You may be wondering why someone would join a writing group, so I asked some of our members to share what brought them to the Princeton Writing Group:

“In 2013, I was divorced and realized I needed to get back into creative writing, which I had always loved.  My brother suggested that I check out the Meetup site for groups I might be interested in, and I found PWG there.  It seemed to be a more solid writing group than others on the site, for writers to support and motivate each other, and it has become much more than that for me!”

-Jenny

“I joined PWG because I was lonely and a writer and I needed fellow-minded people. It only took one meeting to figure out these people were what I’d been looking for.”

-Allison

“I joined PWG because I was looking for community, and because I was ready to start writing again. I hadn’t been part of a writing group since college, where I’d been part of several critique groups, and was looking to try out a different format. PWG’s focus on writing together instead of critiquing each other’s writing seemed ideal for someone just getting back into writing, and once I’d been to a couple of meetings, it became clear that hanging out with such awesome people was a powerful incentive to keep showing up and putting words on the page.”

-Victoria

“I joined PWG for blocking out dedicated time work to on writing projects, and make friends.”

-Saad

“In 2017, my chronic illness grew severe enough that I was forced to withdraw from grad school and move back in with my parents.  Understandably, this was a struggle, not just physically, but psychologically.  As I recovered on most fronts, the isolation became a larger and larger problem.  It occurred to me that, without the framework of school or a job, I didn’t know how to make friends.

I turned to Meetup, looking for groups that lined up with my interests, not sure what else to do. I first saw PWG there, but my anxiety made it difficult to persuade myself to actually attend an event.  But NaNo of 2017 ended, and I pushed myself to addend the wrap party.  It was there that I met Robin and was so impressed by the way she handled people and curious about her own writing, that I decided immediately to attend PWG, the group she co-lead, along with Jenny, both of whom are now dear friends.  And I have never been more grateful for a decision in my life.  PWG is where I have made some of the best friends I have ever had in my life, and I am so grateful to it and the people who are part of it.  My only regret is that I didn’t decide to attend sooner.”

-Liz