Five Rules for Writing Groups

A writing group can operate any way that its members please, but here are some best practices that I've found essential to a healthy process:

1. Give specific feedback

   Every comment, whether praise or criticism, should be backed up with supporting detail. It's not helpful to just say "I liked the story" or "I didn't care for it." Identify the elements of the story that succeed or fail for you, and why. Suggest alternate ways to handle the plot or narrative voice. In my group, we write a page of summary comments as well as doing line edits on the manuscript. This method ensures that you get a big-picture critique as well as feedback at the word and sentence level.

2. Have the author keep silent until the discussion has finished

   This guideline is crucial. A piece of writing should stand on its own, and shouldn't require commentary or explanation in order for the reader to appreciate it. When authors respond before the critique is over, they can get defensive, or can shut down the criticism because other group members sense that the author isn't open to negative feedback. Best to have the author write notes and save comments and questions for the end, once everyone else has spoken. Every time my writing groups break this rule, we always regret it. As difficult as it may be to keep quiet, I believe it's essential to getting a full and honest critique.

3. Don't be afraid to suggest significant changes

   When I first started writing in university, we would suggest a few changes here and there to a story, but the final draft would end up very similar to the workshopped version. Then I got a big wake-up call on the first night of my graduate school workshop class. A woman presented a manuscript that I was really impressed with. I had to work hard to make suggestions for revisions. But the class really dug into it, and the conclusion was that she should set aside the twenty-five pages she'd written and start over. I was devastated, and we weren't even critiquing my work! But that was the first time I really understood rewriting, and I didn't know whether I could handle it.

   But my work is much better now for having learned not to get too attached to my words, a lesson taught by my rigorous workshop members. So go ahead, don't be afraid to tell a writer to go back the drawing board and start from scratch. Perhaps a story needs to be much longer, or written from a different point-of-view. Maybe a short story is actually a novel in the making. Challenge each other to find the best story, not just the easiest one.

4. Set guidelines for how much work you will critique, and how often

   Depending on how often you meet and how many members you have, decide a reasonable workload for each session, that gives members enough time to review the work before the meeting, and that gives you enough time for discussion during the meeting. My group meets once a month, and we have a limit of two pieces per meeting (three in a pinch). We don't look at a piece more than once, unless it has been substantially rewritten. We look at story-length excerpts from longer works, such as novels. We make sure that our more prolific writers don't dominate the schedule. Keep the workload manageable and you'll get better quality feedback.

5. Have fun!

   All work and no play etc. etc. Gabfests about books and family, good food, outings to literary events, and weekend retreats can all enhance the writing group experience, as you become friends as well as colleagues. Moral support can be as important as editorial feedback.

More resources for working with a writing group:

Writing Groups Starter Kit from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Writing Group Guidelines from Writers on the Plains

Bylaws and Critique Guidelines from The 6' Ferret Writers' Group