Starting
Your Own Writer's Group
Where
to Meet
The best place to start is your local bookstore. Find one that has a
space large enough to accommodate a dozen to 20 writers, then ask the
manager to help you contact writers. Most managers readily recognize
the fact that writers buy lots of books. Look for the one who will fully
support your group.
About
the Meetings
Set up an organizational meeting and LISTEN! to what the writers want.
Make decisions together. And yes, a leader is a necessity if you want
to keep going. Poke around the writing community and find an English
teacher, published writer, or other professional who is looking for
some fun. Plan meetings to suit your needs. Sometimes spin-off critique
groups in one genre or another will want to meet weekly. The twice a
month worked very well for the Roundtable. Understand the goals of the
group. Will you meet to read to each other and nod, meet to read to
each other and improve, meet to read and help each other get published.
Special
Meetings Are Fun!
Here are some suggestions:
- Coordinate
with the bookstore manager to plan visiting authors and other speakers.
- The
Roundtable does a ghoulish Halloween party with an appropriate ghost
stories' contest.
- The
first meeting in January focuses on the theme "Beginnings"
- Other
themes for special days: Valentine's Day love stories, Fourth of July
patriotic essays
- Winter
Holiday gift-giving (members write stories and give them to each other).
However,
don't let the regular readings get lost - sometimes a chance suggestion
by a fellow writer will point a writer into a lucrative direction. The
reading aloud of a writer's work to other writers is a valuable way
to "hear" your written words and get feedback.
Getting
the word out
Find one of your regulars who would put together a newsletter - either
online or print, or both. Maintain that list of people who attend meetings
(name, mailing address, phone and email). An email quick-send list helps
keep members in touch between meetings. Just don't overdo it.
Notice
that no mention of money has taken place.
One sure way to lose members is to charge a fee - unless you have definite
goals (circulate a newsletter to the public, schedule a valuable seminar
or workshop for the group, publish an anthology, for instance). Most
writers enjoy helping each other for the sheer joy of it. Encourage
members of your group to visit other writers' groups and report back.
Also encourage attendance at writers' conferences.
Good luck
with your new group! If you find yourself in the Tacoma, Washington
area on a first or third Wednesday evening, drop in to the Tacoma Mall
Borders Bookstore and listen to some wonderful reading.
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