Rules and Guidelines
Institute rules for your group and make sure each new member receives
a copy. Try to stick to them, especially in the beginning, but feel
free to revise as your group evolves. We have added only a few rules
in ten years, though we often experiment with new ones.
Decide on guidelines for critiques-how and when manuscripts should
be turned in, whether or not members will read their work aloud before
critique, if members will mark directly on manuscripts or provide a
separate page of notes (or both, which is what we do). Stick to your
guidelines and ensure everyone submits drafts on time and writes adequate
critiques.
Distribute a schedule outlining who submits each time, hosts the meeting,
and provides snacks.
Accountability should come from a feeling of belonging and wanting
to contribute, but if members start shirking rules or missing submissions
and critiques, you may need to convince them to take their roles seriously
(we once implemented—then abandoned—token fines). A writers'
group only works when everyone is committed and responsible.
If your group is large, you may want to consider appointing officers,
such as scheduler, treasurer, historian, secretary.
Motivation
Establish yearly or quarterly goals for each member and for what you
hope to accomplish as a group.
Recognize anniversaries, such as the first meeting of your group or
other landmark events.
Keep a group archive of each member's published works.
Consider becoming a nonprofit organization, so you can apply for local,
state, and national grants.
Take part in community events. Do group readings. Network with other
writers' groups. Take retreats and field trips.
Put together a chapbook or Web site.
Have friendly competitions for who mailed out the most submissions
for publication, who got the most rejection slips, who logged the most
hours of writing time. Offer rewards.
Toast one another's success. Remind each other often of your strengths.
Create wish lists for what you hope each member will achieve.
You'll know your group is working when you realize you care as much
about your colleagues' writing as you do your own (well, almost). When
each member's accomplishments are embraced and celebrated by all, you'll
not only rejoice in those achievements, you'll make light of your rejections,
hold each other on course, keep on writing-and who knows? You might
become a group so cohesive that you meet for a decade, inspire one another,
and find great success in hundreds of publications and prizes.
That's exactly what has happened to the Slow Sand Writers Society,
and we hope your group shares a similar bounty of luck, friendship,
and literary rewards.
