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Starting a writers' group
I live in a part of the UK with no easily accessible writers' group. Does anyone have experience and/or advice for starting one from scratch?
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Hello!
Where do you live? I'm asking in case there is a group near you that you've not discovered and someone here will be able to tell you about it.
I have always hesitated to advertise for writing groups people as you just never know who you are going to get. You need at least one person who is a good, published writer, preferably someone who has gravitas and is able to make sure no-one 'hogs' the limelight. But only one of this sort of person will be boring for them - they will want feedback that is helpful to them.
Loads of people turn up to writing groups. sometimes all they want is a platform for their grievances, sometimes they have mental health issues. If it is a 'proper' writing group then steps can be taken, but if it is just 4 of you who have gathered by dint of an ad in a paper, you can't really say to one of them, we don't want you because we don't have time or patience or expertise to hear about your experiences in the local psych ward, or about how your child died every week. (Both of these on courses I have been on!) Sounds harsh, but it's not what you are the for - you are there to hear others writing and to critique and help each other, not to listen and help people through bad experiences. Which can be grueling.
My own writing group came about from an MA I did - we were in a group on the course, liked each other, trusted each other and carried on meeting after.
i would definitely advise you to try getting people together in another way than an ad. What about going to poetry readings, open mic nights, literature festivals, and seeing if you can get in touch with others who are attending? Or going on an Arvon course or another sort of writing course and seeing who you meet?
Or, you could arrange a reading yourself, or a competition perhaps - see who enters, see who is good, contact them after!
We email our work a few days beforehand for the others to critique and we discuss it at the meeting, every fortnight.
This works for us - everyone is different I suppose.