Bring a Writing Group to Your Organization
We recommend Writing Groups for all audiences — especially our 10-week program. In general, Writing Groups help participants build trust, which can allow folks to share more vulnerability, increasing the benefits of healing, connection, and belonging.
This is also our ONLY program that includes access to publication.
A Writing Group is right for you if…
- You are looking for a therapeutic outlet for your clients
- You’re looking to build community among your clients
- You’re looking to help your clients build their storytelling or writing skills
- You can recruit 10-18 people who could commit to some or all of the series (the maximum writing group size is 18)
- Our program season works within your program calendar
If a Writing Group doesn’t seem quite right, take a look at our Writing Circles program.
Getting Started
Interested in bringing a Writing Group to your organization? Fill out our Partner Interest Form!
Questions?
Sarah Weller (she/her)
Program Director
503-796-9224
sweller@writearound.org
“The powerful impact Write Around Portland has on our residents is amazing. The boost in self-esteem, self-awareness, and self-preservation is what Write Around Portland does for us.”
Debbie, Reach CDC
2025 Dates
We offer Writing Groups in two program seasons each year. While we can be quite flexible, it’s ideal if we can fit your writing group within one of these two seasons.
Spring Season
February 24 – April 28, 2025*
Spring Reading & Book Release will be in early June 2025
Partner Interest Form due by February 3, 2025
Fall Season
September 8 – November 21, 2025*
Winter Reading & Book Release will be in mid-December 2025
Partner Interest Form due by August 18, 2025
* Dates are flexible according to your needs! Generally, we would like writing groups to begin and end somewhere around these dates.
Program Timeline
A 10 week series helps participants build trust with each other and sets up a pace that is conducive to revision exercises.
However, we are happy to customize the program to meet your needs. If you’d prefer a 6-9 week program, we can do that!
“The writing group allowed a safe space for our residents to share deep feelings and emotions when more traditional models of processing require much more buy-in and are difficult methods to engage in for our folks.”
– Kristin, Our House
Session Length
We recommend that each session be two hours long (and we always provide a 10-minute break in the middle.)
We also offer 90-minute sessions if you prefer.
What’s in a Writing Group?
Freewriting
Good news: spelling and grammar DO NOT MATTER in a Write Around Portland workshop! Freewriting is all about keeping the pen moving and writing whatever comes to mind.
Sharing & Feedback
After freewriting, participants are offered the opportunity to read their piece aloud. Participants are always allowed to pass. Only positive, specific feedback is allowed.
Reading & Discussion
Many sessions also include the opportunity to read a poem or short prose piece together. These reading samples offer facilitators the opportunity to introduce participants to elements of storytelling and writing.
Revision
Participants are guided through revision exercises that allow them to look at their writing in new ways.
What’s Freewriting?
Freewriting is a tried-and-true writing method developed almost 100 years ago in universities. It has become a tool often used to overcome writer’s block and as a way to “warm up” in preparation for putting thoughts to paper.
In freewriting, spelling and grammar do not matter, and writers are encouraged to keep their pens moving the entire time. If they run out of things to say, they are encouraged to continue writing anyway, even if it’s just to write about how they don’t have anything to write. Writers are encouraged to let their mind wander and to write about whatever strikes them at that moment.
“Write Around Portland provides a highly engaging and deeply creative service to a wide array of populations. They are reliable and always come prepared. They are flexible to different agencies’ and populations’ needs which is very much needed and appreciated.”
– Sean, Northwest Housing Alternatives
Additional Program Elements
Between Session Support
Each participant will receive a handwritten, mailed postcard after each session in a Writing Group. Postcards are written by the facilitator, and share encouraging thoughts about participants’ writing.
Publication
Every participant is eligible to have one piece published in that season’s anthology. Participants are invited to choose how they’d like their name to appear in the book — whether a pseudonym, initials, etc.
Reading & Book Launch
Everybody is invited to attend a celebratory reading and book launch at the end of the season. However, if it isn’t realistic for your clients to come to our reading, we would be happy to work with you to develop a celebration at your program site.
What You’ll Need
- Actively recruit participants for the writing group. Our ideal group size is 8-12, and we can have up to 18 people in each workshop.
- Provide a comfortable, safe space where the writing group can be held, including enough tables and chairs for all attendees. Allow the facilitator access to the space 15 minutes before the workshop begins, and allow 15 minutes after the workshop to clean up.
- Help cover writing group costs by paying a fee in an amount decided by your organization.
- Work closely with us to ensure the program is a success for your organization.
- Provide guidance around best practices for working with the people you serve.
- Continue communication and coordination throughout the Writing Group.
What Write Around Provides
- A qualified volunteer facilitator who has received 27 hours of training and has passed a criminal background check.
- Weekly support and supervision of the volunteer facilitator by a Write Around Portland staff person.
- All supplies, including writing journals, pens, handouts, light snacks, and weekly personalized postcards.
- A copy of the published anthology for all participants and one copy for the organization.
- Accommodations, as necessary, for participants, including providing a scribe or adaptive equipment if needed.
- Invitation to the Reading and Book Launch celebration.
- Upon request, we may be able to provide guided playtime for the children of participants, transit tickets, and large format print materials.
Pricing
As a small nonprofit organization, Write Around Portland relies on the generosity of foundations, donors, and partner agencies to support our work.
We do ask each agency to cover a portion of the expense (meaning cash support, not in-kind.) We require that participants not pay anything toward their creative writing experience.
Our standard pricing is a sliding scale fee of $300 – $4,200. We ask that larger organizations pay closer to the high end of the partner fee to allow us to serve smaller agencies in our community. We do NOT want price to be a barrier, especially for smaller organizations.
For questions or additional information about partner fees, contact our Program Director, Sarah Weller.
Getting Started
Interested in bringing a Writing Group to your organization? Fill out our Partner Interest Form!
For any questions, contact Sarah!
Sarah Weller, Program Director
sweller@writearound.org
503-796-9224