Writing Groups for Academics (Faculty and ABDs) » Abstract

Writing Groups for Academics (Faculty and ABDs)

By Mary Beth Averill

For the past few months, I have been attending a writing group that grew out of a TAA writing retreat. I would categorize our group, which started out meeting weekly and now has meetings three times a week, as a “shut up and write” group. We start with a brief check in on Zoom, saying what we each want to accomplish in the coming hour. At the end of the hour, we meet again briefly to say what progress we made. Group members who want to keep going that day state their goals for the next hour.

Writing groups serve many functions. They provide accountability and reduce what I call “author loneliness.” Groups are good for normalizing, as we see that others have good days and bad days, but still make progress. Sometimes we do group problem solving. For example, I shared with the group a tool I have that helps with organization and can also serve to help break a large manuscript, like a dissertation, into smaller pieces for publication as articles. Today, during check in, in response to a member’s question, we talked about pros and cons of working on more than one piece of writing at a time.

Types of groups vary, although being clear about the group’s purpose is essential. In a shut up and write group, individuals spend most of their time writing, with brief check ins that can serve for accountability and socialization. In critique groups, members submit their writing ahead of time and meeting time is reserved for discussion and feedback. I have facilitated groups for faculty members and for ABD grad students in which we set goals for the coming week, discuss what’s getting in the way of progress on our manuscripts (for instance, productive
procrastination), and problem solve about ways to protect our writing time. Online, “study hall” type groups are good ways to check in daily, even when they are asynchronous.

Even in unfacilitated groups, there are several issues to keep in mind. I have found that three to seven is a good group size, depending on how many members show up for each meeting. Meeting length can vary, depending on the type of group. I facilitate a 90-minute faculty writing group whose members talk about what gets in the way of their progress (writing blocks, time management, other work pressures). The shut up and write group I attend meets for one to four hours, with check ins hourly. Meeting frequency can also vary, depending on the needs of group members, but many people find committing to meet more than once a week challenging. Meeting places can vary from conference rooms to phone bridge lines to online, with privacy and quiet being important. Sticking to a predictable time and place works best. For online or bridge line meetings, one person is usually the designated host. Homogeneity of fields of study and experience on the academic timeline can also differ with variety adding richness, although separate groups for graduate students and faculty is a consideration

Mary Beth Averill, PhD, is a writing coach, consultant, editor and life coach in business in Eugene, Oregon, and is the founder/owner of Write On MBA.