All the reasons why you should join a gang.

Writer in Residence Kylie Fornasier breaks down the importance for emerging authors to join or create a writers group.

If there’s something strange

In your manuscript

Who ya gonna call?

YOUR WRITING GROUP!

My first piece of advice to aspiring writers is to read. Read everything.

My second piece of advice is to join a writers’ group. Even if you’re young. Even if you’re shy. Even if you haven’t finished your manuscript. Join a writers’ group. I could tell you why you should join a writers’ group, but instead I’ll let some other fabulous authors tell you first.

One of the first things I did as an aspiring author was join a writers group, you get feedback from other like-minded writers, have a goal to submit some work, plus you also get to try your hand at editing and giving feedback to other people, so it helped to improve my writing too. Plus you make new friends and network too – Oliver Phommavanh, author of Thai-riffic.

I am a big believer in the value of a writing group – for support, feedback, learning and celebration. No-one cares more about a writing success – no matter how small – than the members of your writing group. They are both coaches and team members – Sandy Fussell, author of Samurai Kids.

It’s great to have a squad of people who are on your side and crazy in the same sorts of ways you are. And when you’re done you all get to celebrate (sometimes at actual formal book launches) your own and each other’s victories – Margo Lanagan, author of Sea Hearts.

Writing is tough – even writing funny books, skinny books, picture books, thick books, serious books, kid’s books. So having a writing group makes it so much better – commiserations with rejections, celebrations with successes, craft and editing and great friends – so if you get published or not, you have a great journey – Susanne Gervay, author of Butterflies.

For me, the writers’ group has been invaluable for providing a breadth of feedback so I can understand if certain scenes are working. I usually have something specific that I’m after (eg is this character’s voice different working, what about this setting – is it evocative?). I also really enjoy being a part of a warm and friendly community of writers – Wai Chim, author of The Freedom Swimmer (publication 2016).

Being part of a writers group is fantastic. Not only does it motivate me to write but it makes me want to continually learn and improve. On top of that I’ve made great friends! It also has to be said that there is no one who understands a rejected manuscript like another writer – Catherine Pelosi, author of Wooable (publication 2016).

Several local writers’ groups have been absolutely invaluable to my growth as a writer. I learnt so much about the craft of writing, made many good friends, of the kind who will last for life and, maybe most importantly, developed a thick enough skin to accept criticism gracefully and use it to make my writing better – Jodie Wells-Slowgrove.

Without my critique group, I’m sure I would have given up long before I was published. As well as receiving valuable feedback and encouragement, I’ve improved in my ability to look at a manuscript objectively and assess it. We have heaps of fun together. I love my critique group – Penny Morrison .

In summary, here’s why you should be part of a writers’ group:

1. To make you a better writer
2. To make your manuscript better
3. Friends
4. Fun
5. Support

You can join an existing writing group for teen writers or start your own. To find an existing one, ask the teacher librarian at your school (many high schools have a writers’ group running), or enquire at your local writers’ centre or library. If you can’t find one, then try starting your own!

How to start a writers’ group:

1. First, you have to find members. Talk to your friends. Chances are some of them are writers too. You also might want to put a sign up at school, university or youth group (with permission from the right people).
2. Decide how big you want your group to be. Under ten members is good for when the group is first starting out.
3. Decide where you are going to meet and how often. Libraries work well, especially if you can reserve a room. Fortnightly or monthly meetings also work well. Weekly meetings can be too demanding. More than a month between meetings can make it difficult to stay in ‘touch’ with everyone’s story.
4. Decide upon the purpose of the group.
5. Decide how everyone will share their work and how much of their work at each meeting. Will everyone email their writing a few days before to be read prior to the meeting or will it just be read at the meeting? Both ways have pros and cons. Emailing work prior to the meeting gives you a chance to read at your own pace and consider your feedback. You also get through more at each meeting. However, it is more time consuming of your own time and can be demanding. It also requires everyone to be super organised.
6. Decide upon how everyone will deliver their feedback. Written onto the manuscript? Said aloud at the meeting? Both?
7. Decide what sort of feedback the group will give. Will you focus only on the big stuff (like plot and character) or also nitty-gritty stuff (like grammar and word choice)? Having a checklist for everyone to reference is a good idea. Also, decide on a balance between comments on things that are working and things that aren’t working. A sandwich style works well. You start with feedback on things that are working well in the manuscript, followed by things that could be improved or considered and ending with more positive comments.
8. Have fun and be supportive.

The hardest thing about joining a writers’ group or starting one is overcoming the fear of sharing your work with other people. Everyone has this fear – you are not alone! I repeat: you are not alone. The only way to overcome this fear is to start putting your writing in front of other people. You’ll see straight away that as scary as it is, no one is there to put your writing down. And when you do consider the feedback, you’ll see that your writing will be so much better for it. My own books are made so much better by the feedback I get from my writers’ group. I’d be lost without my group and I hope you all have the joy of being part of a wonderful writers’ group one day.

Since there’s not a whole lot to discuss on this topic (or maybe there is – surprise me!), let’s chat about something completely different. WHAT ARE YOU READING AT THE MOMENT? (Sorry, for the caps – my kitty walked over the keyboard and hit ‘caps lock’ so I just left it).

February 19 2015