Writing groups are a really good way to get yourself out there. Writing can be a seriously lonely business - don't let it be. It's important to meet other writers, partly because it will improve your writing no-end, partly because it will give you people to bounce ideas around with, and partly because it will protect your sanity.
You should be able to find a writing group near you easily. Most groups are open to both new and established writers, although occasionally groups will only accept published authors. It's worth hunting round for the best group for you - groups vary widely in what the do and how they go about it.
Groups generally come in three kinds. The first is the read-aloud group - people take along their work and read from it (or nominate somebody else to read for them - an interesting experience) - generally somewhere around 1,000 words. Everybody else will then comment on/discuss the work. This is a great group to start with - it will up your confidence - reading your own work aloud is a terrifying experience the first few times, but it's something that it is well worth getting used to - as well as help you tune your ear to the rhythms and structures of other people's writing, which in turn will help you to improve yours. Of course, it's helpful to let people know what aspect of your work you're looking for feedback on - otherwise things can end up a little chaotic.
The second kind of group involves submitting your work ahead of meeting (usually around a week in advance). That way, when you get together, everybody has already had time to formulate their thoughts and come up with some useful critique. Again, it's useful to let people know what you're looking for feedback on - characters? structure? writing style? plot? - before you get together. This can be a really useful process, and it's a case of the better the group, the better the feedback. By 'better the group', I simply mean that you need to make sure you find the right group for you - whether that means complete beginners or long-published authors.
The third is the virtually invisible kind - the E-Crtitique group. There are plenty of these online (you can usually find something through any writing society, whether from their website or by getting in touch with someone and asking). These can also be useful, but again it's all about finding the right group of people. Each group will have its own rules, usually something like each person posting once a month and commenting on anything else/a certain number of other pieces of work. Things to watch out for here - sometimes not everyone is fully committed, and you might find that whilst you spend time reading, analysing and critiquing somebody else's work, they don't necessarily repay the favour. It's also difficult to know which advice to accept and which to leave, because generally speaking, you don't have enough of an idea of the person behind the comments to see where they're coming from.
Of course, there are variations on each of these groups. Some offer straight-forward critique (people share work, offer feedback and discussion), other are more a writing group than a critique group - the group takes part in exercises and challenges, often along different themes or experimenting with different genres, and others still offer some combination of the two.
Our advice would be to know what you are looking for - try a couple and see what fits. Check local newspapers, Facebook, online - you can also ask at your local library or independent bookshop, who usually know who to contact. And if you can't find the right one - start one of your own - that's how any writing group gets going, after all. Ask your library or bookshop to help you - they can usually offer advice, and they often know of other people who are looking for a writing group. They can also send new members your way once your group is up and running. All you need is somewhere to meet, a group of willing people and a few rules.
Good luck!
