Julie Broad (Book Broad/Book Launchers) explains why writing groups help authors—providing support, feedback, critique, and accountability—and gives practical advice on where to find groups (writing associations, local chapters, Meetup, virtual platforms) and how to choose one that fits your goals (genre alignment, focus, meeting frequency, group size, in-person vs. virtual). She also covers when it’s okay to leave a group and closes with calls-to-action to subscribe and watch related videos.
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When it comes to finally getting your book out into the world, it takes a village nearly every step of the way, and a good writing group can be part of that village for some authors. If you're wondering how to find the right group, then this video is for you. Hey there, I'm Julie the Book Broad founder of a fabulous self publishing services team called Book Launchers. We've worked with plenty of authors who have said that finding a community of people writing a book can can be an awesome source of support, encouragement and accountability. A writing group gets together regularly, whether in person or virtually, to discuss their projects, read each other's work, offer feedback and critiques, and ultimately hold each other accountable. For many authors, they feel like it's a safe place to share your writing and get insight into elements that might be working and might not be now. Critiquing someone else's writing can also make you a better writer. As you learn how to scrutinize a piece of writing and develop your skills as a reader and an amateur editor, you'll become a more seasoned reader and editor of your own work. As you read and talk about others books, you'll start to recognize areas in your own writing that could be stronger and how to fix it. Besides getting other people to read or hear your writing because sometimes you read it out loud to each other, sometimes just sitting down and getting words on a page feels like climbing Mount Everest. The climb can be a little bit smoother and a lot more fun when you have some friends fighting their way to the top with you. At Book Launchers, we offer coaches as accountability and reading support, but if you're more about peer pressure, there's a ton of places that offer all kinds of writing groups. Writing associations are one place to start your search. Many associations have local chapters that hold events, including in person writing groups. There's also plenty of virtual options now as well, so check out those associations and societies and see what you can find. Depending on where you live, the Meetup app is also another good place to check. Search for terms likely to appear in the description for a writing group like Writing Group and see if you get any results. You can check the Meetups About Us tab to learn more and get insights into their previous meetings, their location, attendance, and you can always message the group admin with questions or just jump right in and attend a meeting to see if it's a fit. Now that you know where to look, the bigger question is how do you find a group that's right for you? Now, finding the right fit depends a lot on your writing goals and a little on your personality. Some writing groups are just that. They're about writing and getting better as a writer in general. Others are specific to finishing a book. We might all be writers, but that doesn't mean we'll all benefit from the same type or structure of a writing group. When you're on the search for your perfect match, you'll want to make sure your goals will align with the goals of the overall group, whether that's getting to publication, a consistent writing practice, or just a place to make writer friends. So here are some questions to ask yourself and the group to find the right fit what is your writing experience? Is it important to you that other group members write in the same genre? What focus do you want in the group? For example, a focus on producing new work? Having your work read and critiqued? Accountability? Or maybe just networking? How often would you prefer to meet up with your group and how big of a group would you like to be a part of? Would you thrive in a small circle or is a larger pack more your thing? Do you prefer to meet in person or do you want to meet remotely via Zoom, Facebook Live, or some other online platform? Once you've figured all that out, the writing group that works best for you is the one that benefits your writing, ultimately benefits your writing life, and has most of the criteria that you're looking for. It really should be a space where you feel supported and comfortable even when you're given feedback. And it should be a place that also gives you some accountability so you can get that book done and maybe have a little bit more fun doing it. So all of that is how you know or you hope you found the right group. But what if it wasn't the right group and you need to leave? Well, you can meet up with some of the most talented and skilled and even well meaning people on the planet and it still just might not fit. It might be a mismatch between what you need and what the group offers. Even a healthy, successful group can fail you if your goals don't align with the overall goals of the group. For instance, if you're focused on just getting that bad first draft down and there's people in the group that want to read it and give you feedback and help you improve it, and you just want it to come out of your head and onto the page, well, it might not be a great fit, even if the people are wonderful. And I mean really. Go ahead and post it in the comments below. What should your first priority be on your first draft. Did you say get the content out of your head and onto the page or bad first draft? Well, I agree and. And not every group will be all about that because some will workshop every page along the way and you'll likely find yourself plagued with self doubt and taking five years to write your book. But if you are in search of actionable feedback to improve your first draft, that's already done. Then a group that is too reserved or only focuses on writing and no support, well, it might not be the right fit for you right now either. So if you do find yourself in a group that just doesn't feel right for whatever reason, just be honest. Tell them it's not the right fit for you. It's not about the group, it's about what you need right now. And that group just isn't what you need at the moment. And then say goodbye. And at some point you may decide to leave your group because your book is done and you've moved on. And that's okay. Now you know one club I'd like you to be a part of. My YouTube bestie club. Those fabulous friends are the people who light the fire of my own writing soul and my video soul. And you can be a part of the club too. All you gotta do is hit that subscribe button and turn those notifications on. And make sure you comment on the day a video is released. But the end of this video doesn't have to be goodbye. In fact, I'd love to hang out a little bit more. If you're looking for more writing support, you might be considering proofreading and writing support software like ProWritingAid or Grammarly if you are. This video is a must watch. If you've seen that or you don't need it, then this one on preparing your book for layout is a great one when you're still in the writing stage. Those videos are right here. Take your pick and I'll see you there.
