Coquitlam Writers Group

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Welcome writers, new and old! Are you at the start, the middle, or finished with your novel? Do you need constructive feedback in a safe and supportive environment? Are you stuck and need a push in the right direction? Joining this group is the right first step. We meet weekly from 6 pm to 9 pm every Wednesday. Each member has 10 minutes to read their work and 10 minutes to receive feedback. Bringing copies for the group to read along is suggested but not required. Those who bring copies get the added benefit of having members write their comments and edits.

NOTE: New members who have not prepared work to read are encouraged to attend to see if the group fits their needs. Meet new members and join the discussion.

A typical meeting will go like this:

5:55 pm Log in early because we like to start promptly at 6 pm. Chat and meet new and old members. Settle in.

6 pm We take turns reading our work aloud. It allows for the writer to hear how his/her words sound to others, and allows the listeners/readers to hear how the story was intended by the author. After reading for about ten minutes, everyone present offers feedback and critique. We like to focus on big-picture issues, such as character development, plot points, story potential etc., rather than proper use of commas or other minute details. Our goal is to help each writer achieve their goals, by helping to improve the writing, and making it the best it can be.

We suggest you bring about 6-10 pages of typed work, double-spaced, or the equivalent (or less). That's about 1500 words. (We want you read for about 10 minutes, no longer than 15.) If your short story just happens to be one extra page, we're usually fine, but if it is a section of a larger work, remember that we need time for all members.

We invite everyone to participate in reading and critique. We draw names out of a hat for the order of readers. Sorry, but we do try to give everyone a chance to read, as much as possible. It is also important to remember that every writer is at a different level in their writing career, and not everyone has the same goals. We ask that you please be respectful and timely in your feedback.