Having trouble finishing your manuscript? Starting a term paper? Writing a long overdue love letter? Then this is the group for you! The Sit Down, Shut Up, and Write! Meetup is exactly what it sounds like: a venue for writers to start, continue, or finish written works.  

The Format:

The "Sit Down" part: The first thirty minutes is reserved for introductions, chit-chat, purchasing food and drink, skimming writing books, exchanging ideas, yoga postures, Gregorian chants, or whatever gets you psyched to start writing.

The "Shut Up, and Write" part: We start PROMPTLY after the first thirty minutes and write for one hour.

After the hour has concluded you can continue writing, leave, talk, or do whatever trips your trigger. Please don't disturb or talk to those who are still bent over their laptops working. Likewise, please don't give others the stink-eye if they are talking amongst themselves. Just be considerate and everything should be fine.

The Rules:

RSVP "Yes" if you are coming. If your plans change, change your RSVP to "No."  "Yes" doesn't mean "Maybe."  If you are unsure, please wait until you are sure before you RSVP "Yes."

Chronic no-show writers will be removed from the group.

"No-show" means 1) you RSVP "Yes" and don't show up or 2) you change your RSVP to "No" less than one hour before start time.

For example, if the Meetup is from 6:30 to 8:00, you must change your RSVP to "No" before 5:30 or you will be marked as a no-show.

Please don't make last minute cancellations a habit. Only RSVP if you are actually planning on coming so that waiting lists don't form unnecessarily.

Three strikes in a six-month period and you will be dropped from the group.

If you are late, and we have already begun writing, just sit down, shut up, and start! There is no need to apologize or explain.  Your attendance will be noted after the writing hour has concluded.

We won't go so far as to gag you and chain you to your laptop, but during the writing hour, we ban non-writing conversation and minimize even writing-related exchanged.

Reading and surfing the web is also a no-no unless it's just for quick reference checks. Any lengthy researching should come AFTER the hour is up.

This is NOT critique group. If you want to swap manuscripts with someone and garner some feedback, great! But please make those arrangements BEFORE or AFTER the writing hour. Remember, this may be the only hour you (and everyone else) get to write all week.

Please do not bring children or pets. Best to leave Junior and Fido at home so everyone can work relatively distraction-free

The Fees:

There is no fee to attend. That's right! Zero dollars and zero cents, my friends. I, as organizer, will be covering all administrative costs for our Meetups.  But you must make a minimum food or drink purchase at venues that require it.

So that's it. No more excuses. No more procrastination. Fire up your laptops and sharpen your pencils. Then join us to sit down, shut up, and write!