What Is a Writing Group? Dilemmas of the Leader

Abstract

A writing group can serve to reinforce literary and therapeutic goals. The model outlined here assumes a leader with literary and clinical training, including expertise in group dynamics. The group format is adapted to support exploration of the writer's main problem, the absence of the reader at the moment of writing. The group modifies the writer's "mythical" reader through member interactions with writer and writing. Giving and receiving feedback are central to the group process. The leader's dilemma in a bifocal form like this is to know when and how far to interpret group members' psychological issues. The best rule is to interpret "toward" the group (i.e., to bring up material that can be safely and readily processed there), but to be cautious about interpretation of patterns of early character formation.

Reading and writing for well‐being: A qualitative exploration of the therapeutic experience of older adult participants in a bibliotherapy and creative writing group

“…The facilitator of these reading and writing for well-being groups is highly qualified, having completed diplomas in creative writing, psychodynamic psychotherapy, and creative writing for therapeutic purposes. This is in line with the recommendations of Grundy (2007) who proposes a writing group model where the facilitator has both literary and clinical training. Dickens et al (2011) assert that the most successful interventions for loneliness and social isolation in older adulthood have a strong theoretical underpinning.…”

“…A successful facilitator for the reading and writing for wellbeing groups perhaps also requires a level of competence as a creative writer, as creative writing forms a critical part of the reading and writing for well-being intervention that is not included within the shared reading group design. This finding would support the argument of Grundy (2007) that a therapeutic creative writing group facilitator should be dually trained.…”

“…This quote also reflects the sense that the act of sharing gave the writing process greater power through the knowledge that it will be read and heard-that they're not just shouting into the abyss. A similar idea is acknowledged by Grundy (2007), who discusses the 'mythical reader' and how being part of a writing group makes the reader more known, therefore impacting upon the process of writing-whether one is with the group when writing or alone.…”

“…Key elements of the facilitator's style of working which could be discerned from the participant comments include a very person-centred attitude of 'no wrong answers' and unconditional positive regard (Rogers, 1961), as well as effectively holding boundaries and containing emotional content (Bion, 1959;Winnicott 1965). Participants conveyed respect and appreciation for the facilitator's skill as a writer and the creativity he displayed in his choice of literature, themes and other writing prompts, which highlights the importance of literary and clinical training for facilitators of writing groups for therapeutic purposes (Grundy, 2007), in contrast to other schemes. Participants in this study clearly valued the facilitator's ability to acknowledge, work with, and contain emotional material.…”

“…It seemed the participants' knowledge that the facilitator had been trained as a counsellor supported their ability to quickly feel safe and contained within the group space. This again brings to mind the recommendations of Grundy (2007) around dual training.…”