writingtogether

We have found that writing together can lead to the most wondrous bursts of inspiration. Just being in a room filled with other writers sharing thoughts and ideas, exchanging writing tips and techniques, can be an incredibly gratifying experience.

Most of us met through the worldwide writing marathon Nanowrimo, when thousands of writers around the world attempt to write a 50.000 word novel during the 30 days of November.

This is, of course, by no means a criteria to join our group. Anybody is welcome! :-) It simply means that, from September onwards, our group activities will tend to focus on preparing for the next Nanowrimo in November.

Though some of us have reached the stage where we are seriously contemplating publication, many of us still write just for fun. You'll find, therefore, that our sessions will lean towards the creative process of writing, rather than the more analytical editing stage.

However, since there are many aspects to the writing process, our writing sessions stay true to a few main themes...

new! Writer in the spotlight: a new initiative in 2012, these sessions will give 1 or 2 group members 45-60mins to hold the group's full attention. As a 'writer in the spotlight' you can:

1. Submit a piece of writing for review...
Even if you have no plans to publish yet, a review session is an invaluable way to ensure you continue to develop yourself as a writer. If you are in the process of fine-tuning a piece for publication, a good review round is one of the best ways to put it to the test.

2. Use your time to put the group's ideas, experiences and creative inspiration to the best possible use...
Are you having trouble figuring out where your story is going? Could you use some some help fleshing out character or do you have a great new idea you'd like to pitch to a group of open-minded individuals?
Whether it's a synopsis, character profile or vague outline of an idea that you send in, we'll all band together to help you out. Just remember, this time 'in the spotlight' is all yours, you can decide how to best make it work for you.

Want to know more about how this works? Drop me a line and I'll do my best to answer all your questions. :-)

Free writing time: after these 'spotlight' moments, the session will roll into free writing time. For some of us, this Sunday afternoon is still one of the few moments we have to simply write, and I'd like to keep offering people the opportunity to do so. Most writers bring a piece of writing to work on for the rest of the afternoon.

Workshops: when you've been practicing a craft for a long time, or even if you're just beginning, sometimes you just need to get back to basics. In general, we hold 3-4 workshops per year, each aimed at tackling a particular aspect of the writing process.

When and where

We meet every last Sunday of the month at the ABC Treehut in the Hague. The ABC Treehut is located in the American Book Center, a bookstore in the city centre of the Hague, specialising in English language books.

This location gives us access to a secluded space where we can immerse ourselves in writing discussions and activities to our heart's content.

Contribution fee

We charge a small contribution fee to cover the costs for rent and consumptions.
The contribution fee is: €5 per person (per session)

New members

Think this sounds interesting, but not sure if this is the right group for you? Come and meet us!

Your first session with us will be free. After this you can decide whether or not to join us on a regular basis.

Intrigued?

Please contact Suzanna, and come along to our next meeting for a relaxed Sunday afternoon of literary fun and inspiration. We'll be sure to have a cup of tea or coffee waiting for you!