I recently scanned through http://www.meetup.com and came away amazed at the variety of groups featured there. Interested in something outdoors like hiking, running, or birdwatching? There are meetup groups you can join. Prefer something indoors like knitting, card-playing, or watching movies? There are groups for you, too. An especially large number of groups focus on personal growth, with career-building and financial investing at the top of the list. On the flip side are groups emphasizing healing and recovery. One group, for example, offers support for those struggling with depression and anxiety; another brings together people in toxic relationships.

Writers have their own reasons for joining groups. Several years ago, I partnered with a Worthington school librarian in presenting a workshop on the do’s, don’ts, and maybes of starting a writing group. The workshop was part of Columbus State Community College’s 2009 Writers Conference, but I believe the guidelines we offered are as accurate now as they were 13 years ago.

Writing groups should keep at least Four DO’s, Two MAYBES, and Three DON’TS in mind as they move forward.

DO HAVE A CLEAR PURPOSE OR MISSION.

You might want to write this mission down – have a mission statement. But even if it isn’t in print, the purpose of the group should be understood by all members.  Although we are all interested in writing, we don’t all write for the same reason.

When determining the purpose of your writing group, consider the three general types of such groups:

Educational – These feature guest speakers and/or skill-building exercises to enhance members’ writing skills, unleash their creativity, or find inspiration.

Presentational – Such groups emphasize giving members an opportunity to share their work, even read it out loud if they wish.

Critique – Members of these groups review each other’s writings and provide constructive criticism on their quality.  Members of critique groups are usually interested in seeing their work published. 

DO HAVE A REGULAR MEETING TIME AND PLACE.

The groups to which I’ve belonged typically meet once a month.  A group could meet more often, if members had the time for it.  Meeting every other month might work, too.  The important thing is to establish a schedule that is as convenient as possible for everyone.  The same is true for a location.  You want a location that is safe and quiet enough to allow productive discussion. Ideally, this location will be within easy driving distance, offer adequate parking, and either serve food or allow it to be brought in. One final consideration is cost. Libraries and other public facilities are generally free, but usually require advance reservation for a specific room. Restaurants won’t require a charge as long as purchases are made from their menu, but noise from surrounding patrons could be an issue.

DO STAY IN TOUCH BETWEEN MEETINGS.

All members should know what’s going to happen at the next meeting. Even if you have an established routine of time and location, it never hurts to be sure everyone knows where and when the next meeting is. The easiest way to stay in touch between meetings is through e-mail.  In a critique group, e-mail is essential. You’ll get a more-thorough critique of your work, if you e-mail it to other members a few days in advance of your meeting. However, if your group is relatively large and you have the resources for it, a newsletter can be an excellent way not only to communicate important information, but also build group solidarity. 

A typical newsletter might

• Provide the agenda for the next meeting
• Provide information about writing-related events, such as book fairs, farther in the future
• Express thanks to group members for their service on a recent activity and congratulate other members on recent achievements
• Feature the writings of one or more group members, allowing their work to receive some public exposure.

DO BE OPEN TO NEW MEMBERS.

Be open to bringing new people into your group.  Make sure they understand what the group’s purpose is and what the expectations are for members. New people bring in fresh blood, fresh insights, and fresh experiences that can revitalize a group and re-new its energy.  New members can also replace original members who may leave. There is one caveat to bringing in new members to a critique group. Only so many compositions can be critiqued during a two- to three-hour time period. If a critique group grows beyond 10, some members may have to be reviewers at one meeting and presenters at another.

MAYBE HAVE OFFICERS AND PAY DUES.

This will depend on the purpose of the group and its size.  If you want to have guest speakers, that will require coordination and communication with the speaker ahead of time.  That could be a task for a president. If you want to pay these speakers an honorarium, dues may be necessary, as well as a treasurer to manage group finances.  If a large room has to be set up in advance of meetings, you may need a sergeant-at-arms to manage these logistics.

MAYBE HAVE JOINT PROJECTS.

By joint project, I mean one to which everyone contributes. One such project could be a chapbook. The nice thing about a chapbook is that all group members can be represented regardless of their writing interest or style. This kind of work does require coordination. At a minimum, you need an editor and a publisher.  But – like the newsletter – a chapbook builds solidarity and gives members a chance to put their work in front of the public.

DON’T CHANGE YOUR MEETING TIME AND LOCATION UNLESS ALL OR MOST MEMBERS AGREE.  Confusion can result if your meeting time and location are abruptly changed. Sometimes you don’t have a choice – a room you are using at a library or school could be given to some other group; a restaurant or coffee shop could close down. But try to get input from all members when selecting a new time and place for meeting, and above all, let them know when a choice has been made.

DON’T LEAVE WITHOUT LETTING OTHER MEMBERS KNOW WHY.  Jobs, family priorities, finances, daily schedules, and health needs can all change. So, too, can our writing goals. If you find your writing group no longer meets your needs as a writer, by all means you should leave it, and find one that does.  But let your old group know why you are leaving – they may or not want to make changes in response to your leaving.  In any case, they’ll know why you aren’t coming anymore and won’t wonder or worry about you.

FINALLY, DON’T TAKE CRITICISM PERSONALLY.  This is especially true if you join a critique group and have hopes of seeing your work published.  A good critique group will scrutinize everything about your submission – punctuation, point of view, plot sequence, stylistic lapses, pacing problems, shifts in verb tense. To be sure, your reviewers shouldn’t be harsh or discouraging in their criticism. Just the same, your critique group will likely catch the same things an editor will catch if you submit your work for publication.  And remember this, your critique group will give you a chance to revise your work and try again; an editor most likely will not.  So be grateful for criticism – it’s the life blood of a critique group.

So, if you are starting a writing group or already in one, keep these Do’s, Don’ts, and Maybes in mind. They are sure to keep you on the “write” path.