Writing Groups: Working Towards a Common Goal

The University of Maryland's Graduate School has a cool new idea bubbling in their Writing Center. Their idea is writing groups. Writing groups are students from all ages and disciplines that come together to support and encourage each other's writing goals. The Graduate School Writing Center (GSWC) has 2 main  types of groups. They are accountability groups and write together groups  To learn more and see the other types of groups visit University of Maryland's Graduate School website... GSWC groups Here is a break down of both groups:

Accountability Groups:The University of Maryland says,"In an accountability group, group members hold each other accountable for the writing goals members set each week.  In a once a week meeting, members check in and report their progress on stated goals, write for a short period, then share new goals for the upcoming week. Meetings focus on reporting productivity rather than delivering feedback." Feedback groups are usually five to ten students. The GSWC suggests these students be loosely affiliated that way they are more likely to hold people accountable for their goals.

Write Together Groups:These groups, "work through shared disengagement.  Members disengage from other responsibility and physically come together and engage to write... a Write Together group selects a regular weekly time to write, a length for each session, and a place to write.  After coming together and perhaps a few minutes of socializing, group members write and share their goals then start writing. Write Together breaks can often include planned, regular breaks..." The size of the group depends on the location of meeting. Members can be loosely affiliated or closely knit.