Join the Tribe

We welcome prospective new members into the Grand River Writing Tribe.

Applicants should:

• Be working on at least one specific project. Doesn't matter if it's a novel or a poetry collection or a non-fiction white paper — what matters is that you are ready to supply material for critique every time you come up in rotation.
• Be focused on publication. Our writers are looking for agents or are interested in seriously self-publishing. Many of our programs and our philosophy for peer feedback are optimized for "writing to the market."
• Have a reasonably strong command of writing. Although grammatical slips and plotting holes are normal (that's why we're here!), we are not well-positioned to teach people English syntax or the basics of story construction.
• Be willing to commit to doing the work. In addition to attending sessions regularly and submitting critique-ready work on schedule, it takes most people between two and four hours of work before each meeting to prepare to engage meaningfully in the conversation.

To begin the process, send an email to hello (at) grwt (dot) org that tells us a bit about you. We're interested in your literary biography and your writing goals. We'd also like to see a writing sample of between 1,000 and 2,000 words.

It can take several weeks to vet the application email. If we think you might be a good fit, we'll invite you to audit one session, to see if you're a cultural fit for the group best aligned to your goals. If we find you to be a good fit, you'll be welcomed in with open arms.

Our primary method of communication between meetings tends to be a Discord server. Our most active groups prefer to meet in-person as of Summer 2024. In addition to those meetings, we hold an all-Tribe Christmas Party every December, and we occasionally hold special events like group hikes, group dinners, and even long-weekend writing retreats.

As of summer 2023, our groups have a specific look-and-feel:

• The OG Tribe. This is the "original Tribe" group, presently consisting of Jason, Andrew, Allison, and Michelle. And sometimes Mel. We meet every other Monday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the conference room at Jason's Books & Coffee in Wyoming, Michigan.
• The Noodles. The other in-person group meets roughly every-other Wednesday, usually near Rivertown Crossings Mall in Grandville, Mich., but sometimes virtually through Discord.
• The Virtuals. This group is on hiatus — the members met their big writing goals roughly simultaneously. New members are welcome. The group can be scheduled as the new membership allows. Meetings occur on Discord.