SOUTH NEW BERLIN – A guild of area writers who recently organized a new online group called “Chenango County Writers” have made good on their intentions of turning a social media-conceived activity into a face-to-face workshop for writers.

“I started Chenango County Writers to meet new people who share my love of creative writing,” said Megan Martinez.

According to Martinez, the formation of a “support group” works twofold, the obvious being a collaboration of creativity. But more importantly, she said it encourages camaraderie in a craft that can be inherently isolating.

Said Martinez, “Writing can be a very lonely activity, and I knew that I couldn’t be the only [writer] in the area who felt that way.”

Martinez maintains that one of the greatest benefits of hosting the group is that it allows her and her fellow writers to have a place where creative and motivational support, inspiration, and other useful information can be found outside of Google, Facebook and other online resources.

“Our discussions include everything from novels, short stories, and how poetry can develop into music,” said Martinez.

Currently, the group consists of four core members that meet every other week; but hopes are that by reaching out, the group can evolve into something much bigger.

Martinez said that the beauty in reaching out to others who have a knack for writing is that each member brings a different perspective and a variety of skill level to the table, keeping members motivated. And, the face-to-face format makes interacting feel more organic and real – something online social media can’t offer.

“While the group was only established about two months ago, I personally have already gained a lot from the experience,” said Martinez. “I’m more excited and driven to keep writing than I had been due to the fact I now have this support. Knowing that every two weeks I'll be sharing another part of my novel has pushed me to spend at least thirty minutes a day on it.”

But just as that sense of accountability is ever present, Martinez said that constant feedback from others who are at different points on the arch of writing expertise equates to a type of education as well.