[defrost]

Back in the day it cost a round of drinks at the pub to be read and questioned about your work in progress:

  Until late 1949, Inklings readings and discussions were usually held on Thursday evenings in C. S. Lewis's rooms at Magdalen. The Inklings and friends also gathered informally on Tuesdays at midday at a local public house, The Eagle and Child, familiarly and alliteratively known in the Oxford community as The Bird and Baby, or simply The Bird.

~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inklings

[throwanem]

And admission to an Oxford college, of course.

[defrost]

For that group of Inklings, sure.

University was free for, say, the likes of Greg Egan and others to study physics and math, with a nominal student union fee to be able to join / form clubs and apply for a base beer, wine, and cheese fund to lubricate weekly discussion.

[voidhorse]

There are plenty of writing groups in existence today that do precisely this, no degree required.