For many writers, one of the most intimidating yet absolutely necessary, steps in the publication process are letting others read and give feedback on your work. Showing your work, especially the first few drafts, can leave you feeling incredibly vulnerable, but receiving second opinions is crucial for a successful novel. 

Writing groups or workshops are great, easily accessible ways to get feedback on your work. These groups are formed for people to share and discuss one another’s writing. While each group operates slightly differently, the basic structure revolves around the authors’ works being read by the whole group, typically before the next meeting, and then the members congregating either in-person or online to give criticism (and accolades). 

In a writing group setting, every member present is likely sharing some of their writing, so it definitely takes some of the pressure off to not be the only one in the spotlight. You can share your work knowing that you’re in an environment that’s focused on you and your peer’s growth. Joining a writing group also invites multiple perspectives of feedback, which is very beneficial for ensuring your writing isn’t appealing to just one type of reader. 

Along with the benefits of getting constructive feedback, a writing group can also allow you to learn from other members. Members are typically expected to prepare feedback for each other for each meeting, and the practice of reading and critiquing other writing can significantly improve your own work. You can start to notice what makes dialogue sound natural versus unnatural or preferred sentence structure. Reading other’s writing to give feedback promotes incredibly active reading that can definitely give insight into your own writing habits. It can also be refreshing to read work that’s still in its beginning stages. Comparing your work to fully edited and published books can be overwhelming, but engaging with work that’s also incomplete can allow you some perspective on how novels look in various stages of development. 

Finally, joining a writing group can be fun! Writing is often a solitary activity that doesn’t prompt much collaboration, but a writing group cultivates a social setting where you can interact with others on the same creative journey.