Writing is a very solitary activity that, even for the most anti-social individuals, can, over extended periods of time, have a negative impact.
Support and feedback from family and friends is great, as long as you are careful in your selection. Let’s face it, when it comes to objectivity, a parent or spouse may not always be the most appropriate choice. But what about when you need advice or input from someone who is either experiencing the same challenges as you or has made that journey already?
Online forums and Facebook groups are great but there is a certain lack of accountability when you’re behind a screen, an issue that resolves itself when addressing someone face to face.
Like anything there are pros and cons, and eliminating the cons can be a simple process of choosing the right group for you.
Firstly, consider what it is that you want from a group. For most it would be support, honest and kind feedback, advice, an opportunity to help others, and motivation.
But being a part of a writing group can, and often does, go beyond that.
A well-organized group that meets consistently can help you stick to deadlines, achieve goals, and of course provide you with a ready and willing pool of beta readers.
Sure, there are a million and one resources available for editing, proofreading, and feedback services out there but if you are new to the game how do you actually know what you’re getting, and how much of it is honest.
Being an eternal pessimist, I am somewhat wary when it comes to unknown Beta readers. If they are getting paid to critique a piece of writing, why wouldn’t they drag the process out? That’s not for one moment implying that an entire industry is out to scam you, but unfortunately there are unscrupulous individuals in all walks of life and frankly paying for the opinions of a random person on the internet just screams fleece me.
I remember getting a Groupon deal with some coworkers for some anticellulite treatment thing (and no, it did not work). The business owner offered us a future discount on the services if we left positive feedback. Nothing wrong with that so far, right? He then went on to ask us to categorically state that we had indeed dropped a clothing size as a result of said treatment and furthermore encouraged us to have our friends and family also leave similar feedback despite them never being customers.
My point is that online recommendations and reviews of services may not always be reflective of the service that was actually provided.
Unless you have direct contact with someone who has navigated the beta minefield and can give firsthand recommendations, you’re pretty much on your own.
Locating a group is easy. Between writing forums and Facebook, you will likely be spoiled for choice. My advice would be to test the water with as many as possible.
Watch the dynamics and ask yourself if it’s the right group for you. Remember, what they can provide must measure up your expectations just as much as what you’re willing to give must measure up to theirs.
Is there any direct competition that could potentially cause conflict – this aspect is very dependent upon the personalities of individuals. Writing a different genre to other group members could reduce the possibility of this happening, however if your group collectively are focused on one genre and you are working in a completely different one, you have to wonder how effective feedback will be.
Does the group provide a safe space to pitch ideas? Is everyone given equal consideration and are there clearly defined rules for feedback? Is any criticism offered in a constructive as opposed to destructive manner? Is the feedback honest rather than always positive in order to preserve the feelings of the writer? Do they merely point out faults and weaknesses or do they follow up with suggestions and alternative ways to address the problem?
And what about if you choose not to heed their suggestions? Do they become offended and disgruntled? For some it is hard not to make suggestions that would steer a style or story in the direction of their own vision rather than to appreciate the style of another writer and help them to achieve what their vision is.
I do believe that every group benefits from a leader of sorts. It doesn’t necessarily need to be the most experienced member of the group, but whoever is facilitating must possess good organizational skills and be consistent in their role.
Having deadlines and maybe a schedule for whose work will be the topic for that week/fortnight results in each member getting equal time and consideration.
It’s also important to remember that there are many variations of writing groups out there. Not all function primarily as a critique group where members exchange chapters/manuscripts for external feedback. Some focus more on accountability, on generating new material, or on how to navigate publishing and promotion. If you have a group that fixates on just one element of the journey rather than all of the stages involved, you may find yourself once again flying solo.
Of course there are cons you may encounter. It’s worth considering ahead of time how impacted you may be by a less than positive experience.
Some members may be hyper focused on themselves, speak over others, and struggle to give and receive in equal measure. What if there is an idea thief in the group? If they are not able to put honestly above friendship, or if they become over critical of your endeavors.
Writing is highly subjective and for many extremely personal. Although unintended, not all advice will necessarily be helpful, and it can be discouraging if they don’t read your work at all.
A group that may not be a good fit may have nothing to do with the amazing members but simply be down to a lack of compatibility between what you need and what they offer.
Communicate, be honest with yourself as well as those around you, and if that ultimately means parting ways don’t despair, your group is out there somewhere, you just have to find them.