Similarly, I would never feel comfortable suggesting edits on a piece far outside of my realm of experience — such as a screenplay. And I probably wouldn’t value the suggestions of a screenwriter to the same degree as those of someone who was doing what I was doing.

But elements such as story arc, dialogue, etc. are definitely transferable over different types of writing, if that’s the type of group you’re interested in putting together.

And just a note regarding the “who.” It can be a lot more helpful if your group is made up of people NOT doing the same kind of writing–it gives you a fresh perspective and your piece gets read by someone who is reading it both as a writer and as a reader who can point out to you what’s missing from the perspective of your audience (who’s probably not filled with other narrative journalists, or whatever the case may be). It can also help with pitching—writers in other genres than your own can suggest pubs your piece might be good fit for that you wouldn’t have thought of on your own (I recently suggested that my music writer friend in my group–who had only been pitching music mags and sites–pitch MC’s site, and she has two music Q&As up on the site now…and she’s going to cover SXSW for us!)

I think the “who” is the trickiest part, and it’s not something to rush into because you’re anxious to start a group. It also helps to have people who “get” you–you don’t want to share a piece about your sex life and have the rest of your group feel too shocked or horrified to give good feedback! A group of mismatched personality types and writing ability is a recipe for failure, and it’ll feel like a chore, not a joy, to participate.