In his book On Writing, author Stephen King very clearly outlines the rules he lives by when writing a novel. One of those rules is: “Write with your door closed. Rewrite with your door open.”
We agree with this rule in theory. Yes, writing a first draft is daunting and can be even more so when showing it to other people. However, in practice, keeping your first draft away from the eyes of others can be extremely difficult. Writing can become isolating very quickly. If you attempt to write the first draft of your novel with the door closed, you might feel that isolation start to creep in. This is where writing groups come into play.
A writing group is exactly what it sounds like–a group of people you can meet with regularly to write together. I recently started a writing group that includes my husband and my brother-in-law. Each of us has writing projects we’re working on and we meet every Sunday. It has been so helpful for me while writing my own book, so I wanted to give you 6 tips I’ve developed for creating an effective and helpful writing group.
- Create it with people you know
If you can, of course. I’m lucky enough to have several people in my life who are also writers. Think about friends, family, or people you see regularly. Are any of them writers? Would you be comfortable starting a writing group with them? Creating a group with people you know can be so much more motivating than simply joining a Facebook group of strangers–especially for us introverts. If you are excited to see these people, you’ll be more likely to want to meet with them.
- Meet on the same day each week
Our writing group meets every Sunday. This is the day that worked best for all of us. The time we meet may vary, as well as the place, but we have established Sundays as our writing days and we stick to that day. If you can meet weekly, I highly recommend this. Meeting this often can help you stay in the habit of writing consistently.
- Meet in person
If possible, meeting in person is extremely helpful. Being in the same room as other writers can fill you with creative energy as well as keep you accountable. Zoom works, but if you can be sitting around the same table, interacting face-to-face, you should. Trust me.
- Create a schedule
Every Sunday, my writing group follows the same schedule. We meet at a central location, chat for a second about what we’re going to write, set a timer for how long we’re going to write, write, and finally, debrief after our writing session is over. We try to be silent during the writing period, but having time to chat before and after helps us stay accountable, get in a creative flow, and feel good about what we accomplished during the session. I recommend setting a schedule similar to this for your writing group so your group can come prepared.
- Don’t read what you’ve written
Unless you need some encouragement. The people in your writing group aren’t your editors, they’re your peers. Chat about writing itself, what you want to accomplish, or how you felt about what you accomplished, but don’t read your writing. This is where King’s rule comes into place. Sometimes too many opinions on what is only your first draft can be overwhelming. However, if you write a passage or sentence that you’re particularly proud of–go for it! Brag about your amazing writing abilities. That might give you the lift you need to continue another week of writing.
- Have fun!
The purpose of writing is to be creative, and the purpose of having a writing group is to be creative with other people. Having fun allows for more creativity. You could meet at a coffee shop with yummy treats, bounce ideas off of each other before writing, or even try different writing exercises if you’re all struggling for ideas.
While you are the one writing your novel, you don’t have to be alone while doing it. Creating a writing group can be extremely beneficial in protecting yourself from self-doubt, procrastination, or loneliness while writing.
