Writing workshop, critique group, writer’s group, writing retreat, etc. Most established writers will tell you that these institutions can be invaluable. The functional phrase there is CAN BE. There are many variables that can affect the quality of your experience in each. Over the next few posts, I will discuss each one and my personal experiences with them. Some have been VERY good and others…not so much. I will say this before I get too far along, no matter how bad my experience was, I was able to take something positive away from it.

Some readers might say that a writing workshop, a writing retreat, a critique group, and a writing group are pretty much the same. I would agree that there are similarities. However, there are critical differences in my mind. And, since my mind is the one spewing forth, let’s be clear on what I’m calling each of these institutions.

Writing workshop – A group of writers (strangers) who have provided samples of their writing to each other to read. They then provide feedback (written and/or verbal) on the quality of each other’s writing and possibly provide recommendations on the various aspects of the craft. This is usually a one shot event.

Writer’s group – A group of writers known to each other,  who either have provided samples of their writing to each other to read or read samples of their work to the rest of the group at a meeting. They may provide feedback (written and/or verbal) on the quality of each other’s writing. They may or may not provide recommendations on various aspects of the craft. The same group (some variation of participants can occur) meets regularly over a longer period of time, months/years.

Critique group – A group of individuals who may be writers, readers, editors, etc. They can be either strangers or known to each other. The writers provide samples of their writing to the group to read. The group then provides feedback (written and/or verbal) on the quality of each other’s writing and possibly provide recommendations on the various aspects of the craft. This can be done either in a meeting or online.

Usually, but not always, held at a remote, tranquil location where writers go to write. There is often some collaboration time and maybe even some workshops. However, the primary focus is putting words on paper.

I am sure that I have left out some key details and you may have different ideas as to what happens in these group activities. But this is the framework that I will be using.

Let’s get started. In a previous post called “The Help”, I talked about my search for a writer’s group. The reality is I was looking for a critique group. Specifically, one that was more advanced than the writer’s groups that I belonged to at the time. I’m  not saying the other groups don’t have value. On the contrary, they are working quite well for most of the members. So the first distinction I want to make is that not all writing groups are good at the kind of detailed craft, constructive critique I was looking for.

Here are two examples of different writer’s groups, how they operate, and some pros and cons.

I joined Group A very early in my writing career. It was founded by a writing instructor and the members were attendees of his first two classes. The class had included some work-shopping, so everyone was familiar with the process, kind of. Members would volunteer at random to submit short samples of their writing to everyone for review. Two weeks later the group would meet at a coffee shop. The session would begin with one of the submitters volunteering to go first and everyone present would take turns providing both verbal and written feedback on their work. Few rules/guidelines were enforced other than don’t attack the writer and don’t get defensive. This was mostly successful. After all of the submissions were discussed, the coordinator would provide a writing prompt and the members would flash write for 10 or 15 minutes. Then, each member would read what they wrote back tot he group, also voluntary. I will say that some of my very best ideas came out of those flash exercises. The session would end with volunteers agreeing to submit work for the following meeting.

Pros: As a newish writer, this was an excellent opportunity to get my work in front of someone else’s eyes. Every member was interested in the same genre so you didn’t have to explain that magic exists and that there are races other than human. You could submit at your own speed. There was no pressure to generate scenes/chapters in a given time. Even though writing ability varied between members, the process of giving and receiving critique was new to us which made it fairly safe. The writing exercises were very beneficial in that they forced the members to write under pressure! It also taught us how to turn off the editor inside. Both very important skills to develop.

Cons: The overall lack of experience meant that much of the critique was plot-based, with little or no technical recommendation offered. Many of the better writers seemed to lose interest and stopped submitting or showing up to offer their insights. This happens at any level of group. It seems to have more of a negative impact in the groups of newer writers. You could submit at your own speed. There was no pressure to generate scenes/chapters in a given time. You should notice this was also listed as a pro. Depending on what you are looking to get out of your writing, this can be a critical part of the decision to join a group.

Writer’s group B was a group of older writers of varying skills. It included a few educators. A handful of members had some minor works published. The group was not genre specific so anything was possible. participation was hit or miss. You never knew who or how many people would show up. A typical session would include some or all of the members reading a selection of their own work and then the others would provide verbal feedback. Most feedback was based on the overall feeling the piece depicted with not technical recommendations. The reader would have to scribble down notes while the feedback was being given as no hard copies were provided. After the readings and feedback were finished, there might be a writing exercise or discussion of a technical aspect of writing followed by a prompt that the members could use to provide material for the next meeting.

Pros: Exposure to multiple genres. Loose structure let the members choose what and how much writing they could do. A chance to interact with some very good writers. Reading your own work out loud can really help you hear dialogue, see holes in sentence structure, catch repeat words or repetitive phrasing. I highly recommend reading your work aloud for these reasons. Also, reading to your audience adds a whole new layer of pressure to your writing because of the immediate feedback from the listeners.

Cons: The lack of written feedback and the hesitation of the members to provide serious technical critiques made this group feel more like a writing support group versus a way to improve craft skills.

As I said earlier, these formats work for some people. There are many other group formats out there to choose from. So ,if the first one doesn’t do it for you, choose another one. After all, it is your writing journey. You should get out of it exactly what you want.