Writer's Groups

Popular topic on the web, the "Writer's Group." The right one's harder to find then a husband these days. I've scoured the net and joined a different Writer's Group every 6 mos. I always encounter the same problems. Let's see if you do too because things are always better when experienced in a pseudo-mass hysteria.

1. Strict rule groups: You have to, you have to, you have to...
I don't know about you but the more rules the less writing I do. If I can only send out a part of my novel on the 12th day of the month but have to critique a story every day at 7pm or they kill my guinea pig, I'm not interested. A writer's group is there to support you, not make you a rules slave. Most writer's like to break rules anyway so... this group is not for me.

2. The Dead Zone...
When you first join there's a slew of 'hey how are you's and then nothing. Silence prevails. Send a story, get no response...ever.

3. The Overly Supportive Group
Now this is a great place for the beginning writer who hasn't developed a thick skin yet, but death to the experienced writer. It's the equivilent of having your own yesmen and women. Everything you do is brilliant. The easy way to recognize this group os to send in a bad poem, I mean a *really* bad poem like say:

I am a fish.
I swim.
I look good on a dish.
Mouse.

When the emails come pooring in that you're the next -insert famous poet here- you'll know that this might not be the right group for you.

4. The Overly Critical Group
Ah, the opposite of support! This is the group that critiques your rough draft as if it were your magnum opus. They're usually grammar police...which is great if your punctuation sucks, bad if you're Mark Twain and you're writing dialogue. No one notices the style of your work, just the misplaced comma in paragraph 27. You know the one underneath your sentance fragment they only found because they opened your story up in MSWord. This group is death to a beginning writer and annoying to the expert. If you're constantly getting rejected based on grammar sign up. If not move on to greener pastures...

So how do you find the group for you?

Keep signing up and hanging out. You need a group that's got at least 2 stories a week for you to critique. One that's not too nice to point out your glaring mistakes but compassionate enough to not point their fingers at a mistake and laugh. Eventually you'll find a group close to your genre, close to your style and close to your heart.

And maybe you'll see me there...with my bad poem. Please tell me it sucked.

Please.