Manage Your Group

Organizer Resources · Running Your Group

Everything you need to run your group day-to-day lives in the Manage menu on your group's page. This guide walks through each tool: editing, announcements, attendance, special events, co-organizers, photos, and pausing.

The Manage Menu

Open your group's page (from your Writing Hub or anywhere your group is listed) and click Manage. As an organizer you'll see:

• Manage Notifications — control what this group notifies you about, including Auto-Commit (shown when you're a member of the group).
• Edit This Session — change a single upcoming session.
• Edit Entire Group (All Sessions) — change your recurring series.
• Pause Group (or Manage Pause if one is active) — take a break without dismantling anything.
• Create Special Event (in-person) / Create One-Off Session (online) — add a session outside your regular schedule.
• Download Table Tent (in-person groups) — a print-ready sign personalized to your group.
• Subscribe to Group Calendar — add all sessions to your personal calendar app.
• Share Group Link — copy a link to your group for messages, social posts, or email.

Editing: One Session vs. the Whole Group

• Edit Entire Group for permanent changes: a new regular time, a new venue or meeting link, an updated description or cover photo, RSVP settings, or organizer changes. These apply to all future sessions; past sessions stay as they were.
• Edit This Session for one-time changes: your café is closed this week, you're starting 30 minutes early for a special occasion, or you're running a 3-hour marathon for NaNoWriMo. Navigate to the specific session first, then edit — only that session changes.

The editing form has the same Description, Location (or Video Conferencing), and Schedule sections as creation, pre-filled with your current settings. When you change the date, time, timezone, or frequency of the whole group, you'll pick a First Session with Changes — the first upcoming session that should use the new schedule. Changing only the duration is simpler and doesn't remap future sessions the same way. To cancel a single session instead of editing it, open that session's edit screen and use Cancel Session; members are notified.

Announcements

The Announcements tab on your group's page lets you post messages that appear as banners and notify members — perfect for venue changes, holiday skips, or a special welcome. Click Create Announcement and choose who it's for with the Notify setting:

• All members: the announcement appears on your main group page and is visible to everyone.
• Committed to a session: the announcement appears only on the selected session's page, visible only to people committed to that session — ideal for "running 15 minutes late" or session-specific details.

Set Show on series page until to control how long the banner stays up. From the announcements list you can Edit an active announcement (title, message, or end date) and Save changes — editing updates the banner without re-notifying members — or End Early to take it down. Titles are optional; keep messages focused — one announcement per topic lands better than a long catch-all. Members are notified when you first publish, based on their own notification preferences, so announcements reach people without you managing a mailing list.

Attendance

Each session has an attendance screen where you can see who's coming and who showed up, organized in four tabs: Going, Checked In, Awaiting Check-in, and All Members. What you see adapts to your RSVP mode — with a limit set you'll see counts like "Going 8 of 10," and when RSVPs close or the session fills, the screen says so. You can also message members directly from the attendance panel — handy for a quick "we're in the back room today."

Special Events

One-off sessions are perfect for holiday writing marathons, NaNoWriMo kickoffs, poetry readings, or a trial run at a new venue. From the Manage menu, choose Create Special Event / Create One-Off Session. The form is the same as group creation minus the frequency choice — one date, one time, and its own title, description, duration, and photo. Special events appear alongside regular sessions on your group's calendar, clearly marked.

Co-Organizers

Sharing the load keeps groups alive — organizers with a backup never have to cancel. In the schedule editor (via Edit Entire Group), use Add Co-organizer to search for a member by name. You can add or remove co-organizers and reorder how organizers are listed on your group page. Co-organizers get the same management tools you have. They'll need to have completed organizer onboarding first — if you can't find someone's profile, contact us.

Photos & Gallery

Your cover photo shows in search results and atop your group page; update it anytime via Edit Entire Group. The View Gallery button on your group page opens your group's photo gallery — upload shots from sessions and celebrate milestones. Galleries help potential members see what your group is really like.

Table Tents (In-Person Groups)

Download Table Tent in the Manage menu generates a print-ready PDF personalized to your group, including a QR code that links straight to your group page — newcomers can scan it and join on the spot. Print it, fold it, and place it on your table so writers can find you in a busy café or library.

Keeping Your Meeting Link Current (Online Groups)

If your video platform link changes, update it right away via Edit Entire Group (or Edit This Session for a one-time room change). Members see the link when they commit to a session, so a stale link is the most common cause of "I couldn't get in" messages.

Taking a Break: Pause Your Group

Organizers are volunteers — jobs change, semesters get busy, and sometimes you just need to recharge. For vacations and temporary breaks, use Pause Group instead of deleting anything. Pick a pause start and end date and an optional reason — upcoming sessions during the pause are handled automatically, members can see the group is paused rather than gone, and everything resumes on schedule when the pause ends. While a pause is active the menu shows Manage Pause, where you can adjust the dates or end the break early.

• Better yet — hand the timer to a co-organizer. If you have one, sessions can simply continue without you. For online groups, make sure they can start the meeting without you.
• Tell your group. Post an Announcement before you pause: "We're taking a break during August and will be back September 4th." If you're unsure how long, say so — and update people when you know more.
• Point members elsewhere meanwhile. Suggest nearby groups or online sessions so your regulars keep their writing habit — most will come right back when you return.

Stepping Down: Hand Off Your Group

If you can't continue — you're moving, retiring from hosting, or life is taking you elsewhere — the ideal outcome is handing your group to someone else. There's no guilt in stepping back; any amount of time you've given has made a real difference to your fellow writers. If you only need a temporary break, use Pause Group instead (see above).

• Find a successor if you can. A reliable, enthusiastic regular is the smoothest path. If they're interested, have them submit an organizer application and we'll expedite the review. Run a session or two together as co-organizers, introduce them to the group, and pass along the tribal knowledge: venue quirks, what promotion worked, who the regulars are.
• Step Away as Organizer. On Edit Entire Group, open Group Actions and choose Step Away as Organizer. If you just need a break, pick Pause Instead. When you're ready to leave for good, choose I'm Ready to Step Away, share a brief reason, and confirm. We'll notify your members and look for a new organizer; if no one steps up in 60 days, the group will close. The group's page shows that it's seeking a new organizer so interested writers can apply.
• If you have co-organizers. You'll need to remove the other organizers first before starting a full group transition, or you can Remove Myself and leave the group in their hands.
• Say farewell. An Announcement works well. If someone is taking over, reassure everyone the group continues in good hands. If the group may close, thank people and encourage them to join other SUAW sessions. You're also welcome to tell the Community Team — we're happy to help with the handoff.

Your Notifications & Auto-Commit

Manage Notifications (also available in your Settings) controls what your group notifies you about — commitments, discussions, announcements, and reminders. Organizers also get Auto-Commit: turn it on and you're automatically committed to your group's sessions when each RSVP window opens, so your name is always on the list without lifting a finger.

Next Steps

• Host a Session — the run-of-show for a great session
• Promote & Grow Your Group — fill those seats
• When Things Go Wrong — fixes for common hiccups