Inspiration or perspiration?

Joining a writing group can be an inspiring experience. Shoulder to shoulder, you work with your colleagues on your writer projects, discovering what works, learning about what doesn’t, and progressing toward your finish lines, whether you’re focusing on a story, a marketing campaign, or anything else the group is putting its attention on.

Or not.

Being in a writing group can also produce stress and anxiety. Instead of supporting you, the group erodes members’ sense of confidence. You come away from your writing group, feeling worse off, instead of feeling stronger in your craft.

I had an experience like that with a critiquing circle I belonged to several years ago. The members were experienced writers, and I was excited to be in their company. We met twice a month, and wanting to make the most of my opportunity, I regularly shared excerpts from an early draft of a novel, which was just beginning to take shape in my mind.

After each critique, however, I reflected on the feedback and felt anxious and worried. One time, a member counted my commas (as in, provided a number and didn’t offer usage insights). Another time, a person suggested I rewrite a character into a monster (I wasn’t writing a horror or paranormal mystery). And the last time, a participant made suggestions based on his own thriller.

After a couple of months of this, I felt so demoralized and fearful that I abandoned the novel and exited the group.

Abandoning the novel wasn’t such a big deal. After all, I stored the pages on a thumb drive, and maybe I’ll get back to them someday. Yet feeling downhearted about my writing was a big deal. It took time and effort for me to get back to work.

All this to say, members of a writing group have it in their power to support each other and foster constructive progress. If you’re in a writing group that isn’t living up to its constructive potential, don’t blame yourself or your writing craft or project. Move on and get yourself into another group.

I’d love to hear about your writing group experiences. Share in the comments below!