Groups

In addition to our core fortnightly Monday Manuscript Evenings, we currently have three sub-groups aiming to meet monthly—Novelists, Short Story, Tavern Poets, each of which has a co-ordinator to distribute work or propose a theme in advance of each meeting. Being a member of one of these groups demands a certain level of commitment. ln addition, we have the more open Storybuilding and Scribble and Scones evenings. 

We also maintain a list of novels and other pieces written by members seeking beta readers. Click HERE for more details. 

If you’d like to find out more about these activities, please email enquiries@leedswriterscircle.org to be put in touch with the relevant coordinator.

Novelists Group

The group meets on the second Saturday of every month at the Leeds Playhouse Café. Members submit up to 4000 words by e-mail two weeks before the meeting. Everyone’s work is thoroughly reviewed in advance and our discussions on the day are constructive. If this sounds like hard work, it is, but it’s also very rewarding and enjoyable. Genres at present include historical, sci-fi, fantasy, thrillers and general fiction. All novel styles are welcome as well as new members. Further information here.

Short Story Group

The group meets on a Saturday usually towards the end of the month at the Leeds Playhouse Café. Submissions are sent to our google group email address no less than one week in advance of the meeting to allow members time to read and critique so that they can offer detailed oral and written feedback on the day. We aim to accommodate from a minimum of 4 writers, at any one meeting, to 8 members maximum. The group is larger than these numbers imply but not everyone has work to submit every month. Where we have 5 or more submissions, stories are shared out so that no one has more than 4 to critique. Length of submissions can be up to 4,500 words and longer stories can be submitted over two meetings. All genres are welcome, including literary, fantasy, sci-fi, ‘a moment in time’ stories and flash fiction. Contemporary, historical and speculative writing are all welcome.

We aim to fit our meetings into three-hour time slots, though we usually begin to gather half an hour before our usual 10.30 start, for a social catch-up over coffee.

Tavern Poets

The group meets once a month on a Tuesday evening at 6.30 pm to share and discuss new poetry, often written to a theme proposed at the previous meeting. The poets don’t have a settled home, but you can be assured of finding them in a quiet room in one of the old taverns around the centre of Leeds.

Storybuilding Group

This is a monthly session where members can share ideas and seek inspiration for their current and future writing projects. Each member should aim to bring along a couple of questions or ideas they would like help with, such as a character needing a suitable motivation, a plot device, a story concept to develop, or general world-building thoughts. Once everyone has shared their ideas, we split off into groups and brainstorm each problem.

We meet one Monday evening a month (in between Manuscript meetings) at 6.30 pm, at the Lamb and Flag. 

Scribble and Scones

Are you finding it hard to make progress on that big writing project? Do you find your best creative groove when surrounded by fellow writers? Do you just fancy some company when tinkering? Come along and bring your writing with you. This group is a friendly space to work alongside other members, with chit chat and a bit of bemoaning the lack of scones.

We meet one Monday evening a month (in between Manuscript meetings) at 6.30 pm, at the Lamb and Flag. Just turn up on the night and stay as late as your inspiration lasts!

Beta Reading

While Alpha reading at our regular Monday Manuscript Meetings sits at the centre of our activities, we also run a Beta reading facility

Beta reading is relevant to a finished piece of writing, a novel or short story that’s already been alpha-read by a number of people, to a point where the author is happy with their manuscript and wants to test its appeal for a wider audience. Beta readers approach the story as a general reader, looking to read for pleasure while monitoring the reading experience along the way: the tone, the pace, the mechanics of the plot, character arcs, how the ending lands. A writer looks to a beta reader to get a feel for their overall impression, essentially an honest review. Was it a satisfying read? What worked well? What didn’t? Would you recommend it to a friend?

We have some very talented novelists and short story writers in the Circle, several of whom have achieved publishing success, with many more aspiring to join them. This is a chance to read some interesting work and perhaps have a role to play in their journey to publication. Click here to see the current list.