We wouldn't be able to produce and provide all of the wonderful content here at the GA News Blog without so many great contributors. Libby Drew gives us a great tip for authors on Writing Groups. Enjoy!

A writing group can do wonders for our motivation and keep us accountable for our production. Members cheer us on, understand how even the smallest recognition can mean the world, and know not to say things like, “Oh, you’re a writer? Do you have any bestsellers?”

There are pros and cons to using writing groups. Here are a few.

Benefits:

• Writers of the same genre may have a helpful understanding of voice and target audience. Writers of different genres offer fresh opinions.
• Reading other people's fiction and trying to articulate a critique of that fiction increases our understanding of the way storytelling works. Further, other members may point out things we wouldn't normally notice. This process helps us develop a critical eye, specifically in regards to our own craft.
• Every writer is different. We use different routines, tools, and work spaces. Talking with other writers is a great way to expose ourselves to alternative processes. We may learn tricks that help us write better or use time more efficiently.
  

Pitfalls:

• Writing groups can be a waste of time if the members are writing at different levels. Novice writers might be left behind while more experienced writers may not receive the level of critique they need. While the flattery will feel nice, it won’t help them improve.
• Bad advice is rampant. That it’s unintentional doesn’t make it any less harmful. Writing group peers are not all-knowing, nor are they (most of the time) well-established professionals.
• The writing group becomes happy hour. Like-minded people have the potential to become our close friends. Meetings can easily become social events. Enjoying being a writer is fine, but being a writer also means, you know, writing.
• Editing and critiquing can take a lot of free time. Some editing is good and will increase the quality of our own writing, but if all our time is taken up by editing, we’re learning how to be editors, not writers.
  

And here’s one that can go on both the pro and con list: Writing groups are honest and critical.

We all want to hear that our writing is good. Nobody puts their creation out there hoping to hear that it’s not. Some writers claim they don’t care what other people think, but with very, very rare exception, they’re lying. When our peers, and quite often they become our friends, tell us what doesn't work, it hurts. We have to develop a thick skin if we want to improve. A critique of our writing is not a critique of us as individuals. Writing may be more of an art than other tasks, but it’s still very much a learned skill.

And, with caveats, a writing group is a learning tool.

~Libby