HOWELL – Writing can often be a solitary pursuit, but for members of the Monmouth Writers Group, the process doesn’t have to be.
Each month, local writers gather at libraries in Howell and Manalapan to share their work, receive honest feedback and connect with others who understand the challenges – and rewards – of putting words on a page.
Led and moderated by Manalapan resident Jon Gibbs, the Monmouth Writers Group welcomes both budding and experienced authors. Members have the opportunity to have up to 1,500 words of their work read aloud and hear first-impression feedback and constructive criticism from fellow writers.
Gibbs said the group grew out of a desire to bring writers together and create a place where they could share their work and help one another improve.
“I used to be in a critique group in Manalapan around 2007-2008,” said Gibbs, who was a creative writing teacher at Georgian Court University. “It’s basically a continuation of that. I started attending children’s book writers’ conferences and different writing groups, so I stopped going. That’s where it started. In 2022, I started the group here and the next one in Manalapan.”
The goal, he explained, extends beyond simply critiquing someone’s writing. The group provides writers with an audience, a sounding board and a community of people who understand the often challenging process of writing.
“The goal of the group is to get people writing,” he said. “I’m a big fan of critique groups. I think they’re really helpful, and they’re helpful for me as well. I’ve learned more from hearing other people critique other peoples’ work than I ever had from my own, because the shields go up. Even though you can say, ‘I’m open,’ you have this subconscious urge to justify why you’ve done something that perhaps wasn’t the best thing to do. Whereas if someone else does it, you go, ‘of course that’s wrong.’”
A typical meeting gives members an opportunity to hear different types of writing and offer their perspectives. Writers bring up to 1,500 words of their work, which is read aloud before members provide feedback.
“We bring our writing piece, and somebody else reads it out loud,” said Gibbs. “The reason we do that is because then you get to hear what you wrote rather than what you think you wrote. It’s quite an eye-opener because when you’re reading it yourself, you know where you emphasize certain words, or an accent, or something you put in. Then we all, in a very nice way, tear it to pieces.”
For writers, hearing their work read aloud – or reading it themselves – can offer a different perspective than simply seeing the words on a screen or page. Feedback from other writers can reveal what is working, what may need clarification and how a piece is likely to be received by a reader.
The sense of community has kept longtime member Katie Stelmaszek, 45, of Englishtown, returning to the group.
“I’ve been a member of the group for years now,” she said. “I’m currently writing a bunch of things. I start something and then I get interested in something else, so I have like 15 short stories going at one time. The group has helped my writing in different ways. It helps me see things from a different perspective. It gives a you bit of a tough skin. You look at your writing in a different way. Largely, for me, it’s social. It’s being with people that share my interest. I’ve written more being in the group because you get excited about thinking, ‘what are they going to think?’ It keeps you writing.”
Sometimes, a single piece of feedback can make a significant difference in a writer’s work.
“When you write, you’re so close to the project that sometimes you don’t see where you’re not making sense, where you can broaden things, or where there’s room to go in a direction you haven’t considered. It really makes you a better writer,” said Stelmaszek.
For newer members, sharing writing for the first time can bring a different set of emotions. Sean Dudonis, 22, of Marlboro, recently joined the group and experienced that process firsthand.
“I’m fortunate because I’ve done a workshop before in college, so going in, I wasn’t all that nervous,” said Dudonis, a recent graduate of Montclair State University. “I was an English major with a concentration in creative writing, so I’m used to the critiquing process. But when I first handed stuff in for a workshop, I was very nervous. I was terrified.”
Once the writing is shared, however, the focus quickly turns toward the work itself and how it can be strengthened.
“I appreciate being able to hear other people’s feedback in the group,” he said. “It’s a new perspective that allows you to see something that you didn’t see before. The first thing I brought was a short story. It initially saw it as a one-off sort of a thing, and I got really good advice on how to turn it into a book.”
For Dudonis, the experience also provided an opportunity to determine whether the group could become part of his writing routine.
“I frequently attend,” he said. “When I started coming, there was really no stopping. When we meet, I’m there.”
The Monmouth Writers Group is open to writers at all experience levels. Members are asked to bring five to six copies of up to 1,500 words of their work, double spaced and printed on single-sided pages.
The group meets on the first Saturday of every month from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the Manalapan Library and on the second Saturday of every month from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the Howell Library.
For local writers, the meetings offer more than an opportunity to have their work critiqued. They provide a chance to sit down with people who understand the creative process, exchange ideas and continue working toward becoming better writers.
For more information or to inquire about joining, visit jongibbs.org or contact Gibbs at admin@jongibbs.org.
