Last week I joined a writer’s group, not online but here in Sanur, where I live. It was a random opportunity: a friend sent a WhatsApp with details of a Facebook meet up for writers, and if she hadn’t sent me that screenshot I would never have known about the group.  

As soon as I read the details, I was going, regardless of any other commitments (mainly ferrying the children around to after school activities) I knew without a doubt I was going to be there. And I was.

Since I began writing, it has been something I have always wanted to join. A big tick on a writer’s to do list. I read those articles with all the helpful advice a new writer needs, and one of them was to join a writing group because of the main benefit: you can share your writing with others, gain insight and clarity, learn new skills and be inspired.

But, I didn’t fancy joining an online group for some reason. I think I spend so much time alone, typing on my laptop: I sometimes feel isolated or lost in a world of my own! I wanted to join a writer’s group where I could meet people face to face.

When I looked online I couldn’t find any groups in my local area, but what I didn’t know – there are lots of budding writers!

It was wonderful to meet people just like me!

I actually joined the group for its inaugural meeting and it was very simple. We each introduced ourselves, what our writing interests are and where we are on our writing journey.

We are a diverse group: Sci-fi, futuristic, history and fantasy writers; even a poet. Surprisingly, I am the only Romance writer, considering how many Romance novels are produced each year. But it doesn’t matter about the genre: we all share the same passion. They know what it is like to have so many thoughts and ideas flying around your head, note books full of words, inspiration at inconvenient moments and they all spoke with passion, that same passion and excitement I feel in my own work. There were similar frustrations: historical accuracy, too much information, too many words, where to begin and editing!!!

Then we did an exercise. We were tasked with writing a poem by the end of the meeting and to share it with the group. The poet amongst us, guided us on a step by step process in writing a simple poem. This could seem a very nerve racking experience – sharing words we had written only minutes earlier, but I knew it would help me grow as a writer so I listened, focused, learnt and wrote with enthusiasm.  

We were asked to choose a random object in the vicinity and then we had to describe it through the process of a number of questions the poet asked us. Next, we had to take the key words out of what we had written and create a poem.

Everyone had something to share, all completely different, but equally beautiful.

At the end, we were asked to work on our poems ready to share them at the next meeting in two weeks’ time.

This is my finished poem:

“Like a sunrise from the darkest night  
The beam burst forth, a guiding light  
From the darkness, suddenly all is bright  
Encased in glass, a magical sight  

The cord suspended, hanging down  
The bulbous light, its glow surrounds  
The room and casts out shadows all around 
In essence, fluidity without a sound.”   

At the end of the meeting there was a discussion about what will happen next. In the future there will be sessions on character development, writing about a strange or weird experience, inviting a traditionally published author, who lives on the island, and has had their book made into a film, to talk to us. I am really excited to be part of this group and I know I will learn a lot.  

I walked away with the feeling that I have found my happy place.

Reflecting on what I learnt and the people I met, I thought about the benefits of joining a writers group and what it could bring to the participants:

• A new social network of like minded people who can understand the beauty and frustrations of being a writer
• The opportunity to share best practise – experience, knowledge and areas of expertise
• Learn new techniques and skills from the experts
• Make new friends with a shared passion: we can write together, motivate each other, share ideas and basically whenever we procrastinate: have someone there to give us a good kick up the arse!