Section members may want a chance to network with each other, and may be looking for accountability partners or external deadlines to move their writing forward. Some groups have found virtual writing sessions helpful.
What are virtual writing sessions?
Online writing sessions are 1 or 2-hour sessions where participants meet virtually to focus on their writing. These virtual writing sessions mimic in-person write-on-site sessions, where participants get together in a distraction-free environment to work on their own writing for a set amount of time. The sessions usually begin with participants introducing themselves and sharing their writing goals with the group. The group then goes into 25-30 minutes blocks of quiet writing. Each of these blocks is followed by 5-10 minute breaks (similar to the Pomodoro Technique).
Why should you organize them?
The primary goal of these sessions is to provide a time that is dedicated exclusively for writing. They are also meant to make writing feel less isolating, especially during these pandemic times. Additionally, these online sessions are a great opportunity for people to connect with colleagues and potentially find supportive networks where they can share their work.
How to set up an online writing group:
Before the event:
- Pick a host (the person who will be there to run the meeting), and a date and time.
- Schedule the meeting in Zoom or in whatever web platform you have access to.
- We recommend you require registration to avoid potential “Zoom bombers.”
- Advertise the session through the Section listserv.
The day of the event:
- About 10 minutes before, the host should log in to Zoom or the platform being used.
- As participants start arriving, welcome them to the session (this can be done in the chat).
- Introduction: At the start of the event, the host should spend a couple of minutes introducing themself to the group. Hosts should explain the structure and goals of the session. Depending on the size of the group, you could ask everyone to introduce themselves using their camera and microphone; if you have more than 10 attendees, it might make more sense to ask people to introduce themselves in the chat.
- Begin writing! The host should ask other to mute themselves and make sure they are also muted during the quiet time blocks.
- Start a timer for the pre-determined time of quiet writing time.
- Because you’ll have people arriving late, it is a good idea to put up a PowerPoint slide explaining the structure of the writing session and indicating when then next break will be.
- Take a break! After the writing block is over, the host should unmute themselves and invite everyone else in the group to take a break from writing. These breaks can be a great opportunity for socializing, but some people will want to take a break from looking at their screen, so make sure you give everyone a clear guideline for when the next writing block will begin.
- Repeat! Depending on how long your writing session is, you might be able to accommodate 2-4 writing blocks, each followed by a break.
- In the last break, we recommend the host takes a minute or two to debrief.
- If there’s a future writing session already scheduled, this is a good time to invite participants.
