As our title suggests, we are a group of writers local to King's Lynn (and yes, we do usually sit in a circle, at least at our meetings).
If you can get to our meetings, that's local enough for us.
As far as we are concerned, someone who writes, whether novels, short stories, poetry, plays, sketches, screenplays, biography or journalism; whether amateur or professional; published or (as yet) unpublished.
We meet once a month to help each other out with our writing.
Mainly by providing an opportunity for us to present our work to each other, for appreciation and comment. This is usually done by reading it out loud, but can be by distributing copies, or both.
Ideally yes, but illness, family and work commitments, holidays etc. affect writers just as they do everyone else.
Again, ideally, yes. It would be an odd sort of writers' group if most members weren't doing much in the way of writing. However, it is accepted that we all go through fallow periods when not much is happening, might suffer the dreaded writer's block or get blown off course by various hazards. That said, we find that some members contribute regularly and others more occasionally. To contribute nothing over a very long period could raise the question as to whether you were in the wrong group.
We'd like to see/hear something you've written as soon as possible ie during your first 2 visits. During that time you would also have had a chance to have a good look at us and at some of our work. If you decide that you can put up with us and would like to continue, then you could apply to join.
We are not a creative writing class, or any sort of class for that matter. There is no tutor giving lessons or advice, or setting homework. People in the group are basically self-motivated, know what they want to do and are busy doing it, but welcome the opportunity to meet, on equal terms, others toiling in the same vineyard. Similarly, we are not a literary group meeting to discuss the work of established authors. Occasionally we invite a visiting speaker, and very occasionally we hold a workshop, but the major emphasis is upon the work being produced by the members themselves.
This varies. The author might invite comment on some specific aspect of what they have just read, eg how it began, or how it ended; the plot; the characters; the rhyming scheme (or lack of one). If it was an excerpt from a longish work as yet unfinished, there could be discussion as to 'what happens next'. The aim is to be helpful, supportive, encouraging and appreciative, in other words to provide a check-up rather than a post-mortem. Comments and discussion sometimes have to be fairly brief to ensure that all those wishing to do so get a fair chance to present their work.
At each meeting there is a brief period for business eg arrangements for future meetings or events, announcements of various kinds, correspondence, details of writing competitions etc., and we have a short break for tea/coffee, socialising and chat (which some members continue after the meeting at a local pub). The great bulk of the time however is spent either reading out your own work, or listening to other members' work, or commenting and discussing as above. Where the work in question is a sketch or short play, other members will usually help out by taking parts. We try to be business-like without being bureaucratic. We don't have written agendas, or keep minutes (except for AGMs), but we do have an appointed chair to keep us in order and keep things moving, a secretary to deal with correspondence, a treasurer to keep an eye on our pitiably small budget and small committees, convened as necessary, to deal with any urgent matters that might arise between our regular meetings. We have a constitution and, included in one of our meetings per year, we have an AGM to report upon the past twelve months and to plan the year ahead.
This varies according to the interests of the current membership and the opportunities which come our way, but, over the last few years, other activities have included:-
giving readings of our own work, and including some guest-writers also, on four Sunday lunch-times at the West Acre Theatre;
giving an evening session of readings in Thoresby College Hall as part of the King's Lynn summer festival;
organising a National writing competition (for poetry and short stories) with the winning entries being read out during the above K.L. Festival event;
we made an approach to local drama groups which lead to 2 of these giving readings of some one-act plays written by our group members;
several of our members have co-operated with a local amateur film-making group in making and showing a short film;
from time to time we have published a pamphlet of writings by members and, in 2004, a 212pp paperback anthology;
we have been interviewed and read samples of our work on local radio;
we have visited other writing groups (in Norwich and Hunstanton);
we have this website www.lynnwriters.org.uk
members are free to suggest additional meetings, so long as they can arrange a venue;
we have a wide range of interests and experience. Opportunities for hearing about these, and telling us more about yourself, will come during the coffee-break and later in the pub.
Membership is £12 for a full year.
At Friends' Meeting House, 38, Bridge Street, King's Lynn at 7.30pm on the second Thursday of each month.
Phone 01485 520572
or
or turn up at one of our meetings.