Screenwriting : Why You Should Be in a Writers Group by Vince Conside

Reading scripts by established or famous writers like William Goldman can definitely help develop your skills.

While I agree with him that at the end of the day you have to write in order to become a better writer, I don't think writers groups necessarily contribute to that. The writers groups I've come across seem to do a lot of talking about writing and very little actual writing. Just another time waster. I've learned way more from reading books and scripts, and watching movies, than I have from writers groups. But yeah, ya gotta write.

Totally Agee and read scripts that are similar to yours

I second, Jody 100%. Unless one can find a group with an established script consultant as the moderator, someone who let's the writers exchange ideas back and forth. Not a group where (I speak by experience) a fellow screenwriter tells you, " I couldn't finish your screenplay because of all the damn typos misspelled words" Then, I'm supposed to stay quiet, this after I read this person's screenplay twice and gave him positive notes. BTW these are all S32 members including the coordinator, who scolded me as if I was a freakin child. Thanks, but no thanks. Never again. I'm grateful to one member here, who although didn't give a single positive item on my screenplay, it did give some great key notes I plan to use. So, beware...

HA--- here's my 2 cents on writing groups:) http://www.jefflyonsbooks.com/writing-groups-be-afraid-be-very-afraid/

Jeff: Great article and I share your opinions on that subject.

i've been blessed & "lucky" to live in NYC and LA. Maybe it's all about location?

I've had a lot of fun with "writer's groups" - ate a lot of homemade cookies and other treats, and also made a decent amount on psychiatry referrals. Writer's groups....PUT IT ON THE BOARD...YES!

@Jeff, yes. Totally agree. Writers groups are bullshit.

Of course it's about location

I think there are some benefits to joining a writer's group, although most of them won't actually make you a better writer -- or even make you a more successful writer, which is not necessarily the same thing. I don't think Shakespeare and Jonson and their ilk minded trading barbs at the Mermaid, and I don't think Tolkien and Lewis and their ilk regretted their Inklings get-togethers. I was in two or three writers' groups in my 20s and early 30s and I made some friends; none of them became screenwriters, but some became novelists or film editors. A group can help you meet deadlines, and that is important. If works are read out loud, that can also be helpful. And there are, or should be, cookies. And always coffee. And maybe you'll find a writing partner and you'll become a successful team. You will develop at least a slightly thicker skin and possibly a better technique for giving criticism, which is a life skill...Yeah, most people who join a group will not be proficient writers or critics. But it's not a career killer to do it for a year or so, early on, if it helps you focus and meet deadlines.

Gee Jorge, I really feel for you. You must have received some absolutely awful review notes. Why don't you post them here and let us read them and we can deride them with you.

I'm lucky ... I'm twenty minutes from Manhattan 15 from Brooklyn - once a month I meet with a great writing group

Jeff. Not all of US that have joined screenwriting groups are as clueless as you think we are. Some of us happen to like our fellow screenwriters and like sharing our experiences.

Dan ... no slight intended... doing because you want to is the only reason to do it. More power 2u :)

I used to be office manager for a writer's group, so I took calls from people seeking a critique group. I advised people there are three kinds of groups. Support groups offer encouragement and advice, and sometimes devolve into social groups (folks meeting for dinner once a month). Light critique, which can have rules, you have to say something positive, X amount of time to respond, etc. Heavy critique, professionals, no holds barred, 'just tell me what you think.' Unpublished authors would call and would only want to be in a group with New York Times best selling authors. My general advice to people, try different groups until you find one that works for you. If you come across folks who fend off any advice but give good advice, stick around and say nice things about the other author's character's choice of clothes.

Vincenzo: Do your group members bring cannoli's and do the Tarantella? If so....PUT ME ON THE BOARD....YES!!!

Manhattan and Western Brooklyn Bill they only drink produce

I was in TJ O'Brien (author of original article)'s writer's group for a few years. One of the things he doesn't mention was one of the main reasons I liked his group - it was made up of half writers, and half actors who would then get up on stage and read the pages brought in that night. It gave the actors the chance to work on their cold reading skills (though writers did have the option to pre-cast the actors for their section and get the pages to them ahead of time.) Having trained actors read your pages out loud really helped tune my ear to what did and didn't work for dialogue, or if a scene was running too long. I'm betting TJ didn't mention it in the article, because not all writers group have trained actors available to be part of their membership. But if you live in LA or NYC or someplace that has good actors, it's worth it to corral them together to read your stuff. :)

For a few years I would organize a playwrights retreat to a house near the Oregon Coast for a weekend. We had set sessions to write, but we also did lunch and dinner together and whoever wanted could ask others to read a few pages. Wonderful environment to talk about theater and movies and writing and also times to write in solitude. Just a fun, refreshing experience. Picked the people so everyone was compatible.

@Pierre: You know very well this was not about the notes, but the fact, if you read what I wrote here, it's was about the fact that I spent hours reading another member's screenplay and this person (not you my sarcastic...writer??) stopped reading my material after page eleven. Hey you were KIND and RESPECTFUL enough to read it to the end. If...the rules where established at the beginning by the FB group leader, that we didn't have to read beyond the pages that we felt were riddled with typos or what ever, I would have pass. But as you can see, many here agree. Don't join a group unless you can look at everyone else in the face and have a CONSTRUCTIVE back and forth discussion. So, your suggestion is really malicious and your true evil colors are coming real clear in your tone. I would love to see a sample of your volume of work in your profile. Maybe we can all learn from a prolific writer like yourself. Peace.

Jeff. You said “I know that there are many writers who will read all of this and feel compelled to come to the defense of their writing group. Feel free to do so.” So that is what I am doing. When I first started writing screenplays I read a how to book and after writing my first screenplay I joined a screenwriting group on the internet. Most the people had more experience than I had so learned a lot from that group. The reason I joined a group recently isn’t to get something out of it but to help new screenwriters. Obviously if you hate them you don’t have join them.

You know what Jorge? If you have a problem with an individual, you take it up with the individual. Your comments in this thread about writing groups made it about the entire group and about your experiences with the group as a whole, not with one individual person, and your complaints, at that time and now, are about the feedback you got. I’m happy to move this discussion away from this thread and into pm’s if you like but I don’t like the way you jumped on this thread to put down a writing group because you didn’t like the feedback you got, you got no satisfaction from your complaints within the group so now you’re taking it to a public forum. My colors are the same as they always have been, if someone is unjustly complaining then I will point it out, if someone complains because they don’t know how to take constructive criticism, and I’m part of the crew that provided that constructive criticism, then I take it personally and I will say so. You really should learn how to deal with feedback because if you can't, then you can't progress as a writer, and if that's the case, stop writing. I have samples of my work on my profile page so have a look at those and give them a review if you want but your response implies you’re after revenge and that does not make for a good reviewer so make sure your comments are constructive. When I put my work out for review, as I have done on countless other sites and groups, then I deal with the feedback I get, in a mature manner rather than attack the people giving it because I understand they are trying to help me, not criticise me. If you still think you're unjustly treated then I'm serious, post your feedback and post your script and see what others say.

Dan--exactly. And I think joining a writing group to share your experience is a good thing... pay it forward. I support that for sure. My whole "thing" about groups is just the fear that pepole don't know enough going in to know if they will get real value on the other end. But if you get a sense of community, a sense of support, and they don't leave you feeling like you need a shower after every meeting... then no harm. Writing is a lonely enough game... get human contact where you can... :) (Ok maybe Im sharing too much here)

I will revise my original statement, I'm sure there are some writers groups that are helpful and beneficial. For me, I work 45 hours a week at my dayjob. I also have a freelance writing business on the side. I have a family who expects me to regularly interact with them, a life. Sometimes I am writing screenplays at 5am on a Saturday morning because that's the only time I have. I already have so many things regularly trying to pull me away from it, a writers group would just take more time from me. Stage 32 is about the best I can do, and I can't imagine trying to do more.

CJ. It amazes me how many unsuccessful screenwriters like to write articles and tell other screenwriters what to do to become successful. It is all luck anyway so it doesn’t matter after a screenwriter has learned the basics and can write a screenplay up to industry standards.

Dan--yep.

I dont know TJay personally but I do know of him and the Coronet Theatre, when they were part of DeeGee Entertainment with Gigi Pritzker. Coronet was a good meeting place for Actors & Writers. (and they were next door to the Trashy Lingerie Store :) ).