Finding Your Writing Community

All writers need support and encouragement. If we want to continue growing as writers, we also need to have our work read by critical eyes. Not critical in the sense of finding fault, but rather an unbiased, realistic assessment of the work designed to help the writer improve. These results are what a writer receives from a good writing community.

Writers’ Critique Groups

Writers’ critique groups are one type of writing community. Here is a list of some of the groups in Northwest Indiana that are open to new members.

Blank Slate Writers’ Group

The Blank Slate Writers Group is primarily a critique group for writers and poets of all types, genres, and skill levels. The group is completely open to the public—it has no dues or membership fees. All writers are welcome. In the past it has had members as young as 10 and as old as 90.

Meetings are currently being held in the conference room at The South Bend Chocolate Company, which is located at 57 Franklin Street, Valparaiso, Indiana. Meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of each month. They start at 6:00 and go till 8:00 pm.

The Blank Slate Writers’ Group publishes a newsletter twice a month, 3 or 4 days before each meeting. The newsletter contains information about writing (reprints of interesting Internet articles on writing) and a writing prompt exercise. Each member is encouraged (although not required) to write a short story using aspects of the writing prompt as inspiration and to bring it to the meeting for critique.

Those interested in attending a meeting should contact Tom Saine at tomsaine@juno.com and he will add your e-mail address to the newsletter mailing list. The newsletter has information as to dates and location of meetings.

Highland Writers’ Group

Highland Writers Group is a group of Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland region professional writers who meet on First Saturdays at Grindhouse Cafe, 146 N. Broad St., Griffith, IN, and Second Saturdays at Blackbird Cafe, 114 Lincolnway, Valparaiso, IN, both at 3:30 p.m. For more information, email us at writershighland@gmail.com and visit us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/highlandwritersgroup/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/Buzz_from_HWG?lang=en). Keep on writing!

Magic Hour Writers

Magic Hour Writers provides information, support, and critique for those who write for children. It meets the second Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at Rosati’s in Schererville, Indiana. Dues are $10 a year.

For information, check out http://magichourwriters.blogspot.com or email Jacqueline Huppenthal at jackie.hupp@gmail.com.

Write-On, Hoosiers, Inc.

The Mission of Write-On, Hoosiers, Inc. is to offer education, friendship, and assistance to fellow writers, and to promote the excellence of writing in all its forms.

The Purpose of this organization is to provide support, education, information, and friendship to fellow writers.  Our Goal is to encourage as many Indiana men, women and children as we can to strive to reach their full writing potential.

In addition, through our website, blog, and special programs and speakers we strive to expose the talents of our Indiana writers.

We meet from 6 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. the 1^st and 3^rd Thursday at the Merrillville branch of the Lake County Library from January through November.

Contact:  Sharon Palmeri  - writeonhoosiers@comcast.net 

Conferences

Writing conferences are another place to connect with other writers. You can make new friends who provide encouragement and support, or you may connect with an established critique group or form your own. The networking that occurs at conferences can be invaluable.

If you are looking for a conference to attend, check out the 2018 Steel Pen Creative Writers’ Conference, which will be held on October 27 at Fair Oaks Farms just north of Rensselaer, Indiana. The conference offers lunch with keynote speaker Michael Poore, a full day of writing workshops, and multiple opportunities to connect with other writers. You can find more information and register at this link: www.steelpenconference.org.

But whatever means you use, we wish you luck in finding the perfect writing community.

Encouragement, Critique, and Networking for Creative Writers

by

Hayley Morris

 

IWC would like to highlight the Highland Writers Group this week.

I spoke with Gordon Stamper of Highland Writers Group (HWG) and would like to share some more information about the group and what they do.

The group was first established by Larry and Sharon Ginensky in 1997; however, six years ago, Gordon and his wife, Heather, took over the co-moderating duties. Gordon said, “…although we have changed over time and may meet in different locations, the dues-free and free-spirit attitude of Highland Writers Group still abides.” While the group does not have a specific mission statement, Gordon added that the group is here to “provide encouragement, critique, and networking for creative writers who are serious about exploring their craft.”

HWG meets on Saturdays. Meetings are held at the Grindhouse Café in Griffith at 3:30 pm on the first and third Saturdays of the month. On the second and fourth Saturdays, the meetings are held at the Blackbird Café in Valparaiso, also at 3:30 pm. At the weekly meetings, members generally socialize for the first half hour and talk about writing news. HWG members then pass around copies of their writing pieces and read them aloud to other members. This, then, is followed by a section of critique for the member’s work, and this cycle is repeated until the members have finished. Typically, meetings end around 6:00 and last no later than 6:30. Highland Writers Group members write in all creative genres—short and novel-length from creative nonfiction to poetry and fiction. Three hours of quality reading and writing, and a community of writers sharing their work—what could be more rewarding than this?

In addition, as an affiliated group of Indiana Writers’ Consortium, members of HWG have, in the past, served as officers, board members, and active volunteers in the organization. HWG also has special holiday editions of its meetings. Gordon said, “This year, HWG will have special Saturday meetings marking the unique poetic and storytelling possibilities for St. Patrick’s Day and Halloween.”

All of Highland Writers Group’s activities and the events they participate in are valued highly as ways to encourage, critique, and network with creative writers. HWG works together to do all of those things, “and we try to do it with a sense of humor when we can,” Gordon adds.

This kind of community creates an environment that allows creativity to flow and inspires new creative works—which keeps writers writing and encourages writing enthusiasts to emerge.



Writing Takes a Community

Imagine sharing a critique group with Mark Twain, Emily Dickinson, Louisa May Alcott, or Edgar Allen Poe. Unfortunately, it would take a seance.

Still, all writers start out unknown, and any member of your critique group might be a future bestselling author. Including you.

But first you have to belong to one.

Northwest Indiana has a number of writers' critique groups that are open to new members. Here are some suggestions:

• The Highland Writers' Group meets from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m. on most Saturdays. On the first and third Saturdays of the month, HWG meets at Grindhouse Cafe, 146 N. Broad St., Griffith, Indiana. On the second and fourth Saturdays, it meets at Blackbird Cafe, 114 Lincolnway, Valparaiso, Indiana. This is a classic critique group where members encourage each other by providing helpful comments for improvement. Members write all genres, and there are no dues. New members and visitors over 18 are always welcome. For more information, contact Gordon Stamper at highlandwritersgroup@gmail.com.
• Magic Hour Writers meets at 6:30 p.m. every second Thursday at the Chapel Lawn Banquet Room, 8178 Cline, Crown Point, Indiana. The group's mission is to encourage and promote excellence in writing for children through friendship, education, and peer support to writing colleagues. For more information, e-mail Jackie Huppenthal at js.jm4huppenthal@sbcglobal.net or check out the group's blog site at http://magichourwriters.blogspot.com.
• The Northwest Indiana Poetry Society meets at 10:00 a.m. every third Saturday at Lowell Public Library, 1505 East Commercial Ave., Lowell, Indiana. "Words in rhymes, metered times, some thought provoking verse." For further information, call or e-mail Tom Spencer at 219-696-3338 or tspencer1943@comcast.net.
• The Prairie Writers Guild meets at 6:00 p.m. the first Wednesday of each month, almost always at the City Office and Pub in Rensselaer, Indiana. PWG promotes writing and writers in Northwest Indiana. New writers are always welcome. Stop by, have dinner, or just introduce yourself. For more information, go to http://prairiewriters.wordpress.com.
• Write-On Hoosiers meets at 6:30 p.m. each first and third Wednesday (January through November) at the Chapel Lawn Banquet Room, 8178 Cline, Crown Point, Indiana. Its mission is to offer education, friendship, and assistance to fellow writers and to promote the excellence of writing in all its forms. For more information, e-mail writeonhoosiers@yahoo.com or writeonhoosiers@comcast.net. check out the group's website at www.writeonhoosiers.org, or read the group's blog at http://writeonhoosiers.blogspot.com.

We hope to see you soon at one of these venues.