Depending on a writing group’s nature, some are quiet, academic, and perfectly happy to meet in a library room or reserve a campus classroom. However, if you want your gathering to be a bit more boisterous and have more potential to draw writers of all genres, it’s probably more conducive to meet in a public commerce place such as a bookstore, coffee house, or restaurant.
But with this comes the reality that some writers and business venues don’t mix, or the nature of their relationships negatively changes with time. Sometimes it’s necessary for your writing group’s survival to part ways. Still, sometimes a little communication or mutual support will salvage your relationship. In the process, a business can reap material benefits, while you’ll help your writer’s group succeed with a steady place to gather and grow.
When It’s Time to Part Ways
No venue is perfect, but usually at least two of these factors should make your writer’s group seriously consider a new home.
--Noise levels reach unacceptable levels and your host makes no accommodations to reduce them. Writing groups themselves should generate some noise with active discussion, but when the barista wants to play Metallica at 11 and the owner isn’t willing to turn off a speaker in your section or lower the volume, it can be impossible to concentrate on your work(s).
--Despite having a long-standing partnership, the needs of others, beyond reasonable business concerns, are considered before your group. You have met every Friday evening for 10 years, but management decides to put you and your fellow scribes in a small, invisible side room every time a special musical guest performs or board games tournament convenes. . .or whenever the mood strikes them.
--Instability in the host’s management results in inconsistent considerations for your gathering. With one assistant manager, your group is treated like royalty with special accommodations. With another, you’re lucky to get any seating and avoid casual comments like “I guess it’s time for the freak show again.”
--Physical remodeling of a business makes it virtually impossible to meet. Highland Writers Group ran into this problem with the original remodeling of the Highland Borders location. It didn’t allow for any community group meeting space that the old layout did, and the cafe area at the time was a cacophonous ringside seat to cappuccino machines.
--You are basically being shoved out the door. This seems to be common sense, but I was a part of an area writers group that allowed it to happen. Part of a book store’s community event calendar for more than seven years, they were moved from a prime central table with comfortable seating to a significantly less traveled side section, and finally were delegated to crouch in the children’s reading section (stymieing any serious discussion of adult-oriented writing). It was time to leave for about a year.
Ways to Avoid an Unnecessary Breakup
--Communicate your concerns. Don’t wait for both rest rooms and your seating area to become filthy candidates for the next episode of Gordon Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares. Don’t wait for the fifth time the owner moves you for another one of his tone deaf cousin’s impromptu folk singer sessions. Share your complaints and suggestions early so minor issues don’t become angry, insurmountable problems. If your concerns are dismissed or you’re ignored, that venue isn’t the only place in need of loyal customers.
--Actively support the host business. “Talk it up” with family. Promote it via email to friends. Become the business’ “friend” or “follower” on Facebook and Twitter. Recommend your hosts’ services (book sales or great food, for example) or qualities (friendly, great ambiance) so that great meeting spot for your writers’ group remains open and the owner knows you’re an asset for his store.
--When partnering with a retailer, save your purchase receipts. If it’s an issue of a new or veteran manager questioning your time slot due to sales, their concerns can be easily addressed with your group members’ sales receipts, a pile of evidence showing your financial support. But if you’re already disliking your experience for a number of other reasons (such as those listed above) or management starts asking “what’s the use of your writing group anyway,” this could be an excellent time to calmly end your partnership.
--When possible, partner with a local business over a corporate chain. For your writing group, there are two reasons for this, one selfish, one altruistic. The selfish reason—local stores are usually much more consistent in terms of management style. You know who you need to talk to, and usually they are at the counter. Corporate chains have a high turnover of store managers and community relations directors—people are regularly fired, promoted, and transferred. The altruistic motive—helping someone’s small business dream succeed, and the American Dream be something more than a writing topic at your next meeting.
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