Top 5 Reasons to Join a Writing Group

Posted on November 13, 2017

by April S

Aspiring writers often have a lot of questions and may not know how to get the answers. Is my work any good? How can I promote my work? Are there any local outlets for writers? How do I get published? Joining a writing group can often help with questions like these and many more. Here are a few of the reasons and/or benefits of joining a writing group:

1. Encouragement

While it’s relatively easy to put off writing when you’re on your own, it’s less likely to happen if you’re meeting with a writing group regularly. After all, what will you share if you haven’t been working on something?

2. Guidance

There’s bound to be at least a few experienced writers in your group that can share their wisdom and provide support.

3. Inspiration

Reading and listening to a variety of work can lead to unique story ideas.

4. Feedback

A good writing group provides useful feedback designed to help you improve your craft.

5. Networking

Public performances, collaboration, and publishing opportunities are just a few of the added benefits.


Image of group meeting

If you would like to join a local writing group, we have a list for you …

Northwest Ohio Writing Groups

Frogtown Storytelling Guild Description: Are you a storyteller? Do you want to become a storyteller? Do you want to improve your storytelling skills? Do you just like to listen to storytellers? Then come to our monthly meetings to share a story or simply to listen. Open to budding storytellers, professional storytellers, natural-born storytellers, and shy storytellers (i.e., people who’d rather listen to storytellers than tell a story).

To Join: Come to our monthly meetings to share a story or simply to listen. Open to budding storytellers, professional storytellers, natural-born storytellers, and shy storytellers (i.e., people who’d rather listen to storytellers than tell a story).

Meetings: When: 2nd Saturday of the month, 9-11 a.m. Where: Reynolds Corners Branch Library, 4833 Dorr Street Toledo, Ohio 43615 Contact: Facebook

Madd Poets Society Description: The Madd Poets Society, Inc. was founded in December of 1999. MADD is an acronym and it best describes what this organization is all about: “Making A Direct Difference.”

Contact: Fill out their contact form online. Address: 3806 Driftwood, Toledo, OH 43614 Phone: (419) 509-6776 Founder: David Bush, Email Facebook

Maumee Valley Romance Writers of America Description: Maumee Valley Romance Authors, Inc. is a local writing group of romance authors in the Toledo, Ohio area. They meet once a month to talk, share, and learn from one another about building a career writing romance novels. Their purpose is to advance the professional interests of career-focused romance writers through networking and advocacy, dissemination of information, professional education, publications, and other related activities, and to provide continuing support for writers within the romance publishing industry. To Join: Any persons, eighteen or older, seriously persuing a writing career in romance or other fiction genres are welcome to join Maumee Valley Romance Authors, Inc. To join, please send an email to submit your membership application, or simply visit their next meeting for more details. Guests may attend two meetings before being required to join the group. Membership fees apply. Meetings: Where: Toledo-Lucas County Public Library – various branches When: The last Saturday of the month, 10 a.m.-noon. Check their website for meeting details as the times and locations may vary. Contact: Email
New Works Writers Series About: New Works Writers Series (New Works), is a not for profit 501c3 organization, founded December 1989, by Imelda Hunt, to provide an arena for showcasing local area writers, poets, musicians and actors. Contact: Fill out contact form online. Address: 1548 Glenton Drive, Toledo, OH 43614 Phone: (419) 380-8464 Email
Northwest Ohio Writer’s Forum Description: Our meetings are always free and open to the public. If you’ve ever thought about making a living as a writer or if you like to write just to see what’s going to happen, please drop in to our meetings. You’ll find a creative, supportive environment. Meetings: When: September 16th, 2017 from 10am to 12 pm Where: Reynolds Corners Branch Library, 4833 Dorr St, Toledo, OH 43615

Contact: Fill out their contact form online. Email Facebook

Point Place Writer’s Group Description: Join us for ideas and encouragement. It doesn’t matter if you’re an old hand, or just getting started. If you’d like, bring 10 copies of a short writing sample to share. New attendees are welcome. See you there!

Meetings: When: Second Saturday of the Month, 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. Where: Point Place Library, 2727 117th Street, Toledo, Ohio 43611

Toledo Writer’s Workshop Description: We are a group of eclectic writers who get together to share our work, brainstorm ideas, and offer input on each other’s work. Many of us are serious aspiring writers, but some simply write as a hobby. We have no requirements on what we review: fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and memoirs are a few examples. Meetings: When: Tuesdays, 7-10 pm Where: Bigby Coffee, 4031 N McCord Rd, Sylvania, OH

Contact: Chris or Sarah Facebook

Writing Group Resources – Books

Writing Alone, Writing Together: A Guide for Writers and Writing Groups by Judy Reeves

Writing Alone, Writing Together: A Guide for Writers and Writing Groups by Judy Reeves

Print | eBook

The lonely life of a writer need not be. There are ways to break that isolation and find encouragement and support within groups of like-minded people. Sections in Writing Alone, Writing Together include Writing Practice Groups, Creating Writing Prompts, Group Leadership, and even What to Do with the Bores, Whiners, Control Junkies, and Thugs. Whether the group is oriented toward writing the great American novel or a family memory book, this useful book offers an array of effective techniques to help writers achieve their goals.

The Writing group book : creating and sustaining a successful writing group / edited by Lisa Rosenthal

The Writing Group Book: Creating and Sustaining a Successful Writing Group edited by Lisa Rosenthal

Print

In this insightful guide, more than 30 members of writing groups explain how and why they found a group to join or established their own, how they have kept their group flourishing, and what it has enabled them to accomplish—from simple self-expression to a lifetime of published work. Poets, playwrights, screenwriters, fiction and nonfiction writers, memoirists, and children’s writers share advice on how to give constructive critiques, manage difficult members, delegate responsibilities for maintaining the group, and keep meetings productive. Online groups, international groups, and women-only groups are represented, and a resource section details ways to market and sell finished work and how to parlay one success into a writing career.

Write Every Day: A Year of Daily Writing Prompts by J.M. Snyder

Write Every Day: A Year of Writing Prompts by J.M. Snyder

eBook

Ok, I know the last book suggested throwing away all of those writing prompts. However, some people may really benefit from following regular prompts, because it can help spark creative thought.

Writing prompts are a great way to jumpstart your muse and get the creative juices flowing. Sometimes you want to write and don’t really know what to write about, and prompts can help guide you into a new story. This collection of 366 writing prompts can be used daily throughout the year (leap years, too!) as a starting point to get you writing … and KEEP you writing. Each day of the year has its own, unique prompt. Set a timer for fifteen or twenty minutes, and write wherever the prompt takes you. Or, if you’re between stories and looking for something different to work on, flip to the prompt for today (or any random page) and start fresh. This book will kick-start your writing or take you in exciting new directions every day of the year!

A Writer's Book Of Days: A Spirited Companion and Lively Muse for the Writing Life by Judy Reeves

A Writer’s Book of Days: A Spirited Companion and Lively Muse for the Writing Life by Judy Reeves

eBook

First published a decade ago, A Writer’s Book of Days has become the ideal writing coach for thousands of writers. Newly revised, with new prompts, up-to-date Web resources, and more useful information than ever, this invaluable guide offers something for everyone looking to put pen to paper – a treasure trove of practical suggestions, expert advice, and powerful inspiration.

Judy Reeves meets you wherever you may be on a given day with:

• Get-going prompts and exercises. • Insight into writing blocks. • Tips and techniques for finding time and creating space. • Ways to find images and inspiration. • Advice on working in writing groups. • Suggestions, quips, and trivia from accomplished practitioners.

Reeves’s holistic approach addresses every aspect of what makes creativity possible (and joyful) – the physical, emotional, and spiritual. And like a smart, empathetic inner mentor, she will help you make every day a writing day.

Get Lit Rising: Words ignite. Claim your poem. Claim your life. / Diane Luby Lane and the Get Lit Players

Get Lit Rising: Words ignite. Claim your poem. Claim your life. by Diane Luby Lane and the Get Lit Players

Print

Get to know the Get Lit Players–a group of teens who use poetry to take on the world–with this common-core aligned book that sheds light on teen issues through their own poetry and slam poetry performances. Get Lit Rising brings to life the true story of nineteen teen poets (the Get Lit Players) who are inspiring thousands of teens across the country through their award-winning performances of classic and spoken word poems. This book takes readers inside the private lives of these teen poets as they try to transform the lives of inner city teens in some of the toughest life circumstances. The Get Lit Players include teens who are homeless, autistic, have parents in jail, battle with weight and body issues, depression, and more. But they use the power of poetry to pursue lives of promise and to reach out to friends, families, and communities. This uplifting book also offers the classic poems that have most inspired the Get Lit Players, along with their own personal response poems, and each chapter offers questions, writing prompts, and how-tos for readers to set their own inner poet free. Ending with a section for parents and educators featuring the curriculum that’s already in schools throughout California, this slam-dunk shows how to get teens excited about poetry and how to create poetry groups and slams in their own communities.

Online Resources for Writers and Writing Groups

Want to Join a Writing Group? 8 Places to Look – The Write Life

20 Facebook Groups for Writers You Don’t Want to Miss – The Write Life

List of Writing Groups by State or Region – Writer’s Relief

The 4 Hidden Dangers of Writing Groups – Jane Friedman

Writing Groups 101 – Inked Voices


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