Small Groups

The Real Value of Small Groups

By Barbara Rosenblatt, WIW Member

As a newcomer to the Washington, D.C. area, I was eager to meet with a group of writers on a regular basis. I write nonfiction essays and features. As much as I enjoy reading fiction, I did not want the focus of my writing group to include fiction or poetry. A nonfiction group is what I was after, and I found one.

Last year, I worked on the committee that planned and hosted the WIW Small Group Camps Night. At Camp Night I worked the tables and arranged cookies on platters. Then I became a client—I mingled among the writers and I found my group. "My" group is a diverse, interesting bunch of writers who meet once a month in each others' homes. Travel, mythology, religion, memoir and Web writing all have a place here. We are all savvy at some aspects of writing and naïve at others.

The format we chose is a set amount of time for each person to present any writing issue, followed by responses from the group. Our presentation time has been used for readings from new work, query letters, book outlines and brief histories of the way in which we see ourselves as writers. I appreciate the focus on achievement in our group. I also value the differences in gender, age, ethnicity and life experiences. We are new as a group, and we are growing together.  

Another interesting group is the Online Writing group, which meets for three and a half hours at a time in cyberspace. This group employs a free, secure virtual room that is devoid of advertising. It uses a chat log, so no one needs to take notes. The online group welcomes fiction and nonfiction writers. The rules of this group state that each member must become familiar with every genre represented, so that critiques of members' work will be meaningful. Every group member must either present work or critique work at every meeting.

WIW's Small Groups are rewarding and enjoyable, and they've given me a more personal way to be part of a large group. This year, I am once again on the Small Groups Committee. Please join us July 7, 2006, at 7 p.m. at St. Columba's Church in Washington. More information about Camp Night will be forthcoming, so look for it here, and from other WIW members. And here's a personal offer promo me: If you are having difficulty finding the right group, let me know at Camp Night. I'll help you make a good match.

Barbara Rosenblatt is a newcomer to D.C. She is a nonfiction writer specializing in feature stories and essays, and a former educator for the New York City Public Schools. Barbara holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Nonfiction Writing from Goucher College. She is atwork on a memoir about moving.