Writing clubs

[Morrelindow]

I have been on the lookout for some sort of online writing accountability club. Somewhere I could convene with maybe 3 or 4 or more other people, where we could set up word count goals, or "write for x hours" sort of deal. I'd also love to just chat about ideas or writing styles with the group. I'm pretty new to the writer's forum community and was wondering if y'all had any recommendations. I tried to look up "writing clubs" and wasn't really getting anything that seemed like what I wanted. But maybe i just didn't scroll far enough.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I have been on the lookout for some sort of online writing accountability club. Somewhere I could convene with maybe 3 or 4 or more other people, where we could set up word count goals, or "write for x hours" sort of deal. I'd also love to just chat about ideas or writing styles with the group. I'm pretty new to the writer's forum community and was wondering if y'all had any recommendations. I tried to look up "writing clubs" and wasn't really getting anything that seemed like what I wanted. But maybe i just didn't scroll far enough.

Set up your own?

 

[Astro Pen]

Most towns of any size, at least around here, have writers groups, (I'm on the committee of ours). We have a weekly reading and feedback meeting, and some members read the novels that they are working on as installments.
I have to say that I find word count goals are not a good strategy, (though writing hours may be a useful commitment tool). Focus on producing quality rather than word count.
Your reader will not care how many words a day you wrote but they will sure as heck care about the quality of the end product.
Some days I write 200 words and other days 1500, but I am sure that if I pushed those '200 word days' harder to make larger a word count the reader would sense it.

 

[ColGray]

I have been on the lookout for some sort of online writing accountability club. Somewhere I could convene with maybe 3 or 4 or more other people, where we could set up word count goals, or "write for x hours" sort of deal. I'd also love to just chat about ideas or writing styles with the group. I'm pretty new to the writer's forum community and was wondering if y'all had any recommendations. I tried to look up "writing clubs" and wasn't really getting anything that seemed like what I wanted. But maybe i just didn't scroll far enough.

I ran into a similar dearth of writing groups when i went looking about a year ago and ended up here

FWIW, I poked around reddit and meetup, found nothing, and then asked around at a couple of larger local bookstores and my local library (I live just outside of Boston). Everyone basically shrugged and said, Yeah, there used to be a bunch of writing groups, buuuuuut... It seems like many either dried up during Covid or moved into a hybrid/online format where they're not physically meeting in a public space, and therefore no longer seen unless you're in the group.

I've since met a few folks who formed a writing group coming out of a paid class about memoir writing, but seems like writing groups are hard to find.

 

[The Judge]

Hello and Welcome to the Chrons!

I have been on the lookout for some sort of online writing accountability club. Somewhere I could convene with maybe 3 or 4 or more other people, where we could set up word count goals, or "write for x hours" sort of deal

If you mean physically meet up, then your best bet is to ask around to see if there's a writing group in your area, but you're likely to find that if there is one, it's less of an "accountability" club and more focussed on giving critiques, so you'll need to work out if you're happy with that side of things. If there isn't a group nearby doing what you what, put up a flyer eg in your local library asking if anyone would like to start a group with you. One problem with meeting people that way, though, especially if you are looking at giving and receiving critiques, is you don't know the ability of the other members, either as to how well they write or how competent they are at giving advice.

If you're happy to work online, then my advice is stick around here for a bit and get to know the other members who are writing, and as importantly, let us get to know you. Then put up a thread asking if anyone would want to join you in some kind of club and take it from there. There are a number of us who have started writing groups here, swapping chapters and the like, and just generally helping each other, but they've tended to arise once we've interacted on the forums so we've got an idea what we're letting ourselves in for!

I'd also love to just chat about ideas or writing styles with the group.

You don't have to wait to set up a group for that! If you've some ideas for a story and you'd like feedback, just start a thread here. Similarly, if you're contemplating different styles, start a thread and ask. You will certainly get opinions!

By the way, we have Writing Challenges each month and each quarter, and you're in time to compete in this quarter's 300 Word Challenge which is here 300 Word Writing Challenge -- #53 (April 2024) -- READ FIRST POST! which might be of interest if you're wanting to stretch yourself with writing prompts

If you are looking for feedback on your work, we have a Critiques section, but that's not open to you just yet as only members with 30 counted posts can start a thread there, but it might be worth your looking at it, just to see the kind of work that is put up.

 

[ColGray]

If you're happy to work online, then my advice is stick around here for a bit and get to know the other members who are writing, and as importantly, let us get to know you.

Heartily seconded.