📝 B’more Lo-fi Loft Writing Group ✍️

This group is for humanities academic writers, non-fiction writers, fiction writers, creative writers etc.—anyone working toward a writing goal and looking for some community

When you fill out the "application," please make an effort. Show us that you're someone that we want to work with and hang out with, and please make sure your profile has a photo that faithfully represents who you are—that goes a long way.

This group is modeled after a laid back writing group I attended when I lived in NYC, so it’d be great to get a B’more version going. (1) The main rule is to bring something to work on for the first hour and there are no assignments or prompts. It's just a solid chunk of quiet time that you can use however you want. Not quite “quiet”— lo-fi study music will play in the background. (2) After the writing wraps up, we take a short break [15-20min] to schmooze and eat snacks. Feel free to bring something to contribute to the spread, but this isn't a requirement. (3) Then we’ll gather for an intro circle, and after THAT, up to 10 people can take turns reading their work aloud. Most folks share stuff that they've been working on for a while, but some people read what they've written during the hour. Each person gets eight minutes, which includes time for others to offer feedback, so we keep things moving at a pretty good pace.
*You can share ALL kinds of stuff: novels, short stories, poems, personal essays, memoirs, plays, screenplays, articles, blog posts, science fiction, song lyrics (sometimes actually performed as live music), etc. Anything goes and the same is true for your writing experience. You don't have to be published or submit samples in order to join.

The purpose of this writing group is to have a varied crowd and a relaxed setting where we actually do some writing, have a chance to hang out, and meet fellow writers. And since people often ask, the group is mostly people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s.

WHEN? Meetups will be 3 or 4 times per month on Fridays from 7pm to 10:30-ish.

WHERE? There's no regular location, since anyone can host. I will host by default, and anyone can sign up to host a Friday if they want. In warmer months, we can meet some Fridays at Patterson Park and other outdoor spots.

*People are welcome to show up late or leave early, so don't worry if these times aren't ideal. Can't make it for the writing hour? No problem. Come after that and check out the readings.

PLEASE NOTE — Since these are hosted in homes, space is limited. Therefore, if you RSVP and it turns out that you can't make it, please please PLEASE un-RSVP or at least give a heads-up that you won't make it. Post a comment on the page for that meeting or DM me. (Hi, I'm Jas, the organizer!) This group really IS laid-back, but that's not an excuse to be flaky, especially when it costs someone else a chance to attend. Cool?

Thanks for taking the time to read and see you in December!