How Can You Learn From Your Writers Group?

Our last post was all about what a writers group should do to help you. This post is about how you can help your writers group, and in turn, get the most out of the experience.

Your Role in a Writers Group: 

1.  Show up. This one might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many members attend meetings sporadically.  I’m not talking about those who come to a meeting or two and decide it isn’t for them; I’m talking about those who come to every other (or every other other or every fourth, etc…) meeting for two years straight. They want to write, but don’t want to put in the hard work. Work schedules and home life can get in the way, but not showing up on a regular basis shows a lack of respect for other writers’ work and a lack of respect for your own. How can you get better if you don’t make the meetings?  
2. Listen to critiques. Even seemingly harsh comments are usually meant to help you, and almost all critiques contain at least one valuable insight. Don’t let somebody spend his or her time and energy reviewing your work and then ignore it. Not only are they fellow writers, but they’re readers, too. They will have some valuable first and second impressions. Apply some of what’s been said to your current work and future submissions. Don’t make the same mistakes again and again. That’s not getting better; that's stagnating. And like number one, it doesn’t show much respect for others’ abilities or your own.
3. Try changes. Insert certain changes. Try them. Test them out. If they don’t work, you can always remove them. After all, you’re the final arbiter of what works in your submission. Listen to everything, then carefully decide what to use.  
4. Read everything your group submits. You might be a veteran writer or a newbie with a novel idea. Either way, you’ll be surprised what you can glean from reading others’ work. You can learn from writers better than you, but also from those far worse. “Oh, I get it, do this, don’t do that.” “I can see why they did this, why on earth did so-and-so do that..?”

Remember, the members of your group are there to support you. Not only do they want to get better, but they want to see you turn in first-rate manuscripts, too. Most will cheer your success, console you during defeats, and live through your accomplishments. You owe it to them and yourself to submit the best work you can as often as possible. Learn, work and revise. Those steps will make you a better writer. And then, when it comes to your writers group, they’ll be happy to have you come to every meeting, and you’ll be happy to go since you’re improving your technique and talent. Participation makes you a better group member and lets you benefit tremendously from another’s expertise.

Part One: What Should a Writers Group Do? 

Help your fellow writers out: How have you made your writers group work?