Seeking advice, tips, thoughts etc.

Check with the library...or your community college...is there a community bulletin board at your post office?...maybe the literature teacher at the local high school knows of a group (or would like to join one). Are you active with your church? Post a small notice in the weekly/monthly church bulletin.

If you've received 4 responses in two weeks, I'd say you're on a roll! Meet with these writers; let them know what you're interesting in but you're clueless how to get started. It will probably form itself. Good luck!

Well, I've never started a group either.. other than a Yahoo group or something like that. I would say pick a meeting date that works for you, contact the people who have contacted you and see if that date works for them and get together for a group meeting. Tell them you want to have a first meeting and get together with everyone to discuss the group and what your individual thoughts and expectations are.. get to know each other and where you each are in your writing process, etc. Have some snacks handy and coffee, drinks or whatever.. and see what happens from there. You've got 7 people interested, including you, that's a good size for a group I would say. ..sounds like fun!

Hmm. Try to network via the local library. See if you can put up flyers there or at local bookstores, coffee houses, places like that. Hope it works out!

Jamie - you're on your way! Set a meeting date and place, contact the people who expressed an interest, and meet! Those who show up, do - those who don't can come to the next meeting or not - whatever they prefer.

You might want to meet at a coffeeshop or restaurant or somewhere like that initially... everyone can buy whatever drink or snack they want and you do not have to worry about opening your home to people you do not know. Or cleanup! :)

Even if only you and one other person show up, there's your group! Just having even one other person with like interests to bounce ideas off of is a wonderful start. And even if it stays small you have accomplished what you set out to do: find people with whom you have something in common to support and encourage each other.

I wish I lived near you; I'd participate. I live in a T-I-N-Y town out in the sticks and you can bet there is no writer's group anywhere near here! I rely on Gather for that. :) I did ask around to see if anyone would be interested in a writer's group and got looked at like I had three heads!

I started a group when I moved three years ago. I had only been here two months and knew not one soul. I posted at a Writer's Digest message board on starting local groups or something like that. I got a reply from one woman. Between the time I posted and she replied, I had gotten one of those catalogs with community workshops in it and there were a few writing workshops I was interested in. So when the woman replied, I told her about those one day workshops and we signed up together and attended a few. At those workshops we got more people that were interested.

Finally we set a date and time (local coffeeshop; I talked to them about using their back room). In the meantime, I went online and found articles on starting writing groups and spoke to a couple of people that had their own groups. They gave me their guidelines and one group had by-laws that they gave me.

Before you meet, decide what kind of group you will have.
Will you provide each other with copies of what you are working on ahead of time? How far in advance and in what form (hard copy or email file)?
How much time will be spent on each person's writing per group meeting?

There are other things to consider or at least prepare a handout on and get feedback on at the first meeting.

If you'd like, email me and I can send you the info I have. It's still on my computer.

You have gotten some great ideas already. I have never started one either, but I know that I see postings in places like CraigsList, free local papers, the library, independant booksellers, gyms, etc. You have some response already and that is great!

I would meet a a location like a coffee place, like the others suggested. That way the focus is not all on you, you don't have to clean or provide treats, etc. You may find some others while you are there too.

What about researching a successful local author for something to talk about at your first meeting??

I don't know, but it sounds like fun. I think starting small would be the best idea and then let the others help with ideas! Good luck ! Let us know how it goes..

Hey Lora,

How far is Anne Arundel County from Frederick County?

Thanks for the wonderful input of ideas there above to everyone that has responded so far. :D

never started a group, but i wish you luck. just take it as it comes. just be yourself and do your best. im sure youll all figure it out as a group once you get it going.

good luck, try a church bulliten

You should be able to go to your local library, city council, county comission or even healthcare facility and tell them what you want to do. Ask for them to sponsor it so they can do alot of the leg work.

If you have an Family Resource Network (FRN) they can even to a survey type thing to see what the interest is in your community for a group. They may also be able to do some of the "gettting the word out there" in their newsletter.

Face to face group, get together and decide what to read, and how long to go before stopping to talk about it. Have some suggestions of your own for the first meeting, but see if others can come up with something first. Maybe bring a few copies of something very short you like a lot. -- That's what comes to my mind.

You've received some great tips here.

I've never started a local group; and I've shied away from joining any of the ones we have in our area. I joined a few here on Gather but pretty much dropped away from them. I don't know how to give good criticism and I'm sketchy about taking it.

Lots of people find them both fun and very worthwhile. Best of Luck to ya.

I wish you much luck starting your group!

Anything happening with your group? Where in Maryland are you? I'm in Delaware, but if you're not in Cecil Co., it would probably be too far for me. :(