Everyone Needs A Writing Group
If you are a writer without a writing group, go get one now.
I have peers who go to regular face-to-face groups, and I was forever jealous of them. Online critiquing is advantageous because you can more easily find writing partners who match your tastes and skill level, as opposed to whomever is geographically close. That's where the magic of voice conferencing comes into play!
Here's my suggestion: meet your perfect writing partners online through critiquing websites, then create your own face-to-face-at-a-distance group!
My writing group took a bit of doing to get off the ground. It started with me and one other person occasionally brainstorming over Skype. We then invited another and had a few haphazard discussion meetings, which petered out as we got busy. Finally, we invited a fourth person to round us out, and I decided to put my foot down and make us a schedule. Now, we meet every Sunday at a designated time (which took some figuring out, between the US, Canada, Sweden, and Romania). Writing is submitted ahead of time, and we alternate so two people go each week.
A writing group is only going to be as good as the effort you put into it, and the chemistry between everyone. Picking three randos out of a hat isn't any better than the local library's writing meetups--you might get lucky, you might not. Finding people who have enough similarities but also enough differences to be useful critique partners is, I think, the key to success.
I have dubbed titles to each of us in accordance with our particular skillset. We have.
I think four people is a good number. Enough work to keep us on our toes without getting overwhelming, and there will still be things to do if one person is missing. Two people submitting each week means you need to have your own writing ready every other week, and always have something to critique. Plus we've been a lot better about meeting consistently, with a designated day and time.
You will probably hear more comments about my writing group in the future. Particularly because they are instrumental in solving a lot of my plot problems.
I have peers who go to regular face-to-face groups, and I was forever jealous of them. Online critiquing is advantageous because you can more easily find writing partners who match your tastes and skill level, as opposed to whomever is geographically close. That's where the magic of voice conferencing comes into play!
Here's my suggestion: meet your perfect writing partners online through critiquing websites, then create your own face-to-face-at-a-distance group!
My writing group took a bit of doing to get off the ground. It started with me and one other person occasionally brainstorming over Skype. We then invited another and had a few haphazard discussion meetings, which petered out as we got busy. Finally, we invited a fourth person to round us out, and I decided to put my foot down and make us a schedule. Now, we meet every Sunday at a designated time (which took some figuring out, between the US, Canada, Sweden, and Romania). Writing is submitted ahead of time, and we alternate so two people go each week.
A writing group is only going to be as good as the effort you put into it, and the chemistry between everyone. Picking three randos out of a hat isn't any better than the local library's writing meetups--you might get lucky, you might not. Finding people who have enough similarities but also enough differences to be useful critique partners is, I think, the key to success.
I have dubbed titles to each of us in accordance with our particular skillset. We have.
- High Justice of Plot Acceptability
- Master of Character
Pain and TortureDynamics - Vice President of Keeping Us On Track
- The Agented One
I think four people is a good number. Enough work to keep us on our toes without getting overwhelming, and there will still be things to do if one person is missing. Two people submitting each week means you need to have your own writing ready every other week, and always have something to critique. Plus we've been a lot better about meeting consistently, with a designated day and time.
You will probably hear more comments about my writing group in the future. Particularly because they are instrumental in solving a lot of my plot problems.
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