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A Few Reasons I Avoid Writers’ Groups Like the Plague
This may be an unpopular opinion
Over the course of my time here, I have written numerous things that people disagree with; that’s to be expected and is totally fine. As grownups, we can have differences and still remain friends (even if you skewer me in the comments). Today’s topic is likely to cause more disagreement than many of the others, but please hear me out before you stop reading.
One of the things a significant number of both new and more experienced writers seem to love more than anything is being part of a writers’ group. Several met at my bookstore back in the day, eager to share their latest short story or novel chapter. They would chat away happily, debating the virtues of the first-person point of view versus third-person (but never second-person; that is forever reserved for Jay McInerney’s Bright Lights, Big City) and lamenting the fact that far less talented writers were getting huge publishing deals while they labored in obscurity.
I liked the majority of them, except the one blowhard who was convinced he was the second coming of John Steinbeck (he wasn’t) and over the course of a year came into the store probably 30 times for writing groups and never bought a single damn book from me. I know that makes me sound bitter, but if I’m going to support local…
