I must admit that while, at first, I was skeptical about the benefits of writing groups, I am now convinced that they are immensely valuable to our writing journey, particularly if you are just starting or working on a long-term project. Unfortunately, writing groups are a rare species in Guyana. I was privileged to be part of a small local group some years back and for the time it existed, it proved to be extremely useful, but our meetings fell off due to scheduling conflicts and the group itself became inactive. Otherwise, I’ve been able to attend one-off classes and musters while travelling abroad and the experience that I have had each time has confirmed that writing groups are an essential aspect of writing. Thankfully, in this digital age, and in light of the current pandemic, meeting in groups is now almost unnecessary in person thanks to virtual options.

That means that while Guyana may not have any groups of its own, then you can feel free to explore online options. Many free writing groups are available if you invest some time in a thorough search.

So here are some benefits of writing groups that you should consider, and hopefully, they could convince you to explore this option to help upgrade your writing:

Motivation and Inspiration
Everyone in the group can gain mutual motivation and inspiration from other group members. There’s something about seeing the writing journey and listening to the works of other upcoming writers that just gets you inspired and keeps you going as you share your work. Ensure that you utilise your meeting time by listening to other writers and asking questions about their work and their process.

Writing practice
If you’re one of those to complain about a busy schedule that keeps you from writing, joining a writing group gives you the chance to set that schedule aside and write! In fact, once you can take the time to make the meeting a part of your busy schedule, then you will inevitably be exposed to writing exercises that allow you to stretch those muscles during the meeting.

Constructive criticism and guidance
Writing groups create a safe, respectable space for you to share your work and receive useful feedback from fellow writers. If you have a problem or are experiencing a block or some other difficulty with your project, group members can also provide encouragement and guidance on how you can manoeuvre these difficulties.

Networking and professional advice
Writing groups can bring you into contact with a variety of writers from all genres and professions. Making these connections can be extremely valuable to the future of your writing career. You can also pick the brains of some professionals who know the business world of writing and can give you advice on how to earn money, get published or some other bits of wisdom.

A sense of community and belonging
Let’s face it,as artists, it’s hard to get people in your everyday life to share in your passion for your craft. Sure, they will support you and read your work when you get published or achieve some big milestone, but artists need like-minded folk around them to truly help them in the day to day struggles of the art. For writers, writing groups can give you that sense of community and belonging. Everyone has the same interests and they are almost always willing to give you that support that they, too, are lacking in the outside world- just ensure that you reciprocate!

Cons of writing groups
As with all group settings, there are some downfalls to writing groups and those concerns are initially why I was skeptical about joining them earlier in my writing career. There can be clashes in personality among artists who are all very passionate about what they do. Critique isn’t always given or received in the best way, and that can make tempers run high.

Then there could be writers who feel that they are more accomplished or experienced than others and instead of using that experience positively, they hang it over the heads of other members, creating unpleasantness among group members.

It is always important to choose your groups wisely. Ensure that it has a clear structure and goals that can allow you to assess beforehand if it meets your personal writing goals. Structure will also ensure that persons can follow guidelines and that there are clearly outlined activities that prevent others from running away with the agenda in the meetings.

Make sure your group has a clear policy about behaviour and feedback. I once attended a writing group in New York where, at the beginning of every session, they reminded the attendees that every writer who gives feedback must start with positive comments on the work they are critiquing, before getting into structural recommendations. They also had a rule that no one person would be in charge all the time- every week they would nominate a session leader for the following session and that person was responsible for planning the meeting’s activities and schedules.

Above all, if you do decide to join a writing group, remember that you have the freedom of deciding not to stay if you feel uncomfortable. If you find that there is a problem, express your concerns openly and respectfully and see how it is received. If nothing changes then you have every freedom to leave and find a group that better serves your needs.

Interested in contributing to this column on writing? Email me at thewritemind592@gmail.com