Writing Groups | AATF2026

Sometimes in writers' rooms, other times on sound stages, now and then in the office of a studio, Jonathan took part in the enduring tradition for all writers - usually helpful, sometimes fun, but always dreaded - sharing your work and getting notes. For the past decade, hosting writers' groups, Jonathan makes sure to be guided by what he learned from those experiences.

And so, whether you're reading a memoir piece, a feature screenplay, or content that’s going vertical, a fifth draft, or notes scribbled on the back of an envelope while waiting at a TSA checkpoint, his goal is the same: to make sure you receive substantive, supportive feedback, not one-size-fits-all encouragement. And instead of cookie-cutter pitches – "go bigger" or "raise the stakes” – smart pitches tailored to your work and your unique writing mojo.

Hosting on Zoom has also taught Jonathan what helps make an online group feel like a real community. Small choices, like turning off the chat, make a difference. Discussions of writer maladies such as procrastination are strongly encouraged. So is laughter, though it rarely needs encouragement. And weekly deadlines provide valuable accountability; some members joined for that reason alone.

Add it all up, and what you've got is a group of likable, like-minded folks pulling together to achieve what otherwise would be unlikely: To paraphrase Dorothy Parker – each week, getting from 😞 to 😎, because you got your writing written!