How to Start a Writers Group

I took a quick jaunt to Temecula, CA this last week to talk about writing the holiday rom-com with a pretty astonishing group of people. Also, the dog came along because it was just easier. It’s no surprise that something is happening to people in terms of community. Everywhere. And a group called the Temecula Valley Writers & Illustrators is a perfect example.

They started not even a year ago, and have ballooned to over 250 people. Being in the room, you can feel the energy of people who are not just hungry for community around creation, but actually doing something about it. They didn’t seem like they were friends who’d been at this awhile, they seemed like people who are deeply driven, and who work together to encourage one another to create things.

Over the years, I’ve been in a few writers group. The first one, the one I credit with starting my career, is still the most successful. We called ourselves The Badgers, after that weird Honey Badger video we all found so funny in 2011. But we started as people who worked in offices and wanted to be TV writers. Some people discovered over the course of the group, that Los Angeles was not for them. Which…a miracle! All these years later, we boast full-time working TV writers, a showrunner, two Co-EPs, and a massive amount of credit. So, I put together a few guidelines for starting your own.

First, the People:
Aim for three people and expand to five people over time. You want an odd number so that the schedule has some flexibility and unpredictability in it. Aim to form a group of people at the same place in the process. So, everyone’s written a script or two. Or everyone’s been working professionally for a while. Choose writers who are at the same level as you. It lifts all boats. Worry less about the personality of the people in the room. Worry less about proving you’re a smart writer. Choose to show up as a helpful human being.

Next, the Timing:
Aim to form a group of people working in similar time zones. This is obvious if you’re meeting in person, but if you’re on zoom, you don’t want someone falling asleep while someone’s just gettng started. Meet every week at the same time. At least for the first two months. This will get everyone over the commitment hurdle, which is the hardest part. (And the entire point.) Set up your schedule so each week, there are two “turns.” Most importantly, use a tmer. At the start of each turn, set a timer for 45 minutes. When the timer goes off, you have ten minutes to close up shop on that person’s turn. We also found that it’s best to socialize before you start (set a timer). Also take a break between turns (set a timer). Fifteen minutes for each ought to do. Finally, make a schedule that’s always two weeks in the future. Stick to that schedule as though it’s scripture. Or medicine. Or comes with punishment.

When It’s Your Turn:
Think of your turn as an hour of work that you can use any way you want. Your job is to give people enough time to prepare for your turn, and to facilitate what happens during that time. For example, if you have 10 pages of writing you want everyone to read and give feedback on, consider that it’s going to take everyone three days to read. If you have an entire script, you probably need to give people over a week. Because you’re keeping a schedule together, you’ll know how long that will be. When the timer starts, you’re the person who’s on. You ask the questions you want. You open the floor. You drive the conversation. Because there’s a timer, everyone should stick to just giving you notes without distraction. You can use your turn to have people read things out loud (again, prepare for that by telling everyone “bring a laptop or a screen you can read from”).

Stick To It and Agree:
In your first few meetings, decide the rules here. Meeting every week for the first two months, you’re going to be confronted with the reality of how to make that happen. If you miss two meetings in the first two months (or in any two-month period) – be prepared to drop out. Even if one person cannot make a meeting, agree to meet anyway. The key to a writer’s group is to keep progress moving forward. It’s not just accountability, it’s finding a way toward better habits and maneuverability. If something happens at work and you need a break, take a break. If everyone wants a break for the holidays, build that in. The point is to commit to each other for as long as it takes for everyone to finish at least ONE script.