The Pandemic and Zoom Birthed My Favorite Writing Group to Date

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illustrating a book of her own about her travels. We started texting and voice memo-ing and discovered we have a lot in common. And, we fell head over heels into a kindred quarantine friendship.Annie posted a survey in her Instagram stories at the beginning of April, I think, to see if anyone would have an interest in joining a virtual writing group. I said yes! Soon after, The Writers of the 20s was having our first Zoom meeting. We quickly felt close to one another after sharing our work in this new and vulnerable setting.It takes courage to show up the first time at any writing group and commitment to return most weeks to contribute both your writing and your feedback for other’s writing. Something about virtual meetings makes me feel even more vulnerable. We are all face to face. There are fewer distractions than if we were meeting in person. Annie noticed that we were all starting on an even social playing field and this helped us forge closeness quickly.The shared support, encouragement, and empathy give me a natural high every time I attend our meetings. I think everyone who attends feels this. So far, I have shared a chapter from my memoir, a children’s story I’m working on, and poetry. Others have shared art, comics, poems, children’s stories, short fiction, and prose.Every weekend we meet for about 2 hours. It is both exhausting and invigorating. So far everyone has had a chance to read within our time frame. Some people read from journals, some from computer screens. Sometimes we use the share screen feature on Zoom so we can see one another’s writing. A member started a shared Google drive so we can read each other’s work and give and receive written feedback if we’d like.We are already discussing continuing our group in person when/if things return to a new normal. But, here, I will confess, I

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like the ease of meeting other writers from my own home. I’m introverted and would be more likely to bail if I had to leave my house. I like that we mute ourselves when someone reads. I like how Zoom forces people to take turns (I need to work on my habit of interrupting). I like how we hear the cadence of the writer’s work in the writer’s voice. I like how we socialize throughout the meeting.I also do like the idea of meeting in person. I like the idea of giving a member reading at one of our local venues when that is feasible again. I like that I feel like I’m in a writing salon from another era when I connect virtually every weekend. I have been inspired to write new material. I am blogging for the first time and writing tons of new poetry. I am sharing deep and meaningful conversations. Such magic.When I find myself slipping into depression and feeling the physical absence of friends in my life I know that I can count on “seeing” friends on the weekend in my new writing group and that I will feel better after every single meeting. These meetings have sparked new friendships, creativity, and connection in a beautifully meaningful way. I’m thankful Annie felt the need for this and founded a beautiful new writing group. I’m thankful that we all were brave and took a chance. It was more than worth the risk.I think many writers could benefit from these virtual writing groups. They are uplifting. They are a place to learn, share, critique, and if you’re all open to it — to discuss current events in the world. Now that most people are familiar with platforms such as Zoom geographical barriers have all but disappeared for those of us with a computer and wifi connection. I challenge you to start or find your own online writing group and see for yourself the positive effects it has on your writing life and mental health!</article></body>

What the writing community can look like during social distancing

I met Annie several years ago at a local coffee shop where she was a barista and we hit it off. She is an immensely creative and free spirit. At the time I considered her a friendly acquaintance. Flash forward to March 2020: I discovered that Annie had gone to Europe on her own the year before and had begun to live there, and then returned home to the US for medical reasons in 2019.

After months of medical isolation with her mom and siblings, Covid-19 surfaced, and almost simultaneously with our new Coronavirus world Annie received her final medical release. With newfound freedom from medical issues, she found herself still living in her childhood home. Annie is an artist and writer. She found herself longing for the connection with other creatives that she was used to experiencing face to face before the whole world changed. I didn’t know any of this when I reached out to her in March.

In March, after I finished the 2nd draft of my memoir I reached out to Annie to see if she would be willing to edit and provide feedback on my book. I asked if we could trade feedback on one another’s work since I didn’t have the financial means to pay her at the time. I waited. She said yes. I found out she was writing and illustrating a book of her own about her travels. We started texting and voice memo-ing and discovered we have a lot in common. And, we fell head over heels into a kindred quarantine friendship.

Annie posted a survey in her Instagram stories at the beginning of April, I think, to see if anyone would have an interest in joining a virtual writing group. I said yes! Soon after, The Writers of the 20s was having our first Zoom meeting. We quickly felt close to one another after sharing our work in this new and vulnerable setting.

It takes courage to show up the first time at any writing group and commitment to return most weeks to contribute both your writing and your feedback for other’s writing. Something about virtual meetings makes me feel even more vulnerable. We are all face to face. There are fewer distractions than if we were meeting in person. Annie noticed that we were all starting on an even social playing field and this helped us forge closeness quickly.

The shared support, encouragement, and empathy give me a natural high every time I attend our meetings. I think everyone who attends feels this. So far, I have shared a chapter from my memoir, a children’s story I’m working on, and poetry. Others have shared art, comics, poems, children’s stories, short fiction, and prose.

Every weekend we meet for about 2 hours. It is both exhausting and invigorating. So far everyone has had a chance to read within our time frame. Some people read from journals, some from computer screens. Sometimes we use the share screen feature on Zoom so we can see one another’s writing. A member started a shared Google drive so we can read each other’s work and give and receive written feedback if we’d like.

We are already discussing continuing our group in person when/if things return to a new normal. But, here, I will confess, I like the ease of meeting other writers from my own home. I’m introverted and would be more likely to bail if I had to leave my house. I like that we mute ourselves when someone reads. I like how Zoom forces people to take turns (I need to work on my habit of interrupting). I like how we hear the cadence of the writer’s work in the writer’s voice. I like how we socialize throughout the meeting.

I also do like the idea of meeting in person. I like the idea of giving a member reading at one of our local venues when that is feasible again. I like that I feel like I’m in a writing salon from another era when I connect virtually every weekend. I have been inspired to write new material. I am blogging for the first time and writing tons of new poetry. I am sharing deep and meaningful conversations. Such magic.

When I find myself slipping into depression and feeling the physical absence of friends in my life I know that I can count on “seeing” friends on the weekend in my new writing group and that I will feel better after every single meeting. These meetings have sparked new friendships, creativity, and connection in a beautifully meaningful way. I’m thankful Annie felt the need for this and founded a beautiful new writing group. I’m thankful that we all were brave and took a chance. It was more than worth the risk.

I think many writers could benefit from these virtual writing groups. They are uplifting. They are a place to learn, share, critique, and if you’re all open to it — to discuss current events in the world. Now that most people are familiar with platforms such as Zoom geographical barriers have all but disappeared for those of us with a computer and wifi connection. I challenge you to start or find your own online writing group and see for yourself the positive effects it has on your writing life and mental health!