AI chatbot?

Click "Insert below" to insert the new draft below the existing words so you can compare the two.

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Replace or Insert.

10. Adjust the tone

Click "Regenerate" to ask Copilot to try again. Click the "Adjust Tone" button and select a different tone to generate another draft.

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Adjust the tone.

11. Turn text into a table

Sometimes you have text that would look and work better as a table. Copilot can help. Select the text you wish to turn into a table. Click the Copilot icon and select "Visualize as a Table."

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Turn text into a table.

12. Respond to the table

In response, click "Keep it" to retain the table. Click "Regenerate" to try again. Click the trash can icon to delete it. Otherwise, type a request in the text field, such as "remove the second row" or "make the last column wider."

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Respond to the table.

13. Summarize a document

Copilot Pro can provide a summary of a document with its key points. To try this, open the document you want to summarize and then click the Copilot icon on the Ribbon. 

Also: The best AI chatbots

The right sidebar displays several prompts you can use to start your question. Click the one for "Summarize this doc."

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Summarize a document.

14. Review the summary

View the generated summary in the sidebar. If you like it as is, click the "Copy" button to copy the summary and paste it elsewhere.

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Review the summary.

15. Revise the summary

Otherwise, choose one of the suggested questions or ask your own question to revise the summary. For example, you could tell Copilot to make the summary longer, shorter, more formal, or less formal. 

Also: The best AI image generators

You could also ask it to expand on one of the points in the summary or provide more details on a certain point. A specific response is then generated based on your request.

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Revise the summary.

16. Ask questions about a document

Next, you can ask specific questions about any of the content in a document. Again, click the Copilot icon to display the sidebar. In the prompt area, type and submit your question. Copilot displays the response in the sidebar. You can then ask follow-up questions as needed.

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Ask questions about a document.

More how-tos

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I've tried Vision Pro and other top XR headsets and here's the one most people should buy

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Microsoft Copilot with Graph-grounded chat (previously named Microsoft 365 Chat) combines the power of artificial intelligence (AI) with your work data and apps to help you unleash creativity, unlock productivity, and uplevel skills in a chat experience. 

Like your average AI chat app, Microsoft Copilot can find information on the web and write poems, but with the added value of being able to incorporate your work content, such as chats, emails, and files to help you draft content, catch up on what you might have missed, and get answers to specific work questions. 

Ready to try it out? Let's get started!

How to open Microsoft Copilot with Graph-grounded chat

You can access the chat experience in Microsoft Copilot in several ways:

Use it in desktop and mobile versions of Microsoft Teams . See Use Microsoft Copilot in Teams.

Launch the experience at Microsoft Bing ( Bing.com/chat ). See  Use Microsoft Copilot at Bing.com .

Access it at Microsoft365.com . See Use Microsoft Copilot at Microsoft365.com .

What to do with Microsoft Copilot with Graph-grounded chat

Here are a few things you can do with the chat experience in Microsoft Copilot:

Catch up on things . Microsoft Copilot can synthesize and summarize large amounts of data into simple, easy-to-digest summaries. See Catch up on things quickly with Microsoft Copilot .

Create content and brainstorm . Microsoft Copilot can help you brainstorm ideas and draft new content based on anything from a storyboard or a script to an agenda or an executive summary. See Create content with Microsoft Copilot .

Get quick answers . Microsoft Copilot enables you to act as your own personal search engine. Ask questions about specific files and messages, or find information you know is out there, but you can't remember where it's stored. See Ask questions and get answers with Microsoft Copilot .

Prompt and iterate

The keys to unlocking as much value as possible are writing great prompts and embracing iteration. A prompt is the set of instructions that you use to tell Copilot what you want. We find that the best prompts for Copilot include some combination of goals, context, details, and/or data.

Goal : What do you want Copilot to do? I want a list of 3-5 bullet points to prepare me...

Context : What's the context in which you're trying to achieve an objective? ...for an update to my manager.

Details : What do you want the response to look like? Respond with headers for each point and enough detail to provide context...

Data : What data sources should Copilot focus on? ...and focus on Word docs and email over the last five days.

Tip:  When you’re giving Copilot instructions, you can direct it to specific work content by using the forward slash key (“/”), then typing the name of a file, person, or meeting.  If you write a prompt and don’t reference a specific file, person, or meeting, Copilot will determine the best source of data for its response, including all your work content.

The power of Copilot is often not unearthed with one perfect prompt, but rather, with a little back-and-forth conversation. Did it get close the first time, but focus on the wrong time period? Did it give you a big block of text when you wanted a numbered list? Copilot is a multi-turn experience, so just follow up with another prompt, and Copilot builds on its initial response to get closer to what you’re looking for. 

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Microsoft Copilot with Graph-grounded chat works across multiple apps and content, giving you the power of AI together with your secure work data. Its ability to synthesize information and create things from multiple sources at once empowers you to tackle broader goals and objectives.

On the other hand, Copilot in Microsoft 365 Apps (such as Word or PowerPoint) is specifically orchestrated to help you within that app. For example, Copilot in Word is designed to help you better draft, edit, and consume content. In PowerPoint, it’s there to help you create better presentations.

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Maker of Tinder, Hinge sued over 'addictive' dating apps that put profits over love

Bobby Allyn

Bobby Allyn

writing group how does it work

Match Group, which owns dating apps including Tinder and Hinge, was sued on Wednesday in a suit claiming the apps are designed to hook users so the company to make more profit, rather than helping people find romantic partners. Patrick Sison/AP hide caption

Match Group, which owns dating apps including Tinder and Hinge, was sued on Wednesday in a suit claiming the apps are designed to hook users so the company to make more profit, rather than helping people find romantic partners.

The popular dating apps Tinder, Hinge and the League hook users with the promise of seemingly endless romantic matches in order to push people to pay money to continue their compulsive behavior, according to a federal lawsuit filed in San Francisco on Wednesday.

The suit , brought by six plaintiffs in states including New York, California and Florida, argues that dating app parent company Match Group gamifies the services "to transform users into gamblers locked in a search for psychological rewards that Match makes elusive on purpose."

While Hinge's advertising slogan boasts that it is "designed to be deleted," the lawsuit claims Match Group's dating apps are really designed to turn users into "addicts" who do not find true love and instead keep purchasing subscriptions and other paid perks to keep the publicly traded company's revenue flowing.

The dating app paradox: Why dating apps may be worse than ever

Planet Money

The dating app paradox: why dating apps may be worse than ever.

The complaint, which is seeking class action status, claims Match Group has violated state and federal consumer protection, false advertising and defective design laws.

"Harnessing powerful technologies and hidden algorithms, Match intentionally designs the platforms with addictive, game-like design features, which lock users into a perpetually pay-to-play loop that prioritizes corporate profits over its marketing promises and customers' relationship goals," lawyers for the plaintiffs wrote in the suit.

Many popular dating apps, like Tinder and Hinge, are free to download and use, but paid subscriptions to premium features are required to have unlimited swipes, or access the most coveted singles on the app. For instance, users can spend $3.99 on Hinge to send a "rose" to a "standout" profile.

A Match Group spokesperson denied the allegations in the Valentine's Day lawsuit, saying it is "ridiculous and has zero merit."

The spokesperson continued: "Our business model is not based on advertising or engagement metrics. We actively strive to get people on dates every day and off our apps. Anyone who states anything else doesn't understand the purpose and mission of our entire industry."

Dating habits are changing — again. Here are 3 trends and tips for navigating them

Dating habits are changing — again. Here are 3 trends and tips for navigating them

Looking for love at first swipe? Here's how to make dating apps work for you

Looking for love at first swipe? Here's how to make dating apps work for you

Studies indicate anywhere from 10% to nearly half of couples in the U.S. met through online dating.

Thanks to push notifications and other features attempting to keep users engaged, it can be difficult to put the apps down, which is intentional by design, according to the lawsuit, which claims the Match Group's dating apps are "intended to erode users' ability to disengage."

Such tactics are not specific to the world of online dating — most social media platforms employ notifications and features like an "infinite scroll," keeping people thumbing at their screens in a thoughtless and almost irresistible way.

The question the lawsuit poses is: Does Match Group have to disclose the potentially addictive quality of such commonplace design features? And have the company's lack of warnings constituted a violation of consumer protection laws?

States sue Meta, claiming Instagram, Facebook fueled youth mental health crisis

The legal action against Match Group joins a new crop of lawsuits challenging tech companies , including Google, Instagram owner Meta and TikTok, in an attempt to hold platforms accountable for exacerbating the youth mental health crisis.

Since tech companies have broad immunity to lawsuits under a legal shield known as Section 230, the new slate of lawsuits are attacking tech firms under novel claims, including product liability and defective design.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs who sued Match on Wednesday cited journalist Nancy Jo Sales, who directed the documentary Swiped: Hooking Up in the Digital Age.

Tinder co-founder Jonathan Badeen told Jo Sales that the dating app's swiping feature was partially inspired by a famous experiment by behavioral psychologist B. F. Skinner. In it, Skinner "turned pigeons into gamblers" by giving them food delivered at random intervals. But the pigeons believed their pecking prompted the food to appear, causing the birds to ceaselessly hammer away at their trays.

"Just as pigeons can be conditioned to peck at determinable intervals, so can users be conditioned to endlessly swipe," according to the lawsuit, which, among other remedies, asks the court to order Match to launch an advertising campaign revealing the addictive nature of the company's dating apps.

The suit references a 2020 study on "ghosting" and "breadcrumbing," terms used to describe a dating app match who suddenly disappears or gives only intermittent attention.

"Users with unlimited swipes will chase the elusive high of matching, match more often, and fall victim to ghosting and breadcrumbing at higher rates," the suit claims.

This, in turn, significantly increases the likelihood of experiencing less satisfaction with life and having more feelings of loneliness and helplessness, the suit claims.

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World Cup 2026 tickets: How do I get one? Are they on sale? How much do they cost?

MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 4: FIFA World Cup Winner&#039;s Trophy during FIFA World Cup 2026 Match Schedule announcement on February 4, 2024 in Miami, Florida.  (Photo by Eva Marie Uzcategui - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

The next World Cup will be jointly hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico and will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026.

It will be the first tournament to include 48 teams, expanded from the previous number of 32.

That means there will be more games than ever — 104 in total.

The tournament is a long way off, so details on tickets are thin on the ground, but this is what we know so far.

Where are the matches?

The World Cup will take place across 16 cities in three countries, more than any tournament before.

Three of these locations are in Mexico: Monterrey, Guadalajara and Mexico City.

Two others are on either coast of Canada: Vancouver and Toronto.

The remaining 11 are in the USA: Miami, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Houston, Kansas City, Dallas and New York City.

That U.S. list gives the nearest big city to each stadium. Some venues are located in lesser-known settlements nearby, such as East Rutherford in New Jersey for New York and Santa Clara for San Francisco.

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How does the tournament work?

Since 1998, World Cups have had 32 teams, enabling a neat symmetry, but this one is bigger and 48 teams means a somewhat more complex format is necessary.

The tournament used to have eight groups of four teams in which each country played each other once. The top two in each group then progress to four knockout stages — a round of 16, then quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final.

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The USA, Canada and Mexico all qualify automatically. The remaining 45 slots will be filled through qualifying competitions, which take place separately on each continent.

In 2026, there will still be four teams in a group and the top two will still progress to the next stage, but there will be 12 groups rather than eight.

And the eight best third-placed teams — of 12 — in the groups will also progress, a similar format to the European Championships (which has 24 teams).

Thirty-two teams will progress to the knockout stage, meaning an extra knockout round, before the tournament continues from the round of 16 as it has in previous tournaments.

Where are the biggest games?

The U.S., Canada and Mexico will play their three group games in their home country.

Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium, which hosted the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals, will host the tournament’s opening game. The U.S. will host 78 matches overall, while Canada and Mexico will host 13 each.

All of the quarter-finals and both the semi-finals will be in the U.S., along with the final. The quarter-finals will be in Boston, Los Angeles, Miami and Kansas City, while the semi-finals will be in Dallas and Atlanta.

The 23rd World Cup final will take place at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on the outskirts of New York City, on July 19, 2026.

These stadiums are split into three regions, west, central and east, in an attempt to minimise travel for fans. Nevertheless, the distances within regions are vast, with Kansas City and Mexico City (1,385 miles apart) in the same region, as well as Toronto and Miami (1,239 miles apart).

writing group how does it work

Are tickets on sale?

With more than two years to go until the tournament kicks off, there is little public information about tickets.

A page on the FIFA website simply allows people to register their details to receive information about tickets when it is available. The Athletic  contacted the tournament organisers for comment.

How will the ticketing process work?

We don’t know for sure, but looking at previous World Cups as well as similar events like the European Championships, it is possible to make some educated guesses.

Tickets for major tournaments are essentially split into three categories.

First, there are tickets allocated to member associations — the two countries playing against each other in a given match. These are generally given to supporters on the basis of loyalty, for example by points built up from following the country in qualifiers.

How easy these will be to get hold of varies greatly depending on the country — they will be in high demand for the host countries, but easier to come across for nations far away with less of a travelling following.

The second category is those tickets given over to sponsors and other members of what FIFA likes to call the “football family”.

This does not just mean VIPs in glitzy hospitality boxes. For last year’s Champions League final in Istanbul, only about 40,000 went to fans of Manchester City and Inter Milan . The remaining 35,000 went to sponsors and all sorts of other people with links to UEFA. A small number of these may make their way into the hands of ordinary fans through tickets and giveaways.

As the tournament progresses and the games get more glamorous, the demand from sponsors and other “neutral” supporters will get higher.

The third is the rest. These are the tickets the public can buy without being a member of any country’s loyalty scheme or part of the football family.

How will these general sale tickets get allocated?

We don’t know for sure but can take a look at how Germany, the host of this summer’s European Championship , is allocating tickets.

There have been two stages of ballots in which people can select to buy several tickets in four different categories. Cheaper tickets are generally in higher demand, so it is likely to be easier to get a ticket by entering the ballot in a more expensive category.

UEFA has not released details of further ticket sales. Still, there will likely be a limited amount of tickets on general sale between now and the tournament beginning in June, likely for the matches featuring less glamorous teams at bigger stadiums.

Demand for tickets in Germany has been extremely high for several reasons.

writing group how does it work

First, attending live football matches is a huge part of German culture, so demand from locals is high.

Second, the tournament is the only European Championship or World Cup in Western Europe taking place between 2016 and 2028, except Euro 2020, which took place across the continent but saw travel heavily restricted by Covid.

This means huge numbers of football fans across Europe want tickets for Germany.

It remains to be seen how strong demand will be for World Cup 2026, particularly in cities like Kansas City and Houston, which are not normally associated with football — but things in the U.S. are changing quickly in that respect.

How much do World Cup tickets cost?

We don’t know yet, but we can look at precedent.

It is often hard to give a definitive answer to this question because tournament organisers often sell some tickets at low prices, which are in reality very difficult to get hold of, with most fans paying far more.

An analysis by German sports consultancy Keller Sports in 2022 found that an average ticket at the Qatar World Cup was £286, rising to £684 for the final. This was a 46 per cent increase on the tournament in Russia in 2018.

Excluding restricted view tickets and a special category only available to Qatari nationals, group stage tickets ranged in price from 40 Riyals ($11) to 800 Riyals ($213).

This steadily increased in price as the tournament progressed, with final tickets costing between 750 Riyals ($200) and 5850 Riyals ($1,560).

There may also be tickets available on secondary resale sites where prices are likely to be far higher.

These sorts of platforms are often risky to use in Europe, with football organisations not cooperating with them because of deeply engrained cultural norms against very high ticket prices.

But in the U.S., this taboo is not in place and it was perfectly possible to buy a Super Bowl ticket through a credible reseller — if you have $10,000 to spare.

It remains to be seen which approach the World Cup will take.

How much do tickets cost compared to the Super Bowl and other major events?

The cheapest face-value tickets for this year’s Super Bowl sold directly by the NFL were about $2,000, far higher than for any major football match.

Tickets changed hands for about five times this on the secondary market.

Tickets for the final are likely to reach similar eye-watering prices, but if you are not too picky about which game you go to, you will likely be able to get tickets for early World Cup games at far more affordable prices.

Is it possible to attend every game at the World Cup?

Football YouTuber Theo Ogden, known as Thogden, attended every game of the Qatar World Cup in 2022, the first person in history to do this at a tournament.

This was possible because of Qatar’s tiny geographical size, although he did have to miss half of several of the games to fit them all in.

But there’s absolutely no chance of anyone repeating the same feat in 2026.

Over a manic 17 days from June 11 and June 27, the entire group stage will be completed — all 72 games of it. The last four of those days will have six games on each of them, spanning the entire continent of North America.

With vast distances between stadiums, fans will have to plan their games carefully.

(Top photo: Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)

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Joey D’Urso is Investigations Writer for The Athletic UK, covering football. Previously he reported on politics and social media for Reuters, BBC News, BuzzFeed News, Wired and the Sunday Times. He recently completed a part-time MSc at the Oxford Internet Institute.

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  1. 6 Writing Group Best Practices: How to Lead a Successful Writers Group

    Oct 9, 2019 Learn how to start and lead a successful writers group. In this post, John Peragine shares 6 writing group best practices, including limiting your group size, how to effectively share work, and more. Three years ago, at the first Writer's Digest Novel Writers Conference in Los Angeles, I arrived with a mission.

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    Group Writing What this handout is about Whether in the academic world or the business world, all of us are likely to participate in some form of group writing—an undergraduate group project for a class, a collaborative research paper or grant proposal, or a report produced by a business team.

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    The Editors of Writer's Digest Apr 10, 2019 Joining a writing group can be a wonderful way to spark your creativity and increase your commitment to writing. But what makes writing groups work? Six writing groups from around the world share their tips to a supportive writing group.

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    Getting Your Writing Group Started Writing Groups help writers complete their work by providing a supportive environment for the exchange of critical feedback. Benefits: A group is a source of emotional and professional support. Evidence supports Writing Groups as one of the only ways to improve time-to-degree.

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    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.

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    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.

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    Advice on Setting Up and Working with a Writing Group I. At the First Meeting or by Email Prior to the First Meeting Send out a writing inventory and personal goals questionnaire to get each group member thinking about his/her writing needs and goals for the group. II. First Meeting: Getting Organized

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    Offer suggestions for consideration. 9. Shut up and listen. Some writing groups actually have rules that prohibit writers from defending their work. The reason is obvious: any attempt to invalidate a comment about your writing subverts the reason why you're there in the first place - to get reaction from readers.

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    Jan 22, 2020 -- 3 Photo by Mark Fletcher-Brown on Unsplash How do you get started? Writers' groups often begin with a nucleus of a few friends with a shared interest in writing. From there, you might put out feelers in local networks or you library. Groups typically meet every 2-4 weeks.

  13. Activities for Writing Groups

    Discuss your writing goals, both broadly and for the immediate future. Ask your group if those goals seem realistic. Ask group members to e-mail you with reminders of deadlines and encouragement. Create a group calendar in which you all set goals and deadlines for your writing. This calendar could be for a week, a month, a semester, a year, or ...

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    Writing Groups: How to Keep Them Positive and Helpful Watch on Are you tired of going it alone as a writer? Joining or starting a writing group is a wonderful way to build community and improve your writing skills. But beware. For every good experience of participating in a writing group, there are ten horror stories.

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    It can make writing less isolating and less frustrating, and offer a kind of buffer or counterweight to if you get a harsh or biased review out in the world. It can also keep you motivated. Having friendly people to share work in progress with can be confidence-building and help you show up to write in a way where you don't feel bad about it.

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    Joining a writing group can keep you from turning into a total hermit and put you in contact with other people who love writing just as much as you do, people who may be able to help you or who you may be able to help somewhere down the line. Writing groups come in all shapes and sizes: workshops and lectures critique groups

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    Discuss the various options with the group and settle on a model before your first proper meet. Bring notepads. Bring spare paper. Bring pens or pencils. Bring your wallet to keep coffees or beers topped up. But most importantly, bring critique notes with you if you've already seen the submission before the meeting.

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    Step 2: Make Assignments. Once you have fully examined the work that needs to be done and checked for understanding amongst your group members, your next step should be making assignments. As you worked your way through Step 1: Plan the Work, you likely noticed that there are some specific tasks that need to be completed in order for the ...

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