You Can Write It Now

How Writing Groups Can Help Writers

As I wrote  in the post WHY GROUPS CAN HELP WRITERS (October 9, 2007), a writing group is an evolving and powerful organism.  There are many types of writing groups, of course, ranging from those where members read their work to each other for comment, to those where members gain the courage to start working in the first place,  to those joined because members are having difficulty carrying out and finishing what they started. I work primarily with the last two groups, which can overlap.  I should also add that I work primarily over the telephone on a bridgeline, so members can live literally anywhere . 

Writers in the groups I'm writing about tend to have two major problems:  with anxiety and/or  with time management--general organization.   The anxiety can stem from perfectionism or insecurities that have been reinforced by outside criticism.  Problematic time management and organizational practices can be part of one's personality or come from a lack of knowledge of possibly better ways of doing things.

So how can a group help with such personal issues?

Time Management For Writers

One of the greatest challenges for nearly everybody these days is having enough time to do everything we need to do.  Daily life, in and of itself, is hard enough to manage.  Add in a big project like a written work, and  our lives start to feel overwhelming and pretty grim.

Of course there are a plethora of books on the subject of time management.  I've read quite a few myself.  Instead of pulling them out to review here, I'd rather ask you:  do you feel you have enough time to write?  If the answer is no, I invite you to join me in exploring some new ways to think about time.

Why Writing Groups Are Helpful For Writers

There is nothing like DOING, to learn. 

What I've learned from running writers' groups is how often the problems writers face don't come from lack of ability but from lack of support.  There are a few blessed souls out there who don't need external support and positive feedback to keep their confidence high, but for many, many people the lack of these two key factors can lead to crippling self-doubt.

A writing group takes time to develop, but it offers amazing benefits for those who stick out the formative stages.  Like any group, a writing group starts with separate individuals who come together hoping to gain something from each other.  They're all in the same boat, as the saying goes, and they hope that rowing together will pull them out of the doldrums and into the fast lane.

Of course, since they don't know each other, everyone tends to be tentative at first.  So it's the leader's job, in the beginning,  to help them feel more comfortable and identify the strengths they bring to the group--for themselves and each other.  There are a lot of different and enjoyable ways to do that, and  it's generally a great relief for group members to realize (and get the feedback that others realize) how many areas of significant strength they can draw on to reach their goals.

Much of the research in Positive Psychology shows that focusing on strengths rather than trying to remedy  weaknesses leads to better results when one is an adult.   This is a new concept for a lot of people.

The evolution of disparate individuals into a group is a fascinating process for the members as well as the leader.  The benefits that accrue from it are sometimes unexpected.  I'll describe this in more detail in another post.

What an "ABD" Really Needs

There is an illuminating article in the New York Times today (October 3, 2007) on the plight of so many graduate students who are trying to write their dissertations.   Finally somebody is noticing!

My husband, who wrote a dissertation many years ago while he and I worked to support our young children, read it and reminisced.   It certainly took him longer to get his degree than it would have if we hadn't had financial pressures.    We were fortunate to live in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where cheap, decent housing was readily available.  But even so, he didn't have the luxury of a sabbatical, say, where he could devote himself to writing.

Several crucial points are made in the Times article.  One is that graduate students, whether married and with families or not,  need adequate free thinking time to write.  The graduate teaching assistant/instructor system is antiquated, and students are still treated more like indentured servants than budding professionals.  They are still poorly paid and have few rights.  No wonder many students have to go out and find demanding jobs to make decent incomes before they complete their dissertations. 

Where Does the Energy TO Write Come From?

I'm reading Bill O'Hanlon's new book, Write Is A Verb.  Great title!

He talks about 4 kinds of energy that can fuel writing.  I know from other contact with him that he talks about the same 4 energies as fueling other active, basically positive responses to life too.

The 4 energies are:  blissed, blessed, dissed, and pissed. 

Briefly, when you feel blissed, you're in touch with the inner passion you feel for your subject and project.  When you feel blessed, this comes from outside encouragement and help.  These are positive energies.

But negative energies can be useful too!  When you feel dissed, you've experienced rejection or disrespect from others or even a terrible loss.  You respond with "I'll show you!"  Feeling pissed comes from situations that inspire indignation and the desire to right a wrong or show a better way.  Mary Pipher's books, which I discussed in my last post, comes from that sensibility and energy.

I like the idea that we can use all energies to propel us into writing.  I wrote an article for the All But Dissertation Guide Newsletter on this idea.  I called it "Motivating Yourself Over the Long Haul," and outlined ways to use both the carrot and the stick to keep yourself going.  You can read the article by clicking here.

The Older Woman Writer

I think the older woman writer has a special role on this blog.  First of all, what do I mean by "older"? I'm thinking of the women I coach who are writing their dissertation in their fifties and beyond.  This reflects a changing demographic. 

A colleague and I started a Women Only group and attracted primarily these women.  Why?  They are all working in their fields, most holding down demanding jobs, very involved with their families...and trying desperately to finish their research, contact their committees, find time and a place to actually write. 

I think of one woman whose husband is incapacitated; she is the primary breadwinner. 

Another takes care of her grandchildren regularly so her daughter can work.

Another has an aging mother who has developed dementia and lives across the country from her.

Another had her child later in life and is trying to cope with his needs and share household responsibilities with her husband.

All work full time too. The list could go on.

One of the things I admire most about these women is their determination to get their degree.  They set goals and often can accomplish only a small part of them in the time they allot because, as the saying goes, "life intervenes."  But they reset the goals and keep moving forward.

What keeps them going?  Their connection to us and each other, for one thing.  They tell us how important the group is for their morale.  They are great sources of encouragement and real information for each other.  How do you deal with an advisor who doesn't seem interested?  How do you narrow your topic so it's manageable?  How do you find the time to do concrete work?  We tackle all these topics and more. 

I feel a special commitment to these women because of their tremendous spirit and willingness to try new strategies and most of all because of their determination.  The group allows them a place to feel unembarrassed by what they consider their chief failing:  they haven't finished yet and they are so old.

It's an especially wonderful moment of celebration when they are successful and get that degree.  That makes all the effort and time spent worthwhile for all of us.

Do You Want To Complete a Writing Project But Can't Seem To Do It?

What makes completing a writing project that's important to you so hard to get done? 

Do you have trouble starting or finishing it because you are such a responsible person?  You put it last, after all your other to-do's, and there's no time left for it in your busy life--unless you want to give up sleeping.

Do you have some sort of writer's block?  Every time you sit in front of the computer or pull out that pad, every thought flies out of your head except what you might/should be doing instead. Or the email beckons.  Or the news feeds.

Maybe you haven't had much outside encouragement to work on your idea.  Maybe you've even encountered active discouragement.  Other people have strong opinions about what you should be doing with your time, especially if it's not guaranteed to bring in money.

If you are in the competitive academic world, you may have already sustained a number of blows to your confidence.  That seems to be the nature of the beast. But you need to complete your master's thesis or doctoral dissertation to be able to go on the job market or progress in your career, so you have to pick yourself up and find a way to move forward.  You need to figure out how to get the job done while you work to bring bread to the table.

Or you are already a faculty member and need to publish to be promoted or be considered for a grant. 

You may be a person who has a story to tell about someone you have known or about your own life.  The ideas are in your head, but somehow you never sit down to write them.

Join us at the table in this corner and tell us about your personal goals and dreams.  Just maybe we can help you actually realize them.