Tips on Running a Successful Writing Group

• Divide time equally. Determine at the start who will be sharing their drafts and how much time each person needs/will be allotted. Appoint a timekeeper to keep track.

• Bring a draft to each meeting. Make copies for everyone.
• So they can follow along as you read aloud
• So they can take the draft home to respond more thoughtfully
• So they can mark parts they like
• So they can note parts that are unclear or not as effective
• So they can help you edit later drafts

• Prepare your group to help you. Before reading, explain briefly what you are trying to do, what problems you’re having, and what kinds of responses you’re ready for at this point.

• Read your draft aloud.
• So you can hear how it sounds
• So the group can hear how you intended it to sound
• So you can listen to places that don’t sound quite right

• If the draft is quite long, tell the group what parts you’ll be reading aloud and give them time to read other parts silently.

• Respond thoughtfully to each other’s work. In successful groups, trust will be high, but when some participate less, the trust level drops. Less confident writers may feel their comments are not helpful enough. The following suggestions will help you give supportive but honest feedback:

Do:

• Point out strengths first, giving specifics
• Focus on the draft’s potential
• Ask questions about unclear or undeveloped parts
• Focus on ideas (clarity, interest level, development, detail) first
• Tell the writer how the writing affected you
• Give suggestions for improvement, e.g. Have you thought of trying…?

Don’t:

• Point out weaknesses first
• Focus on what’s wrong with the writing
• Tell the writer what should be fixed
• Put words in the writer’s mouth
• Worry about surface errors in early drafts

Remember: Reading to revise is different from reading to edit. A writer edits when he/she is ready. If you focus on editing in early drafts, you’re not helping the writer address larger issues of content, structure, and language.