Am I the Asshole For Ordering a Book at My Local Indie and Just… Not Picking It Up?

A writer joined a professional writing group after a phone call with the facilitator, who assured them of a good fit despite concerns about their limited experience.

The group’s description mentioned using writing prompts for in-group sharing, which the writer understood as a free-writing exercise.

After the first meeting, the facilitator emailed the writer, stating they were not welcome to return because their writing was deemed raw and unprofessional.

The writer was told the first session was a trial and would not be charged.

The writer feels rejected and wonders if they were misled, as they only discovered the group’s expectations after attending.

The facilitator’s role involved organizing the group and communicating expectations, while the writer’s role was as a participant sharing their work.