Writer’s Groups
The CCWC offers a variety of Writers Groups for members . These are small clusters of writers who meet regularly to share their work and enhance skills in a supportive atmosphere. During these sessions, writers are expected to read from their work after which fellow members comment upon its strengths and offer suggestions for improvement.
The current groups of the CCWC are listed below. . If you do not see a group that meets your needs and would like to start one, please contact Ann Specht, thespechts@msn.com for groups from Barnstable to Provincetown. To start a group west of Barnstable or off-Cape, pelase contact Tom Smith, tewrdsmith@gmail.com.
For more detailed information on the following groups, please see Group Profiles, below the listings.
NEW! Children’s Authors Group
Are you working on a children’s or young adult book? Are you interested in being part of a writers group in the mid-Cape area dedicated to children’s and YA authors?
If so, please fill out the Writers Group Applicant Questionnaire on this web page and forward it to Ann Specht at thespechts@msn.com. If there is sufficient interest, we will look into establishing such a group.
Writers in Common
Location: Hyannis
Meets: Every Wednesday from 6:15 – 8:15 PM
Genre: Fiction, Memoir, Creative nonfiction
Level: Serious writers working toward publication
Contact: Ann Specht, thespechts@msn.com
Blog Writing – New Group!
Group is reconfiguring. Those interested in participating, please contact Ann Specht, thespechts@msn.com
Harwich Fiction Writers
Location: Harwich
Meets: Twice monthly to start; 7 – 9 PM
Genre: Fiction including short stories and novels
Level: Dedicated writers working toward publication
Contact: Ann Specht, thespechts@msn.com
West Falmouth Nonfiction Writers Group – Open
Location: West Falmouth
Meets: Third Thursday of each month at 6:00 pm
Genre: History, non-fiction articles and other non-fiction projects
Level: Mixed
Contact: Tom Smith, tewrdsmith@gmail.com
Advanced Writers Group – Open
Location: Osterville
Meets: Every Tuesday 10 am to noon
Genre: Novelists, short story writers, essayists, poets, and playwright
Level: Mixed – serious writers, most working toward publication
Contact: Ann Specht, thespechts@msn.com
Sands of Time Memoir Group – Closed, maintains waiting list
Location: Dennis Port
Meets: First Tuesday of each month, 5:30 – 7:30 PM
Genre: Memoir and other nonfiction projects
Level: Polished
Contact: Ann Specht, thespechts@msn.com
Steeple Scholars – Closed
Location: West Falmouth
Meets: Tuesdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Genre: General fiction (mystery, thrillers, romantic suspense, women’s fiction, YA)
Level: Intermediate to advanced; three published authors, all polished writers.
Contact: Tom Smith, tewrdsmith@gmail.com
Cape Cod Children’s Writers , Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) – Closed, maintains waiting list
Location: West Falmouth
Meets: Second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm
Genre: All types of writing and illustrating for children, including fiction and non-fiction picture books, chapter books, poetry, YA novels, short stories, and youth magazine article.
Level: Mixed
Website: http://capecodchildrenswriters.com/
Contact: Tom Smith, tewrdsmith@gmail.com
Plymouth Fiction Writers Critique Group – New Group!
Location: Plymouth Area – TBD
Meets: Monthly, Saturday or Sunday mornings
Genre: All fiction genres, including Romance, Suspense, Science Fiction, Fantasy
Level: Serious writers of all skill levels
Contact: Tom Smith, tewrdsmith@gmail.com
GROUP PROFILES
Blog Writing – TBD
Harwich Fiction Writers
- Skill Level – Dedicated writers working toward publication.
- A writing sample is not required of prospective members.
- The goal of the group is to treat all available pieces at each meeting.
- The length of pieces to be treated at meetings will depend on the number of members and available time.
- The group will decide whether to e-mail pieces to all members in advance of the meetings.
- Writers will read their pieces aloud at the meetings, unless he or she would prefer to hear it read my another member.
- Format for feedback will be determined by the members.
West Falmouth Nonfiction Writers Group – Open
- Skill Level: Mixed; some published, all working toward publication.
- Prospective members are asked to send a writing sample prior to their first meeting.
- Meetings run from 6:00 to 8:00, depending on the amount of work to be covered.
- The group currently has six members, with a goal of eight.
- The group is currently able to treat all available writing pieces at each meeting.
- Members present two-page pieces at each meeting.
- Writers bring pieces to be critiqued to each meeting once week in advance, and provide a copy for each member of the group. Members bring these copies home to critique them during the week. If a writer is unable to attend, he/she should e-mail work to the group in time to be critiqued at home before the next meeting.
- At the following meeting, the writer reads the piece aloud. Each member then takes a turn relating the suggestions he has made, citing page, paragraph and line for others to follow along. Members and writer then agree or disagree with the suggestions and tell why. The critiques with member suggestions are handed back to the writer.
- Meetings are informal and very supportive, focusing on voice, intention, style, and flow.
Advanced Writers Group – Open
- Skill Level: Mixed – all are writers who are serious about their writing, most working toward publication.
- A writing sample is not required of prospective members.
- Meetings generally run two hours, but may go over fifteen minutes based on the amount of material to get through.
- The group has twelve active members, and generally gets five or six per meeting.
- The group generally gets through all pieces available for presentation at each meeting.
- Members present pieces that can be read within twelve minutes, perhaps a little longer, depending upon the number of pieces to be treated at the meeting.
- It is preferred, but not required, that writers send their pieces to other members in advance of the meeting.
- Pieces are read aloud by the author at the meeting.
- Feedback is in the form of a give and take discussion. The writer is often asked to clarify intentions or choice of tense, words, allusions etc. Although members comment on what is good, the group’s operating principle is that it is a given that members are good writers, with a focus on improvement rather than praise.
Sands of Time Memoir Writers Group
- Skill Level: Polished writers with previous publishing experience or contest recognition. Publishing experience includes books, articles, reviews, marketing and corporate communications materials.
- Non-published writers are asked to submit a writing sample.
- Members meet monthly in the evening for two hours.
- The group currently has eight members.
- The group currently reviews two writers in-depth.
- Members may submit up to ten pages for review at a given meeting.
- Submissions are e-mailed to members in advance to allow time for reading and reflection.
- Feedback is informal in an open discussion format. Members support each other by providing honest, constructive input in a positive, nurturing environment.
Steeple Scholars – Closed
- Skill Level: Intermediate to advanced; none published (alas), but polished.
- A writing sample required of prospective members; members who have completed at least one novel are preferred
- Meetings last three hours
- The group has six members and normally has five or six per meeting
- Time is allocated to allow each member to read his/her piece at each meeting
- No strict restriction on numbers of pages presented at each meeting, but a maximum of ten pages is preferred
- Pieces to be presented are not sent to other members in advance of the meeting
- Writer reads his/her own work aloud at the meeting
- Feedback loop: focus is on large themes, i.e., dialogue, plot, flow, character. No line editing. Informal critique style–group leader typically goes first. All may join in including the writer. Critique must be professional and positive, focus on improving the writing or discussing the theme. Author may explain what he/she intended, and ask group for suggestions on specific items if needed.
Cape Cod Children’s Writers Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) – Closed, maintains waiting list
- Skill Level: A mix of all skill levels
- Prospective members are not required to send a writing sample.
- The group meets as long as necessary to treat available pieces.
- The group has eight full time members and two alternates.
- The group is limited to eight members so all members are able to have their work reviewed at each meeting.
- Members may present three poems, one picture book, or one chapter of a chapter book at each meeting.
- Pieces are not usually sent in advance of meetings.
- All pieces are read aloud at meetings, by either the writer or another member.
- Each member in turn offers verbal feedback once a piece has been presented.
Plymouth Ficiton Writers Critique Group – New Group!
- Skill Level – Serious writers only, please, but all skill levels will be considered.
- A writing sample is not required of prospective members.
- Meetings will be monthly, Saturday or Sunday mornings, specific day and time to be determined by members.
- The group currently has one member, with a goal of four to six.
- The goal of the group is to treat all available pieces at each meeting.
- The group will seek to critique one or two chapters for each member at each meeting.
- Pieces to be critiqued will be emailed to each member and read by each member in advance of the meetings.
- Pieces will not be read at the meetings.
- Both verbal and written feedback will be provided at meetings, covering what worked well and what didn’t, and what might be changed or approached differently. The group will seek a mutually supportive, enjoyable environment.
