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Picture a table scattered with notebooks, coffee cups, and the quiet hum of anticipation. Writers gather, ready to tackle prompts, share stories, and offer feedback. In these moments, the solitary act of writing becomes communal — a space where ideas spark, connections form, and creativity flourishes.

I have written about writing groups before, noting how every group is different. This is inevitable due to the mix of writers — their backgrounds, genre, or writing style. The focus of the group also plays an important part.

For some writers, having a place to seek and provide critiques or feedback is indispensable. Other groups are all about getting the words down, with prompts shared and pens or keyboards set to work. In some gatherings, people work on their current project, but do it with a community of like-minded folk.

It is well documented that the writing life can be a lonely one, and being able to share some of the journey with fellow writers can have a myriad of benefits. In an article by Laura Portwood-Stacer called How To Run an Effective Writing Group, advantages include having a safe place to test your work. Having other people provide feedback on your writing improves your work and craft. There are also benefits in providing feedback on other people’s work, as this will help to sharpen your writing.

My longest writing group association is with a band of fellow scribblers who meet most months. We write to 3 or 4 prompts, sharing our work after each exercise. Some writing prompts are very short, just a couple of minutes, to get us warmed up. Occasionally, we try to find a common thread in the prompts. This helps to weave a larger narrative across the different pieces. These writing sessions are enjoyable and frequently entertaining, and it keeps the writing muscles primed. Not all prompts generate flashes of inspiration, but being able to get something down or craft a piece in a relatively short timeframe is a procrastination buster. These pieces are great starting points for future expansion.

There is the wonderful phenomenon of shards of synchronicity that can happen when a group are working together on a prompt. This was referenced in a newsletter email from Judy Reeves, author of many books, including A Writer’s Book of Days:

When writing in a group, wild synchronicity can happen; we inspire each other. Two writers using the same uncommon word, or a couple of writers describing an identical image that has nothing directly to do with the prompt, three people who conjure a dentist when the prompt is about red convertibles.

This has happened many times in the writing group mentioned above. The people gathered around the table may change over time, but those sparks of connection continue to delight and challenge us to be braver with our writing, both together and alone. You can read the full post here and subscribe to The Lively Muse.

More recently, I’ve added two more writing groups to my toolkit. One is a feedback group which meets regularly. There is a prompt that we can write to, or there is the option to bring in a piece that we’ve been working on. This ranges from poetry to short stories and novel excerpts. The work is shared and the feedback provided can be helpful with refining the work, or providing some insights into what is working and what may need to be clearer. Having a receptive space in which to share your work and thoughts is incredibly helpful and motivating.

The final writing group in my current mix is an online writing community. I’ve seen these groups referenced over the years and often thought that they would be a great motivator for sitting down and getting the work done. There is an increased accountability, for me at least, in this kind of scenario. When I came across Shut Up and Write!, I wasn’t sure if something based in the Northern Hemisphere would work for an Australian, but it’s been fantastic. Firstly, it’s free! Secondly, there are numerous meetings each day, and the timezones are factored in, making it easy to find a group that works with your preferred writing time.

But what has been the real revelation for me is the scope and depth of the community of writers who join the sessions. Within a couple of weeks, I was recognising people from other sessions or regular groups. There are poets, screenwriters, students writing dissertations, novelists, and people catching up on life admin during the time slot. There is an optional brief check in before and after the session, and I have picked up some great tips and suggestions from simply listening to what other people so generously share.

On one of the most recent sessions, a fellow writer said that participating in these online sessions had changed her writing life. She had a project that had been going nowhere, but the accountability and supportive community of writers was making a considerable impact on her work. I’ve been using these sessions to add words to a novel draft, and usually exceed my session goal of 1,000 words. Knowing others are writing alongside me in a virtual sense keeps me answerable to my writing commitments.

Writing may begin as a solitary pursuit, but it flourishes in community. Whether you’re sharing drafts, tackling prompts, or simply writing side by side, the support and inspiration of a group can transform your creative process. If you haven’t yet joined a writing group, why not give it a try? You might discover new motivation, fresh perspectives, and friendships that last beyond the page.

Have you found your writing community yet? I’d love to hear your story.

Photo: circle of friends

Writing resources:

How I found my writing community (and you can, too), written by Allison Tait, shares tips and benefits of finding your writing tribe from 9 different authors.

Author Grace Bailecki also offers some great suggestions on how to find a writing group in-person or online. There are some good tips as well regarding taking the time to find a group that is the right fit, for you and them, before committing to join.

One of the benefits of joining a writing group is called out in this article by The Write Life: Why You Need to Join a Writing Group (And How to Find One). A writing group ought to be fun! Sharing your work, and creating something that evokes a response from your fellow writers, be it a moment of reflection or belly-laughs, is one of the best feelings.