The Beauty of a Writers’Group
Writing can be a lonely calling. I, for one, prefer a quiet room with no distractions if I’m to get a couple of thousand words further into my current novel. I do admire those who can write in busy coffee shops or on trains and planes, but it’s not for me. I’m most productive when I’m not distracted. But, there remains the need for creative stimulation. Imagination and past experiences in life can only give you so much inspiration.
A writers’ group seemed like a sensible step. Other authors recommend them as a way to get early opinions on your work in progress, to see the challenges faced by other writers, and to simply meet and get to know like-minded people.
I joined mine about a year ago. It meets monthly and I went along to my first meeting after their summer break. It was an AGM as well. The committee all stood for re-election and were all duly retained for another year. No-one opposed (which I took to be a good thing) and no-one else tried to join (which I wasn’t quite so sure about). The finances seemed healthy and there was talk of an anthology work to be published the following year to celebrate the Group’s 35th anniversary.
With a healthy dose of Imposter Syndrome, I explained I was relatively new to writing but did have a book deal with a publisher and my first work already out there in a pandemic world and available through Amazon. The Group was a mixture of writers of all types, from published authors and self-published writers, to those trying to write a novel and those merely writing for the pleasure of it – hoping to hone their skills. Wondering if I would be accepted into this eclectic mix of creatives, I was surprised to realise that far from considering if I was good enough to join, the Group was itself hoping they would be good enough for me to consider becoming a member. I did not hesitate.
A year later and I look forward to the monthly sessions which usually involve a writing task based on a theme or genre which has broadened my writing beyond romantic fiction and given me a discipline hitherto unknown. Writing to a 500 or 1,000 word limit isn’t easy when you’ve only really written for a novel with no discernible word count limit. It makes you consider whether every word is necessary. There’s no pressure to participate and the feedback is always constructive and encouraging.
Yesterday, we launched our anthology, celebrating 35 years of the Group. I’m delighted that three of my short stories are included in this and that I was able to assist in its creation with a cover design idea which a graphic design friend was able to bring to life. Like all good launch parties there was cake and wine and an immense amount of pride from all the members present that their work was being showcased to the wider world.