Writing groups have the potential to be positive academic communities, but often become problematic spaces where students go to get their writing "fixed." In this article, the authors draw on literature from peer response groups as well as social justice pedagogies to explore how teachers might develop these groups as spaces for student agency and belonging. The qualitative inquiry examined the perceptions of one classroom of middle school students when the teacher shifted the focus of peer response groups from editing and correction to support for the members. Students viewed the re-created writing clubs as a humanizing space, where they felt safety and belongingness and maintained agency around their work. Questions remain around how to preserve these key elements while also supporting the growth of knowledge and skill for writing development.