Writing.Com 101

Groups are a very innovative tool and can be used for many different situations and occasions. Here are a few creative ideas for using groups, but the possibilities are endless!

Invite Publishers directly to a Private viewing of your best items. For those of you who are working toward professional publication, create a Group specifically for you and your publishing contacts. Items that you feel are ready for publication can then be set to "Group Only" access. Invite your publishing contacts to this Private Group for exclusive viewing of your best work!

Organize a class with the group leader as the teacher and group members as the students. Teachers may set up Groups for each of the classes he or she teaches. Set up one group for Period One: English and another for Period Six: Writing 101. Teachers then enter the students into a Group using the Writing.Com username of each. With an access level of 4, students would receive any emails sent to the Group and have access to any Group Items. Perhaps you have a Teacher's Assistant for that class or Group, the teacher (group leader) may assign a higher access level to that person so he or she may send emails and create Group Items. Other benefits are listed in "For the Educators" .

Create a newsletter with subscribers. Groups make it very easy for you to start your own newsletter subscription. Once you have created your group and added your members, simply email them your newsletter each week or month!

Plan a event and add your guests to the Group. Do you have an event coming up that you are involved in? Create a group specifically for that event and use it to keep track of your schedule and members. Groups make it easy to keep in touch with everyone and keep the ball rolling while staying organized.

Form a club with members. Gather your friends and fellow authors in a club of your choice. Clubs may be composed of members with a common interest such as a favorite genre or topic, writing styles, or members of similar ages or goals. Be creative!

Bring your family and friends online. Create a group for those friends and family members who haven't yet visited Writing.Com. They'll feel at ease being in your group and you can show them the ropes! Post pictures from your latest high school reunion or Aunt Betty's favorite cookie recipe; they will love it!

Create your own bank. A Group is the only item type that allows Gift Points to be stored within it. You can create a Group item to use as a bank to house your own personal funds with you as the sole member, or you can create a Group item and set it up to use as a bank to house any donations from other members for your contest, auction or another group (if the group needs more than one GP account).1