Write With RCS: One of the top values of a writing group is the variety of great feedback it often provides.
The
developing, growing, maturing writer learns to value the feedback of
one's peers. Such feedback is precious and very often rare. Your writing
group will be made up of fellow writers. In such a group you can have
several knowledgeable readers telling you about the feelings and
thoughts your writing stirred in them. They can tell you what they felt
as they read a specific piece of your work. You can get regular feedback
of several kinds from the members of your group.
I
hope to post more about feedback and other benefits of a writing group
in future posts. This particular post is a short wide-ranging
introduction to the subject.
A
writing group is usually about writing better without the use of a
teacher. However, a writing group may attract more than one teacher,
including teachers of writing. Don't be surprised if that happens,
teachers are often learners who want to learn more about their subject.
They
might, however, need to be reminded that they are not there to teach.
They are there as a learning reader and writer. They are there to be
good readers ready to provide their honest reactions to that which they
read. Each of your group members focus on telling you how she
experiences the work you submit. Just as you will tell her how you
experience your careful reading of her work.
Quickly moving forward, I here add actions you may consider taking before you choose a writing group or before making one of your own.You can:
~ Start writing and keep writing.
~ Find a writing group in action close to you and check it our.
~ Sit in a a couple of meetings to see how it may benefit or suit you.
~ Check out online posts here and elsewhere about writing and writing groups.
~ Talk with a writing friend about forming a group.
~ Consider that most better writers have been good readers.
Once you better know your options and better know the kind of group you want, you might consider thoughts you would like potential members of your group to consider.Here are some sample points of the sort:
~ Find a time for your meeting and stick to it. Its fair to have have two writing groups each meeting at a different time.
~ Help one another to become better listeners and better readers as well as better writers.
~ Help each other to better know the kinds of feedback most needed and most wanted.
~ Decide on whether you want to handout your work to be read at home, to read your work aloud at meetings, or both, or what.
~ When you read a piece in group, read it twice. You will find that two readings are much better than one.
~ Show up at meetings.
I
enjoy and appreciate your comments about specific parts of the content
of my posts. There is, I hope, a "comment" window just below. It may
sometimes be marked with the words "no comments!"
RCS