The Power of a Writers' Group - WN 035

01/22/16 • 46 min

One thing I always want to stress in the Write Now podcast is the fact that you are not alone. Despite what you might feel, despite what you might what (or think you want), you're not alone. This is important. And it's the focus of Episode 035 of the Write Now podcast.

Before we begin, a quick note that I've made it easier than ever before to support the work I do with the Write Now podcast with my new Tip Jar! :D

OK. Enough of that. Let's begin... Starting a great writers' group -- or making your current writers' group even better. Podcast listener Laura emailed me with some questions about best practices for writers' groups: I wondered if you would consider doing a podcast on good practices for a writing group? Do you have any suggestions based on your experience? Exercises and activities? Resources? Pitfalls to avoid? Great questions, Laura. And YES! I have experience with both successful and failed writing groups, and I'm excited to share what I've learned with you. Different types of writing groups. Writer-Specific Groups What type of writers' group do you want to have? Writing groups that focus on a specific type of writer can include groups for mystery writers, women, veterans suffering from PTSD, sci-fi writers, poets, dissertation students, adolescents, and tons more.

You could also simply just have an umbrella group for people who love to write, regardless of what they're writing. The Spectrum of Groups: From Encouraging to Critiquing What do you want your writers' group to do for the folks who join (including yourself)? I've been part of writers' groups that are 75% critique and 25% encouragement, and groups that are 90% encouragement and 10% critique (if that). Each offers different benefits.

Critique-heavy writers' groups will help you develop your skills as a writer, and improve your manuscript (or whatever you happen to be working on) as well as your editing and critiquing skills. They are also great if you want to get better at reading your work in front of others.

Encouraging writers' groups can tend to be a bit more laid-back -- they are places of social inspiration and discussion, and can equip you with the energy and encouragement you need to go home and write up a storm.

Both will give you community and fellowship with like-minded writers, and can help you make both friends and the important connections you need to be successful. Group Size, Dynamic, & More You'll want a group that's neither too large nor too small. I recommend the sweet spot of 4-8 regular participants.

There's also the dynamic to consider. I've been in writers' groups where one person is just a really bad fit (perhaps better described as a toxic personality), and we've had to find a way to ask them to leave. It's unpleasant, to say the least.

If you're beginning your own group, consider carefully whom you'll be inviting. I'm not advising you to act under an exclusive mindset, but rather to carefully consider the cocktail of personalities you're mixing together.

You're creating a writers' group, a community, a haven for creatives, a circle of trust. So be intentional about whom you invite. Beware Entrepreneur's Depression Bestselling author and blogger Jeff Goins coined this phrase, and I love it: entrepreneur's depression.

Essentially, if you're thinking about starting a writers' group, you're going to have a vision for it. And a vision can be exciting and awesome and amazing. But sometimes, it can also set you up with some unrealistic expectations.

Your vision may be (like mine was) incredibly optimistic. I imagined 20, 30, 40 people attending my writers' group in downtown Chicago. I imagined a line out the door of the coffee shop where it was held. But instead, I got one or two people. And often none at all.

It was discouraging.

Before we begin, a quick note that I've made it easier than ever before to support the work I do with the Write Now podcast with my new Tip Jar! :D

It was discouraging.

Previous Episode

Feeling Like A Fraud - WN 034

Oh, my friends. It's time for episode 034 of the Write Now podcast. And I am so glad about that. :)

Before we begin, a quick note that I've made it easier than ever before to support the work I do with the Write Now podcast with my new Tip Jar! :D

All right, enough of that. Let's begin. "Who gave you permission to be a writer?" I know that often, on this very podcast, I've encouraged you to stand up (or stay seated, whatever) and proudly proclaim, "I am a writer."

But sometimes (or maybe a lot of the time) saying this can make us feel like a fraud. Or perhaps you feel so fraudulent that you say it with a blush and a grimace, or you never say it at all.

Because despite all the positive, affirming statements, there's always that voice. That mean, nasty little voice in the back of your mind that causes you to doubt yourself. The voice that asks, so viciously, "Who gave you permission to call yourself a writer?

This is all part of something called the Imposter Syndrome, and today we're going to talk about how to respond to it. Why is it so hard for us to see our own value? The Imposter Syndrome is described beautifully in a New York Times article by Carl Richards entitled "Learning to Deal With the Imposter Syndrome", published on October 26, 2015.

The article credits psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes for coining the term in 1978, and Richards describes it as follows: They described it as a feeling of “phoniness in people who believe that they are not intelligent, capable or creative despite evidence of high achievement.” While these people “are highly motivated to achieve,” they also “live in fear of being ‘found out’ or exposed as frauds.” Sound familiar? Why, yes. Yes it does. Remembering your worth. Obviously, it's not healthy to think that you are the most amazing writer in the cosmos, and that your writing is going to, like, liberate all people everywhere from shackles real and imagined.

But it's also not healthy to feel worthless or fraudulent. Because you are neither of those things. You. Are. A. Writer. And you have immense worth as a person... whether or not you are working on a writing project at this moment.

And just think -- the fact that you even deal with imposter syndrome is an indicator that you have the depth of intelligence and creativity that it takes to be a really fabulous writer.

So what I want you to do, right now, is take a deep breath and say, "My name is [your name], and I am a writer." I don't care if you stand up and shout it or remain seated at your desk and whisper it.

Just say it. Believe it. Do it. Be it. Prove that voice in your head wrong. And show the world how amazing you are.

Book of the week. This week's book is Among Others by Jo Walton. And... wow. Just wow.

Reading this book felt like coming home to myself -- there's no other way of putting it. I've never identified with a character (the protagonist, Mori) so much.

The main character's twin sister has passed away in the climax of a battle between good and evil... and we come in as readers to witness the aftermath.

This book is like nothing I've read before. It's a gently told tale that takes place just as the dust begins to settle, just as Mori's life begins to morph and change with the absence of her sister.

It's also a beautiful homage to the love of books and reading. Throughout this novel (told diary-style), we get unique insights into not only Mori's thoughts and actions but what she's reading as well. Mori loves sci-fi, and I love the way Ms. Walton has woven books (and the reading, processing of, and discussing them) into the story.

It's unique and very much unlike any other fantasy you've read. I urge you to give it a try. I for one can't wait to read it again.

Keep up-to-date with my book-related adventures on Goodreads.

Next Episode

Coffee Break 008: Deane Barker

Episode 008: Deane Barker Hi friends! Welcome to your monthly Coffee Break episode of the Write Now podcast.

Today I want to share with you the delightful and fun conversation I had with Deane Barker, who has been an authority in the web content management space since the mid-'90s and is wrapping up his first book on the subject.

So! Even if you're not in to nonfiction (or especially if you are), Deane's insights about finding time to write, getting "friend-zoned" by your dream, dealing with writers' block, "parking lots" for ideas, imposter syndrome, chronic & acute editing fatigue, and giving yourself permission to fail (AND SO MUCH MORE!) are incredibly insightful and valuable.

Also: cats!

Curious to learn more about Deane? (I wouldn't blame you; he's a crazy-intelligent & super-awesome dude.) Check out his blog at Gadgetopia or his profile at Blend Interactive, grab your own copy of his book, Web Content Management, or follow him on Twitter at @gadgetopia.

Oh, and if you were interested in checking out the link to Deane's raw, unedited "parking lot" full of notes for this podcast episode (per our conversation about collection systems), you can find that here. Want to be on Coffee Break? I'm always looking for exciting writers, authors, and other creative-type people to showcase with casual conversations about creativity, writing, and work/life balance. Send me an email at hello [at] sarahwerner [dot] com or contact me if you're interested in a guest appearance. I will send you emails. You won't regret it if you sign up for my email newsletter! (Probably!) Subscribe to Coffee Break (& Write Now). You can listen to the full Coffee Break episode using the controls at the beginning of this post.

Or! You can listen and subscribe using your favorite app/website/podcatcher:

iTunes Overcast Stitcher Spreaker TuneIn Radio Acast Podbay Android

The post Coffee Break: Deane Barker appeared first on The Write Now Podcast with Sarah Werner.