Writing groups are when a group of people decide to meet regularly to help one another with their writing. This help can take many forms, such as around accountability, troubleshooting, feedback, or moral support. The main goal is to provide interaction among the group members and form a community that lasts for a period of time, such as a semester, summer, or year.
Writing groups are best for people looking for a structured, regular, and collaborative source of writing support. Group size varies, but anywhere from two to eight members is common. Writing groups can be formed with people both in a similar major or across disciplines, depending on the goal of the group.
Important Note: Writing groups you create yourself are not the same as a group project assigned by a class or professor. Self-created groups offer more freedom and flexibility.
Purpose: You decide the main focus. Accountability to stay on track? A regular time to get work done? A place to discuss writing challenges? Want feedback on drafts? It's up to you!
Longevity: These groups can last for a semester, a year, or even longer. You decide the time commitment.
Membership: You choose who to invite, ensuring a good fit in terms of goals, interest, and availability.
Flexibility: You have complete control over how the group operates, including meeting frequency, format, and types of activities.
Purpose: Usually focused on a specific course assignment or project. The goal is often to collaborate on a shared task or provide peer feedback within a set timeframe.
Limited Duration: These groups typically exist for the duration of the assignment or course. The group ends after the project.
Assigned Membership: Your professor chooses the group members, which can be helpful for learning to collaborate with diverse perspectives.
Structure: The professor often provides guidelines or requirements for how the group should function and what it needs to accomplish.
Suggested Advice for Professor-Assigned Writing Groups:
Having regularly scheduled meetings gives writers accountability and can help them pace their writing projects.
Having a comfortable place to share still-in-progress writing among peers can be liberating and help writers get timely support at key junctures.
Having a community of emotional and professional support can combat feelings of isolation and frustration during the writing process.
Having a place to practice creating supportive intellectual communities, and requesting, giving, and receiving feedback from peers (often from other disciplines) helps build lasting connections.
Regular Check-ins: Periodically assess whether the balance of activities still meets the group's needs. Use surveys, informal discussions, or designated meeting time to gather feedback and make adjustments.
Clear Communication: Openly discuss expectations, preferences, and goals to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Defined Roles (Optional): Consider assigning rotating roles (e.g., facilitator, timekeeper, note-taker) to help with organization and ensure everyone contributes.
Varied Activities: Incorporate a mix of activities to keep things interesting and cater to different learning styles. Try brainstorming sessions, freewriting prompts, peer review, goal setting exercises, or even guest speakers.
Dedicated Space: Whether you meet in person or online, create a dedicated space (physical or virtual) where members can share resources, ask questions, and connect between meetings.
Celebrate Successes: Acknowledge milestones, achievements, and individual progress to foster a sense of accomplishment and maintain motivation.
There is no single set duration for how long a writing group should last. For example, a writing group can last for a summer, a semester, the month of January, the length of a project, or a set number of sessions, e.g., 4-8 sessions.
Writers can benefit from having sequential writing groups over time or even having multiple groups at a time, depending on their goals. Choose what works best for the group members.
The important key for the duration is having a shared expectation for the length and purpose of the group among the members.