Members regularly meet (weekly, biweekly, or monthly) in a set location (physical or virtual) for a set amount of time. Every writer works on their own project. Work could mean writing, editing, reading, citing, or any task to support their project.
The group keeps one another accountable by showing up to write and expecting others to do the same. This type of group is robust because if even two people show up, you can still do a full session, because everyone is working on their own project. It is recommended to buffer the work time with some social time for writers to catch up before working and share how the session went after the work time.
Use the Pomodoro Technique (a “pomodoro” is a 25-mintue stretch of focused work time). Writers stop after 25 minutes to take a 5-minute break to stretch, move, or attend to another quick task. Watch this video for more pomodoro-inspired ideas to overcome procrastination and get work done. This group works well with larger numbers with varying levels of time commitment as not everyone needs to come each time to be successful. It is also recommended that everyone uses headphones to listen to their own work music.
15 minutes: Share goals for the work session (~3 min/person).
80 minutes: Work silently on individual projects: writing, researching, editing, reading, making citations, etc.
15 minutes: State how the session went, and optionally what their next step in their process is (~3 min/person).
10 minutes: Socialize and connect.
A group might set Wednesdays as “writing work” days. They might touch base via video to set goals in the morning and then update one another once or twice in a shared Google Doc during the day. They might have a shared debrief during a video conference at the end of the day. This format is suggested by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Writing Center.
A group might schedule their check-ins less frequently and over a longer period of time. The group might set goals for themselves on Monday and share them with one another in a shared Google Doc, video conference, or Slack channel. They do work throughout the week. They might check in together on Wednesday and Friday for accountability. This format is suggested by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Writing Center.
*The examples above are just that: examples. They are meant to give you an idea of what is possible as a source of inspiration rather than a one-size-fits-all formula. Adapt, mix, and match to suit the unique goals of your writing group.