Writing Groups Pt. 3: Purpose

I posted earlier about virtual writing groups or cafes [here], about the Mike Rose format [here], and wanted to expand a bit more about the structure and types of writing groups. As a note, there's no one way to do writing groups and you do not have to be part of a writing group. Some folx work best outside of them and that is perfectly okay. But for those of you who are interested, here are some things I've learned... 

Across all the different types of writing groups I've done, including the one that the late, great Mike Rose did, I wanted to unpack the differences between the purposes and structure. 

WE MEET TO WRITE: TIME TO JUST WRITE
Sometimes, you just need time to write. You need a group of folx to write with, so that when you're tempted to go "off task," you can see everyone else who is concentrating. It these types of writing groups, often I find that have timed check-ins is key, so that the conversations don't overshadow the time to write. Models I've experienced include:

• Everyone saying 1-sentence of their goal for the chunk of time with a similar 1-sentence checking-out
• 15-minute check-ins in between  Pomodoro strategy (which I've written about here)
• A strict no talking, just chat-in using the chat function about progress.

Time chunks have ranged from, let's chat in every 25 minutes (which is the Pomodoro strategy); two rounds of 45 minutes for writing with a  15-minute check-in; and longer marathon type writing. In this, I think some things to consider include the flexibility of people to drop in and drop out (kind of like the cafe style I've written about here), and what to do if people are stuck in their writing and need to talk something out (possible strategy; separate breakout rooms). 

WE MEET TO PRESENT: TIME FOR FEEDBACK
This is the Mike Rose format, so check that post first.  As a couple of additional notes, I think this works best when it is regularly done ever week. It's a hard form of accountability but that 2-3 page is huge. I also appreciate that it's a git more of a granular look at your writing and composition. In the groups I do this with, we often break apart sentences, focus on my propensity to write in run-ons, and look at repeated word choices. Are your sentences conveying your points? 

In terms of what works best, I'll definitely say that if you are on the (academic) market [see post here], this is an especially great format for your cover letters, your statements, etc. For longer pieces like dissertations or manuscripts, having that regular group helps because they'll be able to connect from previous weeks.  For a deeper explanation about the format and structure, read about it here. 

WE MEET TO BRAINSTORM: TIME FOR IDEATING
​Sometimes, what's really helpful is to do a presentation and then from there, talk over ideas. This is often what my peers and I did at UCLA through RACs, or Research Apprenticeship Courses. With weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, meetings, people would have the chance to present their work for about 20 minutes with 30 minutes of discussion following. I found this particularlly helpful for when I was struggling with the organization of a paper or if I was stuck on analyzing findings. For example, it's helpful to share different quotes of a qualitative project and see what resonates with your audience. And as I've written about here, sometimes when writing, making a presentation helps with drafting. Other tips with this: 

• Before presenting, make sure to tell your group what you'd like feedback on and what stage you're in. Sometimes that might be about the relationship between your research questions with your discussion, sometimes it's about slide design.
  
• I like to have those (above) questions be at the end again to refresh
• During the discussion time, ask folx to also send you written feedback or even consider writing a small feedback form 

WHAT DO I DO? 
Well, it depends, ha! But in reality, I have all three types of groups. For one of my groups, we do just a Mike Rose every week. For my other writing groups, it's generally a combination of the three in rotation since it's hard for me to commit to writing something every week for more than just one group. When I was dissertating my findings chapter, I appreciated having the 3rd type; job searching for the 2nd. For new groups that are starting out, I think the most important thing is for your group to be on the same page about goals and to check-in about them every semester and/or quarter.