I've attempted a couple of writing groups so far. If you've ever been on that rollercoaster, then you will understand how hard it is to find one you like!
I tried some writing groups. It was weird.
Let me be clear. I have met some really cool people with each of my writing group experiences. I think all of them have something to offer. It's really more about finding the right fit for you. I say nothing in judgment of the groups I've so far experimented with. Those groups just weren't right for me.
First I tried some online groups. There is no way to vet out what type of writer is going to take an interest when you put up that banner, whether it be virtual or not. "Writing group" can encompass a wide variety of things. Are the people coming going to be hobby writers, or very serious? Are they going to be focused on a certain genre, certain age group, or certain story length. "Writing group" by itself doesn't even rule out whether the writing is poetry, fiction or non-fiction. So imagine that you wave that vague term out, not just in your community, but on the internet. Invariably you will get people from all interests.
I am a serious writer who focuses on writing full length young adult fantasy novels. Someone else might be a hobby poet wanting to share their work with someone just because their cat isn't a great critique partner. Someone else might have an academic research project and yet another person might just write short stories for fun and have no interest in ever publishing. Each of these individuals will have different expectations and different needs.
And of course there seems to always be at least one person who has never actually written anything, but they like the idea of writing and so they show up to a writing group hoping the waves of inspiration will motivate them to write a book and become the next Harper Lee of the world. That's always a fun for everyone.
Trying out writing groups, in person and online really forced me to ask myself: what am I trying to gain from joining one of these groups?
I want fresh eyes on my work. I want to find people who might be willing to beta read for me, when the time comes. And I want to find other self-publishers that I can "talk shop" with.
Also, I'm an extrovert and I can only spend so much time alone with a laptop before I start getting a little peculiar ("Jac, your left eye is twitching and you've spent the last half hour talking to a plate. Maybe you should get out more...").
So. Writing groups. I tried a couple of online ones, and they fizzled out after a few weeks. It's hard to commit to reading other people's work and giving feedback on a weekly or biweekly basis. Especially if you have...well, anything else to do.
I tried an in person one and found that there was little time left for feedback, or even real conversation. Also, I was the youngest person in the room by about twenty years.
I tried some NaNoWriMo write-ins. While fun, they were bizarre. Mostly they were bizarre because after Dec. 1, I never saw or heard from any of them again. I'm mildly concerned that that group of people didn't actually exist. Maybe I imagined them, and I was actually writing at a coffee shop alone, talking to no one. Maybe I'm actually nuts.
So, when I saw a Facebook event page for a group called "Table Circle," you might understand my trepidation. On a dark, cold evening in November, I lugged a laptop and a copy of my novel up some stairs to a building I only had a passing knowledge of and thought to myself, "Well, here we go again!"
Table Circle has met two times and so far it has been a good thing. Through Table Circle, I've met some altogether lovely people. And they seem to have similar goals to mine, which helps. We encourage each other. We listen to each other. So much of the conversation is about writing and books, but also just about life. So far the group is all ladies (boys are still welcome, though!), and there has been much discussion about just being a woman with a desire to pursue writing. There has been poetry and prose. But most of all the commodity we share is laughter. As a stay-at-home mom/work-from-home writer, it is so wonderful to just see some new faces and hear some new voices.
This Christmas, I'm thankful for a lot of things. There's a roof over my head and my family is together and safe and healthy. All of those wonderful things, I have happening. I want to take none of it for granted. But recently I've found myself grateful for a new thing: Table Circle.
One of our members, the delightful Hayleigh Worgan, has her own podcast. She recorded our first meeting. And when the second meeting got cut short, she kindly took copies of our work and recorded them for us! Her podcast is available on Spotify, Google, Apple, Pocketcast, Breaker and RadioPublic. Here is the link to the most recent episode of her Ink It Out Tour. My story is a bit of a psychological thriller, so be warned!
This Christmas, would you consider spending some of your money on supporting a local author? Or if you've already read a local author's work, would you consider taking time out to put a review on Amazon or Goodreads? We self-published folks appreciate the support more than you know!
And if you, dear reader, are yourself a writer, would you consider coming to Table Circle? It might just be the writing group for you.