I lead a group of writers, who write purely for pleasure, to experience the fun and beauty of working with words.  If you’ve never tried it – I urge you to. Writing quietly together with like-minded people, then sharing what you have written, is an extraordinarily satisfying way to spend a morning or an afternoon, and you certainly learn a lot about your friends along the way.

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It can be hard to come up with new ideas but fear not, here are a set of tried and tested suggestions. Go on – Just Write!

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There are some rules for Writer’s Groups, that experience has taught me to use.

1. Nothing is compulsory. If a writer doesn’t like any of the prompts encourage them to write on something else within the general theme.

2. Comment is very desirable, but should never be heavily critical. There is always something to praise. But a comment can improve a writer’s output, and a suggestion is often welcomed. Test your writer, check with them that they are happy for you to make a comment. Raise things for discussion rather that deem them “wrong”.

3. No-one is allowed to say “This is awful” before they read back! Everything has value.

4. If someone really doesn’t want to read at one session, do not force it. Have a word after the class. It may be that writing has unlocked a bad memory, or highlighted a current problem. Offer to read it at home, before the next lesson, but don’t push it. However, sharing one’s writing is an essential part of the group, and you need to be clear at the very beginning that this is expected.

5. These lesson plans are only suggestions. Your group will have its own feel. Develop things to suit them. Do let me know if you have a plan that others might enjoy. If you like, I will add it to the list, and acknowledge your contribution on the item.

Lesson Plan Guide​

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Each Lesson Plan includes:

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1            A title – which is the theme of the days, and which is given as a “Starter for Five” – five timed minutes of writing freely. This is not to be read back to the group – it is to get the writing hand moving freely, the brain in gear, and the imagination finding its wings.

2            The next item is usually a single topic, quite wide ranging, that everyone completes. You can allocate time according to your resources, but I usually treat this as a twenty-minute exercise.

3            The third exercise is longer – you will need to judge the time to allocate for this according to how many writers you have, and how much time you need to allocate for readback. Don’t forget that the more writers, the more time you need to allow for this.

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Click here to read the Lesson Plan Advice for more general help