The Pros and Cons of Group Coaching for Writers

Why group coaching might be the perfect way to get feedback on your writing.

When I was first getting started, I pictured editing like this:

A writer writes a manuscript and sends it to their editor. The editor writes feedback and sends it back. The writer takes that feedback and uses it to edit their manuscript.

That’s the classic form of editing. But it’s far from the only form of editing.

Editing doesn’t even have to be one-on-one. In fact, sometimes group coaching can be exactly what you need!

In this episode, I’m breaking down the pros and cons of group coaching for writers.

You’ll learn:

• How group coaching combines the best features of critique groups + one-on-one editing
• What you CAN’T learn one-on-one (but you can learn in a group!)
• One group coaching caveat to watch out for
• And more!

Group coaching isn’t better than one-on-one editing, or vice versa. It’s just different—a different experience that can meet different needs in your writing in a different way.

In fact, you might decide to try both group and one-on-one editing at different points in your writing career. So it’s great to know what your options are!

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Join the Scene Mastery Workshop waitlist: alicesudlow.com/workshop

Transcript

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There are so many forms that working with an editor can take. And sometimes a group coaching program is the perfect fit for you and your writing goals.​Welcome to your next draft. Have you ever had an idea that just caught hold in your imagination and just would not let go. You think about it all the time you brainstorm and you plan and it just grows and grows and grows. Maybe you set it aside for a while, but two months or four months or six months later, it bubbles up again. It just has you and will not let go. Well, you're a writer. So I'm confident that that has happened to you before. And it's where I am right now. I have an idea that I have been developing For probably six months or more. For a while. It wasn't the right time to put it into action. So I tabled it for a few months. But it just keeps coming up. And I think the time is coming to give it a go. Here's my idea, an eight week workshop where I gather a group of writers and together we master the art of editing amazing scenes. I think it will be really, really cool. And I'm so excited to test it out with a group of writers this spring. But while I could spend this whole episode, just ranting about all the things that I'm excited to try in this workshop and you know, that I love some good enthusiastic rants. That's not really the point of this episode. Instead, here's what I want to talk about today. Why group coaching for writers? Why is this even a thing? What are the advantages? What are the disadvantages And how could group coaching be helpful to you? See, when I was getting started as an editor, I had never heard of group coaching for writers. I'm familiar with group coaching and loads of other activities. For instance, I love to swing dance. And when I go to dance events, I take group classes. And of course, all of the classes that I took in grade school and college were group learning. But when it comes to editing a book, I always thought of that as a one-on-one experience. In my mind, it looked like this, A writer writes a manuscript and sends it to their editor. The editor writes feedback and sends it back. The writer takes that feedback and uses it to edit their manuscript. That's the classic form of editing. But it is far, far from the only form of editing. Another format that can be really powerful is a group model. In this format, a group of writers meet with an editor or a book coach to work on their stories together at the same time. This kind of editing doesn't necessarily have the same goal as that one-on-one model. It probably doesn't include getting personalized feedback on your entire manuscript from an editor and that's okay. Group coaching is meant to do something different. Group isn't better than one-on-one or vice versa. It's just different, a different experience that can meet different needs and you're writing in a different way. In fact, you might decide to try both group and one-on-one editing at different points in your writing career. So it's great to know what your options are. So let's talk about it. What are the pros and cons? Let's start with the advantages. I have five advantages that I want to share with you about group coaching for writers. Let's start with the most pragmatic feature of group coaching. The price. Group coaching is pretty much always going to cost less than working one-on-one with that same editor or book coach. One-on-one work is always going to be more expensive because you're getting more access to that experts time thought and creative energy, all focused only on you and your story in a group setting, you can work with that expert, but share the cost among several other writers. So if there's someone that you want to work with, but their one-on-one prices are out of reach for you. See if they offer any group coaching options. So that's the first advantage. The price for group coaching is lower than the price for one-on-one work. Here's the second advantage. Group coaching has a built in leader to provide structure that's designed to help you thrive. Thus far, I've been comparing group coaching to one-on-one editing services, but it's also worth talking about how group coaching is similar to and different from your standard writing group or critique group. Another way that writers seek out feedback Besides hiring an editor is by joining or creating critique groups. These are writer, led groups designed to help you get peer feedback from other writers. But if you've ever been involved in a group project in any capacity, You know that one of the biggest challenges is figuring out who's going to lead the darn thing and what is actually going to happen. Groups always need some level of leadership in order to create useful structure. What day do we meet? How long our meetings, what kind of feedback do we give? How do we decide who gets feedback? How do we set the tone for the group? Someone has to decide someone has to step up and create the structure in which the group can function. In a group coaching cohort, there's a built in leader. Who's already made those decisions. So you don't have to better yet. That leader is an expert who was intentionally curating a container that will help you and your writing thrive. You can skip all the stress and misery of organizing a group project and jump straight to the fun and useful part, actually writing and getting feedback. Which brings me to the third advantage of group coaching. You get to learn from an expert editor or book coach. In a writer led critique group. You'll get feedback from other writers. And let me first say that it can be helpful to get feedback from your peers. Especially if your peers are at your same level or a little bit ahead of you. But there are a few things to watch out for in writer, led critique groups. First, there's no guarantee that the other writers in the group know how to give feedback In a way that's both helpful and not soul crushing. Giving effective feedback is an art form of its own. And let's be honest, not everyone has honed their craft here. I've heard many stories of writers who have received feedback, so crushing that it made them want to quit. And at that point it doesn't really matter if the feedback is true or not. If it makes you want to quit, it's not helping you make progress. The second thing to watch for is whether the feedback you're getting is relevant and true. I've seen writers focus on critiquing grammar issues when the writing really needs developmental feedback And I've seen writers give advice. That's likely to make the writing actually worse. In fact, one of the reasons why I'm such a huge proponent of working with an editor at all, regardless of whether it's one-on-one or in a group is simply because I have seen so many writers get bad advice from people who quite frankly. I don't know what they're talking about. I don't want you to waste days or weeks or months or years struggling to implement bad advice. I want you to get trustworthy advice from people who know what it takes to tell a great story and who care about you and what you and your writing to succeed. And then a group coaching model, you get the support and guidance of an expert who can give you good feedback and spot and save you from bad feedback. You get to learn alongside your peers and from an expert who has invested a lot of time studying and practicing and honing their craft. So they're equipped to identify what will truly be most helpful for you and your writing. So that's the third advantage you get to learn from an expert. And the fourth advantage. Is this. You get to learn from your peers. Okay. I know, it's kind of funny that I just spent a good bit of time explaining all of the ways that peer feedback can fall short. And now I'm saying that learning from your peers is actually an advantage. But it really is just not in the way that you might think. I get to work with so many incredible writers. I get to read their stories and give them my best feedback. And then I watch as they take my feedback, transform it into their own ideas and voice and style and edit their stories in the way that's precisely them. And the cool thing is I get to see how differently all these writers do that. How I might give two writers, very similar feedback, and yet they apply it to their stories in widely different ways. And so often I think. Wouldn't it be amazing to get all these writers together, where they can read each other's writing and hear my feedback on all these different stories. And then see the widely varied ways that each writer interprets that feedback and applies it to their writing. Wouldn't it be cool. If you could see what I see, how the same story structure, principles work across all kinds of different writing styles. If you could get a glimpse into other writers, editing processes and steal ideas to apply to your own process. If you could see how a dozen other writers are finding a dozen different ways to solve the exact same problems that you're facing. Personally, I think the greatest value you can get from a critiquing experience with other writers is the chance to see the feedback that those writers get and the ways that they interpret and apply that feedback. You get to see how many more creative ideas are out there Beyond the ones that you would come up with on your own. You can learn so much by studying what other writers are doing and seeing what you want to try and what you don't want to try yourself. This, by the way. Is something that one-on-one editing surfaces just can't offer. I love working with writers. One-on-one, it's what I do with most of my time. But it's just not possible to get this kind of insight, this access to collective knowledge and this inspiration in a one-on-one dynamic. And this is so incredibly valuable. This is what makes me so excited about my group workshop idea. I get so excited when I think about you having the opportunity to see what I see. And learn not only from feedback on your own writing. But also from feedback on other people's writing to. This, I think it's widest idea. Just let me go. But there's one more advantage, but I don't want to miss. It's the one that in my experience, we all value the least, but we all need the most. Here it is. When you're in a group coaching cohort, you get to connect with a community of writers. You get to build relationships with other writers. And not just any writers, but writers who were at the same stage as you experiencing the same challenges as you pursuing the same goals as you. And because you're in a structured group together, they're learning the same material as you and building the same shared language as you. The connections you make in a group coaching cohort can last long after the structured program ends. I mentioned this because in my experience we never joined something just because we could make friends there. We joined a writing program because we want to write a book. We take dance classes because we want to dance. We join a gym because we want to be healthy. But so often the best thing that we get from joining those groups are the people. It's a cheesy meme, but it's true. The real treasure is the friends we made along the way. Now don't get me wrong. If you want to make friends, there are so many ways to do that. That don't involve also subjecting yourself to the grueling process of writing and editing a book. But if you're already writing a book and you'd like to surround yourself with people who get it. A group coaching program is a wonderful way to do that. Now. There are a couple of caveats that I want to mention to help you determine whether group coaching is right for you. And help you make the most of it. We can call these the cons of group coaching. Although I don't think that their cons so much as the potential for disappointment via mismatched expectations. Well, The third one is kind of a con you'll see what I mean. Okay. The first caveat is this. Because group coaching is designed to serve a group there's less flexibility for customization based on the needs of a single writer. So if you're thinking of joining a group coaching program, be sure to look at the goal of the program and make sure that it's something that you want. This applies to literally any editing service that you ever purchase, but it's especially important to keep in mind when you're looking at a group program. When you're working one-on-one with an editor. The only people who get to define the success of your work together are you and your editor? That means that any time you decide together that something isn't quite working or something else might be a better fit, you get to pivot, you can customize all the work that you do together to meet your specific needs. In a group dynamic, the people who define the success of the group are you and your coach and everyone else in the group. Ideally, the coach will build in some flexibility to be able to adjust and meet everyone's needs, but it will be a lot more effective for you to get your needs met. If you make sure at the outset that the goal of the group is a goal that you have for your own writing. If the group program's goal is one that you're not interested in for your own writing. Well, the group probably won't be able to pivot to something completely different in order to be a better fit for you. So before you join a group coaching program, or really before you invest in any editing service or writing training. Ask yourself. What do you need? Where are you struggling? And what would be most helpful to you in your writing and editing process right now? And then look for the opportunities that meet and match your needs. And the second caveat is this. Group coaching allows for less one-on-one attention from your editor or book coach than you would receive. If you were to spend the same amount of time in a one-on-one setting. Or to be more blunt. You're probably not going to get detailed feedback on your entire manuscript when you're in a group coaching program. That's typically outside the scope of what an editor can do in a group setting. If that's what you're looking for, you'll be more satisfied with one-on-one editing services. In a group coaching program, you'll likely get feedback on specific pieces of your manuscript that will be predetermined by the coach. The coach might ask everyone to share a scene of their novel or specifically the opening scene of their novel or the outline or a synopsis of their novel, or maybe their query letter. They're probably not going to ask everyone to share their full manuscript for feedback, because that's a lot. Again, this is why it's worth being really intentional about choosing a group program. That's going to meet a need that you have, Because if you need feedback on your scenes and you join a group coaching program, that's focused on scenes. That's a great fit. But if you're expecting feedback on your full manuscript, you might be disappointed. And ultimately no one wants that. You want to finish your group coaching program? Absolutely delighted with the experience. The leader of the program wants that. I want that for you too. So ask yourself what you really need in your writing right now. Then check the outcomes that a group coaching program is designed to help you achieve. And check the type and amount of feedback that you can expect to get in the program so that you can join the program with clear expectations and everyone is set up for success. And the final caveat is this. Group coaching happens. In a group. And if you've ever been in a group of people before, you know that people are messy and sometimes someone causes problems. This might look like a group member, not showing up to sessions or participating in the group. Worse. It might look like a group member being mean or antagonistic towards other writers. We need antagonist in our stories. We don't need them in our critique groups. You can't control. Who else joins a group coaching program? But I believe that the responsibility for curating a safe and productive group falls on the leader on the coach, who's created the program and is managing the space. And you can watch to see whether the leader of a program is someone that you trust. Do they hold the values that you share? These might be values about methods of communicating feedback, or they might be more fundamental values about respecting and honoring all human beings. Do they have good testimonials? Especially if the specific group coaching program has been around for a while, You can look for testimonials about other writers experiences, even specifically within that program. Have you worked with the leader before? If you know the leader personally, or you've worked with them before, you might have a sense of whether they'll manage and protect that group coaching space. And of course, if you have any concerns or hesitations, you can always ask them directly. They may even have a code of conduct outlining the procedures that they'll take. If the group runs into a problem. So there you have it. Five advantages of group coaching. Five reasons why a group coaching program might be a good fit for you right now, or at any points in your writing career. And three cons or really three caveats to keep in mind as you explore group programs, that might be a good fit for you. Here. Those are again. The pros. Group coaching costs less than one-on-one services. Group coaching has a built in leader to provide structure. You get to learn from an expert. And you get to learn from other writers. And you'll connect with a community of writers. And the cons. There's less flexibility for customization to a specific writers needs. So make sure that the program is designed to meet a need that you have. Group coaching also allows for less though, not zero one-on-one attention. So don't expect your coach to read your entire manuscript, unless they specifically say that they will. And you might encounter some unpleasant group members because people are people and sometimes there are bad actors. But a great coach is going to curate and protect that group and make sure that that continues to be a worthwhile space for you. And of course. I can't leave you without giving you a sneak peek at this idea that I am so excited about The group coaching program that I have in the works. It's called the scene mastery workshop and it's an eight week writing workshop to help you master, writing, and editing amazing scenes. After all great novels are made of great scenes. So scene editing is an essential writing skill. Hands. If you've listened to this podcast for awhile, you know, that I love digging into some scenes. Here's how the workshop will work. I'll gather a group of eight writers. We'll meet on zoom together once a week for probably eight weeks. I might change this to nine just because I keep coming up with more ideas for things for us to do in this program. Each week we'll study a scene of a published novel. Then our workshop has seen written by one of the writers in our group. Throughout the workshop. Each writer will get personalized feedback on their scene. And the learn from the feedback on every writer seen. By the end of the eight weeks, you'll revise a scene of your novel based on my feedback. You'll understand the fundamental structure that makes scenes work, plus how you can adapt it to a variety of genres and writing styles. And you'll be equipped with seen editing tools that you can use to revise all of your scenes. These are the same tools that I use with my one-on-one editing clients. I am really excited about this idea. I designed this workshop to make the most of all five advantages of group coaching and especially the fact that you'll get to learn from other writers scenes. But this only works if eight writers also think that this is a really useful idea and decide to join. So I would love to hear from you. If the scene mastery workshop sounds like something you would be interested in. Go to Alice subtler.com/workshop and add your name to the waitlist. That's Alice southern.com/workshop. And of course that link is in the show notes as well. All right. That's all I've got for you today. If you take just one thing from this episode, let it be this. There are so many forms that working with an editor can take. And sometimes a group coaching program is the perfect fit for you and your writing goals. And if my scene mastery workshop sounds exciting to you go to Alice southern.com/workshop. And let me know. Happy editing.