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Are you on a quest for a new purpose? A group of northern Kentucky retirees found theirs as they tapped into their passions. No longer in 9-to-5 jobs, they searched for creative ways to spend their time.
Thus was formed the Geezers’ Writing Group. Of course, they didn’t call themselves that at first. It just seemed a fitting name as they got to know each other and appreciate the freedom retirement gives them.
This assemblage of retired women has, off and on, consisted of a Pentagon worker, a leader of a “New Friends” organization, a Marine, a teacher who raises chickens and quail, a government worker, a writing teacher, a child psychologist, a high school teacher, a keeper of Maysville’s history, and a computer teacher transplanted from the hills of West Virginia.
The diverse group comes together each month to inspire and be inspired to write, as they read their pieces aloud to be critiqued by other members. They are destroying the myth that retirees while away their time rocking on the porch. They do rock, but with their passion for writing.
Beginning a Writing Group
You can start a writing group, and, of course, you certainly don’t have to be a geezer—or even retired, for that matter—to do it. For me, this venture began four years ago, when I decided to offer a two-session workshop for the New Friends of Northern Kentucky, an association that welcomes residents who have recently moved to the area. What was intended as a two-day stint has continued over the years. The original members of the group vehemently refuse to quit. Some have moved, but others quickly took their place.
Determined to exercise a passion for writing that had lain dormant during their careers, our members began working on a family history of Maysville, children’s books, a mystery novel, poems, a discussion guide for groups working to improve education, personal experience stories, short stories from Appalachia, and a crime novel based in Covington.
We laugh. We critique with brutal honesty. We comfort one another when we receive rejections, and we celebrate with balloons and cake when one of us gets published.
Establishing Your Group
1. Gather a group of people (5-10) who have always wanted to write but seldom had the time. Social media, such as the Nextdoor neighborhood app or Facebook, can be a good resource for tracking down those in your area with a passion for writing.
2. Find a leader who has some experience with teaching writing.
3. Get someone with good organizational skills to set up schedules and notify members.
4. Guidelines for the first meeting:
Have members introduce themselves and tell what and why they are interested in writing.
Float ideas about where each piece of writing might fit in the publishing world, whether publishing for one’s own family or professionally.
Assign each person to write something for the next meeting.
Collect email addresses.
5. Guidelines for the second meeting:
Have each member do a “quick write” about a person, place or thing important in his or her life. Allow 10 minutes for the quick write.
Share quick writes. Anyone should be allowed to pass on sharing at any time. As members of the group get to know one another, shyness about sharing likely will not be problem.
Share writings from the previous week’s assignment. Give two positive critiques about each writing and one suggestion for improvement.
Have each person choose a type of writing they want to pursue—for example, a poem, short story, profile, scene, informal outline of a novel or personal experience.
Assign each person to write in the form they have chosen.
Thus begins your journey. Good luck, writers. May your journey be as enjoyable and fruitful as that of our writers’ group.