creative writing groups dublin

Creative Writing Groups at Dublin City Libraries

Like to write? Want to try? Fiction, poetry, it matters not. A little ambition can go a long way! Members of Writers' Groups meet informally to talk about their writings, improve their skills, and to offer encouragement to one another. Currently there are Writers' Groups in eight branch libraries (Ballyfermot, Ballymun, Cabra, Central Library, Donaghmede, Kevin Street, Pearse Street, Raheny). However days, dates and times vary for library to library so it is advisable to check with the relevant library in advance if interested in participating in a Writers' Group. Details are as follows:

Ballyfermot Library Writers' Group meets every second Wednesday at 6pm. Tel. 01 626 9324 or email [email protected]

Ballymun Library Writers’ Group meets every Wednesday 5pm - 7pm. Facilitator: Nancy Owens. Tel. 01 842 1890 or email [email protected] Note: Group does not meet in July or August

Cabra Library Creative Writers' Group meets on Fridays 2pm - 4pm. Tel. 01 869 1414 or email [email protected]

Central Library The Blank Page Collective meets every second Saturday 3pm - 4.45pm. New members welcome. Tel. 01 873 4333 or email [email protected]

Donaghmede Library Writers Group meets on Thursday 6.30pm. New members welcome Tel. 01848 2833 or email [email protected]

Kevin Street Creative Writing Group is meeting at Greenside House, Cuffe Street while Kevin Street Library is closed for refurbishment. It meets every Thursday 2pm - 4pm. Contact facilitator Dean Johnston E: [email protected]

Pearse Street Library Creative Writing Group meets on the second and fourth Thursday of the month, 6pm to 7.45pm Tel. 01 674 4888 or email [email protected] for further details Note: Group does not meet in July or August

Raheny Library Creative Writing Group meets twice a month on Wednesdays at 6.30pm. Tel. 01 831 5521 or email [email protected]

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10 Top Writing Groups in Ireland

By Kevin Chan

If you’re an Irish writer who feels you would benefit from joining a writing group, this post is for you. Below we’ve featured 10 top writing groups in Ireland.

1. Writepace

Writepace is a writing group based in Limerick, Ireland. Membership to Writepace is free, and the writing group welcomes writers who are serious about improving their ability and are looking for a supportive community that will provide honest feedback and encouragement.

Writing meetings at Writepace take place both in person and online. Writepace’s writing meetings offer support and resources for writers, no matter their skill level or background in writing. Writing meetings are times for members to work on their own writing. There are also services available at Writepace, including peer mentoring to help writers and opportunities for a public reading of their work-in-progress.

Take a look at Writepace.

2. Limerick Writers’ Centre Writing Groups

Based in Limerick, Ireland, Limerick Writers’ Centre is a not-for-profit foundation created in 2008. Limerick Writers’ Centre organizes services such as readings, workshops and publishing-related activities, as well as three different writing groups that support local writers.

Writers passionate about writing fiction, non-fiction, scripts and screenplays or poetry can benefit from participation in one of the Limerick Writers’ Centre Writing Groups. Limerick Writers’ Centre Writing Groups consist of professional and amateur writers who are looking to advance their writing and meet other like-minded individuals. Limerick Writers’ Centre Writing Groups also hosts a monthly public reading at their “On the Nail” Literary Gathering.

Contact Limerick Writers’ Centre.

3. Millstreet Library Creative Writing Group

Millstreet Library Creative Writing Group in Millstreet, County Cork is a writing group that welcomes adults from all backgrounds and skill levels. Available spots at the writing group are limited, and interested writing group participants are encouraged to reach out to Millstreet Library Creative Writing Group quickly.

Millstreet Library Creative Writing Group welcomes writers who love writing and seek feedback from other group members. Writing group meetings take place at Millstreet Library on Wednesday afternoons. For additional information about Millstreet Library Creative Writing Group, connect with staff at Millstreet Library.

Connect with Millstreet Library Creative Writing Group.

4. Tramore Library Online Writers Group

Hosted through the public library system of Waterford, Ireland, Tramore Library Online Writers Group is a writing group that regularly meets online. Interested writers can email their interest to the library directly and learn more about when Tramore Library Online Writers Group’s next writing meeting will take place.

Writers are encouraged to join Tramore Library Online Writers Group to meet others who are passionate about writing. Writers will benefit from Tramore Library Online Writers Group, where they can practice different aspects of writing such as writing point of view, developing characters, constructing engaging dialogue and basic narrative structure.

Learn more about Tramore Library Online Writers Group.

5. Scribblers Creative Writing Group

Scribblers Creative Writing Group is a writing group based in Waterford, Ireland. Writing meetings happen in person in The Hub at the Central Library and are organized by Tom Mullane. Scribblers Creative Writing Group meets on the first Wednesday of each month and runs from 2 PM to 4 PM.

Scribblers Creative Writing Group offers value to beginner writers as well as writers with a bit more experience. It can be challenging to get started on the path to publication for someone with a passion for writing, but at Scribblers Creative Writing Group, beginning writers can build valuable relationships with other group members and will be able to learn skills and get feedback on their writing.

Speak to Scribblers Creative Writing Group.

6. Spectrum Dublin Sci-Fi and Fantasy Writers

Situated in Dublin, Ireland, Spectrum Dublin Sci-Fi and Fantasy Writers is a writing group that welcomes writers working on anything from science fiction and fantasy to horror novels and short stories. Writing meetings happen monthly, both in person and online.

Writers interested in submitting their work-in-progress can email their writing to Spectrum Dublin Sci-Fi and Fantasy Writers. Entries should include the writer’s name and should be somewhere near the word count of 1,000 and 5,000. Writers are asked to participate in at least one meeting before submitting a story for feedback.

Discover more about Spectrum Dublin Sci-Fi and Fantasy Writers.

7. Clonbur Writers Collective

Clonbur Writers Collective is a writing group based in Galway, Ireland. Co-organizers Thomas Gorman and Ashland Pym are excited to welcome local writers in the area of Galway and Mayo to join them at their writing meetings.

Writers can look forward to join Clonbur Writers Collective. Writing meetings happen in person in different venues in Clonbur, such as the All Saints Heritage Centre. Meetings happen on the second Monday of every month and will change times between morning and evening meetings.

For more information about Clonbur Writers Collective, check out their website.

8. Inksplinters

Dublin, Ireland is home to Inksplinters, a writing group run out of the Irish Writers Center. Participation in Inksplinters is free for members of the Irish Winters Center and costs only €5 for non-members interested in joining Inksplinters. Inksplinters is a group that welcomes all writers and is a welcoming group full of creative minds that are willing and eager to help any new members.

Writing meetings consist of a dedicated time of writing, followed by feedback on every writer’s work-in-progress. Writers can look forward to receiving both encouragement and also constructive criticism from other members, which is sure to help advance their writing.

Check out Inksplinters’ website!

9. Shut Up & Write! West Cork

Shut Up & Write! is a writing group with chapters located in multiple locations worldwide, including their West Cork chapter in Schull, Ireland. Currently, Shut Up & Write! West Cork has over 80 members, all writers coming from different backgrounds and of varying skill levels.

Shut Up & Write! West Cork meetings happen online weekly on Wednesday afternoons. Writers will be able to connect with other local writers and benefit from Shut Up & Write! West Cork’s dedicated writing time for them to make progress on any manuscripts they might be working on.

Plan a visit to Shut Up & Write! West Cork.

10. Dublin City Libraries Writing Groups

Serving writers in Dublin, Ireland, Dublin City Libraries Writing Groups are a number of writing groups welcoming local professional, amateur and aspiring writers to join the men and women who make up one of the several writing groups that make up Dublin City Libraries Writing Groups.

Offered by Poetry Ireland, Dublin City Libraries Writing Groups encourages interested individuals to visit a writing group in one of the eight branch libraries of Dublin City Libraries. Between the eight branches, Dublin City Libraries Writing Groups meet just about every day of the week. Prospective writing group members are encouraged to reach out to the writing group they’re most interested in joining by phone or email.

Find out more about Dublin City Libraries Writing Groups.

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Inkslingers is a Dublin writing Group who get together on a weekly basis to write at Irish Writers Centre . We write for half an hour to a prompt and then read out what we’ve written. You will be nicely surprised by the encouragement, but you don’t have to read, you can just sit back and listen. We don’t insist that you restrict yourself to the prompt or that you read what you’ve just written, you can read something you brought along that you’ve been working on.

We provide our own prompts, usually of our own invention. Often, they take the fairly standard form of a phrase, an image, a story beginning etc. However, we have also used photos/paintings; curios; items of clothing etc!

We are not a group in the sense of a members’ list and criteria for entry, or terms of reference. A lot of us are just regulars at the Writers Centre but other than that we are a mixed group in terms age, gender, city/country, nationality and so on. We are drawn together by our desire to write and to be in the company of others who share our passion. New people will be asked to adhere to GDPR rules and confirm that they agree to having their email addresses added to our mailing list.

Different members have evolved to have different roles e.g., the person who usually organises the room and manages the session; the person who usually takes care of this site; the person who usually organises extracurricular activities, but there is no leader or committee etc.

Our writing sessions are firstly, all about the writing and secondly, positive and encouraging. We seek out what we like in each other’s work and if we’ve nothing good to say, we say nothing.

We meet at the Writers Centre on Saturdays at 1 o’clock for a 1.30 start. the cost of the sessions is free to Writers Centre members, though some contributing between €3 and €5. The charge to non-members is €5 per session. At other venues, when the Centre is closed (for bank holiday Saturdays normally) a small charge for a room may apply.

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Fighting Words is a creative writing organisation established in 2009 by Roddy Doyle and Seán Love in Dublin. Our aim is to help students of all ages to develop their writing skills and to explore their love of writing. All programmes are free of charge and offered in locations all over Ireland.

Fighting Words provides free programming in creative writing in all its forms to children, young people and adults with additional needs.

We offer a wide range of workshops, all of which are designed to promote creativity and writing as a fun and powerful means of self-expression. 

Our programmes have been developed by our staff and experienced practitioners in all forms of creative writing and are delivered by our team of volunteer writing mentors, who are all trained in child protection and Garda vetted. 

Find out more about our FREE workshops and other programmes:

Primary Schools

Fighting Words offers free creative writing workshops to primary schools. Our workshops are highly interactive and fun, with lots of ways for students to contribute.

Secondary Schools

Fighting Words programmes for secondary schools range from one-off workshops to longer-term projects, suitable for 1st year through 6th year. 

We also offer Transition Year work experience placements in Dublin and Wicklow.

Information for Parents

Looking for information about how to support your young writer?

We have videos to watch, guidelines about how to submit your child's wriiting and information about Write Club , our online community of teen writers.

Fighting Words also offers free summer camps in July and August focus on a different form of creative writing each week for kids from age 8 to 17 at our centre in Dublin. The schedule changes each year but all our camps are led by experienced practitioners in areas ranging from playwriting to novels to graphic fiction and more. 

Workshops for Adults

Fighting Words works with groups of adults as well - from older people to people with disabilities and more. Workshops are tailored for each group and can focus on poetry, memoir, short stories and more.

Workshops for Youth Groups

Fighting Words offers after school programmes for youth groups to help them explore their own imaginations through creative writing. Workshops can be one-off sessions or a series of sessions, tailored to your group.

Related Links

• Be a part of the fun and creativity. Learn more about becoming a volunteer mentor .
• Support our free programmes for young writers. Donate today .
• Learn more about Fighting Words locations all over Ireland.

Creative writing workshops events in Dublin, Ireland

Creative Writing with Gill Perdue

Tue, Apr 30, 6:30 PM

Ballyroan Library

Reclaiming the Feminine - Womens Creativity Workshop

Sat, Apr 27, 12:00 PM

Phase Space Arts

Hugh Lane Gallery Poetry Workshop on the Life and Work of Francis Bacon

Sat, May 11, 2:00 PM

Hugh Lane Gallery

CREATIVE HANDBUILDING WORKSHOP (2 HOURS)

Sun, May 5, 11:00 AM + 9 more

Arran Street East School of Pottery

Teen Write Club

Tue, Apr 23, 5:00 PM

Speechwriting: Crafting your speech for a special occasion

Fri, May 10, 9:00 AM

Abbey Theatre

The One of Many Project

Monday at 10:00 AM

The Dean Arts Studio

Join the COPON! Poetry Slam Workshop

Wed, Apr 24, 5:30 PM

Concern Worldwide

Proposal Writing 1 Day Training in Bray

Mon, May 6, 9:00 AM + 7 more

For venue details reach us at [email protected]

Creative Problem Solving and Decision Making 2 Days Training in Bray

Thu, May 2, 9:00 AM + 7 more

Mandala Painting Workshop

Sat, Apr 27, 3:00 PM

Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre

Children’s Robotics Workshop with Creative Hut

Wednesday at 3:00 PM

County Library, Tallaght

Hooks & Reels: April 25th

Thu, Apr 25, 7:00 PM

Aqua Restaurant

Self Care an Diary Comics workshop

Sat, May 11, 11:00 AM

Project Room, Level 3 (beside Gallery) : dlr LexIcon Gallery

Proposal Writing 1 Day Training in Drogheda

Monday at 9:00 AM + 8 more

Business Writing 1 Day Training in Drogheda

Mon, May 13, 9:00 AM + 7 more

Transforming the Visual into the Verbal: Poetry Day Workshop for Adults

Thu, Apr 25, 2:30 PM

Writers' Café atop a hill

Wednesday at 10:00 AM + 93 more

A bit of heaven wellness center

Business Writing 1 Day Training in Waterford

Mon, Apr 22, 9:00 AM + 8 more

Dublin Historia Live! When History Meets Mystery

Wed, May 1, 6:30 PM

Pearse Street Library

Things to do around Dublin

Dublin Creative Writers

WRITING BETTER TOGETHER

Dublin Creative Writers is an all-volunteer organization supported entirely by member donations. We'd be grateful for your support! All donations are used to support the creative growth and professional advancement of our membership. Donated funds enable us to hire guest lecturers, pay for community events, purchase table space at writing conferences, offer scholarships to writing retreats and conferences, and provide publication opportunities.

The best way to support our work is to set up a recurring donation through Pledge --even $5 per month helps! You can also make a one-time donation using the Donate button. Thank you in advance for your generosity!  

Board of Directors :

Jen Schiller , President

Anita Howitt, Vice President

Brian Nutwell, Secretary

Autumn Shah, Treasurer

To join us, visit our MeetUp page .

Follow us on Instagram!            

Contact us at [email protected] .

Dublin Creative Writers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that provides education and community for creative writers in Ohio and beyond. We strive to support our members in achieving literary excellence and pursuing publication opportunities.

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Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin

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You are here Postgraduate > M.Phil. in Creative Writing

M.Phil. in Creative Writing

1 Year Full-Time

Our Creative Writing faculty are all practicing writers. We've all been through it and we're respectful of how exposing writing can be, and how vulnerable someone can feel as they approach the craft with serious intent for the first time.  Sometimes students tap straight into a rich vein of form. Others take time to eliminate the writers that they don't want to be until they arrive at a true voice. We know that virtuosity can be immediate but also that progress is more often painstaking and incremental.  Our workshops and lectures are supportive places. There is no one path to being a writer but it is our job is to help a student set out the imaginative, technical and practical wayposts of their own practice. We like to think that we do it well.  

The programme benefits from taking place in the heart of Dublin, a city with a vibrant contemporary literary culture – a milieu alive with writers, theatres, literary events, festivals, magazines and publishers. Trinity has a notably rich literary heritage of its own, ranging from Jonathan Swift and Oliver Goldsmith to Derek Mahon and Eavan Boland. The college has also long led the way in the teaching of Creative Writing. Many distinguished writers have graduated from this master’s programme, from established voices such as Conor O’Callaghan, Chris Binchy and Sean O’Reilly to exciting emerging talents such as Sara Baume, Nicole Flattery and Lisa Harding.

The instruction from the professors and guest speakers, the feedback from my fellow students, and the focus on the work itself was what I needed to bring my writing to the next level.

There is not a better city than Dublin, better university than Trinity, and better place than the Oscar Wilde Centre to study the craft of fiction writing. The faculty have a wide range of experiences and are overflowing with wisdom, the Oscar Wilde Centre is alive with history, but best of all were my classmates and the diversity of literary influences, experiences, and writing they produced.

Course Structure

The centrepiece of the Creative Writing M.Phil. is the three-hour weekly workshop. This is where you bring work and get to listen to others. The idea of it is daunting, but the reality is hardworking, inclusive and dynamic.  For the first term, students are encouraged to range across form and genre, to break habits and open new vistas. This is where students start to see the core of their portfolio emerge, although most don't see the portfolio taking shape until the following Spring. The ‘Structure in Fiction and Poetry’ module works through the shapes and uses, the interior dynamics of writing.  ‘Writing for a Living’ addresses the demands of reviewing and essay writing. Both modules are structured and intellectually rigorous but at heart they involve writers talking about writing and bringing the class into the orbit of their own experience. In the second semester, the weekly Briena Staunton lectures brings a series of established writers in to talk about the practice of writing. A visiting Writer Fellow also leads a workshop, offering students a further chance to engage with a working writer in close-up. The creation of a final portfolio is the formal endpoint of the MPhil, but it is equally important for us to see writers emerge in rich, artistically textured and diverse surroundings. That is the enduring satisfaction.  

Teaching and Assessment

The programme is designed as a one-year, full-time course. Teaching is delivered through lectures, group workshops and personal tuition. Much of this takes place in the Oscar Wilde Centre for Irish Writing, which offers a supportive and sociable working environment for the School of English’s creative writers. Current faculty teaching on the programme include the course director Eoin MacNamee, as well as Deirdre Madden, Kevin Power, Harry Clifton and Carlo Gébler. Visiting Writer Fellows in recent years have included Claire Keegan and Colette Bryce. The course is assessed by means of various essays and portfolios, culminating in working towards a final dissertation portfolio of 15-16,000 words.

Admissions Information

Applicants are expected to hold a university degree or equivalent qualification (at least an upper second or equivalent, GPA of at least 3.3). In addition, applicants must submit a portfolio of selected recent creative work.  The portfolio of sample work should include no more than 3000 words of prose (short stories, excerpt/s from a novel or drama) or 6-8 poems; genres may be combined but this is not a requirement. Applications for admission in 2024/25 opens on the 1 November 2023. Candidates are encouraged to submit applications as soon as possible, as applications are reviewed on a rolling basis as they arrive. The closing date for admission is 31 March 2024. The 2024/25 academic year will start in September 2024.

The Peter Irons Taught Postgraduate Studentships The studentships will contribute towards M.Phil. tuition fees (EU or Non-EU) for any School of English taught postgraduate programme. They are generously funded in memory of Peter Irons. Two studentships will be awarded for the academic year: one for an EU student, and one for a non-EU student.  For further information, please open this PDF link .  

European Excellence Awards   The €1,000 awards are open to applicants with EU fee-status who hold an offer letter for a Postgraduate Taught Masters programme in Trinity College Dublin. Further information can be found here . 

Details of further funding opportunities can be found  here . 

Brontë Prize This prize was founded in 1921 by a bequest from Miss A.G. Woolson of Portland, U.S.A. It is awarded triennially by the Board on the recommendation of a committee for the best essay on either (a) an English author of Irish descent, or (b) the seats of learning in Ireland prior to 900 A.D. or (b) the seats of learning in Ireland prior to 900 a.d. The committee consists of the Regius Professor of Greek and the Professors of Latin and English Literature. A candidate must be of Irish birth or have been domiciled in Ireland for at least ten years. The candidate must also be an undergraduate of the University or a graduate of not more than five years’ standing. The next award will be made in 2022 and essays must reach the Registrar before 1 October 2022. Value, €1,905.

Dublin Cost of Living

Whether you're moving to Dublin from Ireland or abroad, the biggest problem you're likely to face is just getting set-up in the city. Below, you'll find web links providing advice on getting accommodation, placing deposits, household utilities, looking after your finances, and general tenancy agreements. https://www.tcd.ie/students/living-dublin/ https://www.tudublin.ie/for-students/student-life/cost-of-living-guide/ https://www.internationalstudents.ie/info-and-advice/practical-information/cost-of-living

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The Irish Writers Centre offers a range of writing courses for writers at every stage of their career.

Our courses, the irish writers centre offers a range of courses for writers at every stage of their career..

We offer in-person and online writing courses, along with our new self-paced writing courses, allowing you to access course content at your own time and pace. We have capped our course participants to 12 places per course, except in seminar-style courses, to ensure a high-quality and personalised experience for all

Beginner / Tosnaitheoir

FOR THE NOVICE WRITER to help you find your way into your own writing through practical, creative and supportive means with an experienced professional facilitator. 

Emerging / Ag borradh

FOR WRITERS who have attended courses in the past, the emerging series will allow you to perfect your skills and develop your creative abilities. 

Professional Development / Forbairt Ghairimiúil

LED BY INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS, these workshops are designed to help you work on essential skills that are part and parcel of being a professional writer in the public eye. The Meridian series is our latest programme of development supports.

Course Type:

Course level:.

MERIDIAN IN-PERSON |

How to pitch your freelance stories to international publications with anne mccarthy.

Level: Professional Development |

Date: April 16, 2024

Time: 6.30 pm – 8.30 pm

Duration: 4 weeks

MERIDIAN ONLINE |

Using social media to build your personal profile with jennie mcginn.

Time: 2 – 5 pm

Duration: 5 Weeks

Online |

Fragmenting experiences, fragmented structures with roe mcdermott.

Level: Beginner | Emerging |

Date: April 17, 2024

Time: 6.30 pm – 8.30 pm

Duration: 6 weeks

In-Person |

Writing science fiction and fantasy with john kenny.

Date: April 23, 2024

Screenplay Development with Stephen Walsh

Level: Emerging | Professional Development |

Date: May 1, 2024

Duration: 8 weeks

Meridian Online |

The art of reviewing with tapasya narang.

Time: 6.30pm-8.30pm

Writing the Non-Human with Doreen Cunningham

Date: May 2, 2024

Time: 7.00 pm – 9.00 pm

Kickstarting Your Nonfiction Book – Creating an Author Roadmap with Geraldine Walsh

Date: May 7, 2024

Time: 6.30pm – 8.30pm

Duration: 6 Weeks

Guide To Writing Healing Poems with Amy Abdullah Barry

Level: Beginner |

Date: May 11, 2024

Time: 10.30am-1.30pm

Duration: 3 hours

Backbone and Heart: Writing a Short Story with Órfhlaith Foyle

Date: May 21, 2024

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Past Courses

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Writing Groups

If you’d like to receive  Write Now Newsletter  by email each month  sign up  here!

These are some of the writing groups in central Ohio. We make no promises about the accuracy of this information. If you know of any changes to an existing group or a new group that would like to be added, please email us at  [email protected] .

614 Writers Community

Thursdays 6-8PM; Wolf Study Room at Worthington Public Library (820 High Street, Worthington, 43085) Park in the rear of the library.

AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERARY WRITING GROUP PHASE II

contact group facilitator (see below) for time and place

Okay so here it is. This is how it started, we are calling this Phase II because phase I, at least in its current fashion is phasing out. Initially this group targeted and was restricted to African American females only. Ages 30-43. The goal was to attract those interested in reading and writing, only one person was writing. The rest, maybe read the assigned books. As much as we would like to still target African Americans, sorry, can’t do it. Already tried it. A group dies without participation. This time no one is restricted (minus age requirement– must be an adult). We will still target African American’s but won’t exclude anyone. No Restriction on Gender or Age if 18 and Up. All Adults Are Welcomed.

For this group, we are only interested in attracting people who know they are Ready To Write. We already have the meeting spots reserved. We just need to agree to make a commitment to meet bi-weekly or monthly to write for 2-3 hours! This way no one has any excuses for not writing and getting that great novel done! We will bring our laptops or pin and paper to our already reserve venue, greet each other drink coffee, tea, and write.

The goal is for each participant to finish one manuscript within the first year of the first meet. We will only read books to get ideas. NO MORE BOOK CLUBS. The goal here is to become a writer, so only those interested in becoming so need participate. Its ok to be scared or have a blank idea, we can get around that just so long as you know you want to write. We can refer you to several book clubs if that’s what you are interested in. But this will be a literal/writers group. As you can tell we are very sincere about attracting would be WRITERS this time. Looking forward to seeing the level of interest.

Email for details at  [email protected]  or  [email protected] . Surf to  http://www.blackplanet.com/SFV111  or  http://readytowriteaa.ning.com

ALEX WRITES

First Thursdays – 7PM Alexandria Public Library 10 Maple Drive – Alexandria

Open to all aspiring or published authors. Write, critique, learn, support, encourage.

Contact Betsy Young 740-924-0305  [email protected]  for information.

AUTHORS ANONYMOUS

Public Library of Mount Vernon & Knox Couny

BEXLEY FICTION WRITERS

First Thursday of the month – 6:00p to 9:00p Various locations in Bexley (each meeting’s location is listed on our website and Facebook page)

www.bexleyfictionwriters.wordpress.com  AND  www.facebook.com/bexleyfictionwriters

Or if you want to email us ~ contact Josh at  [email protected]

Formed in early 2016 from a post-NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) desire to keep things going, Bexley Fiction Writers is a new group looking for members that are interested in editing their work together through round-robin feedback.

Our meeting format is pretty laid back:

* 15-20 minutes for gathering and introductions / socializing * Each member has about 10 minutes to read a selection they are working on followed by 5-10 minutes of round-robin feedback (general or specific based on what the writer is looking for) * Discussion on a topic related to either the art / craft or business of writing (topics listed on the website) * Time for working on a project with other writers for support

Bring a piece that you’re proud of, can’t make heads or tails of, need help with, or just not sure how it’s coming across (or any other reason you’d like) to read for the group for feedback. You can ask for specific feedback (Character X seems really flat / needy / boring –“ what do you think / how could I fix that?) or something very general (Is this really appropriate for Urban-Fantasy-Post-Steam-Punk-Apocalypical settings?). Whatever!

As a group, we should be able to come up with some ideas to help out where you might be stuck.

BUCKEYE CRIME WRITERS

last Saturday of the month – 12:30PM to 2:30PM

Buckeye Crime Writers, a local chapter of Sisters in Crime (men welcome too), meets monthly. As a member of SICCO you would be joining a group of over 3,500 authors, readers, fans, librarians, booksellers, editors, and agents actively seeking to promote and strengthen the presence and voice of women mystery writers. And yes, we encourage active membership and particpation by men and women alike.

Check out the website at  http://buckeyecrimewriters.org/ .

Mhttps://web.archive.org/web/20230323055915/http://buckeyecrimewriters.org/embership in the national organization ($40) is required for membership in the local chapter ($20).

THE BUSINESS OF ART

Second Mondays – 6:30 to 8:30PM Wild Goose Creative 2491 Summit Street (north campus/south Clintonville)

A career in the arts can be sustainable with the right base knowledge. Join us as we present a free monthly panel discussion series designed to encourage art-centric entrepreneurship and provide a place for creative network building. This Business of Art Series is a discussion series held at Wild Goose Creative on every 2nd Monday of the month. The events run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., with the discussions beginning promptly at 6:40 and networking starting at 7:40.

CENTRAL OHIO FICTION WRITERS

Monthly meetings held monthly on the “teen” Saturday – see website for schedule University Hotel 3110 Olentangy River Road

See  http://www.cofwevents.org  for additional information or call 614-539-9131 for details.

COLUMBUS CHRISTIAN WRITERS’ ASSOCIATION

Second Sundays from 3PM to 5PM Meetings held on Zoom

For more information and log in instructions, email Mina at [email protected].

THE COLUMBUS HOUSE OF SCRIBES

Second and Fourth Saturdays from 4-6pm Various (available on  Meetup ) Founded 2007

We are dedicated to providing an open, friendly group to encourage your writing in whatever form it may take, as well as providing critiques for anything you would like to share, and writing voluntary monthly prompt responses as both writing exercises and to possibly spark new ideas. All writers, of any genre or format, are welcome to the Columbus House of Scribes!

We meet on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month, as well as additional events. Official times and locations are available at our Meetup site.

Join the  Meetup Group

Follow us on  Twitter

Join us on  Facebook

Our  WordPress

COLUMBUS WOMEN’S WRITING GROUP

First Thursdays – 6 to 8PM Virtual

Love to write? Want to meet other women writers? Join us each month. Get inspiration, support and feedback on your writing. Open to women writing nonfiction and fiction.

Anyone interested in attending please email us at  [email protected]  so we can include them in the zoom invite and communications.

Follow  Columbus Women’s Writing Group on Facebook

COLUMBUS WRITE TO PUBLISH MEETUP GROUP

Various Times and Locations – See the Meetup

Are you a short-story author or poet who’s worthy of being published, but don’t know where to begin? Are you actively submitting to journals, but lack opportunities to workshop your pieces?

We’re a group of serious writers who want and need opportunities to share our work and get notes from other serious writers. We meet entirely online to post our work and offer critiques of each other’s work, as well as to share tips on publishing, and to celebrate successes. Our focus is on short stories (< 4000 words) and poetry, but we’ll review excerpts from long-form works as well.

We are not a social group. We do not meet face-to-face to spend time catching up on our personal lives or to discuss current events when we could be working on our writing (though we might schedule an occasional face-to-face to get acquainted). There are plenty of other writing-related MeetUps with a strong social component which you can attend for that sort of thing (and I attend most of them). This is a working MeetUp. If you’re accepted, you will be expected to contribute—and I will be keeping score. Non-participants will be asked to step up or step out. If that sounds harsh, then those groups I mentioned above might be more suited to your needs. If, instead, that sounds like what you need—a disciplined group of dedicated and supportive writers—then join us.  Columbus Write to Publish Meetup Group

COLUMBUS WRITERS’ WORKSHOPS

Second and fourth Wednesdays – evenings Downtown or Bexley

Part of the  Columbus Creative Cooperative . Our writers’ workshops meet twice a month in Columbus, Ohio. The purpose is to provide peer feedback for writers of all skill levels.

Currently, the writers’ workshops meet on the second and fourth Wednesday evening of each month. The location changes from time to time, but we typically meet at a coffee shop, restaurant or library in the downtown Columbus or Bexley area.

Normally, we request that all pieces that you’d like feedback on be submitted by midnight on the Sunday before the workshop. This gives everyone time to read that week’s work and formulate some thoughts before we arrive.

The co-op is available to provide feedback on short stories, essays, poetry, novels and more. However, our current focus is on original short stories. If you’d like feedback on a longer work, please consider breaking it into chapters or groups of 5,000 to 8,000 words.

So far, our group has a diversity of skill and experience levels, from beginners to published academians. This provides a fantastic spectrum of insight, and all of the feedback has been incredibly useful.

Although our group is open to writers of all ages, our members are primarily adults. Some subject matter might not be suitable for writers under 16.

You do not need to be a paid co-op member to participate in our workshops, everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.

For more information on our writers’ workshops, please contact  Columbus Creative Cooperative , or consider becoming a member of the co-op.

COMPANY of WRITERS – WRITING GROUP

First and Third Saturdays from 10AM to Noon

Fiction and Nonfiction. Emphasis on revision and critique. Call 614-889-4857 for more information.

CONSTRUCTION ZONE – Poetry Workshop

Second Saturdays at 6:30 PM 310 E. Innis Ave.

Call 614-372-0453 for more information.

CREATIVE WRITING FOR SENIORS – WESTERVILLE SENIOR CENTER (Online Meeting)

Third Mondays – 3:45pm – 4:45pm Online or Westerville Senior Center

Share your life experiences and encourage others as you develop writing skills together with your fellow Westerville Senior Center members and Julie K. To receive an email with instructions to connect via Zoom, contact  the center for information . (Zoom is a free video conferencing software. An internet connected-device is required to participate.)  Membership to the Westerville Senior Center is required.

DRAMA FOUNDRY

Monthly – Saturday 1:45 – 4:45PM Upper Arlington Public Library Conference Room B.

Writing group for actors and script writers. For more information email  [email protected] . Visit  thedramafoundry.blogspot.com  for specifics on meeting dates.

This is not a writing group, but a place for writers to either share space or be alone for a day of writing. WiFi, computer, coffee, tea, water, fruit, candy, and camaraderie included in the fee. Check out the options at  http://www.themustardseedretreat.com

DUBLIN CREATIVE WRITERS

Meets at various times throughout a given month, usually on the northwest side of Columbus, sometimes online.

Please visit  the Meetup  for dates, times, and  their website  for more information.

Calling all creative writers! Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser, published or unpublished, new to writing or decades into a storied (ahem) career, this group is for you. Dublin Creative Writers provides a supportive and constructive environment for writers of all genres and experience levels. Our meetings include write-ins, technical/craft workshops, writing contests, social events, and group critique sessions.

DUBLIN WRITERS WRITE MEETUP

Tuesdays at 9:15AM Dublin Library 75 N High St, Dublin, OH (Look for the meetup sign in or near the quiet study room or computer banks) Please  join the Meetup group  and RSVP as space is limited.

As writers we sometimes isolate ourselves, but gatherings can feed our creativity by connecting us to something larger than ourselves. This meetup will be HEAVILY writing focused. We can chat briefly to check in, but the bulk of the time will be spent focused on our writing. COME connect with others who will influence you to stick to the work by sticking to their own work near you! COME influence others to produce by producing your own work near them!

FAIRFIELD COUNTY CREATIVE WRITERS CO-OP

Dates for rest of 2023: Sept 2, Oct 7, Nov 4, Dec 2

The Fairfield County Creative Writers Co-Op is a group formed for writers in the Lancaster/Fairfield County Ohio area interested in any aspect of creative writing whether it is fiction writing, poetry, commercial writing, screenwriting or any other forms of written creative expression. Writers of all interests and experience levels are welcome.

This group will feature discussion, news of local writing classes, conferences and workshops, as well as any literary news. We’ll also post links to interesting articles, sites and the occasional writing prompt or quote to keep you engaged and encouraged in your writing.

Encourage your local writing friends to join so we can build a community of writers right here in the Lancaster/Fairfield County area.

Request to Join the FB Group.

FICTION FLURRY – MARYSVILLE WRITER’S GROUP

Every other Saturday at 9:30AM (beginning 1/8/11) Goodies N More 205 E. 8th Street (Marysville)

We are just a short drive from Dublin, Hilliard, and NW Columbus. We invite anyone interested in writing to join us! In addition, folks may get a glimpse of who we are by visiting our blog:  http://www.fictionflurry.blogspot.com Anyone who has additional questions may contact Rachel Dilley at  [email protected]

FOOLE’S GOLD PROSE & POETRY WORKSHOP

Mondays from 8PM to 11 PM Kafe Kerouac 2250 N. High Street

This is an ongoing group of limited membership. Call Kafe Kerouac at 299-2672 to confirm date and time.

GRANDVIEW LIBRARY WRITERS GROUP

Second Wednesdays from 6:00PM to 7:00PM Grandview Heights Public Library 1685 West First Avenue Columbus, OH 43212 (614) 486-2951

Are you a writer interested in sharing your work with other writers and in giving and receiving constructive feedback?

Whether your focus is fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, or any other format, join staff member Chris Boerger in an atmosphere of creative fellowship.

The spoken word is ephemeral, but writing is forever!

For more information  visit the website .

GROVE CITY WRITERS’ GROUP

Second Thursdays – 7PM Grove City Library Second Floor Board Room 3959 Broadway, Grove City, OH 43123

The Grove City Writers’ Group was formed in 2008 to network with other writers and to encourage each other to write. The group meets the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. in the second floor board room of the Grove City Library. Writers may bring some of their work to read to the group followed by a light critique.

For further information, email  [email protected] .

HORROR WRITERS of AMERICA – OHIO CHAPTER

Meets quarterly on a Sunday from 1PM to 3PM For specifics,  visit the website  or the  Facebook page .

The Ohio chapter of the Horror Writers Association holds quarterly meetings in the Columbus area. We intend to host events of interest to people who read or write horror, dark fantasy, weird fiction, supernatural thrillers, dark science fiction, noir mystery, and related genres. If you’re interested in joining us, please contact us.

The HWA is a nonprofit organization of writers and publishing professionals around the world, dedicated to promoting dark literature and the interests of those who write it.

THE INKSTONE

The Inkstone: A Greater Columbus Novel Writing Group Last Wednesday of each month, 7PM Kingsdale Giant Eagle Cafe, 2nd floor 3061 Kingsdale Center Columbus, OH 43221 Free

At The Inkstone, we’re here to help you become the best novelist you can be. The task of writing a novel is difficult and often fairly isolated. Having work critiqued is another challenge, learning to pitch, networking, and knowing the industry are all additional hurdles to the ever evolving process from page one to publication.

That is why we created The Inkstone.  Visit our page  to learn more about our unique structure and offerings.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S WRITING GUILD

First Saturdays – 10AM to 12:30PM Columbus Public Library – Karl Road Branch Meeting Room 3 5590 Karl Rd, Columbus, OH 43229

Free and open to all. We offer writers a supportive environment for writing, reading, and gentle critiquing. Each participant has an opportunity to share. You may read or bring copies of work you’d like to have critiqued. Some of us give better feedback when we see a copy; usually 5 copies are enough for us to share.

For more information contact Jeanne Marlowe at 614-476-8802 or  [email protected] , or visit the Guild’s website at  http://www.iwwg.org .

INTERNATIONAL WRITERS GROUP

International Writers Group Monthly Meetings: 

March 2: Karl Road Library , 5590 Karl Rd., 10 am-12:30 pm ,  Meeting Room 3.

March 30:   Northern Lights Library, Room 3, 4093 Cleveland Ave.

Please note 2 meetings in March because library room is not available in April.

We offer writers a supportive environment for writing, reading, and gentle critiquing. Each person has an opportunity to share, read or bring copies of their work for discussion. Some of us give better feedback when we see a copy; usually 5 copies are enough for us to share. Free and open to all. Free parking.   For more information contact Jeanne Marlowe,  [email protected] , 614.476.8802.

KIRKERSVILLE WRITER’S CLUB

Second Tuesdays at 6PM (March through November) Kirkersville United Methodist Church (Conference Room – Upstairs) 180 East Main Street 740-927-3355

KNOXWRITES WRITING CLINIC

Various Wednesdays from 12:00-1:00 PM

KnoxWrites Writing Clinics are held virtually on selected Wednesdays, from 12:00-1:00 PM. Writing clinics are short, 20-minute limited sessions for short projects. All writing programs are delivered remotely: online via Google chat, Zoom, over the phone, etc. Registration is required for writing clinic. Please fill out the online form with the required information.

If you are unable to meet Wednesdays from 12:00-1:00 PM, please write in the comment section of the registration form at least three dates/times you are available during KnoxWrites office hours, 11am-7pm, Monday-Friday. You’ll receive an email from [email protected] within 2-business days to make arrangements.

NOTE: If you are visiting the Writing Clinic for a consultation about publishing, graduate school, test preparation, or other writing resources, please briefly describe in the comment section of the registration form your purpose of the visit. You may also share any comments you have about your upcoming appointment. For example, “I need some help with proofreading this letter” or “I need to write marriage vows and have writers’ block…”

If you submit a document as a shared Google document: If you are working in Google Docs, please click the email address for Literary and Writing manager Jamie Lyn Smith-Fletcher to share your document with [email protected].

MAC WRITERS GROUP

ON HIATUS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC

formerly the Writers Workshop of McDowell Senior Center

Second and Fourth Fridays – 10AM to 12:00 McConnell Arts Center Corner of 161 & Evening Street Worthington

This Worthington centric group meets at the MAC every second and fourth Friday to write, read, share and offer feedback. The group began October 8, 2010. Come and enjoy the art of writing and share your work with others in the group. For more information contact Jules Knowlton at  [email protected].

NORTH COLUMBUS FANTASY SCI/FI

2nd and 4th Sundays at 1:15PM Worthington Area Free!

A writer’s group that focuses on genre fiction. All levels of talent are accepted. Diversity encouraged! Easy to join. Apply for group membership or contact the moderator at  Google Groups

The  Ohio Poetry Association  is a membership organization that provides dynamic poetry events, from readings to workshops, festivals, publications, contests, open mics and podcasts. Our mission is to promote the art of poetry and support poets and others who appreciate poetry in honing their craft.

https://www.ohiopoetryassn.org/membership

Throughout 2024: The OHIO UNDERGROUND RAILROAD WHISTLE-STOP POETRY TOUR

The  Ohio Poetry Association  in partnership with  Poets Against Racism & Hate  are conducting a whistle-stop poetry tour of Underground Railroad stations throughout Ohio. A series of poetry readings at historic sites will feature poets and poems that honor Ohio’s legacy on the Underground Railroad to raise awareness of current social justice issues.

Mark your calendars and follow the OPA website and Facebook for updates:

https://www.ohiopoetryassn.org/underground-railroad-poetry-tour

Saturday, February 24, 2024

Southern Ohio Museum & Cultural Center 825 Gallia Street Portsmouth, OH 45662

10 AM – 12 PM: Poetry workshops (adults, children) 12 PM – 1:30 PM: Lunch break 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM: Poetry reading 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM: Local history presentation and walking tour (weather permitting)

Future Events:

April 20: Sandusky Library, Sandusky April 27: Spring Hill Historic Home & Underground Railroad Site, Massillon May 4: Wilson Bruce Evans Home Historical Society/Oberlin URR Center, Oberlin May 19: Kelton House, Columbus June 29: James and Sophia Clemens Farmstead, Longtown September 8: Springboro Performing Arts Center, Springboro September 14: Hanby House, Westerville September 21: The Underground Railroad Museum, Flushing October 5: First Congregational United Church of Christ, Mt. Vernon October 13: John Rankin House Visitor Center & John Parker House, Ripley

OHIO WRITERS’ ASSOCIATION

 Various Time and Location –  See their website

The Ohio Writers’ Association supports professional writers and emerging authors.

We currently offer writers’ workshops and publishing opportunities, with more planned for the future. We also work diligently to support our membership by promoting the great work of emerging Ohio authors.

 Our unique workshop model and commitment to producing market-driven literature has multiplied our membership base exponentially since 2010. We will use our growing, collective voice to raise one another up, to support emerging talent, and to provide resources for professional writers.

THE OHIO WRITERS’ GUILD

Meeting are mostly via Zoom

Please join Facebook group for most up-to-date information:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/195475120521982/

The Ohio Writer’s Guild is a supportive group of aspiring and published authors. Writers share works-in-progress, finished and unfinished manuscripts for critiquing and networking. Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, free lance articles and essays are presented for comments and suggestions. Come join us. We do not meet in August. Novice and seasoned writers can bring work to read, discuss, or critique in a relaxed setting. These meetings are free and open to the public.

For questions contact Kathy Binner.

ORANGE BRANCH WRITER’S GROUP

First and Third Wednesdays from 7 to 8:30PM Orange Branch Library 7171 Gooding Blvd. Delaware, OH 43015 740-549-2665

Be inspired. Share ideas. Gain feedback. Network. Build a writing support group. Join the Orange Branch Library’s Adult Writers’ Group.

PAGING COLUMBUS!

First Thursdays – 6 to 8PM Urban Arts Space 50 W. Town Street (downtown)

Join poet, writer and instructor Hannah Stephenson along with some of Columbus’ best writers and bloggers the first Thursday of each month for Paging Columbus!, a poetry reading and literary arts event at the Urban Arts Space. This month’s readers have yet to be announced… stay tuned!

Free and open to all. Light refreshments provided.

Questions, comments or ideas? Contact Hannah Stephenson ([email protected]) or follow Paging Columbus! on Facebook.

PEN & QUILL WRITER’S GROUP

Third Wednesdays – 7PM Heritage Hall Main Street – Crooksville

Pen & Quill currently has members from Newark, New Lexington, Buckeye Lake, Roseville and Crooksville. It is open to any writer seeking inspiration, editing assistance, or the company of other writers.

For more information, contact director Kathy Campbell at  [email protected]

PERIPATETIC POETS

Fourth Sundays at 7PM Galleria Evangelina 4269 North Nigh Street (Clintonville)

Monthly featured readers. For more information contact 614-769-4851 or 614-915-3139.

POETRY AT THE DELAWARE LIBRARY

First Thursdays – 7PM Delaware County District Library 84 E. Winter St. Delaware, OH 43015

Poetry at the Delaware Library meets the first Thursday each month to write and workshop poetry at the Delaware County District Library. All ages are welcome to share and discuss. For more information, contact Ben at [email protected].

POET’S & WRITERS GUILD

Fourth Fridays from 7:30PM Galleria Evangelina 4269 North Nigh Street (Clintonville)

Call Dottie Turner at 614-263-9346 or Elizabeth Ann James at 614-267-3085 for more information.

Sycamore Learning Cooperative: Writer’s Circle Writing Sprints Second Thursday monthly; 7-10pm

“ALL are welcome at the Sycamore Learning Co-op! This is an inclusive space, however, this writer’s circle is strictly for ages 18+”

Bring pens, notebook, laptop or whatever you need to write. Writing sprints is where one writes for a span of time uninterrupted, with small breaks in between. 7-7:30 social time; sprints at 730pm; sprint 20 minutes/break for 10min

106 E. Main St. Somerset, Ohio 43783 Donations accepted

SEQUENTIALLY SPEAKING Art Critique/Workshop VISUAL NARRATIVE WORKSHOP

Third Sundays from 2 PM to 4 PM Upper Arlington Library (Main Branch) 2800 Tremont Road Free event Space is limited, please email or call ahead to confirm vacancy.

There is no question about it – Columbus and the surrounding Central Ohio area is a melting pot of comic book creators. Here’s your chance to meet, talk with and share your talents with experience and novice writers and artists alike in a relaxed, informal atmosphere. Bring copies of your latest comic strips or graphic novel in progress to get valuable feedback! Open to all genres and abilities.

Contact: Max Ink at 614-275-4764 or [email protected] or visit: Sequentially Speaking at  Yahoo Groups

SHUT UP & WRITE! COLUMBUS

Fridays at 8AM Roosevelt Coffeehouse

• What we’ll do Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at 8AM on Friday mornings. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you’ve written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done.

SCHEDULE: 8:00 – SESSION 1: quick intros.< 8:10 – timer starts: write for 1 hour. 9:00 – chat / take off / keep writing.

OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 9A-9:30ish (I have to leave by 9:40 for work, but that doesn’t mean others have to!). Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and get settled, then check-in with me after the session. (I’ll be the person with the Shut Up & Write! sign.) If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. • What to bring Whatever you need to be able to write! Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block noise or the occasional conversation by other patrons. Electrical outlets are limited, so charge your devices before whenever possible.

• Important to know — Roosevelt has a small parking lot on the east side of the building (enter from N 6th street) & if it fills, there’s metered street parking along Long & and also along 6th.

Sign Up here.

SONGWRITERS’ CIRCLE

Third Mondays Wild Goose Creative 2491 Summit Street (north campus/south Clintonville)

The Songwriter’s group seeks to link songwriters who want to share their work with others for the purpose of feedback and encouragement. We encourage everyone to share their most recent song at each meeting. This serves to both give songwriters an audience to try out new material and to encourage each other to compose on at least a monthly basis. Let’s face it: a lot of creative types can get discouraged and lazy. The songwriter’s group will challenge you to write a new song every month. Bring a song and be prepared to talk about it along with your practices and philosophies of songwriting.

For more information visit the  Wild Goose Creative website .

SONGWRITERS & POETS CRITIQUE

Second and Fourth Fridays at 7:30 PM Jackson Township Building 3756 Hoover Road (Grove City)

Call 614-777-0326 for more information or check the website at  http://www.timothysklugh.com/spc/events.asp

First Wednesdays at 7pm Pump House Art Gallery in Yoctangee Park, Chillicothe

Join the  Southern Ohio Writers Collaborative  for their monthly meeting. Aspiring and published authors are welcome to attend. We work in most genres. including poetry.

Please contact  Deb Gaskill for more information.

UPPER ARLINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY (LANE ROAD) WRITERS GROUP

UAPL Writers’ Group – 3 rd  Thursdays @6-7:30pm

Upper Arlington Public Library, Lane Road Branch, 1945 Lane Rd . 

Find inspiration, accountability, and an opportunity to develop your creative writing skills at this monthly writers’ group.  If you want more information about the group or would like to join, please email Victoria at  [email protected]  or call (614) 459-0273.

 See our event calendar to keep up with the writers’ group and other UAPL writing events:  https://ualibrary.libnet.info/events  

WAGNALLS WRITING CLUB

THIRD Thursdays – 6:30PM Wagnalls Memorial Library – Lithopolis

Sharpen your skills with fellow writers.

THE WESTERVILLE POETRY GROUP

Third Tuesdays at 7 PM Westerville Library 126 S. State Street (Westerville)

Do you like to discuss poetry? Do you want to know how to market your work to magazines and book publishers? Would you like to help edit a literary magazine? If all of these things sound interesting and fun to you, then come join us!

Groups meetings are open to the public and there is no membership fee.

For more information see  http://www.wpl.lib.oh.us or Call the Westerville library at 614-882-7277 ext. 159.

WILD GOOSE WRITER’S GROUP

First Mondays – 7PM Wild Goose Creative 2491 Summit Street (north campus/south Clintonville)

The writer’s group is a place for writers from beginner to experienced to share their works and receive feedback from others. Bring your most recent work, either complete or in-progress, and talk about where it has been, is, and where it could be.

For more information see the  Wild Goose Creative website .

Third Sundays – 7PM Meets in Columbus

Writeshop is a writers’ workshop group which meets to discuss and critique members’ work. While we are involved in all types of writing, our members’ specialties are fiction, particularly science fiction and horror.

See  http://www.sff.net/people/lucy-snyder/writeshop/  for membership and location details.

See also  http://groups.yahoo.com/writeshop/

THE WRITERS COLLECTIVE

Third Saturdays at 10:00AM Locations Vary – See the Meetup for Details

We are a writers support group. We get together to discuss experiences, trends, techniques and procedures for creating successful careers in the field of writing.

Writers at all stages of development should be a part of the collective. Also agents, producers, managers, coaches, designers, illustrators, script consultants and other support personnel who have a stake in the success and positive progression of the writing profession. The collective will share ideas and experiences that encourage and promote the success of one another. In addition we will conduct forums and seminars on various practices and methods for achieving stated goals in our chosen endeavors.

https://www.meetup.com/TheWritersCollective

WRITERS READ, a 60+ group

Second Wednesdays from 1:30PM to 3:30PM Zoom (hope to return to in person soon). No fee.

Please contact  Barb Chuko  for further information. There is a waiting list for this group. To join the waiting list, please contact  [email protected] .

The group hopes to return to in-person meetings soon. Please contact  Barb Chuko for more information.

Writers are voracious readers. Participants read aloud a passage from a favored writer’s work that has influenced their writing. A “How and Why” discussion follows.

Perhaps we will eventually compile a list of these books or a book exchange for participants. Please join with us for a wise, sometimes wiseacre, meeting with other writers 60+ (or not). The meeting is FREE.

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How the dung queen of Dublin was swept from history

AI to be used by researchers to scour documents for information on women omitted from chronicles written by men about men

F our centuries ago Dublin had an official city “scavenger” who was tasked with running sanitation teams to clear streets of human and animal waste. In return, the scavenger earned tolls from shopkeepers and traders.

It could have worked well, except the contractor decided to cut costs and maximise profits by deploying just two carts rather than six. Dung piled up and the city stank.

This upset everyone save the scavenger, who pocketed enough cash to set herself up as a moneylender. Her name was Catherine Strong.

In 1635, the city fired her, ending an intriguing if inglorious career in public service. And then, like so many women of her era, Strong vanished into history, her entrepreneurship – creditable or otherwise – barely scraping a footnote in Irish chronicles written by men about men.

Trinity College Dublin aims to remedy that with an ambitious research project launched this week that will use artificial intelligence and other digital technologies to uncover women’s experiences in Ireland from 1500 to 1700.

Jane Ohlmeyer, a history professor who is leading the project, titled Voices , said: “Women are largely absent from historical narratives, with the historical record privileging the perspectives of elites and elite men in particular.

“But ordinary women are not absent from the story of early modern Ireland; they are hiding in plain sight in fragments and passing mentions across a multitude of historic records – wills, maps, surveys, records of debt and legal depositions.”

Historians, literary scholars, data analysts and computer scientists would collaborate in a groundbreaking effort to recover marginalised voices and – it is hoped – set an example for other overlooked narratives, such as the experience of women in colonial-era Latin America, said Ohlmeyer. “Our approach is transferable and applicable to other countries.”

The five-year project, funded by a €2.5m (£2.1m) European Research Council grant, will document the roles women played during social and political upheavals that included massacres, sexual violence and extreme trauma.

AI and other tools will harvest names from sources such as legal records, inquisitions, censuses and statute staple records of lending and borrowing, amassing material that will be organised in a “knowledge graph”, an online resource that will be available to researchers and the public for free.

“The documents will talk to each other so we can start to connect people. We’re able to develop these profiles of people that previously were just a name,” said Ohlmeyer.

GPT-4 from OpenAI and the AI-driven text recognition tool Transkribus will help search and summarise material, albeit with human oversight of the technology. “Everything still has to be checked; we don’t trust it,” said Ohlmeyer.

Declan O’Sullivan, a professor at Trinity’s school of computer science, expressed confidence his department could turn the data into knowledge that was easily accessible to the public and researchers.

The 1500-1700 period represented a transition from the medieval to the modern and coincided with the English empire expanding, said Ohlmeyer, the author of Making Empire: Ireland, Imperialism and the Early Modern World .

“From the late 16th century, colonialism really ramps up and gets tremendous momentum, especially in plantations. That’s when we see Ireland becoming English through language, law and socioeconomic infrastructure.”

Civil wars created opportunities for women who, in the absence of men, found themselves becoming breadwinners and running businesses as brewers, moneylenders, tanners and tavern keepers.

Catherine Strong, after being accused of presiding over “foulness of the streets”, appeared as a creditor on the Dublin statute staple.

However, conflicts also wreaked horrors. Depositions taken after a 1641 Catholic uprising showed widespread robbery, assault and rape that was often euphemised as “stripping”, said Ohlmeyer.

In one statement, Amy Manfin, a Protestant settler, said she was forced to stand in the blood of her murdered husband before being stripped and dragged by the hair through thorns. English government forces were just as brutal.

Other documents show women pursuing legal cases. In a battle with a debtor over a contested will, Joan Flynn in 1599 allegedly tricked Dublin’s probate court into granting her power over her late husband’s estate.

• Artificial intelligence (AI)
• Universities

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