Writers in my Village

I have started a new writing group in my village, ‘Wereham Writers’. This group is for anyone who lives in Wereham or the surrounding villages, so it is at present a secular group. 

This isn’t the first group I’ve started - I set up Brecks, Fens and Pens as an Association of Christian Writers group and it is still thriving, although I haven’t led it for the past 10 years or so. When I became Chair of ACW, I had enough to think about, so passed it on. However, I am still a member of the group.

Wereham Writers emerged from chatting to people when I was selling my books at local craft fairs or exhibitions. I felt strongly that I should collect names of those interested in a writing group or a retreat. When the same people kept asking me when it was going to happen, I finally contacted all who had expressed an interest and fixed a date in July to talk about it in my own home. Only two ladies arrived, but we made some rules (eg no erotica or other writings that would make group members uncomfortable to be read in the sessions). We made decisions such as where to meet - the village hall -  and how to pay for it. There was some discussion about how often we’d meet - I favoured alternate months, the ladies wanted it weekly. We compromised at once a month and agreed on some writing to do for the next session. I agreed to lead, for the time being.

In September we met again with a new interested lady in the coffee area of the village hall. A noisy Zumba session was in progress in the adjoining hall but we could hear each other speak, just about. That is until the class finished when the room became overcrowded with extremely noisy (and slightly sweaty) Zumbabelles chatting loudly over each other. We were graciously offered the quiet meeting room. In that sanctuary the three of us from the first meeting read our prepared pieces on hopes and dreams, we all talked about writing and the group, then agreed a subject to write about for next time.

About a week later, I ran a stall at the Art and Craft Exhibition at a village a few miles away. I took posters about Wereham Writers and a few people took flyers and expressed an interest. My opening Line for attracting readers to my stall is usually ‘Do you like reading?’ But soon became ‘Do you like writing or would you love to write?’

Word spread and there were eight of us who turned up at the October meeting, even though one of the original ladies let us know she was unwell, and a new contact said she’d like to join the group but couldn’t manage the October date. I was very glad I’d brought some sticky labels for name badges!

The three of us who were at the September chat shared our writings on the subject ‘Tangled’. We all talked about the very different pieces, then all eight of us wrote in response to a prompt, with six reading out their efforts. No pressure was put on anyone to read. Somewhere along the way we talked about the shape of a piece and story arcs and whether it’s a poem if it doesn’t rhyme. 

At present we are ranging in experience from ‘no writing knowledge at all’ to ‘nine published books’ and in age from mid-twenties to mid eighties. We have a poet who has two poet-in-residence roles, hopeful memoir writers, novelists, two who don't yet know what they want to write, one who is getting back to writing and a lady we haven’t yet met.

It’s a pleasure to get to know these ladies and to write with them. I don’t hide that I am a Christian, they accept me and I accept them where they are. I miss the spiritual side of an ACW meeting but have so far resisted opening in prayer!

It will be great to meet next week and see if anyone has tackled the optional task. I suggested they imagine being one side of a valley and looking through a window at the other side which is thickly covered in trees and nothing else. They are not to use the word ‘green’.

Must remember to take plenty of sticky labels just in case we double in number again!

Annie Try writes thought-provoking novels and is published by Instant Apostle and Kevin Mayhew Publisher. She enjoys teaching creative writing and speaking to groups.