Pros and Cons of Writing Groups and Writing Classes(Part 2)
May 11th, 2008Okay, I haven’t written in a couple of days. I tripped on a metal doorstop and my face hit the open metal door. Yes, I have been sporting the Angelina Jolie look the past few days.
In the chart below I summarized the differences between a writing class vs. a writing group If you question whether to go to a writing class or group, and you have never been to one, you should at least check it out. You will know within the first two meetings of either group whether your attendance will help you further your goals. Remember your travel time, your time in the class or group, and the time you work on assignments or other projects is time spent away from your writing. Is this worth it when you should be, could be spending time with your favorite character that needs to solve some conundrum? When a writing class or group is good, you know it. You know that it is the stepping stone you need to shorten your learning curve.
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Writing Class |
Writing Group |
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| Improving the critical eye | Most writing teachers actually have written and taken classes. They are able to show students how to breakdown novel writing, analyze context meanings, and improve word choice and diction. Reading and critiquing certainly helps one to edit personal writing projects better. | Facilitator may or may not have more experience than the group. Sharing constructive criticism may vary in sophistication because the group members may vary in experience and the facilitator. Reading others works and listening to critiques allows you to learn more about the craft of writing. |
| Exposure to new ideas | Presentation of new ideas from both students and teacher is a high likelihood. | Presentation of new ideas from group members is also very probable. |
| Exposure to new ways of doing things | This varies but may have more to do with the how the administration would like a syllabus structured or to be assured that teaching the required minimum is done.An academic class is less likely to discuss how individuals handle the writing process. Concentration is devoted to the resulting product. | The group is free to do whatever it pleases. Every writer has his or her own way of writing expression. Different habits, environment, approaches give ideas how members can tackle writing obstacles. Talking to others is the best way to find out what may work for you. |
| Being part of a writing community | Connection to a writing community is key to keep inspired. | Ditto |
| Time commitment | There may be more time committed to class assignments and development of the individual writing stages. Attendance is usually mandatory. | Time commitment is flexible. There are no attendance requirement usually, but in order to get something out of the group, one should attend. |
| Cons | ||
| After a period of time, some writers are influenced by the group critiques and the writer’s style is compromised. He or she loses some of the uniqueness in order to satisfy the consensus of the group. And the end product loses its uniqueness. | ||
| There is an inherent danger in presenting a fledgling idea to a group. Not well developed, the group can discourage the writer’s vision and the project could be abandoned before it was ever developed enough to see if the idea would have worked out . | Like the writing class, exposure to criticism before the idea is fully developed could squash the writer’s desire to work on it further. | |
| On occasion professors will use the class as a sounding board for his or her own writing. While the class does learn, it seems as if it serves the professor’s agenda more than the students. | There is a sameness that happens in writing groups because there is usually no long term planning in terms of group goals. | |
| Not everyone in writing classes share the ambition to be published. | Writing groups don’t usually turn away anyone. Sometimes time and group management becomes an issue especially if one of the members insists on dominating the discussion. |