The benefits of joining a writers’ group
Yesterday I went to a meeting of the local writers' group. It made me think a lot about the benefit of these types of community groups and how they fit in with professional writers.
Of course, a community writers' group will have an eclectic mix of young and old (mostly in the older bracket), people writing for fun or wanting to be published, novelists, playwrights, poets and anything else you can think of.
Some of the members are too shy to reveal what they have written. Others self-publish believing without a shadow of a doubt that there is an audience out there waiting to be enthralled by their words.
My local group has the following mission written on their website: 'To encourage and support writers from all genres, age groups and levels of writing to grow, learn and excel in their craft.'
Seems like a pretty good Mission Statement but, again, where do professional writers fit in?
In my case, I find the beginning of every meeting slightly boring and a time-waster. I'm not interested in committee agenda items or more than three members at any given meeting getting up to read out their work. Perhaps this is wrong of me, but I really don't have the time.
Of course, I am definitely interested in other writer's work just not two hours worth!
For me, the real benefit of meeting other writers is the socialising afterwards. Once all the committee stuff is out the way and everyone heads to the pub for a drink and chat, this is when I really get to talk to people, find out what they've been doing or are working on and connect in a way that provides something deeper and more satisfying.
Yesterday, I met a writer who had met and interviewed a very interesting local identity who doesn't generally talk to anyone. There were a couple of women who dabble in basic blog design, just like me. And, lastly, there was a spiritualist, about to launch his words of wisdom through a series of seminars and self-published work.
Everyone of these individuals, plus others I haven't mentioned, enriched my life that afternoon and gave me something to write about today. I found kindred spirits and fascinating personalities, each one a writer in one form of another.
To me, this is the true benefit of belonging to the local community writers' group.