Victoria Creative Writing Group

This is a monthly meetup for those wanting to develop as poets by sharing and receiving feedback. We come together with respect and in confidence. The goal is that everyone can read their poems, hear constructive comment, and engage with others' poems.

Please note that writings and discussion might include issues that some might find triggering, such as mental health, sexuality, violence, gender, religion, politics, etc.

How It Works

• Due to time constraints, maximum 10 readers per session, with preference to VCWG members who haven't read recently or are first timers.
• There's usually time for just one poem w/discussion per writer.
• Poetry of all types welcome.
• For better feedback on your poem, it needs to be followed on the page by participants as you read it out loud. Please bring printed copies to hand out.
• Writers can ask for specific feedback.
• Comments should be thoughtful and helpful. Focus first on what you like in others' poems.
• Discussion should stick to the poem under consideration, NOT veer off on tangential subjects.
• Time is 6:30 to 8:30pm, sometimes later.
• It's free, no fee.
• If your plans change and you cannot attend, PLEASE update your status.

Location: The Bent Mast, James Bay, upstairs, small room.
This a pub and restaurant, so we ask that you purchase food or drink to show support and thanks for the free use of their room!

• Happy Hour ends at 6 so get there earlier if you wish.
• All ordering at bar only (no waitress upstairs).

This is a free-form, talk-about-anything evening to meet fellow Victoria BC writers. You can discuss anything writing-related, form critique groups with similar writers, or just discuss what shape your passion for words takes. It's a relaxing evening spent in the company of fellow wordsmiths!

To help offset Meetup's $300 annual hosting cost, you can make a donation to the VCWG here (Peter Ehm currently pays 100% of Meetup's fees). Currently 1/3 of the 2023 annual costs have been covered due to member's generosity:

https://ko-fi.com/peterehm

This will be an online-only event using Microsoft Teams. For ease of access, we recommend downloading MICROSOFT TEAMS APP for your device. Mobile, web-based or desktop versions will all work, get them here:

Mobile:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/microsoft-teams/download-app

Web Login:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/log-in

**IMPORTANT: PLEASE ENSURE YOUR SCREEN NAME MATCHES YOUR MEETUP NAME! OTHERWISE WE MAY DECLINE TO ALLOW YOU ACCESS TO PREVENT UNAUTHORIZED DISRUPTIONS BY NON-VCWG RANDOMS.

-- Latecomers: you MAY not be admitted if your MS Teams screen name doesn't match your Meetup name, again to prevent random disruptors. Please be ON TIME!---

You WILL need a microphone. You DO NOT need a camera (although we would love to see your happy faces!).

At the allotted time, click on the link to join the call through the app. You can be a guest, or use your Microsoft logon to join in!

NOTE: If you set an RSVP, please be SURE to ATTEND the meeting! VCWG Management keeps track of attendance. We reserve the right to cancel RSVP's of members who have two or more 'No Show' flags for previous events, to make room for waitlisted members without such flags. This is important to ensure a place for all who want to attend our events.

Please follow these basic meeting guidelines:

• People will be Muted by default when joining to cut down on accidental noise and feedback.
• If you want to speak, please use the 'Raise your hand' icon at the top of the MS Teams window, OR physically raise your hand in your video OR type a note in the chat window, which VCWG management will monitor.
• You will have to un-Mute yourself (admins do not have that ability)
• If you have a slow connection, consider turning off your own video
• If the number of video connections proves to be a problem for everyone, then we will again likely ask people to turn off their video to help stabilize the experience for the whole group

IF the Teams link FAILS, please check back on this Meetup website (or the VCWG Facebook group) for an updated link in the meeting Comments.

We hope these guidelines will allow everyone to have a say while encouraging the group to listen to each speaker in turn. As video chatting is still new to many people, we'll work on improving the experience as we go.

Check back here before the Meetup date for details as they become available! We hope to 'see' lots of writers looking for support and inspiration!

This is a free-form, talk-about-anything evening to meet fellow Victoria BC writers. You can discuss anything writing-related, form critique groups with similar writers, or just discuss what shape your passion for words takes. It's a relaxing evening spent in the company of fellow wordsmiths!

To help offset Meetup's $300 annual hosting cost, you can make a donation to the VCWG here (Peter Ehm currently pays 100% of Meetup's fees). Currently 1/3 of the 2023 annual costs have been covered due to member's generosity:

https://ko-fi.com/peterehm

This will be an online-only event using Microsoft Teams. For ease of access, we recommend downloading MICROSOFT TEAMS APP for your device. Mobile, web-based or desktop versions will all work, get them here:

Mobile:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/microsoft-teams/download-app

Web Login:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/log-in

**IMPORTANT: PLEASE ENSURE YOUR SCREEN NAME MATCHES YOUR MEETUP NAME! OTHERWISE WE MAY DECLINE TO ALLOW YOU ACCESS TO PREVENT UNAUTHORIZED DISRUPTIONS BY NON-VCWG RANDOMS.

-- Latecomers: you MAY not be admitted if your MS Teams screen name doesn't match your Meetup name, again to prevent random disruptors. Please be ON TIME!---

You WILL need a microphone. You DO NOT need a camera (although we would love to see your happy faces!).

At the allotted time, click on the link to join the call through the app. You can be a guest, or use your Microsoft logon to join in!

NOTE: If you set an RSVP, please be SURE to ATTEND the meeting! VCWG Management keeps track of attendance. We reserve the right to cancel RSVP's of members who have two or more 'No Show' flags for previous events, to make room for waitlisted members without such flags. This is important to ensure a place for all who want to attend our events.

Please follow these basic meeting guidelines:

• People will be Muted by default when joining to cut down on accidental noise and feedback.
• If you want to speak, please use the 'Raise your hand' icon at the top of the MS Teams window, OR physically raise your hand in your video OR type a note in the chat window, which VCWG management will monitor.
• You will have to un-Mute yourself (admins do not have that ability)
• If you have a slow connection, consider turning off your own video
• If the number of video connections proves to be a problem for everyone, then we will again likely ask people to turn off their video to help stabilize the experience for the whole group

IF the Teams link FAILS, please check back on this Meetup website (or the VCWG Facebook group) for an updated link in the meeting Comments.

We hope these guidelines will allow everyone to have a say while encouraging the group to listen to each speaker in turn. As video chatting is still new to many people, we'll work on improving the experience as we go.

Check back here before the Meetup date for details as they become available! We hope to 'see' lots of writers looking for support and inspiration!

This is a free-form, talk-about-anything evening to meet fellow Victoria BC writers. You can discuss anything writing-related, form critique groups with similar writers, or just discuss what shape your passion for words takes. It's a relaxing evening spent in the company of fellow wordsmiths!

To help offset Meetup's $300 annual hosting cost, you can make a donation to the VCWG here (Peter Ehm currently pays 100% of Meetup's fees). Currently 1/3 of the 2023 annual costs have been covered due to member's generosity:

https://ko-fi.com/peterehm

This will be an online-only event using Microsoft Teams. For ease of access, we recommend downloading MICROSOFT TEAMS APP for your device. Mobile, web-based or desktop versions will all work, get them here:

Mobile:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/microsoft-teams/download-app

Web Login:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/log-in

**IMPORTANT: PLEASE ENSURE YOUR SCREEN NAME MATCHES YOUR MEETUP NAME! OTHERWISE WE MAY DECLINE TO ALLOW YOU ACCESS TO PREVENT UNAUTHORIZED DISRUPTIONS BY NON-VCWG RANDOMS.

-- Latecomers: you MAY not be admitted if your MS Teams screen name doesn't match your Meetup name, again to prevent random disruptors. Please be ON TIME!---

You WILL need a microphone. You DO NOT need a camera (although we would love to see your happy faces!).

At the allotted time, click on the link to join the call through the app. You can be a guest, or use your Microsoft logon to join in!

NOTE: If you set an RSVP, please be SURE to ATTEND the meeting! VCWG Management keeps track of attendance. We reserve the right to cancel RSVP's of members who have two or more 'No Show' flags for previous events, to make room for waitlisted members without such flags. This is important to ensure a place for all who want to attend our events.

Please follow these basic meeting guidelines:

• People will be Muted by default when joining to cut down on accidental noise and feedback.
• If you want to speak, please use the 'Raise your hand' icon at the top of the MS Teams window, OR physically raise your hand in your video OR type a note in the chat window, which VCWG management will monitor.
• You will have to un-Mute yourself (admins do not have that ability)
• If you have a slow connection, consider turning off your own video
• If the number of video connections proves to be a problem for everyone, then we will again likely ask people to turn off their video to help stabilize the experience for the whole group

IF the Teams link FAILS, please check back on this Meetup website (or the VCWG Facebook group) for an updated link in the meeting Comments.

We hope these guidelines will allow everyone to have a say while encouraging the group to listen to each speaker in turn. As video chatting is still new to many people, we'll work on improving the experience as we go.

Check back here before the Meetup date for details as they become available! We hope to 'see' lots of writers looking for support and inspiration!