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Running an Effective Writing Group

Dissertation and Thesis Support: Writing Groups and Resources This workshop video covers strategies and best practices for organizing writing groups for thesis and dissertation writing. The presentation focuses on independent writing groups organized by graduate students and offers tips on establishing meeting rules and structures for running meetings effectively. The workshop also addresses other campus resources available to support dissertation and thesis writers. This workshop was recorded in 2020. (Approx. 20 mins.)

Tips for Successful Writing Groups —A blog post written by Chris Golde who works in the Graduate Education office at Stanford University. The post offers concise guidelines for setting expectations, developing ground rules, using time effectively, building trust, giving feedback, and dealing with other common challenges.

Making a Thesis or Dissertation Support Group Work for You [pdf]—From the Horace H. Rockham School for Graduate Studies, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Advice drawn from dissertation-writing advice books and from a focus group of doctoral students with experience in writing groups. The article suggests answers to common questions about forming and running a writing group. It includes advice for groups focused on the writing process and for those focused on the content of the thesis or dissertation.

Resources for Writing Groups —From UNC Chapel Hill. Includes guidelines for giving and receiving feedback, creative activities for writing groups to do, and a collection of worksheets to help groups get started (see “ Writing Groups Starter Kit ”).

Belcher, W. L. (2019). Writing your journal article in twelve weeks: A guide to academic publishing success . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (2nd edition) Belcher advises students to form writing partnerships or groups in order to increase their motivation and productivity. She recommends making a written commitment to a writing partner or group and provides sample forms and provides sample commitment forms (see forms associated with the book introduction). Belcher's book contains numerous exercises, many of which can be used to elicit specific feedback from writing partners. In the first edition (2009), the “Week 9” chapter contains a form for sharing feedback.

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Dissertation Resources

Whether you’re just getting started on your dissertation or are close to completion, Stanford offers a variety of resources to support you along the way.

Synchronous Resources

Academic coaching - center for teaching and learning.

For most graduate students, the dissertation is the most extensive writing project they have ever encountered, and in addition, it has unique demands that make it different from other genres of writing. As a result, it may require adapting some of the approaches you’ve used in the past when it comes to planning, managing your time, staying motivated, and navigating other aspects of academic life. Academic Coaches can meet with you (in-person or online) to develop strategies and plans to support your dissertation goals. Some potential coaching topics include:

• Identifying subtasks within the larger project and developing a timeline for completion 
• Managing roadblocks and recalibrating your plan
• Creating a sustainable writing routine
• Communicating effectively with your advisor and dissertation committee
• Tracking progress and maintaining motivation

Writing and Speaking Consultations - Hume Center

Graduate students can schedule individual consultations with a Hume tutor and can choose to meet with a Lecturer or a peer Graduate Writing Tutor (in-person or online). Consultation topics may include:

• Brainstorming ideas
• Outlining and planning
• Developing an effective literature review
• Revision strategies
• Organizational strategies

Dissertation Support Group - Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

The Dissertation Support Group is a six-session online group which provides space to vent, meet other people like you, share goals and perspectives on navigating common themes (isolation, motivation, relationships), and learn some helpful coping skills to manage the stress of dissertation writing. This is a supportive graduate student space with the expertise of a Graduate Life Office Dean and a CAPS therapist co-facilitating and sharing skills, resources, and support specific to your situation.

Dissertation Boot Camp - Hume Center

The Dissertation Boot Camp is a free program that provides structure and motivation for graduate students who are wanting to make significant progress on their dissertation or other writing project. Dissertation Boot Camps are offered throughout the academic year and the summer. Interested graduate students can register to attend an in-person bootcamp at the Hume Center or an online bootcamp.

Asynchronous Resources

Starting an effective academic writing group - hume center.

This guide from the Hume Center provides strategies and structures that can be used to start and maintain a writing group. Writing groups can be a great way to integrate structure and accountability throughout the dissertation writing process. Dissertation writers often find it helpful to meet regularly with other graduate students who are also at this stage for the purpose of providing feedback, co-working, and/or setting and monitoring writing goals.

Dissertation Success Curriculum - National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity 

Graduate students can access Stanford’s institutional membership to the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD), which provides webinars, newsletters, and other resources related to topics such as writing productivity and time management. To access NCFDD’s Dissertation Success Curriculum, first follow the instructions using the link above to activate your Stanford-sponsored membership. Once you have created an account, navigate to the “Resources” section on the homepage, then select “Dissertation Success.” The curriculum includes 12 training modules covering topics such as creating a dissertation plan, understanding writing resistance, and overcoming academic perfectionism. Participants can also join a moderated discussion forum for peer mentoring and tracking writing progress.

Books on Graduate Writing - Stanford Libraries

A number of books related to writing in graduate school and completing a dissertation are available through the Stanford Libraries. A few examples are listed below:

• Demystifying Dissertation Writing:  A Streamlined Process from Choice of Topic to Final Text by Peg Boyle Single
• How to Write a Lot:  A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing by Paul Silvia
• The Productive Graduate Student Writer:  How to Manage Your Time, Processes, and Energy to Write Your Research Proposal, Thesis, and Dissertation and Get Published by Jan Allen
• Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day:  A Guide to Starting, Revising, and Finishing your Doctoral Thesis by Joan Bolker
• Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks:  A Guide to Academic Publishing Success by Wendy Belcher

Check out our other Tips, Tools, & Resources

DANIEL AURELIANO NEWMAN

Narrative theory & graduate writing, department of english, university of toronto.

Dissertation Working Groups (DWGs): What They Are, How They Work

[Updated April 3, 2024]: the next Humanities DWGs will run biweekly on Wednesdays 11am-1pm from September 4th to mid-December 2024; another group. You can complete the Expression-of-Interest form for September as of now. But first, please read the text below, then complete the form if it looks like what you’re seeking. Note that you must have a @utoronto.ca account to access the form . ]

What are DWGs?

DWGs are specialized master-class style seminars designed to provide a structure and community to help dissertation writers write more, faster and better by reducing common impediments like isolation, insecurity, anxiety, lack of accountability and lack of feedback. They are modeled on the classic creative-writing workshop. Groups are capped at 9 participants, and selection is competitive. (See testimonials from former participants, below.)

(I need to address a rare misconception that has come to my attention. At least one former participant joined my DWG as (in their words) “a replacement for [their] supervisory committee.” I’ll stress what should be obvious: a DWG is NOT to be seen in this way. Think of it as a way to help you prepare written work so it is readier faster to submit to your real readers–your supervisor and committee.)

Who can join?

DWGs are reserved for doctoral candidates (i.e. you must have completed all program requirements other than the dissertation) enrolled in graduate programs in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

Joining a DWG requires a real commitment, in terms of both time and active engagement with others’ writing. Participation is expected even when your own work is not being workshopped; these groups only work if there is a mutual commitment. Circumstances make perfect attendance unrealistic, but the expectation is that you put the meetings in your calendar and be prepared to attend every meeting.

When is the best time to join?

This is a hard question to answer, but I do have some ideas. What I can say is that you must be at the writing stage of the dissertation, not completing analysis or wrapping up interviews or whatever: you must be writing .

In the past, participants have joined at varying writing stages. Some join as soon as they begin, others join toward the end. Most join somewhere in between. I won’t specify an ideal time, but some responses from past participants suggest that joining before having done any writing on the dissertation may be too early, while joining during the final push to complete may interfere with the task of finishing. I won’t venture to specify an ideal interval for participation, but it might be worth not joining until you’ve actually started writing. If you’re on the home stretch, I would suggest other forms of writing support that allow you to focus on your own writing exclusively, such as my Peer Writing Support groups or my weekly virtual Writing Camp .

How do DWGs work?

DWGs meet every two weeks for a term. One week before each session, based on a predetermined schedule, 3 participants pre-circulate a draft of their work-in-progress. Each member is expected to submit three times per term (every four weeks), not counting writing exercises.

A range of submissions are appropriate. They can range between a few paragraphs to 8 pages double spaced. My preference is for rougher submissions—drafts of new writing that are advanced enough to have structure, but that have not yet been through multiple rounds of revision and/or editing. An outline is insufficient for submission: it has to be in prose. At the other extreme, a paper can be too polished for the group; at that stage it should be going to your supervisor or committee, not to the group!

At the end of each term, the DWGs are dissolved and new groups are formed. The new group might include a number of “veteran” participants (who were in the group during the previous term), but I will give priority to new (“rookie”) participants. I also help veterans start and maintain self-directed, student-run DWGs.

Obviously, DWGs are not able or intended to replace your supervisor and committee’s role in guiding your dissertation. Among many other reasons, the DWG does not aim to give feedback on content; nor does it have the field-specific approach that a supervisory committee brings. Think of the feedback and structure you get from a DWG as a complement to the supervisory committee’s work. In many cases, it will help to think of the DWG as a way to help make your drafts readier faster to submit to your supervisor.

How does the workshopping work?

In line with the DWG’s goal, our discussions are geared toward constructive feedback—as opposed to critique or picking apart arguments. This is not to say that there should be no criticism—of course not! It’s more an issue of emphasis, tone and intention: our goal as members of this group is to help each other out with the writing / revision process. Submitting your writing to the group should not feel like submitting to your supervisor or committee; the group is not there for quality control or for picking apart ideas. We are not gatekeepers. The group is there, instead, to identify and suggest places in the document that may benefit from extra attention, from re-arrangement, etc.

A good meeting should leave authors feeling eager and full of ideas about how to revise their manuscript.

To this end, feedback on submissions is given orally (not in writing) during meetings (which are virtual for the time being). I’ve learned that written feedback tends to be too detailed and thorough, and can therefore be overwhelming instead of helpful. The only written feedback comes from me.

In general, the most productive approach is to keep feedback selective (focusing on systemic issues or, alternatively, single issues that have a serious consequence for clarity/readability/coherence), rather than listing lots of smaller issues (e.g. typos, formatting). We usually begin with some positive feedback, followed by constructive criticism. As befits the purpose of this group, comments should focus on writing issues (clarity, structure, “flow,” paragraphing, etc) rather than content .

I provide some guidance about how to do this. One practice to avoid is asking the author to account for themselves. There are productive ways of asking questions, but there is no need, within the context of the DWG, to be asking questions like “Can you explain why you addressed this issue in this way?” These sorts of question, which are more appropriate for members of the supervisory committee, put the author on the defensive, which is not what we’re about. Such concerns can more productively be stated as facts about your own needs as a reader, for example “I didn’t quite understand why you dealt with this issue in this way.” The author can thus register the issue without feeling the need to respond, unless they want more detail / explanation.

What commitment is involved?

Joining a DWG requires a fairly serious commitment, both in terms of attendance and participation. I ask participants to take these groups as seriously as they would a for-credit graduate course. Putting aside emergencies or important unforeseen events, participants should be ready to

• attend every meeting, arriving on time
• read all submissions ahead of meetings and be prepared to give oral feedback on them
• submit their own work on time without prompting
• help maintain a friendly, supportive atmosphere in line with the goals of the DWG.

For some students, especially those at the tail end of their dissertation, these commitments may amount to a distraction. If you’re not sure, ask me, and/or consider some of my less intensive writing supports like my virtual writing camp.

Finally, two “rules”:

1.      No Excuses, No Apologies, No Explanations. Those submitting work should not apologize or feel the need to account for the roughness, incompleteness, etc of their writing. Those qualities are expectations in this group! Nor should they submit written preambles explaining or contextualizing their submission (that can be done during the seminar).

2.      No Reading Recommendations. In other words, when giving feedback, refrain from directing them to references the author may have missed. I can explain my reasons to those who’d like to know why.

Some testimonials by former DWGs participants:

“The writing group was extremely helpful and provided a needed push to move forward with my dissertation.” (PhD10, Anthropology)

“I found the DWG to be extremely helpful for completing my dissertation. The focus on form and structure over content really helped me to clarify my arguments and improve the flow of my writing. The warm and non-judgemental aspect of the seminars helped me and others to feel comfortable with the vulnerable position of sharing early work. Dan’s instrumental approach, which focused both on making the diss better and on getting it finished in a timely way, helped me to get the project done!” (PhD graduate, unspecific humanities field)

“I owe finishing my dissertation to the DWG. The group gave me the momentum and support to write nearly 90 pages of my dissertation in 8 months. Running drafts of my chapters by peers in other fields helped me see the forest of my argument, whereas before, when writing on my own, I’d get caught up in the roots of trees no one else could see.” (PhD graduate, unspecified humanities field)

“Since I began participating, I have experienced a surge of confidence in my independent abilities as a researcher, an improvement in the flow of conversation with my fellow graduate students, and an enhanced air of collegiality with faculty which Dr. Newman nurtures among all members of the group, though we all arrive from various disciplines…. Dr. Newman’s presence in my early dissertation journey has in a very short time helped me determine, for myself, how I plan to broadly develop my signature style and authorial voice as a writer…, and more specifically how to position myself as a scholar within my field through language.” (PhD4, Drama, Theatre & Performance).

“Participating in the writing group has been a significant source of help in completing draft chapters and putting me on a clear path to submitting my dissertation. The writing group, under Dr. Newman’s constructive writing guidance, has been an invaluable space to workshop rough work alongside a diverse cohort of motivated peers that has strengthened the clarity and significance of my writing and project and more broadly my confidence as a writer, editor, and aspiring scholar.” (PhD5, Political Science)

“This group … has been an invaluable space where I can share my writing (sometimes in the roughest of forms) and receive insightful feedback that responds to my anxieties and suggests clear next steps. I’m so thankful for the group—I only wish [it] had been in place earlier in my dissertation writing process.” (PhD6, Cinema Studies)

“Daniel Newman’s dissertation working group has been a transformational experience. I completed an introduction, conclusion, and two chapter drafts (including revisions) during my year with the group. Setting ambitious deadlines and preparing submissions for feedback from the group pushed me to finish a full draft in line with the goals set out by my committee. Witnessing common struggles and issues with graduate writing in a variety of disciplines has been particularly freeing, increasing my confidence to share early drafts and get feedback at different stages of writing. I  feel extremely lucky to have been a part of such a smart and kind (not to mention fun) group of interdisciplinary scholars over the last year of dissertation writing, I only wish I’d been a part of such a group earlier on in my degree!” (PhD6, Art History)

“The opportunity to workshop my writing with my peers and a skilled, supportive writing instructor has made a huge difference in clarifying my understanding of the process – what is expected of me, what a dissertation chapter should look like, each of its component parts, as well as generally boosting my confidence in my current and future abilities. This group has made me feel like I belong here and like I can finish – that I will finish.” (PhD6, English)

“The working group helps me in two ways—it pushes me to finalize sections and/or projects faster as well as build good editing habits. The writing group has also reminded me of the pleasure of academia: sharing ideas, reading peers’ work, thinking through arguments and concepts.” (PhD4, Sociology)

“It has been a great help to me to be in discussion with other people involved in the dissertation writing process. Working through issues in each other’s writing in a supportive environment has taught me so much about how to structure a dissertation chapter and has helped to keep my writing on track.” (PhD5, History)

“Dan’s dissertation writing group was a friendly, low-stress environment that helped me to figure out recurring issues in my dissertation writing, and also helped to keep me writing on a regular schedule. His feedback was invaluable, and I would highly recommend his group for any PhD students who could use help with isolating issues in their writing, or would just like a friendly environment to workshop drafts and get into the habit of writing regularly. ” (PhD4, English)

“I cannot recommend the Dissertation Working Groups enough. The DWG was extremely helpful in building an accountability system: having regular deadlines allowed me to dedicate time for writing. What’s more, the submissions were expected to be short and need not be polished at all. These two aspects made writing more manageable and submitting less stressful. The entire experience was illuminating and productive as not only did it make me reflect about my own writing, but also the research itself — its purpose and significance. Dan was careful and thoughtful with his feedback; he provided detailed, actionable comments and did so in such a kind and positive way. My peers, likewise, were so thorough and encouraging. In fact, I had many lightbulb moments from my sessions! Last but not least, Dan and the rest of the group members fostered an affirming space, making the entire process of writing, sharing, and revising such a joy to experience. I actually look forward to writing now!” (PhD5, Linguistics)

“This group has been a game-changer for me, as it has given me confidence in my skills as both writer and editor. Along with moderating our biweekly workshops, Prof. Newman has provided us with valuable exercises in developing our ideas throughout each term, such as writing lay abstracts, describing our projects as if they were popular tv series, and creating fake epigraphs related to our current chapters. The feedback I’ve received in these groups from Prof. Newman and my peers, rather than making me feel burdened by more work, has always made me feel hopeful in what was possible to revise and where my ideas could turn. I recommend these groups to anyone writing a dissertation, and Prof. Newman as a teacher to anyone looking to improve on their writing.” (PhD4, English)

“Without having joined the group, I think I would be very much behind in my work. The group has helped keep me motivated to write, both directly by making me submit one to three submissions within a semester, and indirectly by making me much more confident about my work, especially when our group not only comments on the wrinkles in our writing, but points out places worth praising, places we liked, and that has been something that has helped me get a better sense of what needs work and what can be left alone, so that I would not be left with an overwhelming feeling that everything needs substantial reworking, which tended to be how I felt after sharing work with committee members or conference participants…. Overall, the dissertation writing group has been very supportive and truly invaluable to me and my work.” (PhD4, Philosophy).

“Ever since participating in Daniel Newman’s Dissertation Working Group, my understanding of the rhythms of writing long form projects as a graduate student, as well as the genre of dissertation writing has greatly improved. Because of this, my life as a graduate student has also greatly improved, and I feel much more equipped to cope with the inherent stresses that come along with dissertation writing and receiving feedback from a committee. My participation in Daniel’s Dissertation Working Group felt like a turning point for my work as a graduate student, and I highly recommend participating in it if you are struggling to start any portion of your dissertation, whether that be a specific chapter, or even the whole thing.” (PhD4, English)

I am pleased to offer my enthusiastic recommendation for the Humanities Dissertation Working Group. I originally signed up as I knew that preparing content for my assigned weeks would keep me on a disciplined schedule and ensure that I was writing almost every day. Yet I also achieved other objectives that I did not fully anticipate. Reading work from other disciplines (besides being often very interesting!) made me more aware of how my own writing comes across to those outside of my field. Very importantly, the feedback I received from Dan and my Working Group colleagues was thoroughly helpful. Feedback is professionally given in an organized, mutually respectful and structured setting. I am grateful for the constructive questions and comments that I received, and for the moments when Dan and/or my Working Group colleagues discovered an underdeveloped theme in my writing that I hadn’t yet realized. I gratefully encourage others to participate in the closer look at the Dissertation writing process that the Working Group provides. (PhD4, Religion)

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The Dissertation Group

We are The Dissertation Group™

Your personal coaching and support committee.

Dissertation Coaching

Learn to explain your thoughts and ideas clearly, 

develop negotiating skills for discussing revisions with your professors, become empowered to defend yourself when your professors are treating you unfairly, and learn to manage your anxiety and rid yourself of imposter syndrome.

Identity & Professional Growth

Interpersonal & Collaboration Skills 

Resilience & Adaptability

Transition & Crisis Management

Life Balance & Stress Management

Ethical and Professional Conduct

Project Management Skills - Goal Development, Execution & Accountability

Dissertation Support Services

Topic Development

Dissertation Writing Instructions

Annotated Bibliography

Literature Review Matrix

Data Analysis Planning

Data Collection

Dataset Development

Data Analysis    

Results Verification    

Defense Preparation    

Dissertation Editing

The Dissertation Group™ partners with doctoral candidates as they navigate through their doctoral program and the writing of their dissertation. We are a collective of U.S.-based professors and coaches with expertise in various areas of study, research, and design methods who provide personalized dissertation coaching, and support services.

With The Dissertation Group™ you will get the following:

Learn to explain your thoughts and ideas clearly

Develop negotiating skills for discussing revisions with your professors

Become empowered to defend yourself when your professors are treating you unfairly

Learn to manage your anxiety and rid yourself of imposter syndrome

Develop your identity as a leader and a scholar 

The Dissertation Group™ stands out by offering a unique, personalized, and consistent level of support. Unlike traditional dissertation committees, the Dissertation Group™ engages with students regularly, providing continuous support services, coaching, and detailed feedback throughout the dissertation process. This includes hands-on assistance with research design, methodology, and writing, as well as addressing the psychological and practical challenges of completing a dissertation. The focus is on creating a collaborative and supportive environment that helps students navigate every step of their dissertation journey with less stress and more confidence.​​

The Dissertation Group™ does not write your dissertation for you. Instead, we offer personalized support, coaching, and resources to help you complete your dissertation successfully. We focus on the following:

Research Skills

Writing and Communication Skills

Project Management Skills

Interpersonal and Collaboration Skills

Resilience and Adaptability

Ethical and Professional Conduct

These skills help doctoral candidates successfully complete their dissertations and prepare for future careers in academia, industry, or other professional fields. 

We offer a variety of packages to meet different needs, allowing students to choose the level of support that best fits their needs. Whether they need occasional guidance or comprehensive assistance throughout their doctoral journey, our flexible options ensure they receive the right amount of help. Our collaborative and supportive environment ensures that students navigate their dissertation journey feeling prioritized and empowered, building skills that reduce stress and increase long-term professional success.

• Dissertation Writing Groups

The invites applications for Humanities Dissertation Writing Groups. These competitive grants will encourage supportive and critical discussion of dissertation prospecti and drafts of dissertation chapters in the humanities.

The funds will provide support for small groups of interdisciplinary graduate students to convene regularly to share drafts of dissertation chapters and to discuss research and writing strategies for approaches to the group's common interdisciplinary focus. The selected groups of graduate students will meet throughout the 2024-25 academic year and, preferably, through the summer of 2025.

Grants of $250 per participant will be made available to groups of 4-5 participants who can demonstrate that their research interests productively converge. These groups would include students working in at least two different humanities graduate fields or groups within a single field whose research lends an interdisciplinary approach to their fields. The use of these funds will be flexible, from copying and dinner/refreshments to financial support for special research materials or trips to be shared by the group.

Applications should include a schedule of meetings (roughly one every 2-3 weeks) to be held in the course of the academic year, which would necessarily include regular circulation to the group of chapters-in-progress by each member. Such sessions should offer substantive response and discussion by the group of each individual chapter. If the groups consist of students who have very recently passed the A-Exam, their sessions could be focused on penning a prospectus.

All applicants must have completed the A-Exam by September 15, 2024, with at least two members of the group having completed the A-Exam by September 1, 2024. 

The competition will be adjudicated by the Humanities Council.

Application Guidelines

Applications for Humanities Dissertation Writing Groups should be submitted by one member who will assume organizational responsibility for an additional stipend. Each writing group should consist of  a minimum of four members (with no more than five) . Groups should be prepared to convene by September 1, 2024.

Applicants should submit the following materials as  one .pdf file :

1. A dissertation writing group title and statement of no more than 750 words describing a rationale for linking the work of participants from different disciplines or disciplinary perspectives. The statement should show how each participant's perspective would contribute to elaborating and enriching a common context for writing.

2. A one-paragraph description of the dissertation project from each participant.

3. A CV for each member of the group.

4. A schedule of meetings and activities for the coming year. The basic requirement is a series of meetings organized around the circulation, presentation, and discussion of 2 chapters in progress by each member (a prospectus counts as a chapter).

No budget proposal is necessary.

Deadline: March 22, 2024

Please send all application materials in a single .pdf to Amanda Brockner at [email protected] .

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Academic Creating Effective Peer Writing Groups

Basic page sidebar menu penn gsc, by elizabeth bynum.

Whether you’re working on a dissertation, a class project, or a piece of fiction, writing can be a solitary task. As graduate students, our seminars and classes are all about dialogue and learning from our peers. However, in many fields, when it’s time to write, it’s just us and a blank page. Writer’s block, coursework, family obligations, and other responsibilities can sap our motivation and make it difficult to make progress. As a PhD Candidate in Penn’s School of Arts and Science working on my dissertation, I also found that the isolation created by the pandemic became yet another obstacle to my writing. Over the past year, I’ve received a lot of support and motivation from my peers through supportive writing groups.  

Based on your goals, you might approach a peer writing group in a few different ways. You might use a writing group to co-write with your peers at a specific time each week. Alternatively, your writing group might be a support system for regularly sharing goals and creating accountability. During the summer of 2020, a few of my colleagues in the Music department created a WhatsApp group. Each weekday, we shared our writing goals and checked in with one another. It was nice to be more in touch with this set of colleagues, and the group helped me feel more accountable for completing the goals I established. In January of this year, I signed up for the Grad Center’s virtual dissertation boot camp. Through that program, I was paired with a few peers for daily goal check-ins. After the boot camp ended, we continued to meet each week to share goals and scheduled regular co-writing sessions via Zoom.    

If a writing group sounds like something that could help you meet your goals, there are a few concrete steps you can take to form a group. 

Identify people you would like to form a writing group with. These may be people in your cohort, your program, a class you are taking, or even friends from outside grad school. They may be in your discipline, but they but don’t have to be. Your initial ask can be simple: is anyone interested in forming a writing support group? You can also join the  Virtual Grad Center’s Slack channel  or be paired in an  Accountability Group . 

Agree on your goals collectively. Once you’ve found people to form your writing group, it’s time to work out the details. What do you each want from a writing accountability group? To make these decisions, ask your peers questions like: do we want to organize co-writing sessions? Do we want to share goals on a weekly basis? Is anyone interested in exchanging drafts for feedback? Last summer, with my colleagues from music, we exchanged writing regularly, including abstracts, essays, and grant applications. This worked especially well since we were in the same discipline.  

Establish a set meeting time. This could be the time you meet to write together or when you share goals. Try to pick a day and time of the week that will work for you consistently. I found it helpful to have a consistent meeting time when my peers and I were trying to have synchronous check-ins. Of course, you don’t have to schedule synchronous meetings. You can share goals via a group chat, or other platforms. However, I've found that regular meetings helped me to stay connected with my peers.  

Implement a clear process for meetings. Think about how you’ll start meetings. Do you want to each share your progress from the past week, and then outline new goals? What kind of feedback would you like to offer each other? If you are doing co-writing sessions, think about how you might build in breaks to those, and check in with each other to chat and build community. 

Regular communication between meetings. Think through how you’ll stay in touch. One of the most important things I’ve found for staying consistent with a writing group was having a specific way to stay in touch. That way, when schedules changed or something came up, it was easier to reschedule and regroup. Would your group like to use a shared WhatsApp chat, Slack thread, or another forum for staying in contact? Additionally, if you’re all connected on one thread, you could share goals throughout the week in between meetings.  Try to check in periodically every few weeks to confirm that the schedule and system are working for everyone. 

Building in peer support through a writing group has encouraged me to think through specific goals each week. Over the past year, when I hit stumbling blocks, the regular check-ins have also been a space to troubleshoot. Writing feels a lot less lonely with peer support to help me meet my goals and create a community around the work we’re all doing. 

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