Leeds Writers Circle

Welcome to the leeds writers’ circle.

Whatever you write, whether fiction, n on-fiction, horror, romance, children’s fiction, humour, thrillers, or poetry –  or if you just enjoy listening to other people read their work – everyone is welcome.

Where we meet: The Carriageworks, Millennium Square, Leeds

When we meet: 7.30 – 9.30 pm, alternate Mondays

Every two weeks we have a manuscript evening (check our  programme page for exact dates), where members are invited to read their work to the group and receive constructive feedback from fellow attendees. Guests are always welcome. These manuscript evenings sit at the heart of the Circle and you can learn more about the format here .

We also hold other Monday evening events for members only. Again, check the programme and activities pages for more information.

We try to hold occasional members-only workshops on Saturdays, run both by professional writers and by our own members. We also aim to hold three members-only competitions a year, with an external judge.

We also have special groups who meet on a regular basis outside of the regular manuscript evenings.

 See our  Groups and FAQs  pages for details.

If you are interested in joining us, the best thing is simply to come along to a manuscript evening. Again, please first take a look at our information page for visitors and new members here . You can see for yourself how the Circle works and there is no obligation to join formally before you are sure it’s right for you. Annual subs currently stand at £15 with a £3 fee collected on manuscript evenings (members only) to cover the cost of the room we use. It would be lovely to see you.

A bit more about us as people can be found in our committee member profiles , and you can get a flavour of the variety of our work here , performed as part of the Ilkley Literature Festival Fringe in 2019.

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How to Get Published: Writing groups in the North

If your new year's resolution is to finally finish your debut novel, publish your work or simply get feedback from others, these writing groups will help you on the way.

The start of a new year always ushers in a series of well-trodden clichés about getting that long-desired six pack, ending the cycle of awkward dates, or finally becoming the green smoothie-drinking, yoga mat-carrying superfood fan that you’re destined to be. For writers, the beginning of 2017 offers the chance to finally finish that dusty novel, receive feedback on a manuscript or begin the process of trying to get a literary agent.

The publishing market is a daunting place for those with little experience of the maze of agents, presses, submissions and rejection letters, especially in a climate where the space for new voices is incredibly narrow, with presses focusing on big names to bring in revenue.

To make navigating this daunting experience a tad easier, we’ve compiled some platforms across the North that are helping to foster a writerly community and assisting writers in publishing and editing their work.

Based in Manchester, Commonword provide workshops and events designed to improve writers’ confidence and experience. If you want to hear from some of the most renowned publishers and experts in the field, or listen to some skilful spoken-worders, head to one of their events. Commonword also have a strand of programmes called Cultureword, which is a hub of Black creative writing, helping to promote African Caribbean and Asian writing in the North. 

Orton is the new kid on the block, offering a digital platform to writers. The site allows other writers to annotate work, suggest editors and publish work through Orton and their partners. The project was founded by Beth Cleavy, a writer disheartened by the tangles of the writing industry, seeking to give writers some control, agency and a community of their own.

New Writing North

The New Writing North organisation has been around for 20 years and their work ranges from producing Durham Book Festival to setting up reading groups and hosting the Northern Writers’ Awards, helping to publicise new writing. In the past they’ve worked with writers like Portico-prize winner Benjamin Myers  and Carolyn Jess-Cooke. They can help you adapt your writing to different mediums and audiences, write a blurb and craft an author biography.

Leeds Writers Circle

Literary advice from Leeds Writers Circle comes in the form of fellow wordsmiths, who are happy to look at any writing, whether it’s in the beginning or latter stages. So, if you have a bit of dialogue that you think could become a short story, why not check out one of their get-togethers? As well as giving constructive feedback, the group also offers the chance to meet fellow scribblers who think a little too much about stanzas and character too.

The Writing Squad

A programme for young writers between the age of 16 and 21 who are living, working or studying in the North of England, The Writing Squad offers one-day workshops led by tutors in cities like Sheffield and Newcastle to nurture flourishing writers at the beginning of their careers. Keep an eye on their website to see what they’re up to this year.

The Poised Pen

Liverpool writing group The Poised Pen meet regularly at Hardman Street’s Fly In The Loaf . The group’s founding members met on a creative writing course and have continued meeting since 2009. They occasionally run poetry and flash fiction competitions too, which are a good chance to combine a round of drinks with some snappy poetry. Find them on Twitter at  @ThePoisedPen .

writers groups leeds

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For Members only , sign up for your e-newsletter for all the latest  information on competitions & events. Go to the  Membership page here. Not a member? Join us and get the free e-news!

National Association of Writers and Groups,

Old Vicarage, Scammonden, Huddersfield,

 UNITED KINGDOM   

writers groups leeds

Leeds Writers and Poets

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Critique Sessions

Critique sessions are the heart of our group. We meet twice a month to read each other's work and provide feedback.

The first meeting is always on the 2nd Tuesday  of the month takes place at Heart in Headingly. The second meeting takes place on Zoom on the 4th Tuesday of the month.

You can arrange to attend by emailing us at [email protected] .

We follow the Milford method of critique, which means we all read the submitted work in advance. At the session, we take turns and have a set time to offer our thoughts on the work. While receiving feedback, the author is not permitted to speak, because the feedback should be based on the writing alone. Once all the feedback has been completed, the author is then allowed to respond and answer any questions. We find this method is very effective for ensuring critique is effective and efficient.

Don't worry if you're not sure how to give feedback - that's something you can learn with us.

We enjoy meeting up for more informal gatherings, where we eat, drink and talk about writing and other subjects.

The two major events in our calendar are our Summer Party and our Christmas Party.

As well as that, we sometimes organise 'write-ins' at the local library. This means that we arrange a time and place, then arrive and sit down and write. When we've run out of time, we get up and go home (or to the pub). There may be a little chatting, but generally the idea is to... write.

Likewise, if there are local events such as literary festivals, open mic poetry etc, some of us will arrange to attend together.

Workshops and Writing Sessions

We occassionally run workshops and writing sessions.

These are run by our members, and workshops in the past have covered topics such as: how to get your short stories published, The Hero's Journey, techniques for writing poetry, and more.

Writing sessions usually involve one or more members bringing along some writing prompts and then setting 20 minute timers for people to write. Those who wish to, then share what they've written.

Competition

Once per year we organise a short story competition, which is open to members only. All members are invited to enter a short story or poem, and then all other members vote blind (they don't know who has written what) for their 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. The winners are announced at the Christmas Party and presented with certificates and trophies.

Most years, we publish a printed anthology of selected works by members. This includes poetry, short stories and extracts from longer works. All contributors receive two complementary printed copies, and can buy extra copies for friends and family.

We always enter the anthology into the National Association of Writers Groups' competition, and we usually come second or third. Perhaps this will be our year to win...

Please see message from Anthology Secretary Richard regarding the Anthology 2022:

We are a member of the National Association of Writers Groups and one benefit of that is that we are able to enter their competitions. Each year we put together an anthology, and it's now time to do that again. If you are an LWAP member and would like to contribute you can send your piece to [email protected] . These will be made up into an always excellently put together book and everyone who participates will get a copy.

The most significant thing to be aware of if is that anything submitted must not have been published elsewhere, I would also suggest that if you are using an extract from something longer (eg a novel chapter) then it should be understandable as a standalone piece of writing. Otherwise there are not restrictions on form or word count, though for our purposes anything significantly longer than the other pieces would unbalance things, so something around the critique sessions 2000 word guideline is ideal.

There are also various individual categories that LWAP members are eligible to enter. Follow the link for the complete list ( https://www.nawg.co.uk/members-competitions ), it includes sci-fi, comedy, romance, open poetry, and participants can enter as many of these individual categories as they like. There are restrictions on word count (mostly 1500 words) and formatting (mostly double spaced) but nothing too onerous. Again, send any entries to [email protected] .

The deadline for the competition is March 31st, but to allow time to put the book together we will need anthology submissions by the end of February. Entries for the individual categories can be sent to me up to March 30th. 

Any questions do ask.

Developing Skills and Talent in the Creative Industries

Here you can find help and advice on writing. This comprehensive guide includes a list of links related to: careers, communities, courses and developing skills.

Visit Studio12’s Opportunities Guide for current writing events, funding, jobs & opportunities

Please note: Our site contains links to and from other websites. Studio12 and Leeds City Council do not necessarily endorse or support the organisations that are linked to or from our website. We cannot guarantee that links will work all of the time, and we have no control over the content or availability of the linked pages on other websites. We aim to keep this page as up to date as possible, however please check details yourself before applying for opportunities, some of which may be paused or cancelled due to the pandemic. If you’re a Studio12 member and need some help or advice in submitting an application for any opportunities or funding, please get in touch: [email protected]

Careers Guidance  

BBC Writers Room: You could work in film, TV or radio as a scriptwriter. The BBC Writers Room discovers, develops and champions new and experienced writing talent across the whole of the UK. There are scripts to read, interviews with authors, and opportunities.  Visit the BBC’s Writers Room website writing industry guidance and opportunities.

ScreenSkills: Visit the ScreenSkills website to view the Games Writer job profile. Visit the ScreenSkills website to view the Screenwriter job profile. Visit the ScreenSkills website to view the Script Supervisor job profile.

Writer’s Community – Comedy

Bang2Write: Run by Lucy V Hay, it’s a free writing and networking tips blog for screenwriters, novelists and freelance writers. Bang2write focuses on genre, submissions, characterisations, social media and the general mistakes writers make. We aim to ensure writers have the tools to make informed decisions about their work and how they present it and themselves to the industry. Renowned for its sweary ‘smack talk’, Bang2write was picked as 1 of the top 100 websites for writers by The Write Life in 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020. It has also been a finalist in the UK Blog Awards. It is in Feedspot’s top 10 screenwriting blogs, number 1 in the UK. All writing is covered including for novels and film so this focus isn’t strictly comedy, however it’s a great place to go for posts on tones, tropes, genre and knowing the marketplace. Visit Bang2write to access free writing resources. 

BBC Comedy Association: From 2021, Comedy writer and writer/performer development is now part of the new BBC Comedy Association (formerly known as the BBC Comedy Room), which brings together all comedy outreach that is happening across the BBC under one strategy. This includes the Caroline Aherne Bursary, the Felix Dexter Bursary and the Galton & Simpson Bursary. We will no longer open a window specifically for Comedy script submissions or run further Comedy Room writer development groups via BBC Writersroom. To find out more about the Comedy Association visit the BBC website.

BBC Radio 4 Extra – Newsjack: A magazine style sketch show that comically scrutinises the latest news, views and issues of the day. Possibly the only comedy show that is truly ‘open door’ – anyone can submit material and it gets airplay you’ll get paid for it. Most people   working in radio comedy have taken this route and once you’re known for having developed your writing skills you may be asked to work on more established shows such as The News Quiz, The Now Show and The Mash Report. However there’s no simple path from this to scripted narrative, so if your dream is to write a TV series and you’re less interested in writing gags then it would be best to focus on writing a brilliant 30 page spec as opposed to starting down this path. Visit the BBC Newsjack website to submit your sketch.

Comedy 50/50: The scheme was set up by Saskia Schuster (an ITV Comedy Commissioning Editor) to address the imbalance in comedy. 50:50 wants to see women represented on screen, in television and theatre in equal numbers to men. Currently women are systemically under represented. This does not accurately represent our society. It distorts our view of the real world. Equal representation for Actresses, for Audiences, for All. Equal means 50:50. Visit Comedy 50:50 and sign up to their mailing list to get access to networking events if you are a woman (or identify as one). You can also follow them on Twitter.

Comedy Crowd: A network of comedy creators spanning writers, performers, directors and producers. Visit the Comedy Crowd website for networking and collaboration opportunities.

Rule of Three Podcast: Joel Morris & Jason Hazeley are among Britain’s busiest comedy writers. They have worked with Charlie Brooker, Mitchell & Webb, and just about everybody else, winning a BAFTA for the howl of pain that was 2016 Wipe and a Broadcast Award for A Touch of Cloth. Visit the Rule of Three podcast website to hear them talk to people who make comedy about the comedy that they love. 

Sitcom Geek: BBC Sitcom writer James Cary is all about helping you write better sitcom scripts. James is a very experienced sitcom writer having worked on Miranda, Bluestone 42 and Citizen Khan. He is an expert on structure and how to introduce your characters. Visit the Sitcom Geek website for industry guidance, including blogs with useful tips. 

Triforce Network: Identifying issues in the entertainment industry regarding diversity, access and “knowing the right people”, TriForce was built and grown on a strong ethos of inclusivity not exclusivity, to open the doors to the industry to people from all walks of life. They also run a Monologue Slam and Writer Slam. Visit the Triforce Network website for industry guidance for actors and writers. 

UK Scriptwriters Podcast: We talk about the UK scriptwriting scene – film, TV and new media. It’s a great resource for screenwriting in general as they discuss the UK industry, what’s happening, what’s being made and chat with people who get their writing on screen. Visit the UK Scriptwriters Podcast to hear more about the UK scriptwriting scene.

Writers Guild of Great Britain: A trade union representing professional writers in TV, film, theatre, radio, books, comedy, poetry, animation and video games. Our members also include emerging and aspiring writers – benefits for members include free screenings, workshops and courses. If you don’t have an agent yet they’ll give you advice regarding contracts and how much you should be getting paid – they establish the baseline rate that all writers should get for TV, radio, film and theatre. Visit the Writers Guild of Great Britain for industry guidance.

Writer’s Community – Poetry / Spoken Word

For further ideas of where to submit your poetry scroll down to Publishers / Submission Opportunities

Apples and Snakes: We are spoken word trailblazers, with artists at our heart. By bringing together important voices in interesting ways, we create inspiring experiences for audiences. We champion the development of extraordinary artists. As England’s leading spoken word poetry organisation, we exist to support poets at all stages of their careers. Working with inspiring people and organisations, we run regular live events and artist development programmes across the country. Through our Book a Poet scheme, we can help you find the best visiting artists for your workshops and events. We produce work in collaboration with other charities and organisations, including libraries, prisons, and housing associations.  Visit Apple and Snake’s website to find out about their projects, events, how to get involved in the community, and sign up to the monthly newsletter.   You can also follow Apple and Snakes on Facebook.  You can also watch spoken word performances and online gigs via YouTube.

Creative Writing Ink: The website is run by Olive O’Brien, a writer and publisher. Olive has a Masters in Journalism and previously worked as a features writer and news reporter. She has had three children’s books published and is the director of the independent book publishing company, Silver Angel Publishing. She also runs another online writing community.  Visit Creative Writing Ink’s website to find out about writing competitions.

End of the World Podcast: Our history is informed by the remains of fallen civilisations: their bones, buildings and stories. In a world that seems on the brink of catastrophe, we want to know what stories we’ll leave behind for future generations. Bedtime Stories for the End of the World asks some of the UK’s top poets to re-imagine their favourite myths, fairytales and legends. The stories they want to seal up and protect against rising waters, from nuclear disaster, and from the mundane tragedy of human forgetfulness. What kind of stories do we want to leave the future? How might they differ from the stories we’ve inherited? Our first two series have included new poems from writers including: Jay Bernard, Malika Booker, Inua Ellams, Andrew McMillan, Sabrina Mahfouz, Kei Miller and Joelle Taylor.  Visit End of the World Podcast’s website to listen to episodes and individual poems, or to enquire about showcasing your poetry.

Hyde Park Book Club: Based in Hyde Park, Leeds. This bar serves drinks and meals in addition to running music, comedy and other live events. They have run many spoken word events in the past.  Visit Hyde Park Book Club’s website to check their current events.

Leeds Writers Circle: A group of members that meet alternate Mondays at The Carriageworks in Millennium Square, Leeds. Every two weeks they have a manuscript evening where members are invited to read their work to the group, and receive constructive feedback from people who are writers themselves. They also run workshops on Saturdays, both by professional writers and by their members, and have three competitions a year.  Follow Leeds Writer’s Circle on Twitter to find out about writing competitions and other opportunities.   Visit the Leeds Writers Circle website to find out more about the member’s group. 

Leeds Young Authors (LYA): A creative writing program for young writers and mentorship training. The lead in poetry slam and live performance in the UK with the Sunday practise. The project was developed with the aim to stimulate a love for poetry and literature as a whole among inner-city young people. LYA now meet weekly at the Host Leeds Media Centre in Chapeltown, where the group was originally started, to study poetry, word power and performance skills. Formed in September 2003 by Khadijah Ibrahiim, LYA have been performing their brand of hard-hitting, fast paced poetry not only locally, but as the first non-Americans in the Brave New Voices competition in Los Angeles 04, San Francisco 05, New York 06, San Jose 07 and Washington DC 08. LYA were also 2nd place winners in the hometown of slam poetry Chicago 09 and were the first UK team to be selected to be part of the BNV future Corp in Los Angeles 2010 and also represented in San Francisco 2011. Their work has extended across the UK, Gambia and the Caribbean.  Follow Leeds Young Authors on Facebook to find out about opportunities and network with the community.

LS6 Cafe: Based in Headingley, Leeds they have run ‘Outspoken’ spoken word events hosted by Say It With Your Chest, usually the 3rd Friday of each month. They also run an open mic night the 1st & 3rd Sunday of each month, hosted by Muted Productions.  Visit the LS6 Cafe website to find out about their current events.

Myslexia: A magazine for women who write. the magazine is full of creative inspiration, practical advice and original poetry, fiction and memoir – as well as our unique listing of over 120 writing competitions and submission opportunities, plus lots of online workshops, courses and events. Twice annually we ask for themed poetry and prose submissions for the Showcase (previously New Writing) section of the magazine. We look for stories of up to 2,200 words, poems of up to 40 lines, and short scripts (for theatre, radio or film) of up to 1,000 words (including character names and stage instructions). Please note we only accept up to four poems and two short stories per entrant.  Visit Myslexia’s website to find out more about their current themes and to submit your writing to the Showcase.  There are also 14 opportunities to submit for women writers of all specialisms.  Visit Myslexia’s website to find out more about submitting your poetry, fiction and non-fiction.

National Centre for Writing: Support from Arts Council England has helped us create an early career digital programme, providing free resources, professional development and industry advice for new writers. Tailored early career support for the award winning writers will include residency opportunities, mentoring and industry support to help them build a sustainable career.  Visit the National Centre for Writing website to access free writing resource packs, free online courses and tips for writers.

New Writing North: We commission new work, create development opportunities, nurture talent and make connections that supports writing and reading in the North of England. We work with new writers and seek out talent across the North of England. We also work with more established writers, often in ways that allow them the freedom to experiment and grow creatively. We are inspired by new ideas and commission new writing across all forms.  Visit the New Writing North website to find out about their projects, resources, events and training.

Nymphs & Thugs: We are an independent spoken word record label established in 2015. Based between Leeds and London, our aim is to provide vital and accessible spoken word content at the heart of the UK’s thriving scene. As well as digital albums, we’ve released CDs, vinyl, zines, t-shirts, pin badges, tote bags and limited edition prints. We also produce national spoken word tours and ‘LIVEwire’ events around the UK. Our  Twitter  feed provides news and content from around the globe. And our  Instagram  feed features poetry excerpts from around the globe as well as weekly 30-minute Insta sessions with guest poets.  You can also visit the Nymphs & Thugs to find out more about their work with artists and work they have released, in addition to news and events.

The Poetry Business: We publish books, pamphlets, audio and eBooks under the smith|doorstop imprint; edit a literary magazine, The North; and run Writing Days, masterclasses, residential courses, and a Writing School for published poets. We also run the annual Book & Pamphlet Competition. Our poets have won or been shortlisted for almost every major poetry prize, including the Forward Prize on 11 occasions and 10 Poetry Book Society awards, and smith|doorstop Books was awarded Michael Marks Publishers Award in both 2012 and 2017. Visit the Poetry Business website to find out about workshops, competitions and much more.

Poetry Daily: They help make poetry part of daily life, presenting a new poem each day from new books and journals, along with poetry news links and more.  Visit Poetry Daily’s website to sign up to the daily newsletter, and read the daily past poems.

Poetry London: A leading international magazine, where new names share pages with acclaimed contemporary poets. We also publish a wide range of poetry in translation. The magazine is published in February, May and September. We receive a vast amount of submissions, so reading can take up to three months, and if your work is shortlisted, maybe even longer. You might find it helpful to read the magazine first, to see if your work is suitable. We pay poets £30 for one poem and £20 for each subsequent poem. Appropriate adjustments may be made for very long poems. Review and interview fees are agreed in advance with the Reviews Editor and benchmarked at £45 per 1,000 words.  Visit Poetry London’s website to submit your poems and get paid if they feature in the magazine.

Poets & Writers, Inc: The primary source of information, support, and guidance for creative writers. Founded in 1970, Poets & Writers is the nation’s largest nonprofit organization serving creative writers. Our mission? To foster the professional development of poets and writers, to promote communication throughout the literary community, and to help create an environment in which literature can be appreciated by the widest possible public. Each year, tens of thousands of poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers benefit from P&W’s programs, which include its eponymous magazine; a dynamic, information-rich website; financial support for readings and other literary events; and sponsorship of several notable writing prizes and awards.  Visit the Poets & Writers website for information on publishing and promoting your writing, networking, support for writers undertaking literary readings and conducting writing workshops, and much more.   You can also follow Poets & Writers Inc. on Twitter to find out about opportunities

Poetry Society: Founded in 1909 to promote “a more general recognition and appreciation of poetry”. Since then, it has grown into one of Britain’s most dynamic arts organisations, representing British poetry both nationally and internationally. Today it has more than 5,000 members worldwide and publishes the UK’s leading poetry magazine, The Poetry Review, which has been published since 1912. With innovative education and commissioning programmes and a packed calendar of performances, readings and competitions, The Poetry Society champions poetry for all ages. As well as the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award, The Poetry Society runs the National Poetry Competition, one of the world’s longest-running and most prestigious prizes for an individual poem. The Poetry Society also ran the Ted Hughes Award for New Work in Poetry – the prize founded and supported by Carol Ann Duffy during her 10 year tenure as Poet Laureate.  Visit The Poetry Society website to find out about competitions, events and projects.   You can also follow the Poetry Society on Twitter.

Spread the Word: We are London’s writer development agency, which means we are here to help London’s writers make their mark – on the page, the screen and in the world. We do this by kick starting the careers of London’s best new writers, and energetically campaigning to ensure that publishing truly reflects the diversity of the city. We support the creative and professional development of writing talent, by engaging those already interested in literature and those who will be, and by advocating on behalf of both.  Visit Spread the Word’s website to check out their opportunities, some of which are open to writers outside of London.

Sunday Practise: A live music and poetry night at Sela Bar, Leeds – and so much more! If you want to be part of the biggest spoken word community in Leeds and meet like-minded people, this is where to go! It’s free and takes place the first Sunday of each month featuring spoken word, an open mic, DJ and drinks. Since being set up in April 2013, The Sunday Practise has featured both local and international acts. It’s is a great networking event that encourages artist collaborations. Run by Leeds Young Authors alumni, the team also offer creative writing workshops to schools, youth groups and young adults.  Due to Covid-19 The Sunday Practise may be running events online, so follow them on Facebook.   You can also follow the Sunday Practise on Instagram.

The Rialto: An independent poetry magazine (published three times a year) and poetry publisher. Visit the website to read poems from the magazine for free. The Rialto is part funded by Arts Council England.  Visit The Rialto website to learn how to submit your poetry for possible publication, plus read articles and blogs by the editors, poets and guest writers.

The State of The Arts: We make and share good stories about culture, politics and people, and we’d love to have you contributing. This form is the place for you to send ideas about interviews, features, reviews, opinion pieces, anything. Remember, we’re looking for stories and specifics that will make us excited to see the finished article.  To pitch your writing to The State of The Arts visit their website.

Write Out Loud: A national hub for participation in poetry, encouraging everyone who writes poetry – from still-too-nervous-to-do-open-mic to Nobel Prize winner – to share their words with others. The Write Out Loud website has been around since 2005, with over 45,000 people visiting the website each month. Here’s a guide to what you’ll find there: • News: The latest news from the world of poetry, including reviews of events and books, details of competitions, and much more. • Gig guide: Poetry events are an opportunity to share your work, meet up with other poets, socialise, and listen to a wide range of styles, ideas, forms, voices, and experiences. The gig guide is the best way to find out what’s going on in your area. • Profiles: Creating a profile when you join Write Out Loud gives you the opportunity to tell us a bit about yourself. • Galleries: Photos from poetry events and readings, showing poets of all ages, backgrounds, poetic styles and levels of experience. • Discussions: Want to chat about a particular subject or issue in depth? This is the place to go. • Poetry directory: A directory of festivals, publishers, poetry magazines, competitions and more. Visit Write Out Loud’s website to access their free poetry resources.

Writing Tips Oasis: We want to provide you with the very best writing tips, writing advice, and guidance to help you become the best writer you can be, whether it’s as a published author, a freelance writer, a business writer, a journalist, poet, or as a blogger. We want to help you improve not only your craft, but develop the business skills needed to sell your work to the markets you choose to.  Visit the Writing Tips Oasis website to access free resources for writers.

Young Poets Network: The Poetry Society’s online platform for young poets up to the age of 25. Here you’ll find features about poets and poetry, challenges and competitions to inspire your own writing, new writing from young poets, and advice and guidance from the rising and established stars of the poetry scene. We also bring you the latest news and ideas from the writing world, and a list of competitions, magazines and writing groups which particularly welcome young writers.  Follow the Young Poets Network on Twitter to network and find out about opportunities for poets under age 25.

Writer’s Community – Screen Industries

BBC Writers Room Free Resources: Visit the BBC Writers Room for interviews, advice, toolkits, guidelines and many other resources to help and support your writing. Includes: – Scriptwriting Essentials: Watch a series of ten videos covering the essentials of writing a successful script. – Tips & Advice: For writing TV and Film Drama, Continuing Drama, Comedy, Children’s and Radio.

BBC Writers Room Script Library: Visit the BBC Script Library to read a variety of BBC’s TV, Radio and Film scripts. Visit the BBC blog to read scripts from BBC Dramas in 2020.

Channel 4 Commissioning: Ever wondered what Channel 4 are currently looking for in pitches and scripts? Channel 4’s Content and Commissioning pages provide in-depth information. In each department (comedy, drama, daytime, E4, Film4 etc.) you’ll find an overview, information about specific areas of programming, a contacts list and FAQs. Visit the Channel 4 website to find out more about their commissioning process and how you can pitch your script.

Film Hub North – Online Filmmaker Roundtable: Introduce yourself to our Talent Team. Our Online Filmmaker Roundtables give local writers, directors and producers the opportunity to connect with our Talent Development Team remotely. Each Roundtable is hosted by one of Film Hub North’s BFI Network Talent Executives and involves up to 10 local filmmakers. The sessions are informal events primarily for creatives who have not yet had a 1-2-1 meeting with our team. They’re a chance to introduce yourself to our team and find out about the film funding and training opportunities available through BFI Network. You’ll also get to meet some of the region’s filmmakers, chat about your work and lay the foundations for future collaborators. Visit Film Hub North’s website to find out more about the Roundtables and how you can join in.

Film Hub North – Script Mixer: A regular online meet up for creatives in the North to talk storytelling. Script Mixers are informal events that provide creatives in the North the chance to meet up, chat over a drink and form new filmmaking teams. We’re continuing to bring writers, directors and producers together remotely through our online series of Mixers. We’ll be using Zoom breakout rooms to recreate the friendly spirit of our in-person events. Our BFI Network team will mix small groups of filmmakers together and rotate the rooms throughout the evening. And we’ll be on hand to make introductions, help workshop ideas and answer any questions about our film funding and talent development opportunities. Visit Film Hub North’s website to find out more about the Script Mixers and how you can join in.

ScreenSkills Masterclass: Writing International TV Dramas by Brendan Foley. Jeff Melvoin and Brendan Foley break down the differences between the US and UK writing systems and the lessons to be learned from each of them. Visit ScreenSkill’s website to view the masterclass.

Courses / Talent Development Schemes

BBC Writers Room Drama Room: A 1-year writer development scheme for writers identified through our open submission script room and other talent searches. There are normally between 15 and 20 writers on the Drama Room scheme. They usually meet once a month for six months and receive targeted training and development including workshops (with practical writing exercises), masterclasses, introductions and networking events, and writing briefs with the opportunity to pitch. Following this they receive the support of a Script Editor for a further 6 months to develop their original spec’ script. The aim of the scheme is to encourage and develop the best in new drama writing and to give these writers the opportunity to build strong connections with producers and help them gain BBC broadcast commissions.  To find out how to submit your script to the Comedy or Drama Room visit BBC’s website.   To access free drama resources and industry guidance, visit the BBC Drama Room.

BBC Studios Writers’ Academy: Are you an up-and-coming screenwriter? Do you want a career writing TV Drama? The BBC Studios Writers’ Academy gives writers the opportunity to learn from some of the biggest names in the industry, the chance to develop their skills on the BBC’s flagship shows (EastEnders, Casualty, Holby City, Doctors, and River City), and the opportunity to work with some of the UK’s best television drama production companies. The Writers’ Academy will give a minimum of eight writers a year’s paid training, with guaranteed commissions on the BBC’s flagship shows as well as the chance to develop an original project with BBC Studios, or one of the BBC’s independent production partners. We want writers who are passionate about television drama, bursting with ideas and a love of popular drama. Past Graduates’ Successes: • 2000 hours of British and Irish TV drama produced from graduates. • 35 original commissions including Grantchester, Pure, Watership Down, Father Brown, My Mad Fat Diary, Shakespeare and Hathaway, The Victim, and Red Rock. • 47 original drama series/films in development. • 50 members of core writing teams on shows including: Casualty, Doctors, EastEnders, Holby City, River City, and Coronation Street. • 37 Lead Writers/Showrunners on original and continuing drama series. • Nominations and wins for a range of awards including Oscar, Emmy, BAFTA, Royal Television Society Award, Writer’s Guild Award, Soap Awards. Visit the BBC Studios website to find out more about the Writers’ Academy.

Channel 4 Screenwriting Course (paid opportunity, for ages 18 and over): The purpose of the course is to offer 12 writers new to television drama an insight into how the industry works and to provide a “dry-run” of what it can be like to write under a television drama commission, specifically for one hour series and serial drama, and to work with them as they write an original drama script. Writers will be expected to write an original C4 / E4 one-hour drama series or serial pilot episode, and 2-3 page outline / pitch for the series / serial as a whole. Each writer will be assigned a script editor, who is currently working in the industry, to guide them through this process. Writers will meet at least twice with their script editor and should complete a 2nd draft script before the 2nd weekend of the course. Completed, 2nd draft scripts will be sent to the script editor and two other writers on the course, for workshop discussions at the second weekend. Eligibility: Only writers who do not have a broadcast credit as a television writer or theatrical release as a feature film writer may apply (although produced short films – 20 minutes or less – are exempt). Visit the Visit the Channel 4 Screenwriting Course website for more details and to find out when applications reopen.

FutureLearn – Introduction to Screenwriting (free onine course): Screenplays form the starting point for most dramatic films, the essential work from which all other filmmaking flows. All the tender romance, terrifying action and memorable lines begin at the screenwriter’s desk. The University of East Anglia’s School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing have built this course with instructors and recent alumni from their course in Creative Writing. You’ll learn from a mixture of basic theory, script analysis and practical exercises. You will explore key principles as they’re expressed in great films, then immediately apply these concepts. Videos, articles and discussion steps will offer you the opportunity to learn and engage with other learners on key concepts and ideas. Visit the FutureLearn website to book your free place on the course (it’s open to join at any time).

Harper Collins Author Academy: The Harper Collins Author Academy trains and support writers from underrepresented ethnic backgrounds to help them become commercially successful in the publishing environment. During the free 6-week online programme, you’ll gain all the tools you need to succeed in the publishing industry. The Academy offers three courses, covering three different genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Writing for Children. The courses will run remotely for 6 weeks, with weekly live-streamed tutorials and access to other course materials. Additional on-demand masterclasses cover the fundamentals of publishing as a business, and you’ll be supported by a mentor throughout. Once you’ve put your thoughts into words, you’ll learn how get your work ready for publishers. Our courses offer crucial insights across a range of industry topics: ● Turning an idea into a solid book proposal ● Working with agents, editors and publishers ● Contracts, copyright, and royalties ● Genres and formats ● The craft of storytelling ● Author branding To find out more about the Author Academy visit the Harper Collins website.

Home Stage – Free Online Poetry Workshops: Events take place fortnightly on Mondays at 8pm, via Zoom. Join a group of friendly poets passionate about improving each other’s writing. The Workshops are run by Home Stage’s Darren J Beaney. Darren is an experienced poet and he fosters a friendly, supportive environment. Within the workshop you can receive constructive feedback on your work from others in the group and offer your thoughts on their poetry too (another great way to improve your own writing). We have time to workshop 5 poems within the hour – why not let one of those be yours? Visit Home Stage’s website to sign up for the poetry workshops.

Megaphone – Amplifying Children’s Writers of Colour: Support for writers of colour in England as they work on their first novel for children or teenagers. We offer a year of one-to-one mentoring and small group masterclasses to people of colour based in England as they write a novel for children or teenagers to a publishable standard. Megaphone is an Arts Council England-funded project run by children’s author Leila Rasheed and Commissioning Editor Stephanie King. Placements cost money but bursaries may be available. Visit Megaphone’s website to find out more about Amplifying Children’s Writers of Colour and to check when applications next reopen.

New Writing North – Verb New Voices: This writing development programme discovers and commissions exciting new writers from the North of England to make innovative work for BBC Radio 3 programme, The Verb. Verb New Voices 4 is a partnership between the BBC, The Writing Squad, Arvon, and New Writing North, who manage the project. The writers each receive a paid commission to write an 8-minute piece for BBC Radio 3’s The Verb, which will also be performed live at Contains Strong Language, a BBC poetry festival in Hull, and BBC Radio 3 Free Thinking Festival at Sage Gateshead. The development package includes a 2-day workshop with the BBC, a residential course at Arvon, and other support from partners as identified by the artist. The writers receive a £2,000 bursary to support their involvement in Verb New Voices 4. Visit New Writing North’s website to find out more about Verb New Voices.

Scratch Me:  A filmmaking lab for people who don’t make films – yet! It’s a talent development programme for writers and writer-performers from a range of disciplines who want to experiment with the moving image. You might be a comedian, spoken word artist, scratch performer, theatre maker, social media storyteller or DIY filmmaker. Whatever your existing practice, the most important thing is your creativity. Scratch Me will help you realise your ideas on screen. Scratch Me is all about characters. Exciting, original, can’t-look-away characters. Over the course of a two-month programme of workshops, mentoring sessions and writing challenges, lab participants will develop a fully-formed character who has the potential to lead to a short film, TV series or feature film. At the end of the programme, our writers will collaborate with a team of emerging filmmakers to create a short scratch monologue film which will be presented to industry executives at a special showcase event. You’ll leave Scratch Me with a powerful new addition to your creative portfolio and the confidence to develop your film and TV skills further. Scratch Me is a Film Hub North and BFI NETWORK project delivered in partnership with Screen Yorkshire and SIGN (Screen Industries Growth Network). Visit Film Hub North’s website to find out when applications reopen.

University of Leeds Pen to Paper Events: Cost: free. Dates / times: Wednesdays 12:30 – 3:30. Location: Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery. Drop in and write with us every Wednesday afternoon – for ten minutes or the full three hours! Each week will have a different focus so you can enjoy looking objects and works you may never have noticed before. Dr Kimberly Campanello has created writing exercises to help you get started. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced writer, use your time to hone your creative writing skills, chat with fellow writers or simply indulge your creativity in a calm, inspiring atmosphere. No need to book in advance – just turn up and write! Visit the University of Leeds website to find out more about Pen to Paper.

Word Factory Apprenticeship: The Word Factory are a national organisation supporting excellence in short fiction. Annually they invite short story writers to be individually mentored by leading authors for free as part of their renowned Word Factory Apprentice Award. The chosen writers will be talented, supportive of our inclusive ethos and willing to participate in our activities. To qualify, they need to be living in England. They will have access to our events and masterclasses — a programme offering creative inspiration, writer development and collaboration between leading and emerging writers. The award is offered to two talented authors on the way to their first collection of stories or beginning to send work out for publication. Please Note: the scheme is not suitable for anyone with novels or collections already published or under contract (self-published and non-fiction books may apply). Visit Word Factory’s website to find out more about the Apprenticeship.

Writing Squad: A 2 year programme development programme for writers aged 16-21 living, working or studying in the north of England. Every two years we recruit 30 writers aged 16-21 from across the north of England. We offer a free programme of workshops, one to ones, project activity and professional development. After writers have completed the 2 year programme, the Squad continues to work with them and support the development of their writing and careers. We provide continued support with their writing plus professional development advice, investment and invitations to attend residential courses and special workshops. Applications next open Dec. 2021. To make sure you don’t miss us out on the talent development scheme, visit Writing Squad’s website and sign up to the newsletter.

Awards / Bursaries / Competitions

Alfred Bradley Bursary Award: The Award is a £5,000 writing bursary to Northern writers new to radio and the chance of a Radio 4 drama commission. The Award was established in 1992 to commemorate the life and work of Alfred Bradley, the distinguished BBC Radio Drama Producer and is run by Radio Drama North in conjunction with BBC Writersroom. Entrants must submit an original and complete drama script written for radio, TV, stage or film which should be at least 30 pages long. Previous winners include Lee Hall (Billy Elliot, War Horse), Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Debt) and Cat Jones (Doctors, Waterloo Road) who have all gone on to have huge success across radio, TV and film. To apply you must be aged 18 or over and currently reside in the North of England on a permanent / full time basis. The North of England is defined by the Boundary Committee for England which includes the North East, North West, Yorkshire and Humber. Visit BBCs website to find out more about the Alfred Bradley Bursary Award.

Alpine Fellowship Theatre Prize: Awarded for the best playwriting response to the changing annual theme. The prize will be £3,000 plus a rehearsed reading at the Fellowship’s annual Symposium to which the winner will be invited to attend. Runners up will be invited to attend the Fjällnäs symposium in Sweden to exhibit their work, all food and accommodation covered. Travel expenses will be reimbursed up to a total of £500. Rules: ●   The final piece must be no more than 45 minutes in length. ●   The final piece must require no more than four actors. ●   The winning play will be performed as a rehearsed reading so simplicity in staging is preferred. ●   This prize is open to anyone above 18 years of age. ●   Plays must not have previously been performed, including as a reading or workshop production. ●   Playwrights at any stage of their career are eligible to apply. ●   Submissions will be judged anonymously so please ensure your name does not appear anywhere on your submission materials. Visit the Alpine Fellowship’s website to find out more about the Theatre Prize and to check when applications next reopen.

Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize: Awarded for the best piece of writing (a maximum of 2,500 words) on the theme which changes annually. The winner receives a £10,000 cash prize and is presented with the award by the poet John Burnside. A £3,000 cash prize will go to the second place, and £2,000 to the third place runner up. The winner and two runners up are invited to attend the Fjällnäs symposium. All genres are permitted. If you’re submitting in poetry, please feel free to include as many relevant poems as you would like, while remaining underneath the word count. To find out more about the Writing Prize, visit The Alpine Fellowship’s website.

BBC Felix Dexter Bursary: A six-month bursary awarded to aspiring comedy writers to develop their skills at the BBC. The bursary is open to black, Asian and other ethnic minority writers (or writing duos) who are aged 18 or over. An opportunity, offered by BBC Comedy in partnership with the BBC Writersroom, which is designed to find writers with a fresh, unique point of view and the potential to help shape the future of comedy, whether in the BBC or elsewhere in the industry. It aims to make a positive intervention to address an under-representation of BAME professionals in comedy production in broadcasting. On a practical level, the bursary gives up-and-coming talent the chance to make comedy writing their main focus for six months, while immersed in comedy production. They hone their skills while gaining experience on a range of BBC comedies across radio, TV and online, on panel shows, shorts, sitcoms or comedy entertainment shows. The programme offers the writers the support they need to take the next step in their career.  Visit the BBC’s Commissioning website to find out more about the Felix Dexter Bursary, and when applications next reopen.

Bridport Prizes: For aspiring writers everywhere. We are committed to discovering and championing new writers in poetry, short story, flash fiction and the novel. Note entry fees apply, but bursaries might be available if this is a barrier to you. Annual prizes in poetry (prize £5k), short story (prize £5k), flash fiction (prize £1k), First Novel (prize £1.5k), runner up (prize £750), Young Writer Award (prize £500). Visit Bridport’s website to find out more about their writing prizes, deadlines, and how you can submit your work.

British Comedy Guide – BCG Pro Video Contest: The BCG Pro Video Contest looks for the best scripted video sketches, which are two minutes in length or shorter. Each month, a panel of judges will select a sketch, which will be awarded £100 and shared with over 150,000 comedy fans via British Comedy Guide’s social media platforms. Submissions which showcase a great funny script, and have good picture quality and sound, are most likely to win. Archive content is accepted – you could have filmed the sketch at any time, but it must still feel relevant today. It is free to enter and you may submit one project into the contest for consideration in each entry window. You may use your entry opportunity to submit a project on behalf of a team/collective, as long as all involved have consented for the video to be submitted. To find out ore about the BCG Pro Video Contest and to check when applications next reopen, visit the British Comedy Guide’s website.

Brotherton Poetry Prize: Entry fee: £10. The Prize celebrates and promotes poetry and supports new poets. The prize is open to anyone in the world over the age of 18 who hasn’t yet published a full collection of poems (a chapbook or pamphlet does not count as a full collection). Entries to the competition should include no more than 200 lines of poetry in up to five individual poems. The winner will receive £1,000 and the opportunity to develop their creative practice with the University of Leeds Poetry Centre. Four runners-up will each receive £200. The poems of the five shortlisted poets will be published as an anthology by Carcanet Press. All entrants who provide a UK postal address will receive a copy of the anthology on publication. The shortlisted poets might be invited to take part in a series of readings and events held by the University of Leeds Poetry Centre. All shortlisted poets will receive travel expenses up to £150 to cover expenses associated with the competition announcement. Expenses for UK-based poets associated with events may be reimbursed. Visit University of Leeds Poetry Centre’s website to find out more about the Brotherton Poetry Prize and to check when applications next reopen.

Brunel International African Poetry Prize: A major annual poetry prize of £3000, aimed at the development, celebration and promotion of poetry from Africa. The Prize is open to poets who were born in Africa, or who are nationals of an African country, or whose parents are African. The Prize is sponsored by Brunel University London. The award was initiated in 2012 to revitalise African poetry, which at the time was almost invisible on the literary landscape. The Prize was set up to encourage a new generation of poets who might one day become an international presence. The Prize works closely with the African Poetry Book Fund (APBF) and since its inception, most of the poets who have been nominated and/or won this award have published chapbooks with the African Poetry Book Fund series of ‘New Generation Chapbook Box Sets’. It is for ten poems exactly in order to encourage serious poets. These poems may, however, have already been published. Only poets who have not yet had a full-length poetry book published are eligible. Poets who have self-published poetry books or had chapbooks and pamphlets published are allowed to submit for this prize. To find out more about the Prize, visit the African Poetry Prize website.

Caroline Aherne Bursary: Aimed at northern female writers / performers, the Bursary is designed to find, develop and support great new comedy talent, the bursary was named in honour of the late award-winning comedy writer and performer Caroline Aherne, who created The Royle Family and Mrs Merton. Now in its fourth year, it has proved a great springboard for talented writer/performers to bring new work to the screen. Each year the winner is awarded £5000 to support the development of a comedy script and also receives mentoring from a BBC Comedy Commissioning Editor. Sophie Willan was named as the first winner of the Caroline Aherne Bursary in 2017. Her pilot Alma’s Not Normal premiered on BBC Two in April 2020 and has now been commissioned as a full series.  To find out more about the Caroline Aherne Bursary and when applications next reopen, visit the BBC Commissioning website.

Cranked Anvil: We produce theatre, film, radio, podcasts, written word, events, as well as collaborating with other artistic companies and professional practitioners, to create and develop cultural and artistic work. Since Cranked Anvil formed in 2012 as a small-scale touring theatre company it has grown rapidly and ambitiously, and now it encompasses all manner of artistic and literary endeavours. 2020 sees the development of the publishing arm of Cranked Anvil Media. There will be more information on the website as it develops – including details of submission guidelines. Visit Cranked Anvil’s website to find out about the Short Story and Flash Fiction competitions, with several deadlines throughout each year.

Creative Future Writers’ Award (CFWA): A national writing development programme which celebrates talented, under-represented writers who lack opportunities due to mental health issues, disability, health or social circumstance. Prize winners are selected by a panel of industry experts and are given the opportunity to develop their work through training, mentoring, assessment and coaching. Prizes include £10,000 of cash and top writing development prizes supplied by prominent publishers and development agencies. Our high-profile award event features a selection of readings from the award winning submissions, as well as performances from prominent guest authors. Winning submissions are also published in an anthology alongside work by our guest authors, available in hard copy and as an e-book. For more information about eligibility and the submission process, visit Creative Future’s website.

Creative Writing Ink: Visit Creative Writing UK’s website to find out about writing competitions. You can also follow them on Twitter to find out about writing development opportunities.

David Nobbs Memorial Trust Annual Comedy Writing Competition: The competition offers cash prizes to up-and-coming comedy writers, helping them ‘buy time’ for writing. With the comedy and arts sectors widely affected by lockdown restrictions, this year’s competition will increase the cash prize for the overall winner to £750. Any runner-up winners will receive £250. Also, for the first time, the winners will get a precious one-on-one consultation with an established comedy producer on the Trust board. Lucy Lumsden, owner of Yellow Door Productions and formerly head of comedy commissioning at both Sky and the BBC, Roisin Conaty, comedian and creator of the Channel 4 sitcom, Gameface and Hunderby actor Daniel Lawrence Taylor will judge the scripts that make it to the final. The David Nobbs Memorial Trust was established by comedy producers, performers and people who knew and loved David, with the blessing of his family, to honour his memory by supporting new comedy writing in the UK. The contest is aimed at those early in their writing career, but it is not totally ‘open door’. Entrants must be able to provide a broadcast credit for their written material and accompany their entry with a 500-word Statement of Intent, describing their writing career goals. Visit the David Nobbs Memorial Trust website to find out more about the Annual Comedy Writing Competition and to check when applications next reopen.

Dinesh Allirajah Prize for Short Fiction: Comma Press and the University of Central Lancashire are proud to host the annual Dinesh Allirajah Prize for Short Fiction. It is open to anyone age 18 or over who is a UK resident.The winning writer will receive £500 and all 10 shortlisted authors will be featured in an ebook anthology which will be published by Comma Press and sold online. The winner will also have their story published online by our media partner Northern Soul. It is free to submit your entry, but only one per writer please. To find out more about the Dinesh Allirajah Prize for Short Fiction visit the Comma Press website.

Experienced Theatre Practitioners Early Playwriting Trust (ETPEP) Award: A playwriting prize for new UK playwrights who work or have worked in the theatre industry, run by the Finborough Theatre in association with the ETPEP.The Award’s purpose is to find and nurture a playwright who has worked in theatre for two years or more (but not in a literary department setting or as a paid script reader), who is looking to further their ambitions and skill in the art and craft of playwriting. The Award is open to UK residents of any age who have not had a play professionally produced, and who have worked front of house, in administrative roles, on stage, backstage, lighting, design etc. or in a creative capacity in theatre for at least two years, either now or in the past. The award is intended to target and encourage those who are currently working or have worked in theatre but who are new to playwriting, and therefore, the Award is not open to those who have worked in any capacity in a literary department, a literary agency, theatre critics, or those who ever have undertaken paid script reading work. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not an award for playwrights. It is an award for those who work or who have worked in theatre in some other capacity who also write plays. They are looking for a play of substance which contributes in some way to our understanding of the human condition or experience, from a writer with potential to enhance our political and social awareness. The award will be judged completely anonymously until the very final shortlist and interview stage, and brief feedback will be provided on every entry. The winner will receive a prize of £6,000, a development relationship with the Finborough Theatre including one-to-one dramaturgy with Finborough Theatre Artistic Director and playwright Neil McPherson; a rehearsal workshop with actors and a director to develop the play; and a staged reading performance of the winning play either at the Finborough Theatre, London, pandemic permitting, or online; and publication by Salamander Street, independent publisher of theatre, performance and live art. There will be ten runner-up prizes of £300 each. Visit the ETPEP website to find out more about the Award and to check when applications next reopen.

Galton and Simpson Bursary: The Bursary awards £5,500 and mentorship to comedy writers or writing partnerships to develop a script for broadcast consideration along with guidance from established industry professionals and the BBC comedy commissioning team. The bursary is a collaboration between the BBC and the Mental Health Foundation and is named after Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, one of the best loved and most enduring writing partnerships in comedy history. Writers submit individually or as part of a writing duo (two people) sending a sample comedy/sitcom script of 30 pages/30 minutes maximum, a series development plan and a short one page biography/statement. The BBC employ professional script readers to assess all the submitted scripts. They sift the scripts by reading at least the first ten pages. If a submission doesn’t sufficiently hook their attention at this stage it will not be considered further. If a submission hooks our reader’s attention it progresses to the second sift, to be re-read by another reader. Writers who progress beyond this stage are then recommended to BBC comedy commissioning. Comedy commissioning staff finalise a shortlist and then invite those writers or writing partnerships to attend an interview.  Visit the BBC’s Commissioning website to find out more about the Galton and Simpson Bursary and to check which applications next reopen.

Globe Soup Competitions: The online space for creative travellers. Read travel stories, get travel tips, discover new places. Take part in creative competitions to win prizes. Get paid to write… Globe Soup is an online space for creativity inspired by the world around us. We’re not just a travel site, we run international competitions open to anyone. We hope that by bringing together creatives from around the globe we can help inspire each other. Globe Soup hosts four main writing competitions each year: Travel Writing, Short Story, Poetry and Flash Fiction. We also run photography and film making contests. Competitions are a great way to hone your skills, practice working to a deadline, gain exposure and of course, all our competitions offer cash prizes, which is a great way to fund future travel! Visit Globe Soup’s website to view competition opportunities.

Jerwood Arts Bursaries:  Funding support for artists, curators and producers – including writers and playwrights. Jerwood Bursaries provide funding of up to £1,250 to help you explore and develop your practice by enabling you to gain new skills and knowledge. We want you to have the opportunity to pursue your interests independently and on your own terms. A Jerwood Bursary can support your development by funding meaningful opportunities to reflect on and grow your creative practice. This might include new partners for collaboration, receiving mentoring or taking part in training, conferences and workshops. It can support development of your creative practice by covering the costs of self-initiated residencies and by supporting early-stage research and testing of brand new ideas. We want you to suggest activities that will help you to learn and take control of the development of your artistic practice and career. We particularly welcome applications for: ● Mentoring, coaching, critical feedback ● Professional and/or specialised training ● Taking part in conferences or workshops ● Self-initiated residencies ● Networking and membership of artistic networks ● Learning specific skills and knowledge ● Research to develop your practice To find out more about Jerwood Bursaries, when the next deadlines are and to apply, visit the Jerwood Arts website.

Kenneth Branagh Award for New Drama Writing: Amateur playwrights worldwide are invited to submit unpublished one act plays. Three winning scripts will be selected for fully staged performances during the Windsor Fringe Festival. One of the three scripts will be chosen for the £500 prize, judged purely on the writing. Eligibility: only amateur playwrights are eligible and only one script per author accepted. Each script must be an original work and not previously published or performed.  To find out more about the Award for New Drama Writing visit the BBC website.

Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize for Fiction: The prize is for a novel by a woman over the age of 21 that marries literary merit with unputdownability, (for unpublished writers only). Now going into its eleventh year, the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize is famous for helping undiscovered female writers launch their literary careers. Founded in 2010, by Professor Janet Todd OBE, the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize has gone from strength to strength with many shortlisted and winning authors securing publishing deals and furthering their writing. All shortlisted entrants receive a valuable half-hour one-to-one consultation with our competition sponsors PFD (subject to them not already having an agent) who will give editorial feedback and discuss the marketability of the work submitted. In addition, the 2021 winner will receive a cash prize of £1,500. To find out more abou the Lucy Cavendish Prize, visit Fiction Prize’s website.

Laura Kinsella Fellowship: The Fellowship will support one exceptionally talented early career writer of literary fiction. This exciting new Fellowship is an inclusive platform for writers at the beginning of their career. Set up to support writers experiencing limiting circumstances, or whose voices are underrepresented in mainstream literary fiction, one writer will receive not only a cash prize but a bespoke programme of support delivered by National Centre for Writing. The chosen Laura Kinsella Fellow will be committed to their development and show extraordinary promise. The selected writer will receive: •  A prize of £4,000 •  A programme of bespoke professional development and promotional opportunities, which may include space and time to write, mentoring, residency or research trips, introductions to the industry, or engagement with our existing programmes The Laura Kinsella Fellowship is part of the National Centre for Writing’s Early Career Awards. Visit the the National Centre for Writing’s website to find out more about the Laura Kinsella Fellowship.

Merky Books New Writers’ Prize: Merky Books is an award-winning book publishing imprint launched by Stormzy and Penguin Random House UK in 2018. Merky Books New Writers’ Prize is their annual writing competition that is open to young, underrepresented, and unpublished writers from across the UK and ROI. The winner of the New Writers’ Prize will receive a publishing contract with #Merky Books. All longlisted writers will also be invited to our Writers’ Camp, where they will be able to participate in writing workshops, panel talks, editorial one-to-ones, and meet the #Merky Books team. The prize will also aim to provide all applicants the tools, information and access they need to develop their ideas, progress their writing and set off on the path to publication. We’re looking for unpublished writers aged between 16 and 30 who are currently a resident in the UK or ROI. If you have a manuscript you are working on, or an idea ready to be put onto paper, we want to hear from you. We are looking for writers telling the stories that are not being heard, and the stories that deserve to be read, across fiction, non-fiction or poetry. Unfortunately we will not be accepting children’s books this year, but aim to open the New Writers’ Prize for this next year. Visit Penguin Books to find out more about the New Writers’ Prize and to apply.

NAWE: NAWE’s mission is to advocate for Creative Writing: enhancing knowledge and understanding of the subject and supporting writers and good practice in teaching and facilitation in all settings. NAWE is a registered charity, supporting both members and the sector as a whole, providing information and advice on professional development for writers and other literature professionals.  NAWE’s website has details of all the latest jobs, competitions and events for writers throughout the UK. 

Neon Books: The Big List of UK Writing Competitions. When it comes to getting your work noticed, there’s little better than winning or being shortlisted for a writing competition… And the odds of that happening aren’t as long as you think. Every competition listed here produces one or more winners every year, as well as numerous honourable mentions and shortlisted writers. But in order to be selected, your first have to pick a competition to enter. Thus we present our list of excellent writing competitions based in the UK.  Visit Neon Book’s website to view UK writing competitions.

New Writing North Northern Writers’ Awards: Established in 2000 by New Writing North, the Northern Writers’ Awards supports work-in-progress by new, emerging and established writers across the North of England. The Awards support writers creatively as they develop their work towards publication, as well as helping them to progress professionally and navigate their way through the publishing industry.  The awards support both new and established writers to develop their work towards publication and to progress their careers as writers. For new writers, winning a Northern Writers’ Award can help to connect you to the publishing industry and to develop your work towards publication; for established writers, awards can help to buy time to write to support the development of new work and offer creative opportunities. With high-profile literary judges and support and interest from across the publishing industry, the awards are now recognised nationally as a major talent-spotting programme that identifies and supports great writing and writers. Browse our previous winners to see the published work that the awards have supported. You must be over 18 years of age to enter.  Visit New Writing North’s website to find out more about the Northern Writers’ Awards and to apply.

New Writing North The Gordon Burn Prize (for fiction / non-fiction novels): The prize seeks to reward a published title – fiction or non-fiction – which represents the spirit and sensibility of Gordon’s literary methods. We love novels which dare to enter history and to interrogate the past and non-fiction brave enough to recast characters and historical events to create a new and vivid reality. The winning writer will receive £5,000 and the chance to undertake a writing retreat of up to three months at Gordon Burn’s cottage in Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders. Visit New Writing North’s website to find out more about the Gordon Burn Prize.

New Writing North The Julia Darling Travel Fellowship (for novelists, poets or playwrights): The Fellowship supports a creative writer or writers for a period of travel and exists to remember the late writer Julia Darling. The fellowship is worth £2,000 and is supported by a wide range of Julia’s friends and family, including many leading writers. The Julia Darling Travel Fellowship can be used to fund travel in the UK or internationally, and is open to individuals or groups of writers. Applicants must live in the North of England and may be novelists, poets or playwrights and should have at least one professionally produced or published work to their name. Visit New Writing North’s website to find out more about the Travel Fellowship.

Papatango New Writing Prize (for  playwrights) : Launched in 2009, the Papatango New Writing Prize is the biggest playwriting award in the UK, attracting more annual entries than any other. Despite this, it is also unique in offering personal feedback, supporting new writers and generating new work for the entire sector. The Prize has long led provision for emerging playwrights, being exceptional in committing to produce and publish as well as award a follow-up commission to its winner. No other company makes such an investment in new talent. Visit Paptango’s website to find out more about the New Writing Prize.

Peggy Poole Award: The award helps emerging writers develop their craft, and gives poets in the North West of England the chance to win a year of mentoring from a leading poet, running alongside the National Poetry Competition. To be eligible for the Peggy Poole Award, you just need to enter the National Poetry Competition and be living in one of the following postcode regions: BB, BD, BL, CA, CH, CW, FY, IM, L, LA, M, OL, PR, SK, WN and WA. When you make your entry, you’ll be able to opt in to being considered for the award. Last year’s winner was Saiqa Khushnood, who is now being mentored by Malika Booker. To find out more about the Peggy Poole Award visit the National Poetry Society website.

Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize: Representing more of the globe than any other prize of its kind, the prize supports writers who have not published book-length works, with no limits on age, gender, nationality, or background. The winners of each category received a £1,000 cash prize and will be published by Wasafiri in print. Shortlisted writers will have their work published on the Wasafiri website. All fifteen shortlistees and winners will also be offered the Chapter and Verse or Free Reads mentoring scheme in partnership with The Literary Consultancy (dependent on eligibility), and a conversation with The Good Literary Agency to discuss their career progression. Every writer recognised by the prize, running since 2009, remains part of the Wasafiri community, and is supported by the magazine as their career grows. Past winners and shortlistees have gone on to score deals with major international publishing houses such as Verso, Peepal Tree Press, and HarperCollins India, and to be shortlisted for and win prizes including the TS Eliot Prize, Ambit Short Fiction, and Bocas Poetry Prize, among very many others. Visit the Wasafiri website to find out more about the prize and to check when applications next reopen.

Rebecca Swift Foundation – Women Poets’ Prize: The Women Poets’ Prize was launched in 2018, a year on from Rebecca’s passing. This unique award seeks to honour Rebecca’s two key passions: poetry and the empowerment of women. The Prize is awarded once every two years to three women poets. Each winner is carefully matched with a poetry mentor and offered pastoral coaching, facilitating a holistic body of support that nurtures craft and personal wellbeing in equal measure. The Prize also offers a programme of support and creative professional development opportunities with the Foundation’s partners: Faber and Faber, The Literary Consultancy, RADA, City Lit, Verve Festival, Bath Spa University, and The Poetry School. In addition to these opportunities which constitute the Women Poets’ Prize professional grant, each successful poet receives a cash bursary of £1,000. The Women Poets’ Prize is free to enter. To find out more about the prize  visit Rebecca Swift Foundation’s website.

Roundhouse Poetry Slam: The Slam happens annually and has been running 14 years. If you’re age 18-25 this is a great way to get your poetry recognised, and raise your writing profile. You’ll get: • The chance to showcase your talent in front of live and online audiences. • The opportunity to make industry contacts, raise your profile and network with peers and professionals in the spoken word industry. • The opportunity to compete for the title of Roundhouse Slam Champion and win a cash prize if you finish in the top three or win the audience vote. • Finalists’ performances will be professionally filmed and uploaded to the Roundhouse YouTube Channel, which has over 16,000 subscribers. Past finalist videos have been reposted by global online publications and accumulated views in excess of 5 million. • Cash prizes for the runners up Visit Roundhouse’s website to find out more about the Poetry Slam.

Royal Society of Literature (RSL) – Literature Matters Awards: The Award is for writers or other literary creators seeking financial support to work on a new piece of writing or literary project, and aims to reward and enable literary excellence and innovation. Each year, after an open call for proposals, the Awards are given to individual writers or other literary creators, recognising their past achievements and providing them with financial support to undertake a proposed new piece of writing or literary project. Priority will be given to proposals which help connect with audiences or topics outside the usual reach of literature, and / or help generate public discussion about why literature matters. Visit Royal Society of Literature’s website to find out more about the Literature Matters Awards and to apply.

Screenplay Contest by The Script Lab (free entry): The competition is designed to help open up talent discovery to anyone and everyone, regardless of financial ability. It’s open to feature, TV and short screenplays. Scripts must be in English and formatted with industry-standard screenwriting software. The Script Lab claims no ownership or first right of negotiation on material submitted to this competition. All copyright and ownership belong to the original rights holder. All scripts will receive an initial first impression read, consisting of just the first few pages of each script. Your first few pages are especially important because many readers at studios and agencies often make a snap decision about a script based on the first few pages. Please enter your full screenplay, because the screenplays that advance to subsequent rounds will receive full evaluations from our judges. Visit the Script Lab website to find out more about the Screenplay Contest and to check when applications next reopen.

SI Leeds Literary Prize (f or unpublished fiction by UK Black and Asian women) : The Prize exists to act as a loudspeaker for Black and Asian women’s voices, enabling fresh and original literary voices from a group disproportionately under-represented in mainstream literary culture to reach new audiences. In addition to providing a platform for these new voices, a key part of the Prize’s ethos is to support our shortlisted writers through a package of speaking events, network development, training and mentoring to enable them to fulfil their potential. The Prize is Leeds-based but national in its remit, and is for Black and Asian women writers aged 18 or over who are resident in the UK. Unusually, it is a prize for unpublished fiction, which makes it distinct from many other literary prizes for which only published works are eligible. The Prize’s focus on unpublished fiction means that, importantly, it encourages the broadest range of entries, separate from publishing trends or expectations about the sorts of book that our eligible writers might choose to write. Previous winners have received a £3,000 award plus a host of additional valuable benefits through the Prize’s unique Prize Plus writer development scheme, including a free place at an Arvon creative writing course; free manuscript assessment of their work from The Literary Consultancy; invitation to New Writing North’s London summer salon event for publishers and agents; workshops and support; speaking engagements, including at Ilkley Literature Festival 2018 and serious consideration for publication by Peepal Tree Press. Visit the SI Leeds website to find out more about the Literary Prize.

Sky Arts & Royal Society of Literature – Writers Awards: The Sky Arts RSL Writers Awards aim to celebrate and nurture British writers of colour. Five Awards are available, providing each winning writer of colour with ten free mentoring sessions over the course of 12 months with an Royal Society of Literature Fellow writing in their form, as well as two sessions with Awards Ambassador Bernardine Evaristo. The forms of writing you can apply to be mentored in are: Screenwriting, Playwriting, Non-fiction, Fiction, and Poetry. Visit the Royal Society of Literature website for more information about the Writers Awards and to check when applications next reopen.

Society of Authors’ Awards: Seven awards are available spanning fiction, poetry, non-fiction and illustrated children’s books. The Society of Authors’ Awards are run for authors and judged by authors, annually recognising the best and most promising voices of the year. Our awards for fiction are open to work from writers at all stages of their careers, from short stories to novels, and we accept submissions from both self-published and traditionally-published authors. We also administer two awards that celebrate the best in non-fiction writing from young authors. Our poetry awards are amongst the most prestigious in the UK. They celebrate excellence in poetry from those just starting out as well those established in their careers. Visit Society of Author’s website to find out more about the annual Awards and how you can apply.

Spread the Word – Life Writing Prize: Free to enter, the Prize aims to find the best life writing from emerging writers from across the UK. The Prize defines life writing as ‘intended to be true’, reflects someone’s own life journey or experiences and is not fiction. The competition is open to writers who have yet to publish a full-length work or have a literary agent. The winner of the Life Writing Prize will receive £1500, an Arvon course, a writing mentor, two years’ membership of the Royal Society of Literature, and an optional development meeting with an agent or editor. Two highly commended writers will each receive £500, a writing mentor and an optional meeting with an agent or editor. The top twelve writers will be offered publication on the Spread the Word website and in a Life Writing Prize booklet designed to showcase the Prize’s top writers to the literary world. Visit Spread the Word’s website to view the Life Writing Prize guidelines and to apply.

The National Poetry Competition (for unpublished poems): The 2020 National Poetry Competition is one of the world’s most prestigous prizes for an unpublished poem of up to 40 lines, open to anyone 18 or over. First Prize: £5000, Second Prize: £2000, Third Prize: £1000, Commendations: £200. Applications for the National Poetry Competition are now open and close 31st October 2020. Visit the Poetry Society’s website to find out more about the National Competition and to apply.

UEA New Forms Award: The Award, worth £4,000 to the winner, will champion an innovative and daring new voice in fiction. It will be awarded to a writer at the beginning of their career whose work might challenge traditional forms or collaborate with other art-forms. The winner will also receive a bespoke period of development, which may include mentoring, learning opportunities and promotional platforms, depending on their ambition and need. To find out more about the UEA New Forms Award, visit the National Centre for Writing website. Visit National Centre for Writing’s website to find out more about the UEA New Forms Award.

Ware Poets Open Poetry Competition: The annual Open Poetry competition has been running for over 20 years. They offer cash prizes for the winning poems (up to 50 lines), including one for the best sonnet. Prizes: 1st prize £600, 2nd prize £300, 3rd Prize £150, The Ware Sonnet Prize £150. Winners and shortlisted poets will also be included in the Ware Poets Competition Anthology. Entry fee: £4 per poem. To find out more about the Open Poetry Competition visit the National Poetry Library website.

Women’s Prize for Playwriting: An open invitation to all writers who identify as female in the UK and Ireland to create vivid, exciting, and brave new work for the stage. The aim of the Prize is to celebrate and support women playwrights and to discover the best new work from writers at all levels of experience. They are interested in plays that rejoice in the depth and range of your imagination, that feast on dramatic possibility and are ambitious on all scales and subjects. They have designed the criteria of the Prize to allow you to write exactly the play you want, unhampered by restrictions or limitations. Whoever you are and however much or little you have written in the past, the team at The Women’s Prize for Playwriting wants to read your work. The prize is open to all UK and Republic of Ireland based women. The writer of the script which is awarded the First Prize by the judging panel will receive £12,000 on or around the day of the awards ceremony in January 2022. The prize money comprises £12,000 as a fee in respect of an exclusive option for Paines Plough and EKP to co-produce the winning script. To find out more about the Prize visit The Women’s Prize for Playwriting website.

Word Factory Apprenticeship: They support emerging short story writers to be individually mentored by leading authors for free as part of their renowned Word Factory Apprentice Award. The chosen writers will be talented, supportive of our inclusive ethos and willing to participate in our activities. To qualify, they need to be living in England. They will have access to our events and masterclasses — a programme offering creative inspiration, writer development and collaboration between leading and emerging writers. The award is offered to talented authors on the way to their first collection of stories or beginning to send work out for publication. Please Note: the scheme is not suitable for anyone with novels or collections already published or under contract (self-published and non-fiction books may apply). Visit Word Factory’s website to find out more about the Apprenticeship.

Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook Short Story Competition: For published and aspiring writers alike – enter our free annual short story competition and be in with a chance of winning a place on one of Arvon’s residential writing courses, as well as seeing your story published on the Writers and Artists website. To enter, all you have to do is submit a short story (for adults) of no more than 2,000 words. And that’s it. Unlike previous years, there’s no theme for you to base your story on; all you have to do is make sure you’re registered with the website. To find out more about the Short Story Competition visit the Writers and Artists website.

Publishers / Submission Opportunities

And Other Stories: They publish some of the best in contemporary writing, including many translations. We aim to push people’s reading limits and help them discover authors of adventurous and inspiring writing. And we want to open up publishing so that from the outside it doesn’t look like some posh freemasonry. For example, as we said in this piece in The Guardian, we think more of the English publishing industry should move out of London, Oxford and their environs. In 2017 we moved our main office to Sheffield and found such a warm welcome. Our Northern Book Prize is a sign of our commitment to new writing from the North of England. And Other Stories is readers, editors, writers, translators and subscribers. While our books are distributed widely through bookshops, it’s our subscribers’ support that makes the books happen. We now have about 1,400 active subscribers in over 40 countries, receiving up to 6 books a year. Visit And Other’s Stories website to find out more about how to submit you work.

Armley Press (based in Leeds): Armley Press want to be moist, daring, unorthodox, dynamic and give voice to real people. We will share the word in many forms and want to hear from you. Amongst other things, we’ll produce opinionated, campaigning films and blogs. We don’t want Armley Press to be just about book publishing, we want it to be about the communication of ideas and vibes in different formats. So if you have any ideas, get in touch. Armley Press is also interested in working with established writers. We want to support things that increase diverse and unorthodox voices, put out authors that mainstream publishers may appreciate but wouldn’t publish. Although we’ll consider anything, we have a Leeds bias and want to nurture and be part of a cultural power base (countering London and Manchester) called Leeds. Visit the Armley Press website to contact them with any ideas or to submit your writing.

AZ Mag – submission opportunity. Within the LGBTQ+ community, Black people and people of colour (QTIBPOC), are often under-represented and in many cases not represented at all. We want to create a platform that not only allows QTIBPOC to showcase their talents, but also allows us to address the issues that we face in our communities. The main sections on the website are: Culture & News, Music, Arts and Fashion. Please note that you can still pitch to us even if your topic doesn’t fit into one of these categories. We are looking for insightful topics related to being QTIBPoC or being Black/PoC so please ensure that you look through the website thoroughly and do not pitch topics that have already been covered. Your pitch should be no longer than 300 words. Please explain why it is an important subject that should be covered and how it would be suitable for AZ Mag’s readership. Where possible please send us examples of your previous work or a link to your blog. We’d also like to know who you are so a short bio and links to your social media accounts should be included. Visit AZ Magazine’s website to submit your writing.

BBC Radio 4 Extra – Newsjack: BBC Radio 4 broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes including news, drama, comedy, science and history. Newsjack the Radio 4 Extra topical news sketch show, which anyone can write for, and puts call outs for writers to submit sketches and one-liners for its series. Irreverent and satirical, Newsjack is the scrapbook sketch show written entirely by the Great British public, and then brought to life by a revolving cast of sketch performers. Trying to make sense of it all is host Kiri Pritchard-McLean. Go to Newsjack’s Submission Page on their website for full details, advice, script templates and details of fees for material which is used on air. You can also find loads more of advice and information on our blog. Visit the BBC’s website to find out more about BBC Radio 4 Extra – Newsjack, and to check when applications next reopen.

Bitter Pill Theatre – The Painkiller Project (submission opportunity): A playwriting project that runs every other month with a £250 prize for each winning play. The winning play will be produced and released on The Painkiller Podcast. They hope that the repetitive nature of the competition helps to make the project feel collaborative and cyclical – like theatre. Their plays have been performed by high profile actors. Guidelines: ● They are looking for short plays. Scripts should be 500 – 1500 words long ● Plays should be written for 1 – 2 actors only ● They are also looking for a short (maximum 50 word) synopsis and the writer’s dream casting ● 1 Play will be selected in each window For full information on how to submit your play, visit the Bitter Pill’s website.

Bloodaxe Books (based in Northumberland): We have revolutionised poetry publishing in Britain over four decades. Internationally renowned for quality in literature and excellence in book design, our authors and books have won virtually every major literary award given to poetry, from the T.S. Eliot Prize and Pulitzer to the Nobel Prize. And books like the Staying Alive anthology series have broken new ground by opening up contemporary poetry to many thousands of new readers. Grant support from Arts Council England makes it possible for Bloodaxe to publish up to thirty new titles a year by a bold and diverse range of new and established writers from Britain, Ireland, America and many other countries, including poetry in translation and proportionally more collections by women poets than any other British imprint. Poetry publication – some pointers before you contact us: •  Reading: If you do not read much contemporary poetry, or if you write poetry ‘as a hobby’, we’re unlikely to be interested in your work. You may disagree, but we believe that no one can write poetry of quality unless they read other poets and are in touch with the literary culture. •  Magazines: It is advisable to submit poems to magazines before thinking about putting a book together. Such a “track record” is not used by publishers as a guarantee of quality, but as an indication that the writer has spent time building up a publishable collection. Poets under 30 can apply for a Gregory Award from the Society of Authors. This can be a good stepping-stone to publication. For a comprehensive listing of poetry magazines, see these two websites: The Poetry Library (UK) and Poetry Magazines •  Market: Don’t submit to publishers unless you’ve read their books, or to magazines unless you’re familiar with the kind of work they publish. Every imprint is different, and you will not be able to publish much unless you research the field and send to the publishers or magazines whose output you like and respect. You can read back issues of many of the leading British poetry magazines on the Poetry Library’s poetry magazines site (see above). •  Recommended articles: If you’d like to gain a greater understanding of the editorial process, we recommend this article by Bloodaxe editor Neil Astley offering advice to new authors in a Guardian poetry guide, and this article by poet Roddy Lumsden from the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook called Approaching a poetry publisher. Visit Bloodaxe’s website to find out more about submitting your work.

Blossom Spring Publishing (based in Manchester): An independent publishing house with a world-wide distribution. We have been publishing books since 2015 and have published high quality books resulting in award winning titles. We are becoming one of the fastest growing publishers in the industry, offering our readers an exciting range of excellent books and our authors, established or new, a great platform of opportunities. We print paperback as well as e-books and we work with major wholesalers making our books readily available to order from anywhere around the world by independent book shops and chain stores, as well as online retailers such as Amazon and many more. Blossom Spring Publishing is one of the few publishers who accept unsolicited manuscripts (that is, those that are not presented to us by an agent and self-published authors). We accept manuscripts for fiction, non-fiction and children’s stories with illustrations. At present they’re particularly interested in: Fiction: • C ommercial women’s fiction, including historical romance and saga •  Crime and psychological thrillers • P aranormal and mystery • C hildren’s fiction Non-Fiction: •  Humour •  Health & well-being • F ood and drink They don’t accept: poetry, short stories, or stories that carry a theme for one occasion only such as Christmas, Thanks Giving, Easter etc. Visit Blossom Spring’s website to find out more about what they look for in work they publish, and how you can submit your writing.

Bluemoose Books (based in Hebden Bridge): An independent publisher. Kevin and Hetha Duffy started Bluemoose in 2006 and as a ‘family’ of readers and writers we’re passionate about the written word and stories. Stories are transformative and as publishers we delight in finding great new talent. We don’t have the heft of a London publishing house with the millions of pounds to promote our writers but we do manage through innovative marketing to get our books into high street bookstores and reviewed in the national press. If you’re looking for orange headed celebrity books, you’ve probably come to the wrong place. But if you want brilliant stories that have travelled from Hebden Bridge, across the border into Lancashire, down to London across to Moscow, Sofia and Budapest and into the United States, Australia, India, Colombia and Greenland, Iceland and Bosnia Herzevogina then Bluemoose is the publisher for you. We do not publish children’s books, YA or poetry. Please send the first three chapters and a synopsis. Unfortunately we can’t get back to you straightaway but will do our best to let you know if we want to see the full manuscript hopefully within twelve weeks. Visit the Bluemoose Books website to find out more about how to submit your writing.

Burning Eye Books: We are a small independent publisher in the South West predominately specialising in promoting spoken word artists, aiming to create an inclusive representation of the best and most promising performance poets. We aim to dispel the assumption that performance poetry does not transfer well to page as well as give emerging and established artist opportunities to be published where they might be rejected from other traditional poetry publishers. We look for the bold, the fearless and the strange, and we pride ourselves on providing a conscious portfolio of brilliant poets and writers. Visit the Burning Eye Books website to find out more about their publishing services and opportunities to submit your poetry.

Carcanet (based in Manchester): One of the outstanding independent literary publishers of our time, with a focus on poetry. Now in its fifth decade, Carcanet publishes the most comprehensive and diverse list available of modern and classic poetry in English and in translation, as well as a range of inventive fiction, Lives and Letters and literary criticism. Writers wishing to submit poetry should familiarise themselves with Carcanet’s books and with the magazine PN Review. Many Carcanet authors have come to the attention of the Press by way of PN Review. In the first instance, send between six and ten pages of work (poetry or translations) during the submission period. Decisions are usually taken within eight weeks. Writers wishing to propose projects (also during the submission period) should send a synopsis and covering e-mail with sample pages, having first ascertained from the website that the kind of book proposed is suitable for the Carcanet programme. Visit Carcanet’s website to view the full guidelines on submitting your work.

Comma Press (based in Manchester): A not-for-profit publisher specialising in the short story and fiction in translation. It is committed to a spirit of risk-taking, and aims to put the short story at the heart of contemporary narrative culture. We publish collections by new and established authors, interdisciplinary collaborations between authors and experts, and translation commissions devised to identify cutting-edge (often marginalised) voices from across the world. Comma Press also works as a writer development agency, delivering short story courses throughout the year, and hosting the annual National Creative Writing Industry Day to give every kind of aspiring writer access to advice, knowledge and skills from industry professionals. Comma Press founded the Northern Fiction Alliance in 2016 alongside three other leading independents, Peepal Tree Press, Dead Ink Books and And Other Stories, and have since been joined by a range of publishers such as Bluemoose Books, Saraband and Valley Press. The Alliance is a radical publishing collective devised to showcase the creativity, diversity and outward-looking agenda that sets publishers in the North of England apart. Visit Comma Press’s website to find out more about how you can submit your work.

Crowstep Journal – Submit Your Poetry: This new poetry publication that explores themes around ancestry, the natural world, the extra-ordinary in the ordinary and the magic of everyday things. We invite you to submit poems on these themes in fresh, inventive, dark, surprising, beautiful and unusual ways and encourage broad interpretations. Submissions from all are welcome and it is free to submit. Selected work will be published on a rolling basis with one poet and their work featured monthly. We also hope to publish an anthology of selected poems in 2023. We do not offer payment at the moment but this may change in the future, if we receive more funding. Visit Crowstep Journal’s website to submit your poetry.

Discoveries (for novels): The Women’s Prize Trust, NatWest, Curtis Brown Literary Agency and Curtis Brown Creative Writing School are delighted to be partnering on Discoveries, a unique initiative searching for the most talented and original new female writing voices in the UK and Ireland. If you’d like to enter, send us the first 10,000 words of your novel and a synopsis of up to 1,000 words. Novels do not need to be finished before you enter the competition, but you should be able to summarise in your synopsis the main plot of your work-in-progress. The winner will be offered representation by Curtis Brown Literary Agency and a cash prize of £5,000. All longlisted and shortlisted authors will be offered personalised packages of mentorship from a Curtis Brown agent or industry expert tailored to their individual needs, as well as free or discounted places on Curtis Brown Creative’s writing courses. Visit the Curtis Brown website to find out more about Discoveries and to check when applications next reopen.

Faber & Faber (based in London): Founded in 1929 in London, Faber is one of the world’s great publishing houses. Our list of authors includes thirteen Nobel Laureates and six Booker Prize-winners. We are proud to publish the foremost voices in fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and drama, with writers including T. S. Eliot, Ted Hughes, Harold Pinter, Sylvia Plath, William Golding, Samuel Beckett, Seamus Heaney and Kazuo Ishiguro. Every week our Editors are inundated with manuscripts, but the reality is that we can no longer accept unsolicited submissions. We will no longer look at or enter into correspondence about unsolicited works of fiction, non-fiction, plays, screenplays or children’s books. We will, however, continue to accept poetry submissions. If you are intending to submit your poetry, please make sure to read the following guidelines carefully. Visit Faber’s website to find out more about submitting your work.

Fisher King Publishing (based in West Yorkshire): They publish all kinds of fiction and non-fiction, as long as you understand what they want. You can familiarize yourself more with what they are looking on the website. Visit the Fisher King Publishing website to find out more about submitting your writing.

Indolent Books (based in New York): A nonprofit poetry press with staff working remotely around the country. In our books and on our website, Indolent publishes innovative, provocative, and risky work by poets and writers who are queer, trans, nonbinary (or gender nonconforming), intersex, women (of all races and ethnicities), people of color (of all genders), people living with HIV, people with histories of addiction, abuse, and other traumatic experiences, and other poets and writers who are underrepresented or marginalized, or whose work has particular relevance to issues of racial, social, economic, and environmental justice. Visit Indolent’s website to find out more about submitting your work.

Lantana (based on Oxford): Lantana specialise in Children’s books, but may consider non-fiction and poetry across all ages. In the United Kingdom, a third of school children identify as Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic yet fewer than 5% of children’s books feature main characters of colour and fewer than 2% of children’s book creators are British authors of colour. The picture is even bleaker for those who identify with marginalised groups relating to class, gender, sexuality, health and ability. At Lantana, we’re changing the game by publishing inclusive books that celebrate our differences. We actively seek out stories by authors who make a diverse range of lived experiences accessible to young children. At Lantana, we are actively seeking under-represented voices. This means that if you feel you and your experiences weren’t represented on the shelves of bookshops when you were growing up, and especially if those experiences still aren’t often represented now, we want to hear from you. Picture books have been our heartland since we began, but we are also keen to expand into books for older readers. We do, on occasion, consider narrative non-fiction and poetry across the age spectrum, so if you feel that you’re offering is exceptional, please do submit it following the same instructions as for a fiction author. Visit Lantana’s website to find out more about submitting your writing.

Lendal Press (based in Scarborough): We are currently looking for manuscripts of fiction and non-fiction for publication by Lendal Press in 2021. Novels, short stories, flash fiction, memoirs, essays – we’re open to all fiction/non-fiction projects. At the moment, the majority of our opportunities are for authors willing to work with us via a hybrid publishing arrangement. Hybrid publishing is the middle ground between “self-publishing”, where the author takes sole responsibility for the financial investment in their book and the key decisions regarding it, and “traditional publishing”, where a publishing house bears all the financial risk and – in most cases – calls the shots with regard to editing, design, production and promotion. Put simply, the “hybrid” model works as follows: if you are willing to contribute half of an agreed budget for publishing your book (or raise it via crowdfunding), Lendal Press will match your investment, and we’ll work together to make your book as successful as possible. As well as one of the brightest young editors working in the UK, and world-class text and cover designers, we are working with Newcastle-based sales and marketing agency Inpress; “the UK’s specialist in selling books produced by independent publishers” – so in theory, everything is in place for Lendal titles to take the literary world by storm. Visit the Lendal Press website to find out more about how to submit your work.

MASS (submission opportunity): The MASS is a monthly online collection of discursive art, articles, opinions, prompts, thoughts, and questions, gathered in response to global issues (it’s free to access by all). It aims to provide a space for reflection, criticism, and for art as activism. Everyone is welcome to submit: artists, thinkers, writers, worriers – people with opinions prepared to be critical. We accept all types of work (text, audio, video, visual, ephemeral, surprise us). Visit the MASS website to find out more about submitting your work.

Mira Publishing (based in Leeds and London): •  We publish fiction and non-fiction based on contemporary topics •  We carefully select our titles to enrich international literature •  We give opportunities to fresh, young talents in writing •  We try to bridge the cultural gaps between nations by publishing books from different countries •  We give fair deals to authors who publish with us •  We work towards making the books available and affordable to any reader •  We are the exclusive distributor for some publishers and self-published authors •  We use and support green publishing techniques •  We employ volunteers who are interested in the publishing industry Visit Mira’s Publishing’s website to find out more about how to submit your writing.

Peepal Tree Press (based in Leeds): The world’s leading publisher of Caribbean and Black British writing. We publish around 20 titles a year. Founded in 1986, Peepal Tree’s publishing programme has brought readers the best of international writing from the Caribbean, its diasporas and Black British writers. See our website for details of what we publish. We aim to reply to 90% of all submissions within 12 weeks. You can submit Non-Fiction, Fiction, and poetry. Visit the Peepal Tree Press webaite to find out more about how to submit your writing.

Penned In The Margins (based in London): They create publications and performances for people who are not afraid to take risks. “A marvellously exciting venture, bringing together the worlds of experimentalism and performance, always looking for new ways to present the spoken and written word in a time of artistic flux. The mainstream will, in the future, be redefined and enriched by companies like Penned in the Margins.” – Ian McMillan, poet and broadcaster. From modest beginnings as a reading series in a converted railway arch in south London, Penned in the Margins has grown over the last 15 years into an award-winning small arts organisation producing new work live, in print and online. Visit Penned in the Margin’s website to find out more about submitting your work.

Pen & Sword Books: Pen and Sword authors come from a wide range of backgrounds. They are freelance writers, university lecturers, journalists, local historians, novelists, and people from many other walks of life with a passion for history. You don’t need to have already published a book to be considered, but if you have previous professional writing experience do tell us about it. The authors of successful proposals tend to display the following traits: •  A good depth of knowledge, and a passion for exploring, their chosen subject area. •  A clear, accessible writing style. •  An understanding of the market their book would be going into and knowledge of existing titles in the area. •  A willingness to market that their book using blogging, social media, as well as more traditional media. We’ll review every proposal that we receive, although due to the high volume of submissions we cannot always reply to unsuccessful proposals and we are not able to provide critiques of manuscripts. As of October 2020 they were no longer accepting Fiction proposal. Check Pen & Sword’s website to see what they’re currently looking for and find out how to submit your writing.

Route Publishing Limited (based in Sheffield): A publishing house with a principle commitment to authentic stories and good books. Our titles have been bestowed with Book of the Year Awards from Rolling Stone Magazine, Mojo, Rough Trade, Guardian, Northern Soul, Morning Star and Reader’s Digest, and have been deemed worthy of being shortlisted for the James Tait Memorial Prize for Fiction, Penderyn Music Book Prize, NME Book Award, Association for Recorded Sound Collections Award and PEN Ackerley Prize. We are a small but dedicated team who give a lot of care and attention to the books we publish. We only take on a handful of titles per year at most, even less from open submissions, and need to be convinced that books we commission are within our remit, that we can add value and are viable enough to support through sales. We don’t guarantee to reply to all submissions – we will reply if we want to see more. Visit Route Publishing’s website to find out more about submitting your writing.

Scratching Shed Publishing (based in Leeds): Founded in 2008 by Tony Hannan, Phil Caplan, and a few authors, occasional broadcasters, and journalists from Yorkshire, Scratching Shed Publishing is an independent company based in Leeds. Although their main focus used to be the northern English culture, the range of interests has widened in the past years, as their list now includes both national and international authors, as well as the rugby league magazine Forty20. Some of the genres you can find on their website are humour, general non-fiction, boxing, horse racing, history, scripts, travel & tourism, fiction, current affairs, football, and politics. They are happy to receive unsolicited manuscripts from prospective authors or their agents. Please get in touch by email in the first instance to introduce your idea. Visit Scratching Shed Publishing’s website to find out more about how to submit your writing.

Sharon House Publishing (based in West Yorkshire): A publishing house based in West Yorkshire that publishes children’s books only. We offer a service to authors wishing to publish their books. We will endeavour to market, publicise and sell our clients’ finished book. We believe everyone has a story and we want to help him or her tell it. Visit Sharon House Publishing’s website to find out more how to submit your children’s book.

Tartarus Press (based in North Yorkshire): A small, British independent press founded in 1990. We specialise in collectable hardback limited editions of literary supernatural/strange/horror fiction, and we also publish paperbacks and ebooks. We have been the recipient of five World Fantasy Awards (as recently as 2015), and in 2010 received a “Stoker” from the Horror Writers Association. Visit the Tartarus Press website to find out more about how to submit your work.

TYPE Magazine – submission opportunities: TYPE! champions new fiction and design in a dinky A4 format that doubles as a bookmark. Each edition includes short stories and poems, writing prompts to inspire and a literary quiz to challenge. TYPE! is free, and is also available in a range of vendors, retailers and independent shops. Although we cannot pay for submissions, we will work with authors to promote the piece and their other writing. Categories: #RuleOfSix (tell us a story in six words), Fiction, Flash Fiction, Poetry, Micro-plays, Micro-films and Illustrations. Visit TYPE’s website to submit your writing.

Valley Press (based in Scarborough): An independent publishing house. We publish poetry, including collections, pamphlets and the occasional anthology; fiction (including novels and collections of short stories) and non-fiction, including memoirs and travel writing. Visit the Valley Press website to find out more about how to submit your work.

Voice Magazine: Write for Voice Magazine as a Voice Contributor.  If you have a passion for art, culture, politics or technology and have strong opinions that you want the world to hear, you should consider applying! Being a Voice Contributor means that you get your work professionally edited, allowing you to build up a portfolio to show off. You also get access to press tickets and can help shape the magazine’s editorial direction. The Voice Contributor programme runs for three months working towards a paid commission at the end of the programme. During the programme, we will help you develop your writing craft and offer tailored workshops on writing style and the prospect of a career in writing. There will also be the opportunity to continue writing for us if you choose to. Eligibility: Aimed at people age 16-25 who are passionate about culture or media; perhaps you’re planning a creative career or hoping to become a journalist. You will be keen to join a magazine team and know this means working to strict deadlines. You will have blogs and article ideas ready to pitch, and be interested in covering events in your area. We encourage people from all backgrounds and with all abilities to apply. Visit the Voice Magazine website to find out more about being a Voice Contributor.

Arts Council England (ACE):  Visit ACE to search for the latest literature jobs.

The Guardian:   Visit The Guardian to search for the latest literature jobs.

You might be interested in:

writers groups leeds

The Writing Room – Apples & Snakes

Other Opportunities, Writing Groups

Now closed for applications. The Writing Room is Apples and Snakes’ foremost skills development programme for writers aged 18-25. Over the course of six workshops, participants will improve their writing, develop their craft and hone their skills under the guidance of an acclaimed poet: in previous years, mentors have included Dzifa Benson, Deanna Rodger and […]

young writers groups logo

Writing East Midlands Young Writers Groups

Writing East Midlands’ Young Writers’ Groups are all by professional writers and not only are they fun and friendly, they offer a fantastic introduction to the world of creative writing. They currently run groups in 6 areas – Ashbourne (9-16 yr olds), Chesterfield (9-14 yr olds), Leicester (14-17 yr olds), Nottingham (11-15 yr olds), (Corby […]

photo of a young woman on stage gesturing as she performs.

Roundhouse Poetry Collective – London

Closed, reopening August 2024. The collective is a group of young writers and performers who meet weekly to create, experiment and develop their craft, under guidance from established and celebrated poets. This year’s tutor is Cecilia Knapp. The Roundhouse is a young people’s arts centre which runs spoken word training programmes to develop writing and […]

writers groups leeds

The Writing Squad

Closed for applications in March 2023. The Writing Squad recruits every two years. Find out more here. The Writing Squad is a group of motivated 16-21 year old writers who live, work or study in the north of England. We exist to help you develop your writing. Being part of the Squad is FREE and […]

writers groups leeds

Barbican Young Poets – London

Closed. Barbican Young Poets is a poetry workshop and community for budding young writers, which gives you the chance to create, craft and perform poetry and spoken word. By the end of the year, you’ll have produced a portfolio of work, contributed to a published anthology, and had experience of performing on the Barbican’s stages […]

Hive South Yorkshire

Organisations, Other Opportunities, Writing Groups

Hive South Yorkshire is the hub for young writer activity in the South Yorkshire region. Whether you like to write as a hobby, want to express yourself better with words, or are super focused on a writing career – whatever your interest or ability – Hive is here to help you achieve your writing goals and […]

writers groups leeds

New Writing South Writer Squads

Writer Squads are New Writing South’s flagship project to support the development of young writers across the south-east. There are several squads across the region for writers aged 13 – 17, in Oxford, Brighton, Rye, Margate, Portsmouth, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

writers groups leeds

Leeds Young Authors

Leeds Young Authors runs activities that focus on using creative writing, spoken word/performance poetry, and the competitive environment of poetry slams. Workshops in the Host Media Centre in Leeds, with sessions for 13-19 year olds.

Ministry of Stories logo

Ministry of Stories

Ministry of Stories is a place where children and young people in East London can become writers. If you live in Hoxton or attend one of their local schools, you can join one of their FREE weekly writing clubs for 8-12 year olds. If you go to a state school in Hackney, Islington or Tower […]

writers groups leeds

New Writing North Young Writers’ Summer Schools

Every year, New Writing North runs FREE Summer Sessions on creative writing projects spanning poetry, plays, songwriting, and more. New Writing North’s free summer programmes take place across the North East. They are for young people aged 11-19 to try fun writing projects and meet like-minded people in a relaxed, friendly and inclusive environment. Join […]

Obsidian Foundation – writers’ retreat

Closed for 2023. The Obsidian Foundation retreat provides Black poets from African, Caribbean, Afro-Latinx, and African-American heritage, who often face access barriers, with an opportunity to network with agents, publishers, and provide vast industry opportunities. Successful applicants will benefit from writing retreats, workshops and mentoring. You’ll have the chance to work with award-winning poets Roger Robinson, […]

The London Library Emerging Writers Programme

Open now, Other Opportunities, Writing Groups

Open for applications, deadline 28 February 2024. The London Library Emerging Writers Programme, now entering its sixth year, is a unique opportunity which offers writers, in all genres and disciplines, one year’s free membership of The London Library and includes writing development masterclasses, networking opportunities, peer support, access to and guidance in using all the […]

New Writing North Young Writers’ Groups in Cramlington, Newcastle, South Shields and Gateshead

New Writing North Young Writers’ Groups meet weekly in term time in Amble, Cramlington, Newcastle and South Shields, as well as a Young Songwriters’ Group in the west end of Newcastle. They give young people the opportunity to meet like-minded peers, and work with professional writers and artists to explore different genres, styles and forms […]

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Spark Young Writers Groups – West Midlands

The Spark Young Writers Groups are for young people interested in creative writing of any kind. Professional writers work with Writing Group members to help them develop their writing talents. There are groups in Birmingham, The Black Country, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Telford & Wrekin, Stoke and Staffordshire, with groups for 12-16 year olds and for 8-11 year olds.

writers groups leeds

Ilkley Lit Fest Young Writers Group

Open September – late June. The Festival have not yet announced the dates for the next term of young writers. Please check this page or sign up to their newsletter for updates on dates for next term. Ilkley Literature Festival runs a fortnightly group for young writers between Years 8 and 13. Sessions take place on Mondays during […]

writers groups leeds

Moniack Mhor Young Writers’ Forum

Organisations, Writing Groups

Based in the Highlands of Scotland, the Moniack Mhor Young Writers’ Forum is at the heart of the writing centre’s youth programme.

writers groups leeds

The Ministry of Stories – London

Hidden away at the back of The Monster Shop (where else?), in Hoxton, London, the Ministry of Stories provides a free space for fresh writing by young people. The Minstry of Words provides workshops and one-to-one mentoring. Services are provided by volunteers: local writers, artists and teachers, all giving their time and talent for free.

writers groups leeds

Liverpool Young Writers

Liverpool Young Writers is a group of 11-19 year old spoken word artists and creative writers. Activities include weekly creative writing, learning and performance sessions, and regular events to showcase the work of the young writers. The group is organised by Writing on the Wall and was nominated for a BeMOBO Award in 2010. The […]

writers groups leeds

Young Identity – Manchester

Young Identity is a group of young poets based in Manchester, led by poets and coordinators Shirley May and Ali Gadema. Young Identity has at its core a Poetry Slam team and weekly workshops open to 13-25 year olds. They now have 450 members with 240 engaged participants and 1,000 members on Facebook. Find out […]

writers groups leeds

Young People’s Writing Squads (Literature Wales)

The Young People’s Writing Squads support young writers working in both English and Welsh across Wales. Young people are generally selected for one of the 23 squads by the age of 9 or 10, with headteachers in each authority identifying enthusiastic and talented young writers. There are now squads established in nearly every local authority […]

writers groups leeds

Little Green Pig Writing Project – East Sussex

Little Green Pig Writing Project is a non-profit creative writing organisation for children and young people, based in Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. Our aim is to provide ‘a space to create for young writers’ where you can get support, encouragement, ideas and inspiration to help you write. If you are aged between 7 and […]

writers groups leeds

Young Writers Online

Online Stuff, Writing Groups

Young Writers Online is a friendly community dedicated to providing a place for members to improve the quality of their writing through honest critique, discussion, and literary exercises. The site also holds many competitions and events throughout the year, including the YWO Writing Olympics and the Young Writers Award.

writers groups leeds

Tower Poetry Summer School – Oxford

Closed for 2023. Young poets who are 18-23 years old are invited every two years to apply for the Tower Poetry residential summer school, which takes place at Christ Church in Oxford. The programme aims to develop writing and critical skills through a series of exciting and challenging workshops run by two established poets, with […]

Southbank Centre logo

Southbank Centre – New Poets Collective

Other Opportunities, Reopening soon, Writing Groups

Closed summer 2023. Re-opening 2024. For poets aged 22+ (no upper age limit). Southbank Centre are looking for up to 15 poets who can flourish as part of the New Poets Collective. Whether you are still finding and honing your voice, or are on the cusp of developing your work for the page and stage, […]

Creative writing workshops events in Leeds, United Kingdom

Say Owt presents: Creative Writing workshop with Shareefa Energy primary image

Say Owt presents: Creative Writing workshop with Shareefa Energy

Sat, Apr 13, 11:00 AM

York Explore Library and Archive

Creative  Writing Workshop: Donkeys primary image

Creative Writing Workshop: Donkeys

Today at 10:00 AM

Sheffield Central Library

Creative  Writing Workshop: Donkeys primary image

Tomorrow at 10:00 AM

Creative Writing [5 Week Course] primary image

Creative Writing [5 Week Course]

Tue, Jun 18, 6:00 PM

Absolute Beginner Writing Workshop primary image

Absolute Beginner Writing Workshop

Tomorrow at 2:00 PM

Orchard Square

Creative Life Writing Workshop - Celebrations and Traditions primary image

Creative Life Writing Workshop - Celebrations and Traditions

Sat, Mar 30, 10:00 AM

Writing your Past Creative Writing Workshop - Guiseley primary image

Writing your Past Creative Writing Workshop - Guiseley

Sun, Apr 7, 11:00 AM

Guiseley Theatre, The Green, Guiseley, Leeds, UK

Absolute Beginner Writing Workshop II primary image

Absolute Beginner Writing Workshop II

Sun, Mar 17, 2:00 PM

Tue, Sep 17, 6:00 PM

Putting Pen to Paper: Creative Writing Beginner primary image

Putting Pen to Paper: Creative Writing Beginner

Tue, Mar 12, 6:30 PM

35 Chesterfield Road, Sheffield S8 0RL, UK

'Curlew Call and Waterfall' Nature as Muse Practical Writing Workshop primary image

'Curlew Call and Waterfall' Nature as Muse Practical Writing Workshop

Sat, Mar 9, 11:00 AM

South Square Centre

Creative Writing primary image

Creative Writing

Thu, Mar 21, 6:30 PM + 3 more

Children's Creative Workshops primary image

Children's Creative Workshops

Thu, Mar 7, 5:00 PM + 2 more

St. James Parish Church

Writing Workout: Spring Sessions primary image

Writing Workout: Spring Sessions

Monday at 6:30 PM

Easter Creative Writing: A Beginner's Guide (8-13) primary image

Easter Creative Writing: A Beginner's Guide (8-13)

Mon, Mar 25, 1:00 PM + 4 more

The Blue House Bookshop

Writing Poetry primary image

Writing Poetry

Sunday at 10:30 AM

Weekly Creative Writing Sessions primary image

Weekly Creative Writing Sessions

Today at 1:00 PM + 42 more

Virago Women's Workshop

Mon, Apr 15, 6:00 PM

Creative Writing Class (for adults!) primary image

Creative Writing Class (for adults!)

Tue, Apr 2, 7:00 PM

Reserve Wines Shop Didsbury

Plastic Fantastic Creative Recycling Workshop primary image

Plastic Fantastic Creative Recycling Workshop

Monday at 1:00 PM

Slaithwaite Health Centre, New Street, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield, UK

Things to do around Leeds

Heartlines

  • Sign up to SOUNDBITES on Zoom on Monday 11th April 2022
  • Soundbites on Zoom (March 2022)
  • Soundbites on Zoom (February 2022)
  • Soundbites on Zoom (January 2022)
  • Soundbites on Zoom (December 2021)
  • Soundbites Live! (November 2021)
  • Soundbites in Zoom (October 2021)
  • Soundbites Live! (September 2021)
  • Sondbites Live! (August 2021)
  • SOUNDBITES in Zoom (July 2021)
  • SOUNDBITES in Zoom (June 2021)
  • SOUNDBITES on Zoom (May 2021)
  • SOUNDBITES ON ZOOM (April 2021)
  • SOUNDBITES ON ZOOM (8th March)
  • SOUNDBITES ON ZOOM (8th February)
  • SOUNDBITES ON ZOOM (11th January)
  • SOUNDBITES ON ZOOM (December 14th)
  • SOUNDBITES ON ZOOM (November 9th)
  • SOUNDBITES ON ZOOM (October 12th)
  • Asylum in the Siren
  • SOUNDBITES ON ZOOM (August 10th)
  • War of the Roses
  • Opening Prayer by Siobhan Mac Mahon
  • Listen by Siobhan Mac Mahon
  • National Poetry Day 2023 – Refuge
  • International Women’s Day 2023 – Phenomenal Woman
  • National Poetry Day 2022 – The Environment
  • International Women’s Day 2022
  • Small Ghosts Exhibition 2022
  • Creative Writing group and me
  • How I came to join the class
  • My continuing education
  • I should have started writing years ago
  • National Poetry Day – Refuge

writers groups leeds

Refuge can mean many things. Refuge can be found in a relationship, in books, in a church or in a religion, or in a foreign country escaping from war and terror. There are many types of refugees but all are seeking  help, solace and safety.

The Refuge collection was displayed at the Heart Centre, Headingly, Leeds and can be viewed at National Poetry Day 2023 – Refuge

writers groups leeds

  • BLACKBERRIES

To walk that road again – a lane? Passed stubbled fields. Kildarra up to Nolan’s farm. Pick purple blackberries on the way. A small child’s handful. Turn left at milk churns waiting by wild fushias live with bees. We squeeze their scarlet flowers – lick sweet nectar off our sun kissed skin. Norah’s there, Helena’s ma, to mash our berries in a cup, with sugar and churn top milk so fresh it’s warm. We cross the yard. Open a splintery stable door a crack, our mouths like rosebuds. Banbhs run squealing between our legs, drunk like us, with freedom. And Norah watches, laughing from the kitchen door, wipes hands on her cotton apron and stirs the pig mash.

Cate Anderson

  • AEGEAN ODYSSEY

Someday I will go on a journey to the mythical isle of Ithaca, across Homer’s wine-dark sea. I will be seduced by the singing of the Sirens, sailing close to the rocks and finding the key

to the realm of the unruly gods who sport on Mount Olympus. I shall follow the path of Odysseus, visit the island of the Lotus-eaters and succumb to the charms and perils of the ancient Aegean’s allure.

Yes, someday I will sail to Ithaca and there I will find, perhaps, a latter-day Penelope whose arms will comfort me with love. I can only dream …. but still I seem to hear those Siren voices faintly calling, calling, calling.

Bill Fitzsimons

  • A PASSAGE TO INDIA…

“A PASSAGE TO INDIA…” …or some other far-flung destination is what my disillusioned spirit craves. To escape the humdrum of the quotidian, the stress of everyday monotony is, I believe, the duty – nay, the imperative – of the questing mind, the hungry imagination.

And India would serve that hunger well. Not the sweltering slums of Calcutta or the hopeless misery of impoverished millions; the fly-blown carcasses of the fallen dead; the complete despair in the eyes of small children: such brute reality demands a different response.

No, the India I seek is another realm, where moonlight gleams on temple ruins and colourful birds delight the eye each sun-washed day; an India where Dr. Aziz still yearns to impress Miss Quested in the echoing Malabar Caves.

Such an India may not exist outside the pages of Forster's novel; an India of the pining heart, rather than the reasoning mind, but the sorcery lingers, the spell will not be broken – my ship awaits and Miss Quested beckons.

  • Undercliffe Cemetery – a prose poem

writers groups leeds

By David Spencer, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9138485

The monumental gates are broad. The pillared span admits respectable citizens, the high and the low, captains of industry and the foot soldiers; the wealth makers of money and markets, the wealth creators born to necessity and toil. The gradations of the community of the living, from privileged prosperity to servile dependency, are displayed plainly here in the domain of the dead. Treelined avenues, bordered by the splendour of Egyptian mausoleums, gothic tombs and spired vaults reaching to heaven, house the relics of Bradford family dynasties.

These give way through narrow side paths to a stratified social landscape, the lieutenants of the masters, the servants of the great, police and policed, overseers and overseen. Further, in overgrown corners and inaccessible plots lie the remains, the names time-erased from modest head stones and from history, of the legions who fuelled the machine of Victorian progress, the labouring bodies of the children, women, men, that were fed into the mills, or confined in the dark damp basements or airless attics of the airy mansions, the great halls and grandiloquent grounds that cossetted and encompassed enchanted lives.

And here, in an unremarked plot, on the perimeter, the Quaker burial ground maps a vision of a different world. Uniform grey gravestones laid flat where “no man is above another”, where all are equal in life and death. But, in truth, the only leveller is death.

writers groups leeds

By John Yeadon – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16694184

Terry Wassall

Heartline Writers – Phenomenal Woman

Poetry, stories and singing for international women’s day.

writers groups leeds

Richard Wilcocks writes: “In Headingley’s Heart Centre, the Shire Oak Hall was full. A Powerpoint display was beginning on the large screen, ready to inform those present of the names of poets and their poems, and the now-traditional table of home-made cakes was in position at the back of the audience. This event is well-established, an essential part of the local calendar. Liz McPherson introduced the proceedings”.

Read the full report at https://headingleylitfest.blogspot.com/2023/03/heartline-writers-phenomenal-woman.html

A selection of the poems and prose presented can be read on the Heartlines Writers’ website The International Women’s Day 2023 collection .

THE NEW HOUSEKEEPER

it will not stay as it was left, the boogie-woogie of books – jazzing up the room – will fall like a ton of fiction

there will be no tambourines, no clinking of love triangles, the muse will not slip into bed and sleep until lunchtime

it will not stay as it was left, the haughty new housekeeper will burn the toast, throw marmalade at the ceiling,

she will arm herself with butter, blast out a battle-cry, call up her cavalry of cutlery, storm the entrance hall,

while the bell keeps ringing, ringing and ringing, ringing and ringing, she has changed the locks.

Linda Marshall (from Cloud Cuckoo Café)

Back to the International Women’s Day 2023 collection

THE QUIRKY COAT

It was grey flannel, plain and droopy, with drawstrings and a large untidy hood, not some zany creation sporting pistachio pockets and baroque buttons, but an everywoman’s coat that somehow caught the attention of young up-to-no-gooders, who screamed like high hell from passing cars that set off police sirens, and made old men utter profanities under their breath, even yesterday it attracted a stray bystander in the art gallery’s tearoom, who asked if he could take a photograph. “It’s the coat, not you,” he added, and as she looked at the digital image, she wished people were interested in her, and not this ordinary garment with the invisible wow factor, but then why wish yourself even more trouble?

Linda Marshall (From Half-Moon Glasses)

Blue Electra

Out of the blue, she came with her silver wings, slicing through the unspun drifts of cloud, to rise higher than any bird was made to fly defying men, defying women’s place, defying gravity she flies, alone, across the wild Atlantic sea.

Out here above the earth she gazes down at the insignificant checkerboard of the ground and the tiny pieces moving, spinning round as she rises higher than any bird was made to fly as high and wild, she flies alone across the sky

Out of nothing came the plan to span the earth They gave her a Lockheed Electra for the flight and she very nearly almost might have been…… waves whisper unknown stories of her plight They knew the date that mattered the 2nd of July 1937 the brightest of diamonds sometimes shatters and the glinting shards reflect in shadows courage, daring grace, a woman’s face.

Out of the blue she came with her silver wings. the notes rise skywards. she flies on alone. the music soars. she lives again. the drum beat roars. she rises higher than any bird was made to fly Amelia Earhart flies on in Blue Electra.

Amelia Earhart was an aviation pioneer who also wrote extensively including poetry. She was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. She was lost over the Pacific trying to circumnavigate the world…mystery surrounds her death. Recently a violin concerto, Blue Electra has been written based on parts of her life.

Eileen Neil

I saw her again today, out there, scanning the horizon, her wild song calling them in. She was Kali, Ishtar, Isis and Athena, She was Gaia, Venus, the snake goddess, Minerva she knew why caged birds sang and now she rises.* they are coming black, yellow, white, red, brown the rainbow generations, the ancestors the living ones, the ones to come, walk together, hand in hand multitudes gathered in answer to her call each one astounding birthing the future from wombs of fire their name is woman

*both this and the preceding line refer to works by Maya Angelou who wrote the poem “Phenomenal Woman”

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Emerging Writing Groups

There was a lot of interest in developing reading and writing groups that explore the entanglements of form and content in academic writing.

A range of different ideas for writing groups emerged from Generative Encounters. Two have a specific focus – Reading and Writing Bodies in Space and Autoethnography .

We will also run a more open process for anyone interested to find the right grouping for them, see Developing Writing Groups . Use the contact details below to join a group – we look forward to hearing from you.

Developing writing groups

We invite anyone interested in being part of a writing group to join us in working out what spaces we each need and might want to create. We’ll run a follow up event where we’ll work together to say what we want and so we find the right collaborators. We envision there might be a number of self-organising groups emerging from this event with different interests and focus.

If you are interested in joining this event contact Helen Graham or Laura Swithenbank .

Reading and Writing Bodies in Space

A reading and writing group, interested in exploring language as a spatial, temporal, social practice through the production of publications in a variety of formats (artist books, chapbooks, alternative cartographies, performance).

How might strategies be devised to suppress the prior-ness of the page's arrangement in order to enable into that space alternative forms of body-centred knowing? How might what appears in that space be affected by attention to a particular senses interpretive function?

The group aims to meet regularly both online and in person. Current member's interests lie in collective writing engagements, where each group member writes and reads in order to makes an important and unique contribution to the collaborative venture.

Please contact Benjamin Jenner or Dr Louise Adkins for more information.

Autoethnography

Want to join a lively group of people for writing and discussion about autoethnography and the heritage sector?

We will share and discuss an extract of autoethnographic writing (100 - 200 words), followed by exploratory writing exercises and discussion.

There is a possibility to meet at innovative and unique heritage settings and hold hybrid in-person/online meetups writing about our experiences.

Topics might include: the psychological and emotional dimensions of heritage and its disciplines; the impact of museum organisational structures on staff; the gap between statement and reality/lived experience; exploring museum funding models and considering ways to make them more equitable; combing academic writing with personal experience.

If you are interested contact Solvig Choi .

Need help submitting your writing to literary journals or book publishers/literary agents?  Click here! →

writers groups leeds

Writing groups can be useful tools for writers looking to gain constructive feedback on their work and improve their craft. At Writer’s Relief, we’ve taken the time to curate a list of writers groups so you don’t have to! Scroll down or click one of the links below to view the writing groups in your state or region.

Regional | Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington, D.C. | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming | Canada

For Online Writers Groups, click here!

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We understand the unique needs and goals of writers and offer a complete array of services to facilitate every step of your path to getting published. Learn more about our targeted submissions service .

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Regional writing groups:.

Horror Writers Association (Horror, Dark Fantasy)

The Fellowship of Southern Writers (All Genres)

Midwest Travel Writers Association (Travel)

New England Science Writers (Science, Technology, and Journalism)

Northwest Science Writers Association (Science)

Science Writers Association of the Rocky Mountains (Science, Photography)

Society of Southwestern Authors (All Genres)

Southeastern Writers Association (All Genres)

Women Writing the West (All Genres)

Alabama Writing Groups:

Birmingham, AL — Alabama Media Professionals (All Genres)

Cullman, AL — Alabama Writer’s Conclave (All Genres)

Homewood, AL — Heart of Dixie (Romance)

Huntsville, AL —  Southern Magic (Romance)

Mobile, AL — Gulf Coast Chapter of the Romance Writers of America (Romance)

Mobile, AL — Mobile Writer’s Guild (All Genres)

Mobile, AL — Huntsville Literary Association (All Genres)

Mobile, AL — Alabama Writer’s Forum (All Genres)

Montgomery, AL — Write Club (All Genres)

Alaska Writing Groups:

Anchorage, AK —  Alaska Writers Guild (All Genres)

Anchorage, AK — Northern Speculative Fiction (Fiction)

Anchorage, AK — Alaska Wilderness Writers (All Genres)

Anchorage, AK — Alaska Professional Communicators (Journalism)

Anchorage, AK — The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators  (Children’s Literature)

Anchorage, AK —  49 Writers (All Genres)

Arizona Writing Groups:

Chandler, AZ — Chandler Romance Writing (Romance)

Glendale, AZ — Writer’s Round Table (All Genres)

Litchfield Park, AZ — West Valley Writer’s Workshop (All Genres)

Mesa, AZ — East Valley Writing Workshop (All Genres)

Multiple Locations in AZ — Arizona Authors Association (All Genres)

Peoria, AZ — Peoria Fiction Writing Critique Group (Fiction)

Phoenix, AZ — Central Phoenix Writing Workshop (All Genres)

Phoenix, AZ —  The Phoenix Writers Club (All Genres)

Phoenix, AZ — Nonfiction Authors Association (Nonfiction)

Phoenix, AZ — Gang of Fearless Freewriters (All Genres)

Phoenix, AZ — Arcadia Memoir Writers (Memoir)

Scottsdale, AZ — Writing Without Workshops (All Genres)

Scottsdale, AZ — Scottsdale Society of Women Writers (All Genres)

Arkansas Writing Groups:

Fayetteville, AR — Arkansas Writers (All Genres)

Hot Springs Village, AR — Village Writers’ Club (All Genres)

Little Rock, AR — American Christian Fiction Writers (Christian Fiction)

Little Rock, AR — Little Rock Literary Writing Workshop (All Genres)

Little Rock, AR— Central Arkansas Speculative Fiction Writers’ Group (Fiction)

Searcy, AR —  White County Creative Writers (All Genres)

Springdale, AR — Fiction Forge (Fiction)

California Writing Groups:

Bakersfield, CA — Writers of Kern (All Genres)

Berkley, CA —  California Writers Club  (All Genres)

Burbank, CA — Write It Up (All Genres)

Davis, CA — The Davis Writers Saloon (All Genres)

Fountain Valley, CA —  Southern California Writers Association (All Genres)

Huntington Beach, CA — Southern California Writers Association (All Genres)

Lake Forest, CA — Sit Down, Shut Up, and Write (All Genres)

Long Beach, CA — Coffee House Writers Group (All Genres)

Long Beach, CA — The Writers Critique Group (All Genres)

Los Angeles, CA — Children’s Book Writers of Los Angeles (Children’s Literature)

Los Angeles, CA —  Independent Writers of Southern California (All Genres)

Los Angeles, CA —  Los Angeles Writers Group (Fiction)

Los Angeles, CA — Writers With Drinks (All Genres)

Los Angeles, CA — Los Angeles Poets & Writers Collective (All Genres)

Los Angeles, CA — Organization of Black Screenwriters (Screenwriting)

Los Angeles, CA — The Southwest Manuscripters (All Genres)

Los Angeles, CA —  Writers Guild of America, West (All Genres)

Los Angeles, CA — Deus ex Machina Advanced Writers Collective (All Genres)

Murrieta, CA —  International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association (Journalism)

Multiple Locations in CA — Sierra Writers (Fiction, Nonfiction)

Oakland, CA — California Writers Club (All Genres)

Redondo Beach, CA — Greater Los Angeles Writers Society (All Genres)

San Clemente, CA — Poets and Dreamers: Authors and Writers Literary Network (All Genres)

San Bernadino, CA — San Bernardino Writers’ Group (All Genres)

San Diego, CA — San Diego Writers/Editor Guild (All Genres)

San Francisco, CA —  Central Coast Writers (All Genres)

San Francisco, CA — San Francisco Writers Grotto (All Genres)

Sonora, CA — Sonora Writers Group (All Genres)

Simi Valley, CA — Write Here, Write Now (All Genres)

West Hollywood, CA — Creative Express for Writers, Screenwriters & Filmmakers (All Genres)

Colorado Writing Groups:

Boulder, CO —  Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers (Fiction)

Colorado Springs, CO — Colorado Springs Fiction Writers Group (All Genres)

Colorado Springs, CO — Pikes Peak Writers (All Genres)

Denver, CO —  Denver Woman’s Press Club (All Genres, Journalism)

Denver, CO —  Colorado Authors League (All Genres)

Eastlake, CO — Colorado Romance Writers (Romance)

Fort Collins, CO — Northern Colorado Writers (All Genres)

Greenwood Village, CO — Women Writing the West (All Genres)

Montrose, CO — Lighthouse Writers’ Workshop (All Genres)

Pueblo West, CO —  Pueblo West Writers Group  (All Genres)

Connecticut Writing Groups:

Multiple Locations in CT — Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association (All Genres)

Somers, CT — Northern Connecticut Writers Workshop (All Genres)

Westport, CT —  Westport Writers’ Workshop (All Genres)

Westport, CT — Just For Writers (All Genres)

Westport, CT —  Fairfield County Writers Group (All Genres)

West Hartford, CT — West Hartford Fiction Writers (Fiction)

West Hartford, CT — Faxon Poets (Poetry)

West Hartford, CT — Connecticut Screenwriters (Screenwriting)

West Redding, CT — Long Ridge Writers Group (All Genres)

Delaware Writing Groups:

Georgetown, DE — Delmarva Christian Writers’ Fellowship (Spiritual)

Rehoboth Beach, DE —  Rehoboth Beach Writers’ Guild (All Genres)

Florida Writing Groups:

Avon Park, FL —  Avon Park Wordsmiths (All Genres)

Boca Raton, FL — Indie Writers & Artists (All Genres)

Boynton Beach, FL —  Boynton Writers Critique Group (All Genres)

Bradenton, FL —  Bradenton Writers Group (All Genres)

Brandon, FL—  Brandon Writers Critique Group (All Genres)

Celebration, FL —  Celebration Writers Group (All Genres)

Cocoa, FL —  Space Coast Fiction Writers (Fiction)

Daytona Beach, FL —  Daytona Beach Writers (All Genres)

Deerfield Beach, FL — Mystery Writers of America, Florida Chapter (Crime, Fiction)

Deland, FL —  Café Writers (All Genres)

Englewood, FL —  Suncoast Writers Guild, Inc . (All Genres)

Fernandina, FL —  Writers by the Sea (All Genres)

Ft. Myers, FL —  Gulf Coast Writers Association, Inc. (All Genres)

Ft. Pierce, FL — Treasure Coast Writers Guild (All Genres)

Gainesville, FL —  Writers Alliance of Gainesville (All Genres)

Hallandale Beach, FL —  Gulfstream Writers (All Genres)

Havana, FL —  Havana Writers (All Genres)

Jacksonville, FL —  Serivilous Panerians (All Genres)

Jacksonville, FL —  River City Writers (All Genres)

Jacksonville, FL —  First Coast Christian Writers Group (Spiritual)

Jacksonville, FL — Northeast Florida Sisters in Crime (Crime, Mystery)

Lady Lake, FL —  Lady Lake Writers (All Genres)

Lakeland, FL —  Lakeland Writers (All Genres)

Lake Mary, FL —  Seminole County Writers Group (All Genres)

Lake Mary, FL —  A Novel Group of Writers (All Genres)

Maitland, FL —  Maitland Writers (All Genres)

Miami, FL— South Florida Writers Association (All Genres)

Mount Dora, FL —  Authors Roundtable of Mount Dora (All Genres)

Mount Dora, FL —  Poets Critique Group (Poetry)

Ocala, FL —  Freedom Writers Group (All Genres)

Oldsmar, FL —  Oldsmar Critique Group (All Genres)

Orange Park, FL —  Clay County Writers (All Genres)

Orange Park, FL —  Clay County Writers Critique Group (All Genres)

Orlando/Winter Park, FL —  Orlando Area Writers (All Genres)

Oxford, FL —  Oxford Writers (All Genres)

Palm Bay, FL —  Palm Bay Writers (All Genres)

Palm City, FL —  Palm City Word Weavers (All Genres)

Panama City, FL —  Panama City Chapter (All Genres)

Pembroke Pines, FL —  Quills in the Glades (All Genres)

Ponte Vedra, FL —  Ponte Vedra Writers (All Genres)

Port Orange, FL —  Port Orange Scribes (All Genres)

Port St. Lucie, FL —  Treasure Coast Writers Group (All Genres)

Punta Gorda, FL —  Peace River Writers (All Genres)

Sarasota, FL —  Sarasota Writers Group (All Genres)

Sebring, FL —  Sebring Scribblers & Scribes (All Genres)

Sebring, FL —  The Hearland Author Mix (All Genres)

St. Augustine, FL — Ancient City Writers (All Genres)

St. Lucie County, FL — Morningside Writers Group (Fiction)

St. Petersburg, FL —  St. Petersburg Writers (All Genres)

St. Petersburg, FL —  St. Petersburg Writer Critique Group (All Genres)

Sunrise, FL —  Dan Pearl Sunrise Writers (All Genres)

Tallahassee, FL — Tallahassee Writers Association (All Genres)

Tampa, FL —  New Tampa/Wesley Chapel Writers (All Genres)

Tampa, FL —  Tampa Writers (All Genres)

Tampa, FL — Tampa Writers Alliance (All Genres)

Tarpon Springs, FL —  Tarpon Springs Fiction Writers (Fiction)

Treasure Coast, FL — Treasure Coast Writers Guild (All Genres)

Vero Beach, FL — Porch Poets (Poetry)

Vero Beach, FL — Tuesday Writers  (All Genres)

Vero Beach, FL —  Writers Window Pane (All Genres)

Vero Beach, FL  —  Vero Beach Writers Circle (All Genres)

Wellington, FL —  Wellington Writers Critique Group (All Genres)

West Melbourne, FL — Space Coast Writers Guild (All Genres)

Yankeetown, FL —  Yankeetown Critique Group (All Genres)

Georgia Writing Groups:

Athens, GA —  Athens Writers Association (All Genres)

Atlanta, GA —  Atlanta Writers Club (All Genres)

Calhoun, GA — Calhoun Area Writers (All Genres)

Decatur, GA — Village Writers Group (All Genres)

Gainesville, GA — Northeast Georgia Writers (All Genres)

Kennesaw, GA —  Georgia Writers Association (All Genres)

Hawaii Writing Groups:

Honolulu, HI — Pacific Writers’ Connection (All Genres)

Keauhou, HI — Hawaii Island Writers Association (All Genres)

Multiple Locations in HI— Hawaii Island Writers Group (All Genres)

Idaho Writing Groups:

Boise, ID —  Idaho Writers Guild (All Genres)

Boise, ID —  Idaho Writers Rendezvous (All Genres)

Coeur d’Alene, ID — Idaho Writer’s League (All Genres)

Idaho Falls, ID —  Blue Sage Writers (All Genres)

Meridian, ID — Idahope Christian Writers (Spiritual)

Post Falls, ID — Inland Empire Chapter of Romance Writers of America (All Genres)

Priest River, ID —  River Writers (All Genres)

Twin Falls — Twin Falls Writers (All Genres)

Illinois Writing Groups:

Aurora, IL —  A-Town Poetics (Poetry)

Batavia, IL — Batavia Writers Group (All Genres)

Bloomington-Normal, IL — Bloomington-Normal Writers Group (All Genres)

Carol Stream, IL —  DuPage Writers Group (All Genres)

Carterville, IL —  Southern Illinois Writers Guild (All Genres)

Chicago, IL — Chicago Dramatists (Playwrights)

Chicago, IL — Chicago Women in Publishing (All Genres)

Chicago, IL —  Chicago Writers Association (All Genres)

Chicago, IL —  Poets and Patrons of Chicago (All Genres)

Chicago, IL — The Writers WorkSpace (All Genres)

Elgin, IL — Wordplay (All Genres)

Elgin, IL — Writers on the Fox (All Genres)

Geneva, IL — Day Jammers (All Genres)

Geneva, IL — Inklings and Speculations (Fiction)

Geneva, IL — Night Writers (All Genres)

Geneva, IL — Writers Anonymous (All Genres)

Geneva, IL — Write Time Writers Group (All Genres)

North Aurora, IL — Fox Valley Writers Group (All Genres)

Multiple Locations in IL — Central Illinois Writers Group (Horror, Fantasy, Science Fiction)

Multiple Locations in IL —  Fox Valley Writers & Poets (All Genres)

Naperville, IL — Naperville Writers Group (All Genres)

Park Ridge, IL — Prairie Avenue Writers (All Genres)

St. Charles, IL — Lit Lab 51 (Poetry, Sci-Fi, Improv)

St. Charles, IL — St. Charles Writing Group (All Genres)

Indiana Writing Groups:

Hammond, IN —  First Friday Wordsmiths (All Genres)

Hammond, IN — Indiana Writers’ Consortium (All Genres)

Indianapolis, IN —  Indiana Writers Center (All Genres)

Merrillville, IN — Write-On Hoosiers, Inc. (All Genres)

Schererville, IN — Magic Hour Writers (All Genres)

Iowa Writing Groups:

Ames, IA  — Inkspots (All Genres)

Des Moines, IA — Beaverdale Writers Group (All Genres)

Des Moines, IA — Central Library Writers’ Workshop (All Genres)

Des Moines, IA — Des Moines Writers’ Workshop (All Genres)

Des Moines, IA —  Iowa Romance Writers (Romance)

Des Moines, IA — Sisters in Crime (All Genres)

Des Moines, IA — Southside Library Writers’ Workshop (All Genres)

Waukee, IA — Waukee Public Library Writer’s Group (All Genres)

Kansas Writing Groups:

Lawrence, KS — Great Plains Writers Group (All Genres)

Olathe, KS — Kansas City Writers Group (All Genres)

Wichita, KS — Wichita Area Romance Writers (Romance)

Wichita, KS — Kansas Writers Association (All Genres)

Kentucky Writing Groups:

Elizabethtown, KY — Bard’s Corner Writers Group (All Genres)

Frankfort, KY — Capitol City Writers Roundtable (All Genres)

Harrodsburg, KY — Writers Bloc 40330 (All Genres)

Horehead, KY — Kentucky State Poetry Society (Poetry)

Lexington, KY — Dreambuilding (All Genres)

Lexington, KY —  Eagle Creek Writers Group (All Genres)

Lexington, KY —  Lexington Fiction Writers Group (Fiction)

Lexington, KY — Poezia Poetry/Prose Group (Poetry/Prose)

Louisville, KY — Green River Writers (All Genres)

Louisville, KY — Louisville Romance Writers (Romance)

Louisville, KY — Women Who Write (All Genres)

Louisville, KY — The Writers Workshop Project (WWP) (All Genres)

Multiple Locations in KY —  Kentucky Indie Writers (All Genres)

Owensboro, KY — Owensboro Writers Group (All Genres)

Louisiana Writing Groups:

Baton Rouge, LA — Baton Rouge Writers (All Genres)

Bossier City, LA — North Louisiana Storytellers & Authors of Romance (All Genres)

Covington, LA —  Northshore Literary Society (All Genres)

Lafayette, LA — Writers Guild of Acadiana (All Genres)

Lake Charles, LA — Bayou Writers Group (All Genres)

Maine Writing Groups:

Bangor, ME — Southern Penobscot Area Writers Network

Blue Hill, ME — Down East Writers (All Genres)

Portland, ME —  Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance (All Genres)

Dover-Foxcroft, ME —  Central Maine Writers Group (All Genres)

Multiple Locations in ME — Maine Poets Societ y (Poetry)

Maryland Writing Groups:

Annapolis, MD — Annapolis Writers Critique Group (All Genres)

Annapolis, MD — Maryland Writers Association, Annapolis Chapter (All Genres)

Annapolis, MD — Women Poets Workshop (Poetry)

Arnold, MD — Waterfront Writers (Fiction)

Baltimore, MD — Baltimore Area Writers (Creative/Literary Nonfiction)

Baltimore, MD —  Baltimore Writing Hour (All Genres)

Baltimore, MD — Black Writers’ Guild of Maryland (All Genres)

Baltimore, MD — Charm City Writers (All Genres)

Baltimore, MD —  Maryland Writers Association, Baltimore Chapter (All Genres)

Columbia, MD —  Fiction and Screenwriting Critique Group (Fiction)

Columbia, MD — Maryland Writers Association, Howard County Chapter (All Genres)

Easton, MD —  Eastern Shore Writers Association (All Genres)

Finksburg, MD — Maryland Writers Association, Carroll County Chapter (All Genres)

Frederick, MD — Frederick Writers Group (Fiction)

Frederick, MD — Frederick Writers Salon (All Genres)

Hampden, MD — Hampden Writers’ Group (Fiction)

La Plata, MD —  Maryland Writers Association, Charles County Chapter (All Genres)

Leonardtown, MD — Maryland Writers Association, St. Mary’s County Chapter (All Genres)

Multiple Locations, MD — BayHill Writers (All Genres)

Saverna Park, MD — Saverna Park YA/NA Writers Group (Fiction)

Silver Spring, MD — Maryland Writers Association, Montgomery County Chapter (All Genres)

Massachusetts Writing Groups:

Boston, MA —  The Writers’ Room of Boston (All Genres)

Dennis, MA —  Scargo Hill Poets (Poetry)

Hyannis, MA — Writers in Common (Fiction, Memoir, Creative Nonfiction)

Lancaster, MA —  Seven Bridge Writers’ Collaborative (All Genres)

Mashpee, MA —  Mid-Cape Nonfiction Writers Group (Nonfiction)

Mid-Cape, MA — Sands of Time Memoir Group (Memoir, Nonfiction)

Orleans, MA — Dune Hollow Writers (All Genres)

Osterville, MA —  Advanced Writers Group (All Genres)

Sandwich, MA — Upper Cape Writers Group (All Genres)

Worcester, MA — The Worcester Writers Group (All Genres)

Michigan Writing Groups:

Ann Arbor, MI — Mid-Michigan Prose and Writing Group (All Genres)

Ann Arbor, MI —  Mid-Michigan Romance Writers of America (All Genres)

Detroit, MI —  Detroit Working Writers (All Genres)

Detroit, MI — Detroit Writer’s Guild (All Genres)

Detroit, MI —  Motown Writers Network (All Genres)

Grand Rapids, MI — Grand Rapids Writer’s Exchange (All Genres)

Grand Rapids, MI — Peninsula Writers (All Genres)

Howell and Livingston County, MI — Howell Area Writers’ Circle (All Genres)

Ludington, MI — The WestSide Gang Writers Group (All Genres)

Multiple Locations in MI— Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Michigan Chapter (Children’s Literature)

Novi, MI —  Southeast Michigan Christian Writers (Spiritual)

Rochester, MI —  Rochester Writers (All Genres)

Standish, MI — Mid-Michigan Writers, Inc. (All Genres)

Minnesota Writing Groups:

Alexandria, MN — Alexandria Area Writers Group (All Genres)

Alexandria, MN — Alexandria Word Weavers (All Genres)

Brainerd, MN — Brainerd Heartland Poets (Poetry)

Brainerd, MN —  Brainerd Writers Alliance  (All Genres)

Duluth, MN —  Lake Superior Writers (All Genres)

Elbow Lake, MN — Elbow Lake Grant County Writers’ Group (All Genres)

Fergus Falls, MN — Fergus Falls Writers’ Group (All Genres)

Hackensack, MN — Hackensack Bards of a Feather (All Genres)

Little Falls, MN — Great River Writers (All Genres)

Maple Grove, MN —  Minnesota Christian Writers Guild (Spiritual)

Minneapolis, MN —  Loft Literary Center  (All Genres)

Minneapolis, MN —  Midwest Fiction Writers (Fiction)

Minneapolis, MN —  Minnesota Science Fiction Society (Science Fiction)

Minneapolis, MN — Minneapolis Writers Workshop (All Genres)

Minneapolis, MN —  Open Book  (All Genres)

Minneapolis, MN —  MinnSpec (Speculative Fiction)

Ottertail, MN — Ottertail Writers’ Group (All Genres)

Park Rapids, MN —  Park Rapids Jackpine Writers’ Bloc  (All Genres)

Perham, MN — Perham Thousand Lakes Writers’ Group (All Genres)

Rochester, MN — Rochester MN Writing Group  (All Genres)

Sauk Centre, MN — Sauk Centre Gopher Prairie Writers’ Group (All Genres)

St. Paul, MN — Write, Create, Communicate (All Genres)

Twin Cities, MN —  Twin Cities Writers Group  (All Genres)

Mississippi Writing Groups:

Biloxi, MS — Gulf Coast Writers Association (All Genres)

Hattiesburg, MS —  Hub City Writers  (All Genres)

Natchez, MS — Mississippi Writers Guild (All Genres)

Ridgeland, MS —  Mississippi Poetry Society (Poetry)

Starkville, MS —  Mississippi Writers and Musicians (All Genres)

University, MS —  University of Mississippi Writers Project (All Genres)

Missouri Writing Groups:

Branson, MO —  Ozarks Writers League (All Genres)

Cape Girardeau, MO — Missouri Writers’ Guild, Southeast Missouri Chapter (All Genres)

Cassville, MO —  Mid-South Writers Group of Missouri (All Genres)

Columbia, MO —  Missouri Writers’ Guild, Columbia Chapter (All Genres)

Joplin, MO — Missouri Writers’ Guild, Joplin Chapter (All Genres)

Kansas City, MO — Kansas City Writers Group (All Genres)

Kansas City, MO — Midwest Children’s Authors Guild (Children’s Literature)

Kansas City, MO —  The Writers Place (All Genres)

Kansas City, MO — Heartland Romance Authors (Fiction, Romance, Novel)

Kennett, MO —  Heartland Writers Guild (All Genres)

Marshall, MO —  Missouri Writers’ Guild, Marshall Chapter (All Genres)

O’Fallon, MO —  Missouri Writers’ Guild, Coffee and Critique Chapter (All Genres)

St. Louis, MO — Missouri Romance Writers of America (Romance)

St. Louis, MO — Sisters in Crime, Greater St. Louis Chapter (All Genres)

St. Louis, MO — St. Louis Writers Guild (All Genres)

St. Joseph, MO — St. Joseph Writers Guild (All Genres)

St. Peters, MO —  Missouri Writers’ Guild, Saturday Writers Chapter (All Genres)

Montana Writing Groups:

Kalispell, MT —  Authors of the Flathead (All Genres)

Missoula, MT — 406 Writers’ Workshop (All Genres)

Missoula, MT — Montana Romance Writers (Romance)

Nebraska Writing Groups:

Omaha, NE —  Omaha Writers Group (All Genres)

Omaha, NE —  The Nebraska Writers Guild (All Genres)

Omaha, NE — Romance Authors of the Heartland (Romance)

Ralston, NE — The Nebraska Writers Writers Workshop (All Genres)

Nevada Writing Groups:

Carson City, NV — Ash Canyon Poets (Poetry)

Carson City, NV — Lone Mountain Writers (All Genres)

Henderson, NV —  Henderson Writers’ Group (All Genres)

Pahrump, NV — Oasis Writers Guild (All Genres)

New Hampshire Writing Groups:

Concord, NH — Granite State Writers Group  (All Genres)

Hooksett, NH —  New Hampshire Writers Project (All Genres)

Ossippe, NH —  Poetry Society of New Hampshire (Poetry)

Peterborough, NH —  Monadnock Writers’ Group (All Genres)

Portsmouth, NH —  Beat Night Poetry (All Genres)

Portsmouth, NH — Creative Writing Group (All Genres)

Portsmouth, NH —  Hoot Night at Cafe Espresso (All Genres)

Portsmouth, NH — Memoir Writing Group (Memoir)

Portsmouth —  Nonfiction Writing Group (Nonfiction)

Portsmouth, NH — Pen Central Writers (All Genres)

Portsmouth, NH — Poetry and Short Fiction Writers Group (Poetry, Fiction)

Portsmouth, NH — Portsmouth Writing Salon (All Genres)

Portsmouth, NH —  Pisquataqua Poets (Poetry)

Portsmouth. NH —  Writers Night Out (All Genres)

New Jersey Writing Groups:

Atco, NJ — Garden State Writers (All Genres)

Asbury Park, NJ — Writers Group (All Genres)

Bayville, NJ —  Berkeley Adult Writers’ Group (All Genres)

Bellmar, NJ — South Jersey Writers Group (All Genres)

Bergen County, NJ — The Writers of the Weird (Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror)

Edison, NJ — Liberty States Fiction Writers (Fiction)

Fanwood, NJ —  Serendipitous Scribes (All Genres)

Iselin, NJ — New Jersey Romantic Writers (Romance)

Mahwah, NJ —  Mahwah Writer’s Collective (All Genres)

Mahwah, NJ — The Science Fiction Society of Northern NJ (Sci-Fi)

Manalapan, NJ —  Monmouth Creative Writing Group (All Genres)

Manchester, NJ — The Manchester (NJ) Writers’ Circle (All Genres)

Middletown, NJ — The Noble Writers (All Genres)

Milltown, NJ – Milltown Area Writers Group (All Genres)

Moorestown, NJ —  Juliette Writer’s Group (All Genres)

Multiple Locations in NJ — Women Who Write, Inc. (All Genres)

Multiple Locations in NJ —  The NJ Authors’ Network (All Genres)

Ridgewood, NJ — Ridgewood Memoir Writing Workshop (Memoir)

Plainsboro, NJ — Princeton Writing Group (All Genres)

Somerset, NJ —  New Jersey Writers’ Society (All Genres)

South Hackensack, NJ — Bergen County Poets & Fictionaires (All Genres)

Summit, NJ — New Providence Writers (All Genres)

Woodbridge, NJ — Woodbridge Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers (Sci-Fi, Fantasy)

New Mexico Writing Groups:

Alamogordo, NM —  The Writers Corner (All Genres)

Albuquerque, NM — SouthWest Writers (All Genres)

Albuquerque, NM — The Wordwrights (All Genres)

Ruidoso, NM —  Lincoln County Writers Association (All Genres)

Santa Fe, NM — Santa Fe Writers Group (All Genres)

New York Writing Groups:

Albany, NY — Poetry Chat (Poetry)

Astoria, NY — Astoria Writers Group (All Genres)

Brooklyn, NY — Brooklyn Speculative Fiction Writers (Fiction)

Brooklyn, N7Y —  NY Writers Coalition (All Genres)

Brooklyn, NY — The Brooklyn Writing and Creative Group (All Genres)

Bronx, NY — Poetry On Demand (Poetry)

Forest Hills, NY — Forest Hills Poetry Writing (Poetry)

Long Island, NY —  Amateur Writers of Long Island (All Genres)

Manhattan, NY — NYC Writers Circle (All Genres)

Manhattan, NY —  Science Writers in New York (Science and Medicine)

Manhattan, NY — WF Writing (All Genres)

New York City, NY — NYC Laid-Back Writing Group (All Genres)

New York City, NY — New York Writing Club (All Genres)

New York City, NY — Poets House (Poetry)

New York City, NY — Shut Up & Write! (All Genres)

New York City, NY — Storytellers of NY (Fiction)

New York City, NY — The Poetry Table (Poetry)

Nyack, NY — River Writers Circle (All Genres)

Staten Island, NY — The Staten Island Writers (All Genres)

Syracuse, NY — The Syracuse Veterans’ Writing Group (Nonfiction)

Multiple Locations in NY —  Morningside Writers Group (Fiction, Screenwriting, Teen Writing, Memoir)

Tarrytown, NY — Hudson Writers Group (All Genres)

Troy, NY —  Hudson Valley Writers Guild (All Genres)

Troy, NY — Capital District Screenwriters (Screenwriting)

North Carolina Writing Groups:

Boone, NC — High County Writers (All Genres)

Charlotte, NC —  Charlotte Writers’ Club (All Genres)

Charlotte, NC — Queen City Writers Group (All Genres)

Graham, NC — Burlington Writers Club (All Genres)

Greensboro, NC — Writers’ Group of the Triad (All Genres)

Monroe, NC — Union County Writers Club (All Genres)

Multiple Locations in NC— North Carolina Writers’ Network-West’s Mountain Writers & Poets (All Genres)

Raleigh, NC — Screenline (Screenwriting)

Raleigh, NC —  Triangle Association of Freelancers

Pittsboro, NC —  Bynum Comedy Writers Workshop (Humor)

Southern Pines, NC — North Carolina Poetry Society (Poetry)

Wadesboro, NC —  Anson County Writers Club (All Genres)

Washington, NC — Pamlico Writers Group (All Genres)

Winston-Salem, NC —   Winston-Salem Writers (All Genres)

North Dakota Writing Groups:

Devils Lake, ND —  Lake Region Writers’ Group  (All Genres)

Grand Forks, ND — University of North Dakota Writing Center (All Genres)

Minot, ND — North Dakota Nonfiction Writers (Creative Nonfiction, Journalistic Nonfiction)

Moorhead, ND— Fargo Writers (All Genres)

Ohio Writing Groups:

Akron, OH — Akron Writers’ Group (All Genres)

Beavercreek, OH — Antioch Writers’ Workshop (All Genres)

Canton, OH — Greater Canton Writers’ Guild (All Genres)

Cincinnati, OH—  Greater Cincinnati Writers League  (All Genres)

Cleveland, OH — Skyline Writers (All Genres)

Columbus, OH — Downtown Writers Network (All Genres)

Columbus, OH — The InkStone (Novel)

Columbus, OH —  Ohio Writers’ Guild  (All Genres)

Columbus, OH —  Wild Goose Creative  (All Genres)

Dayton, OH — Western Ohio Writers Association (All Genres)

Dayton, OH — Dayton Christian Writers Guild, Inc. (Spiritual)

Delaware, OH — Poetry at the Delaware Library (Poetry)

Greater Cleveland and North Eastern, OH — Cleveland Writer Group (All Genres)

Hamilton, OH — Hamilton Writers Guild (All Genres)

Multiple Locations in OH —  Romance Writers of America, Central Ohio Fiction Writers Chapter  (Fiction)

Multiple Locations in OH —  The Ohio Poetry Association  (Poetry)

Sylvania, OH — Toledo Writers Workshop (All Genres)

Zanesville, OH — Y-City Writers’ Forum (All Genres)

Oklahoma Writing Groups:

Ada, OK — Ada Writers (All Genres)

Bartesville, OK — Wordweavers Writing Group (All Genres)

Bixby, OK — The South Tulsa Writers Meetup (All Genres)

Enid, OK — Enid Writers Club (All Genres)

Edmond, OK —  Pen and Keyboard Writers (All Genres)

Edmond, OK — The Inklings (All Genres)

Green Country, OK —  Green Country Ruff Riters (All Genres)

Guthrie, OK —  Red Dirt Writers Society (All Genres)

McAlester, OK — McAlester’s McSherry Writers (All Genres)

Midwest City, OK —  Mid-Oklahoma Writers (All Genres)

Norman, OK — Norman Galaxy of Writers (All Genres)

Oklahome City, OK — Creative Quills (All Genres)

Oklahoma City, OK — Oklahoma City Writers, Inc. (All Genres)

Oklahoma City, OK —  Oklahoma Horror Writers’ League (Horror)

Oklahoma City, OK — Oklahoma Write Now (All Genres)

Oklahoma City, OK — Romance Inc. (Romance)

Stillwater, OK — Stillwater Writers Group (All Genres)

Tulsa, OK — Critical Ink (Fiction)

Tulsa, OK — Tulsa NightWriters (All Genres)

Tulsa, OK — Tulsa Area Children’s Book Writers (Children’s Literature)

Tulsa, OK — Nevermore Edits (All Genres)

Tulsa, OK — Unbreakable Spines (All Genres)

Woodward, OK — Writers of the Purple Sage (All Genres)

Oregon Writing Groups:

Baker City, OR — The Writers Guild of Eastern Oregon (All Genres)

Eugene, OR — The Lane Literary Guild (All Genres)

Jefferson, OR —  Women’s Fiction Writers Association (Women in Fiction)

Portland, OR — 9 Bridges Writers Guild (All Genres)

Portland, OR — Attic Institute (All Genres)

Portland, OR — Friends of Mystery (Mystery)

Portland, OR — The Moonlit Poetry Caravan (Poetry)

Portland, OR — Mountain Writers Series (All Genres)

Portland, OR —  Oregon State Poetry Association, Portland Unit (Poetry)

Portland, OR —  Oregon Writers Colony (Novel)

Portland, OR — Willamette Writers (All Genres)

Portland, OR — Write Around Portland (All Genres)

Portland,, OR — Writers Mill (All Genres)

Redmond, OR — Central Oregon Writers Guild (All Genres)

Roseburg, OR — An Association of Writers (All Genres)

Pennsylvania Writing Groups:

Bethel, PA —  First Monday Discussion Group (All Genres)

Danville, PA —  Danville Writers Group (All Genres)

Dillsburg, PA — Central PA Writers’ Workshop (All Genres)

Easton, PA —  Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group (All Genres)

Erie, PA —  Millcreek Mall Area Group (All Genres)

Erie, PA — Fellowship of the Quill (All Genres)

Erie, PA —  Presque Isle Meeting (All Genres)

Hawley, PA — Pencils NEPA (All Genres)

Lancaster, PA —  Lancaster Area Writers Group (All Genres)

Meadville, PA —  Meadville Vicinity Pennwriters (All Genres)

Monroeville, PA —  Pittsburgh East Scribes (All Genres)

Monroeville, PA — Pittsburgh East Writers Group (All Genres)

Mount Lebanon, PA —  South Hills Critique Group (All Genres)

Multiple Locations in PA—  Pennwriters (All Genres)

Multiple Locations in PA — Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (Children’s Literature)

New Cumberland, PA —  Harrisburg Area Writers Group (All Genres)

Philadelphia, PA —  Philadelphia Writers (All Genres)

Pittsburgh, PA — Pittsburgh Writers (All Genres)

Pittsburgh, PA —  Second Tuesday of the Month Group (All Genres)

Shenango Valley, PA —  Shenango Valley Pennwriters (All Genres)

State College, PA —  Nittany Valley Writers Network (All Genres)

State College, PA —  Nittany Valley Writers Network: The Early Risers (All Genres)

State College, PA —  Nittany Valley Writers Network: Social Gatherings (All Genres)

Wexford, PA — Critique Group North (All Genres)

Wexford, PA —  The Mindful Writers Group (All Genres)

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA — A Writing Hand (All Genres)

Windber, PA —  Southern Alleghenies Writers Guild (All Genres)

York, PA —  York Area Writers Group (All Genres)

Rhode Island Writing Groups:

Cumberland, RI —  Rhode Island Romance Writers (Fiction)

Providence, RI —  Frequency Writers (All Genres)

Providence, RI — Goat Hill Writers (Fiction, Historical Fiction, Memoir, & Flash Fiction)

Warwick, RI — Rhody Writing Group (All Genres)

South Carolina Writing Groups:

Aiken, SC— SCWW, Aiken Chapter (All Genres)

Anderson, SC — SCWW, Anderson Chapter (All Genres)

Beaufort, SC — SCWW, Beaufort Chapter (All Genres)

Bluffton, SC — SCWW, Bluffton Chapter (All Genres)

Camden, SC — SCWW, Camden Chapter (All Genres)

Chapin, SC — SCWW, Chapin/Irmo Chapter (All Genres)

Charleston, SC — LILA (All Genres)

Charleston, SC — SCWW, Charleston East Cooper Chapter (All Genres)

Charleston, SC — SCWW, Charleston North Area Chapter (All Genres)

Columbia, SC — Columbia Writers Alliance (All Genres)

Columbia, SC — SCWW, Columbia I Chapter (All Genres)

Columbia, SC —  SCWW, Columbia II Chapter (All Genres)

Columbia, SC — SCWW, Columbia III Chapter (All Genres)

Daniel Island, SC — SCWW, Daniel Island: Guilty Prose Chapter (Fiction)

Florence, SC — SCWW, Florence Chapter (All Genres)

Greenville, SC —  Sisters in Crime of Upstate SC (Crime, Fiction)

Greenville, SC — SCWW, Greenville Chapter (All Genres)

Lexington, SC — SCWW, Lexington Chapter (All Genres)

North Charleston, SC — Lowcountry Romance Writers (Romance)

Rapid City, SC — Black Hills Writers Group (All Genres)

Seneca, SC — SCWW, Seneca Chapter (All Genres)

Sumter, SC — SCWW, Sumter Chapter (All Genres)

Surfside, SC — SCWW, Surfside Chapter (All Genres)

South Dakota Writing Groups:

Brookings, SD —  South Dakota State Poetry Society (Poetry)

Multiple Locations in SD — South Dakota Authors Association (All Genres)

Rapid City, SD— Black Hills Writers Group (All Genres)

Rapid City, SD — High Plains Writers (All Genres)

Tennessee Writing Groups:

Bartlett, TN — Bartlett Christian Writers (Spiritual)

Bartlett, TN — River City Romance Writers (Romance)

Chattanooga, TN — Chattanooga Writers’ Guild (All Genres)

Collierville, TN — Collierville Christian Writers (All Genres)

Franklin, TN —  Music City Romance Writers (Romance)

Hillsboro Villiage, TN — Sisters In Crime, Middle Tennessee Chapter (Crime, Fiction)

Knoxville, TN — Knoxville Writers’ Guild (All Genres)

Knoxville, TN —  Smoky Mountain Romance Writers (Romance)

Nashville, TN —  Bellevue Writers’ Group (All Genres)

Nashville, TN — Nashville Writers Circle (All Genres)

Multiple Locations in TN —  Lost State Writers Guild (All Genres)

Murfreesboro, TN — Murfreesboro Writers Group (All Genres)

Oak Ridge, TN —  Tennessee Mountain Writers (All Genres)

Texas Writing Groups:

Abilene, TX —  Abilene Writers Group (All Genres)

Alpine, TX — Texas Mountain Trail Writers (All Genres)

Amarillo, TX — Panhandle Professional Writers (All Genres)

Austin, TX —  Writers’ League of Texas (All Genres)

Cedar Hill, TX —  Dallas Area Writers Group (All Genres)

Clarksville, TX —  Red River Writers’ Workshop (All Genres)

College Station, TX —  Brazos Writers (All Genres)

Dallas, TX —  Dallas Screen Writers Association (Screenwriting)

Dallas, TX  — Poetry Society of Texas (Poetry)

Denton, TX —  Denton Poets’ Assembly (Poetry)

Denton, TX —  Denton Writers’ Critique Group (Fiction)

El Paso, TX —  El Paso Writers’ League (All Genres)

Euless, TX —  DFW Writers’ Workshop (All Genres)

Fort Worth, TX — Fort Worth Writers (All Genres)

Houston, TX —  Houston Writers Guild (All Genres)

Houston, TX — Nuestra Palabra (All Genres)

Houston, TX —  White Oak Writers (All Genres)

Hurst, TX — North Texas Speculative Fiction Network (Fiction)

Katy, TX — West Houston/Texas Writers Group (All Genres)

Mt. Pleasant, TX —  Northeast Texas Writers’ Organization (All Genres)

San Antonio, TX — San Antonio Romance Authors (Romance)

San Antonio, TX — San Antonio Writers’ Guild (All Genres)

Shenandoah, TX —  Writers on the Storm (Spiritual)

Tyler, TX —  East Texas Writers Guild (All Genres)

The Woodlands, TX — Woodlands Writers Guild (All Genres)

Utah Writing Groups:

Bountiful, UT — League of Utah Writers: Bountiful Chapter (All Genres)

Bountiful, UT — Utah State Poetry Society: Rhyme & Reason (Poetry)

Cedar City, UT — League of Utah Writers: Color Country Nightwriters (All Genres)

Cedar City, UT — Utah State Poetry Society: Cedar City Chapter (Poetry)

Holladay, UT — League of Utah Writers: Wordcraft (All Genres)

Layton, UT — League of Utah Writers: Wasatch Writers (All Genres)

Lehi, UT — Utah State Poetry Society: Write On (Poetry)

Lindon, UT — League of Utah Writers: Utah Valley Legends (All Genres)

Logan City, UT — League of Utah Writers: Cache Valley Chapter (All Genres)

Moab, UT — Moab Poets & Writers (All Genres)

Midway, UT — League of Utah Writers: Heber Valley Writers (All Genres)

Murray, UT — Utah Book Writers Club (Novel)

Ogden, UT — League of Utah Writers: Blue Quill Chapter (All Genres)

Ogden, UT — Utah State Poetry Society: Ben Lomond Chapter (Poetry)

Orem, UT — Utah Valley Writers (All Genres)

Provo, UT — Utah State Poetry Society: Word Weavers (Poetry)

Richfield, UT — League of Utah Writers: Sevier Valley Writers (All Genres)

Salt Lake City, UT — League of Utah Writers: Salt City Scribes (All Genres)

Salt Lake City, UT — Utah State Poetry Society: Valley Winds (Poetry)

St. George, UT —  Utah State Poetry Society: Dixie Chapter (Poetry)

St. George, UT —  Utah State Poetry Society: Red Rock (Poetry)

Taylorsville, UT — League of Utah Writers: Oquirrh Writers (All Genres)

Tooele, UT —  League of Utah Writers: Tooele Writers (All Genres)

Tooele, UT — Utah State Poetry Society: Oquirrh Chapter (Poetry)

Vermont Writing Groups:

Brattleboro, VT —  Write Action  (All Genres)

Burlington, VT —  Leage of Vermont Writers (All Genres)

Burlington, VT — The Burlington Writers Workshop (All Genres)

Wilmington, VT — Southern Vermont SCBWI Critique Group (All Genres)

Virginia Writing Groups:

Abington, VA —  The Virginia Writers Club, Appalachian Authors Guild (All Genres)

Fredericksburg, VA — The Virginia Writers Club, Riverside Chapter (All Genres)

Virginia Beach, VA —  Hampton Roads Writers (All Genres)

Multiple Locations, VA —  The Virginia Writers Club, Hanover Writers Chapter (All Genres)

Multiple Locations in VA — The Virginia Writers Club, Write by the Rails Chapter (All Genres)

Richmond, VA — Agile Writers (All Genres)

Richmond, VA — James Rivers Writers  (All Genres)

Roanoke, VA — The Virginia Writers Club, Valley Writers Chapter (All Genres)

Williamsburg, VA — The Poetry Society of Virginia (Poetry)

Williamsburg, VA —  The Virginia Writers Club, Chesapeake Bay Writers Chapter (All Genres)

Washington, D.C. Writing Groups:

Washington, DC — The Black Women Playwrights’ Group (Screenwriting)

Washington, DC — D.C. Area Literary Translators Network (Literary Translation)

Washington, DC —  D.C. Comedy Writers (Humor)

Washington, DC — Split This Rock (Poetry)

Washington, DC —  The Washington Biography Group (Memoir)

Washington, DC —  Washington Romance Writers (Romantic Fiction)

Washington Writing Groups:

Bothell, WA —  Northwest Christian Writers Association (Spiritual)

Buckley, WA — Plateau Area Writers Association (All Genres)

Issaquah, WA — The Cottage (All Genres)

Langley, WA — Whidbey Island Writers Association (All Genres)

Lewis County, WA —  The Lewis County Writers Guild  (All Genres)

Mount Vernon, WA —  Skagit Valley Writers League (All Genres)

Multiple Locations in WA — Tri-City Writers (Novel, Prose)

Seattle, WA — Writer’s Cramp  (Science Fiction, Fantasy)

Spokane, WA — Inland Northwest Writers Guild (All Genres)

Spokane, WA — Spokane Authors and Self-Publishers (All Genres)

Spokane, WA —  Spokane Fiction Writer’s Group  (All Genres)

Wenatchee, WA — Write on the River (All Genres)

West Virginia Writing Groups:

Beckley, WV —  Raleigh County Library Writers Group (All Genres)

Braxton, WV —  Braxton Writers Group (All Genres)

Charleston, WV —  Pens Writer’s Group (All Genres)

Fairmont, WV —  The Crow’s Quill  (All Genres)

Hinton, WV —  Summers County Writers’ Group (All Genres)

Huntington, WV —  Black Dog Writers Group  (All Genres)

Huntington, WV —  The Guyandotte Poets (Poetry)

Huntington, WV —  The Patchwork Writers (All Genres)

Huntington, WV —  Society of the Lark (All Genres)

Huntington, WV —  Wicked Wordsmiths of the West (All Genres)

Jefferson County, WV —  The Mountain Scribes (All Genres)

Martinsburg, WV —  Athens on the Opequon (Poetry)

Martinsburg, WV —  Martinsburg Writers Group (All Genres)

Morgantown, WV —  Morgantown Writers Group (All Genres)

Parkersburg, WV —  Sacred Way Poets (Poetry)

Philippi, WV —  Barbour County Writers Workshop  (All Genres)

Point Pleasant, WV —  The Point Pleasant Writers Guild (All Genres)

Princeton, WV —  Appalachian Pen Works (All Genres)

Ripley, WV —  The Appalachian Wordsmiths (All Genres)

Romney, WV —  Ice Mountain Writers (All Genres)

Shepherdstown, WV —  The Bookend Poets (Poetry)

Spencer, WV —  Women’s Writing Circle (All Genres)

St. Albans, WV —  St. Albans Writers Group (All Genres)

Triadelphia, WV —  Ohio Valley Writers Group (All Genres)

Wisconsin Writing Groups:

Armery, WI —  Northern Lakes Writers’ Guild (All Genres)

Balsam Lake, WI —  Poco Penners (All Genres)

Black River Falls, WI —  BRF Writers Group (All Genres)

Door County, WI —  Door Pens (All Genres)

Eau Clair, WI —  Writers’ Group at the Library (All Genres)

Eau Clair, WI —  Western Wisconsin Christian Writers Guild (Spiritual)

Frederic, WI —  Northwest Regional Writers (All Genres)

Hayward, WI —  Yarnspinners (All Genres)

Janesville, WI —  Janesville Area Writers Club (All Genres)

Kenosha, WI —  Kenosha Writers’ Guild (All Genres)

Kewaskum, WI —  Moraine Writers Guild (All Genres)

Madison, WI —  Tuesdays with Story (All Genres)

Manitowoc, WI —  The Lakeshore Writers (All Genres)

Menomonee, WI —  Chippewa Valley Writers (All Genres)

Milwaukee, WI —  Red Oak Writers (All Genres)

Milwaukee, WI — Wisconsin Romance Writers of America (Romance)

Multiple Locations in WI — Wisconsin Writers Association (All Genres)

Nekoosa, WI —  Home Town Players/Writers Group (All Genres)

Oshkosh, WI —  Oshkosh Area Writers Club (All Genres)

Pinney, WI —  Pinney Writing Group (All Genres)

Portage, WI —  Pauquette Wordcrafters (All Genres)

Portage, WI —  The Writers at the Portage (All Genres)

Sheboygan, WI — Mead Public Library Poetry Circle (Poetry)

Solon Springs, WI —  St. Croix Writers of Solon Springs (All Genres)

Stevens Point, WI —  Aspiring Authors of Stevens Point (All Genres)

Two Rivers, WI — The Cool City Writers Group (All Genres)

Wausau, WI —  Writers of Wausau (All Genres)

Wauwatosu, WI —  Writer’s Voice (All Genres)

West Bend, WI —  Washington County Writers’ Club (All Genres)

Wyoming Writing Groups:

Green River, WY — Wyoming Writers, Inc. (All Genres)

Riverton, WY —  WyoPoets (Poetry)

Sundance, WY —  Bearlodge Writers (All Genres)

Canada Writing Groups:

Alberta —  Writers’ Guild of Alberta (All Genres)

Burnaby —  Burnaby Writers’ Society (All Genres)

Kamloops —  Interior Authors Group (All Genres)

Nanaimo —  Writing Life Women’s Writing Circle (All Genres)

New Westminster —  New West Writers (All Genres)

New Westminster —  Waves Writers (All Genres)

Nova Scotia — Romance Writers of Atlantic Canada (Romance)

Ontario —  Canadian Authors Niagara Branch (All Genres)

Ottowa — Ottowa Independent Writers (All Genres)

Quebec —  Quebec Writers’ Federation (All Genres)

Salmon Arm —  Shuswap Writers Group (All Genres)

Sooke —  Sooke Writers’ Collective (All Genres)

Terrace — Terrace Writers Group (All Genres)

Toronto — Canadian Authors Toronto Branch (All Genres)

Toronto —  Writers’ Union of Canada (All Genres)

Vancouver — Grind Café Writers Group (All Genres)

Vancouver — Thursday Writing Collective (All Genres)

Vancouver — West End Writers’ Workshop (All Genres)

Online Writing Groups:

Critique Circle (All Genres)

Inked Voices (All Genres)

Pen Parentis (All Genres)

Scribophile  (All Genres)

Writer’s Café (All Genres)

writers groups leeds

Ada, OK —   Ada Writers   (All Genres)

Bartesville, OK —   Wordweavers Writing Group   (All Genres)

Enid, OK — Enid Writers Club   (All Genres)

Edmond, OK —  Pen and Keyboard Writers   (All Genres)

Edmond, OK —   The Inklings   (All Genres)

Green Country, OK —  Green Country Ruff Riters   (All Genres)

Guthrie, OK —  Red Dirt Writers Society   (All Genres)

McAlester, OK — McAlester’s McSherry Writers (All Genres)

Midwest City, OK —  Mid-Oklahoma Writers   (All Genres)

Norman, OK —   Norman Galaxy of Writers   (All Genres)

Oklahome City, OK —   Creative Quills   (All Genres)

Oklahoma City, OK —  Oklahoma Horror Writers’ League   (Horror)

Oklahoma City, OK —   Oklahoma Write Now   (All Genres)

Oklahoma City, OK —   Romance Inc.   (Romance)

Stillwater, OK —   Stillwater Writers Group   (All Genres)

Tulsa, OK — Tulsa Area Children’s Book Writers (Children’s Literature)

Woodward, OK —   Writers of the Purple Sage   (All Genres)

Jefferson, OR —  Women’s Fiction Writers Association   (Women in Fiction)

Portland, OR —   Attic Institute   (All Genres)

Portland, OR —   Mountain Writers Series   (All Genres)

Portland, OR —  Oregon State Poetry Association, Portland Unit   (Poetry)

Portland, OR —  Oregon Writers Colony   (Novel)

Portland,, OR —   Writers Mill   (All Genres)

Roseburg, OR —   An Association of Writers   (All Genres)

Bethel, PA —  First Monday Discussion Group   (All Genres)

Danville, PA —  Danville Writers Group   (All Genres)

Dillsburg, PA — Central PA Writers’ Workshop   (All Genres)

Easton, PA —  Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group   (All Genres)

Erie, PA —  Millcreek Mall Area Group   (All Genres)

Erie, PA —   Fellowship of the Quill   (All Genres)

Erie, PA —  Presque Isle Meeting   (All Genres)

Hawley, PA —   Pencils NEPA   (All Genres)

Lancaster, PA —  Lancaster Area Writers Group   (All Genres)

Meadville, PA —  Meadville Vicinity Pennwriters   (All Genres)

Monroeville, PA —  Pittsburgh East Scribes   (All Genres)

Monroeville, PA —   Pittsburgh East Writers Group   (All Genres)

Mount Lebanon, PA —  South Hills Critique Group   (All Genres)

Multiple Locations in PA—  Pennwriters   (All Genres)

Multiple Locations in PA — Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators   (Children’s Literature)

New Cumberland, PA —  Harrisburg Area Writers Group   (All Genres)

Philadelphia, PA —  Philadelphia Writers   (All Genres)

Pittsburgh, PA —  Second Tuesday of the Month Group   (All Genres)

Shenango Valley, PA —  Shenango Valley Pennwriters   (All Genres)

State College, PA —  Nittany Valley Writers Network   (All Genres)

State College, PA —  Nittany Valley Writers Network: The Early Risers   (All Genres)

State College, PA —  Nittany Valley Writers Network: Social Gatherings   (All Genres)

Wexford, PA —   Critique Group North   (All Genres)

Wexford, PA —  The Mindful Writers Group   (All Genres)

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA —   A Writing Hand   (All Genres)

Windber, PA —  Southern Alleghenies Writers Guild   (All Genres)

York, PA —  York Area Writers Group   (All Genres)

Cumberland, RI —  Rhode Island Romance Writers   (Fiction)

Providence, RI —  Frequency Writers   (All Genres)

Providence, RI —   Goat Hill Writers   (Fiction, Historical Fiction, Memoir, & Flash Fiction)

Columbia, SC —  SCWW, Columbia II Chapter   (All Genres)

Greenville, SC —  Sisters in Crime of Upstate SC   (Crime, Fiction)

Brookings, SD —  South Dakota State Poetry Society   (Poetry)

Multiple Locations in SD — South Dakota Authors Association   (All Genres)

Rapid City, SD —   High Plains Writers   (All Genres)

Bartlett, TN —   Bartlett Christian Writers   (Spiritual)

Chattanooga, TN — Chattanooga Writers’ Guild (All Genres)

Franklin, TN —  Music City Romance Writers   (Romance)

Knoxville, TN — Knoxville Writers’ Guild (All Genres)

Knoxville, TN —  Smoky Mountain Romance Writers   (Romance)

Nashville, TN —  Bellevue Writers’ Group   (All Genres)

Nashville, TN —   Nashville Writers Circle   (All Genres)

Multiple Locations in TN —  Lost State Writers Guild   (All Genres)

Oak Ridge, TN —  Tennessee Mountain Writers   (All Genres)

Abilene, TX —  Abilene Writers Group   (All Genres)

Austin, TX —  Writers’ League of Texas   (All Genres)

Cedar Hill, TX —  Dallas Area Writers Group   (All Genres)

Clarksville, TX —  Red River Writers’ Workshop   (All Genres)

College Station, TX —  Brazos Writers   (All Genres)

Dallas, TX —  Dallas Screen Writers Association   (Screenwriting)

Denton, TX —  Denton Poets’ Assembly   (Poetry)

Denton, TX —  Denton Writers’ Critique Group   (Fiction)

El Paso, TX —  El Paso Writers’ League   (All Genres)

Euless, TX —  DFW Writers’ Workshop   (All Genres)

Fort Worth, TX —   Fort Worth Writers   (All Genres)

Houston, TX —  Houston Writers Guild   (All Genres)

Houston, TX —  White Oak Writers   (All Genres)

Hurst, TX — North Texas Speculative Fiction Network   (Fiction)

Mt. Pleasant, TX —  Northeast Texas Writers’ Organization   (All Genres)

San Antonio, TX — San Antonio Writers’ Guild (All Genres)

Shenandoah, TX —  Writers on the Storm   (Spiritual)

Tyler, TX —  East Texas Writers Guild   (All Genres)

St. George, UT —  Utah State Poetry Society: Dixie Chapter   (Poetry)

St. George, UT —  Utah State Poetry Society: Red Rock   (Poetry)

Tooele, UT —  League of Utah Writers: Tooele Writers   (All Genres)

Burlington, VT —  Leage of Vermont Writers   (All Genres)

Abington, VA —  The Virginia Writers Club, Appalachian Authors Guild   (All Genres)

Virginia Beach, VA —  Hampton Roads Writers   (All Genres)

Multiple Locations, VA —  The Virginia Writers Club, Hanover Writers Chapter   (All Genres)

Richmond, VA —   James Rivers Writers  (All Genres)

Williamsburg, VA —  The Virginia Writers Club, Chesapeake Bay Writers Chapter   (All Genres)

Washington, DC — The Black Women Playwrights’ Group (Screenwriting)

Washington, DC —  D.C. Comedy Writers   (Humor)

Washington, DC —   Split This Rock   (Poetry)

Washington, DC —  The Washington Biography Group   (Memoir)

Washington, DC —  Washington Romance Writers   (Romantic Fiction)

Bothell, WA —  Northwest Christian Writers Association   (Spiritual)

Mount Vernon, WA —  Skagit Valley Writers League   (All Genres)

Seattle, WA —   Writer’s Cramp  (Science Fiction, Fantasy)

Spokane, WA —  Spokane Fiction Writer’s Group  (All Genres)

Beckley, WV —  Raleigh County Library Writers Group   (All Genres)

Braxton, WV —  Braxton Writers Group   (All Genres)

Charleston, WV —  Pens Writer’s Group   (All Genres)

Fairmont, WV —  The Crow’s Quill  (All Genres)

Hinton, WV —  Summers County Writers’ Group   (All Genres)

Huntington, WV —  The Guyandotte Poets   (Poetry)

Huntington, WV —  The Patchwork Writers   (All Genres)

Huntington, WV —  Society of the Lark   (All Genres)

Huntington, WV —  Wicked Wordsmiths of the West   (All Genres)

Jefferson County, WV —  The Mountain Scribes   (All Genres)

Martinsburg, WV —  Athens on the Opequon   (Poetry)

Martinsburg, WV —  Martinsburg Writers Group   (All Genres)

Morgantown, WV —  Morgantown Writers Group   (All Genres)

Parkersburg, WV —  Sacred Way Poets   (Poetry)

Point Pleasant, WV —  The Point Pleasant Writers Guild   (All Genres)

Princeton, WV —  Appalachian Pen Works   (All Genres)

Ripley, WV —  The Appalachian Wordsmiths   (All Genres)

Romney, WV —  Ice Mountain Writers   (All Genres)

Shepherdstown, WV —  The Bookend Poets   (Poetry)

Spencer, WV —  Women’s Writing Circle   (All Genres)

St. Albans, WV —  St. Albans Writers Group   (All Genres)

Triadelphia, WV —  Ohio Valley Writers Group   (All Genres)

Armery, WI —  Northern Lakes Writers’ Guild   (All Genres)

Balsam Lake, WI —  Poco Penners   (All Genres)

Black River Falls, WI —  BRF Writers Group   (All Genres)

Door County, WI —  Door Pens   (All Genres)

Eau Clair, WI —  Writers’ Group at the Library   (All Genres)

Eau Clair, WI —  Western Wisconsin Christian Writers Guild   (Spiritual)

Frederic, WI —  Northwest Regional Writers   (All Genres)

Hayward, WI —  Yarnspinners   (All Genres)

Janesville, WI —  Janesville Area Writers Club   (All Genres)

Kenosha, WI —  Kenosha Writers’ Guild   (All Genres)

Kewaskum, WI —  Moraine Writers Guild   (All Genres)

Madison, WI —  Tuesdays with Story   (All Genres)

Manitowoc, WI —  The Lakeshore Writers   (All Genres)

Menomonee, WI —  Chippewa Valley Writers   (All Genres)

Milwaukee, WI —  Red Oak Writers   (All Genres)

Multiple Locations in WI —   Wisconsin Writers Association   (All Genres)

Nekoosa, WI —  Home Town Players/Writers Group   (All Genres)

Oshkosh, WI —  Oshkosh Area Writers Club   (All Genres)

Pinney, WI —  Pinney Writing Group   (All Genres)

Portage, WI —  Pauquette Wordcrafters   (All Genres)

Portage, WI —  The Writers at the Portage   (All Genres)

Solon Springs, WI —  St. Croix Writers of Solon Springs   (All Genres)

Stevens Point, WI —  Aspiring Authors of Stevens Point   (All Genres)

Wausau, WI —  Writers of Wausau   (All Genres)

Wauwatosu, WI —  Writer’s Voice   (All Genres)

West Bend, WI —  Washington County Writers’ Club   (All Genres)

Riverton, WY —  WyoPoets   (Poetry)

Sundance, WY —  Bearlodge Writers   (All Genres)

Critique Circle   (All Genres)

Inked Voices   (All Genres)

Pen Parentis   (All Genres)

Writer’s Café (All Genres)

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IMAGES

  1. WGGB Northern female writers event in Leeds

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  2. Weekly writers' group at Archive in Burley

    writers groups leeds

  3. The new Leeds book shop giving local writers creative space

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  4. Northern Writers Eli Allison

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  5. LW Spotlights The Hudson Valley Women’s Writing Group/by Laurence Carr

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  6. Young Writers' Groups

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COMMENTS

  1. Leeds Writers Circle

    Welcome to the Leeds Writers' Circle Whatever you write, whether fiction, non-fiction, horror, romance, children's fiction, humour, thrillers, or poetry - or if you just enjoy listening to other people read their work - everyone is welcome. ... We also have special groups who meet on a regular basis outside of the regular manuscript ...

  2. Home

    Welcome to Leeds Writers and Poets! We're actively seeking new members! Whether you're new to writing, or have years of experience under your belt, we'd love to hear from you and you would be very welcome to come along and visit as a guest, to see what we're all about. We're a friendly bunch of poets, short story writers, novelists and ...

  3. Leeds Writing Meetup

    CT. DL. 14 attendees. Attend. Wed, Mar 6, 2024, 6:00 PM GMT Writing Meetup and Social at The Flamboyance. The Flamboyance - Bar and Coffee, Leeds. Please note - this event will be held at The Flamboyance. It is a requirement to buy something when attending. HOW WE WORK.

  4. Local groups

    The Herefordshire Group was founded in 2019 and now hosts a mix of online and in person meet-ups to chat and connect. Meet fellow authors in your area, discuss your work and support one another. Online sessions are every two months (Feb, Apr, Jun, Aug, Oct, Dec) on the second Monday of the month at 7.30pm.

  5. Find Writing Events & Groups in Leeds, 45

    Writing Meetup and Social at The Flamboyance. Leeds Writing Meetup. Feb 28 @ 1 PM EST. Mar 6 @ 1 PM EST. Mar 13 @ 2 PM EDT. Mar 20 @ 2 PM EDT. Mar 27 @ 2 PM EDT. Online Event.

  6. How to Get Published: Writing groups in the North

    The New Writing North organisation has been around for 20 years and their work ranges from producing Durham Book Festival to setting up reading groups and hosting the Northern Writers' Awards, helping to publicise new writing. In the past they've worked with writers like Portico-prize winner Benjamin Myers and Carolyn Jess-Cooke. They can ...

  7. Directory of Groups

    List of writing groups that are members of NAWG, Details of where there are writing groups near you. Home; About Us. Gallery; Blog; Our services. Events & Courses. NAWGFest; ... Northeast England Hexham Writers Holmfirth Writers' Group Leeds Writers and Poets Leeds Writers' Circle Northumbrian Writers Ponteland Writers Ripon Writers' Group ...

  8. What We Do

    Critique Sessions Critique sessions are the heart of our group. We meet twice a month to read each other's work and provide feedback. The first meeting is always on the 2nd Tuesday of the month takes place at Heart in Headingly. The second meeting takes place on Zoom on the 4th Tuesday of the month.

  9. Writing groups in West Yorkshire

    Find local Writing groups in West Yorkshire, England and meet people who share your interests. Join a group and attend online or in person events. Start a new group. Log in. Sign up. Writing groups in West Yorkshire ... The Leeds Savage Club (Writers Group)

  10. Leeds Writing Meetup

    Leeds Writing Meetup, Leeds. 612 likes · 2 talking about this. This group is for anyone who wants to knuckle down and write that novel/play/film that's been whirling around your head for too long!...

  11. Writing Guide

    Leeds Writers Circle: A group of members that meet alternate Mondays at The Carriageworks in Millennium Square, Leeds. Every two weeks they have a manuscript evening where members are invited to read their work to the group, and receive constructive feedback from people who are writers themselves. They also run workshops on Saturdays, both by ...

  12. Members' Clubs at The Leeds Library

    Share your work-in-progress and gather feedback from fellow writers in a supportive atmosphere. The Writing Group is member-led and meets every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at 12pm in the New Room. To express your interest please contact [email protected]. The next dates for the Writing Group are: 14th March. 28th March ...

  13. Writing Groups

    The Spark Young Writers Groups are for young people interested in creative writing of any kind. Professional writers work with Writing Group members to help them develop their writing talents. ... Leeds Young Authors runs activities that focus on using creative writing, spoken word/performance poetry, and the competitive environment of poetry ...

  14. Creative writing workshops events in Leeds, United Kingdom

    Putting Pen to Paper: Creative Writing Beginner. Tomorrow at 18:30. 35 Chesterfield Road, Sheffield S8 0RL, UK.

  15. Leeds Writers and Poets

    Leeds Writers and Poets. 7 likes. We are a writing group from Leeds, West Yorkshire, of writers and poets of levels and abilities.

  16. Meet the writers who took part in our latest Writers' Access Group

    A member of the Leeds Playhouse Writers Group and RTYDS New Directions scheme, Lizzie also collaborates as a Dramaturg and Director in theatre. She is represented by Mark Brennan at United Agents.

  17. Writing the Now

    In particular, we are looking for writers who are motivated by questions of form and content, affective modes, and centring writing as a fundamental part of the research process. How to join the writing group. To secure a space please contact Laura Swithenbank by email at [email protected] with: the date(s) you want to take part;

  18. Heartlines

    Posted on 7 March 2023 by Eileen Neil. Out of the blue, she came with her silver wings, slicing through the unspun drifts of cloud, to rise higher than any bird was made to fly. defying men, defying women's place, defying gravity. she flies, alone, across the wild Atlantic sea. Out here above the earth she gazes down.

  19. Find Events & Groups in Leeds, 45

    Group name:Leeds Power BI, Data, Fabric User Group. Group name:Leeds Power BI, Data, Fabric User Group. Thu, Mar 21 · 6:00 PM UTC. ... Group name:York Writers' Group. Group name:York Writers' Group. Wed, Mar 13 · 7:00 PM UTC. March Sober Social @ Nation of Shopkeepers. Group name:Leeds Sober Socials.

  20. Emerging Writing Groups

    Emerging Writing Groups. There was a lot of interest in developing reading and writing groups that explore the entanglements of form and content in academic writing. A range of different ideas for writing groups emerged from Generative Encounters. Two have a specific focus - Reading and Writing Bodies in Space and Autoethnography.

  21. Beginner's Guide to Creative Writing in Leeds : r/Leeds

    Animals and Pets Anime Art Cars and Motor Vehicles Crafts and DIY Culture, Race, and Ethnicity Ethics and Philosophy Fashion Food and Drink History Hobbies Law Learning and Education Military Movies Music Place Podcasts and Streamers Politics Programming Reading, Writing, and Literature Religion and Spirituality Science Tabletop Games ...

  22. Category:Writers from Leeds

    This category lists articles about writers (including authors of books, journalists, dramatists and poets) from the city of Leeds, England, United Kingdom. Pages in category "Writers from Leeds" The following 92 pages are in this category, out of 92 total.

  23. List Of Writing Groups By State Or Region

    Kentucky Writing Groups: Elizabethtown, KY — Bard's Corner Writers Group (All Genres) Frankfort, KY — Capitol City Writers Roundtable (All Genres) Harrodsburg, KY — Writers Bloc 40330 (All Genres) Horehead, KY — Kentucky State Poetry Society (Poetry) Lexington, KY — Dreambuilding (All Genres)