Songwriting

Learn the Songcraft Secrets of writing Powerful Lyrics. This week we'll cover how to use Wordplay to add that special professional sauce to your songs & above all make them singable. Learn how the best writers use these techniques to sound authoritative, hip & wise. This series of 3 fully interactive presentations with exercises will inspire you to Plan, Progress and Perfect the lyrics of your songs in any genre, from deceptively Simple Language to Stunning Wordplay. It includes the following comprehensive Lyric Writing sessions (booking links below): **07/04/26 – Simple Lyrical Language, Structure & The BIG Idea!** **[14/04/26 – Develop your Lyrics with Imagery, Storytelling & Rhyme](https://www.londonsongwriters.org/course/imagery-storytelling/)** **[21/04/26 – Transform your Lyrics with Wordplay & Prosody](https://www.londonsongwriters.org/course/wordplay-and-singability/)** By analysing classic & contemporary songs from The Beatles to Billie Eilish, Dylan to Stormzy, as well as a nod to The Great American Songbook, you will learn the elements of what makes a great lyric in any genre & how to include them in your own writing. These sessions are suitable for songwriters at all levels, whether pure lyricists or composers. There are limited places available. **The nearest train station is Thames Ditton, 30 minutes from Waterloo to Hampton Court, and buses run from Kingston or Surbiton. Car parking is available at the entrance in Summer Road or Ashley Road in the village 2 minutes away.** \*\*\* **Also check out our Summer Countryside Retreat** **[https://www.londonsongwriters.org/songwritingretreats/](http://www.londonsongwriters.org/course/wordplay-and-singability/)** \*\*\* Testimonials from previous attendees over the last 8 years: "Great presentations. Lots of really useful detailed information, delivered in a way that made it both fun and easy to understand." "Very helpful and informative with examples from across the genres." ## “I’ve taken 5 different workshops in the past 3 years & have never seen a facilitator approach this subject with such a straightforward method of analysing song structure in order to replicate successful writing techniques” ABOUT THE HOST - MURRAY WEBSTER • A Masters Degree in Songwriting • PTLLS Teaching Qualification as a Music & Arts Leader • Experience mentoring young people in Music Skills • 15 years running monthly 'London Songwriters' workshops • 11 years running 16 acclaimed Countryside Retreats • 8 years developing & delivering monthly Lyric & Melody Evening Courses • Single & Album releases on CBS & other labels • Releases featured in The Guinness Book Of Records • Performances at major venues including The Astoria, The Hammersmith Palais, The Forum, 100 Club, The WAG Club, The Mint (LA) & Douglas Corner Cafe (Nashville). • Radio & TV appearances on the Gilles Peterson and Gary Crowley shows, Channel 4 documentaries on The Soho Jazz Festival supporting Courtney Pine * Latest single and EP 'Blue Dansette' available at [www.music.murraywebstersongs.com](http://www.music.murraywebstersongs.com/) • London Live TV appearance publicising 6 years of charity performances & fundraising for Crisis At Christmas • Organiser of Meetup communities with almost 7,000 members as featured in 'How To Make It In The New Music Business' • Saw The Beatles perform live ☺

**Message Graig in advance for location, usually a pub or beer garden in new cross** Come along and join some fellow writers. We'll write together and chat together. Take two hours to get creative! All you need is yourself and a pen and paper (or laptop) :) You can either work on your own project, or pick one of the provided prompts to fire your imagination.

18:00 - 18:30: Grab a drink and introductions 18:30 - 19:30: Shut Up and Write (timer starts and ends) 19:30 - 20:00: Chat and reflect Come along for a fun and productive hour of solid writing without any pressure to share what you are doing. If you're writing a screen play, script, novel, poem, etc, or just journaling or catching up with some work... you are welcome. See you there!!! ✍ Bring headphones as sometimes it can be a little loud due to the central location. 🎶 Contact Joe & Héléna for details: joewhitehead03@gmail.com helenabloch2@gmail.com

**DUE TO LIMITED SPACE PLEASE ONLY RSVP IF ATTENDING. IF NO LONGER ATTENDING PLEASE UPDATE YOUR RSVP.** Join us in the upstairs room of the Grafton Pub in Camden for another writing-focused session. Bring whatever you’re working on, whether you’re outlining a new idea or deep into your current WIP. This is a space for writers to connect, share ideas, and find inspiration. Whether you’re looking for feedback, want to brainstorm with others, or simply need a quiet place to write, our goal is to build a supportive and collaborative community for sci-fi and fantasy authors at all stages of their journey. Writing will start at 6:30, but feel free to arrive and leave at your own convenience! We will end at 8:30pm, but the pub is open till 11pm so after it ends people can mingle or go home as they please. **While we encourage collaboration and occasional chat, we ask everyone to be mindful of those focused on writing until 8pm.** **Also please support the venue by buying food or drink from the pub!**

New members welcome. We are a 4 part choir with a life-affirming, humanist focus. We're a friendly bunch, and the singers in your section will help you get started and feel welcome. New members will be able to borrow printed music. We do perform both formally and informally, and our varied repertoire supports this. For regular attendees, please print out your music, which is available in the [members section of our site](https://london.humanistchoir.org/groups/library/buddydrive/). If you need access, contact Laurence. ([members@london.humanistchoir.org](mailto:members@london.humanistchoir.org)). For more information see the [Join Us](https://london.humanistchoir.org/join/) page , or listen to the choir on our [YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@LondonHumanistChoir). We always allow potential members to try us out for a couple of weeks. We do not hold auditions. By all means message with any queries. **Term Dates (6 a year) SPRING/SUMMER 2026** * * THIS TERM - Tuesday 14 April until 19 May * TERM AFTER THAT - 2 June to EARLY JULY Current repertoire: Yesterday (Beatles) Gold (from Once) Think About Things Obladi Oblada (Beatles) Too Sweet When the Earth Stands Still more to come

# **Please expand to read event setup** Max 25 participants can comfortably fit in the room at any one time with the following; * NO MORE SINGERS PLS * 5-6 guitarists * 1-3 bassists * 3-4 drummers * 1-2 keys Participants will be called up to play songs they've noted on the Song list spreadsheet (link below) as priority. We go to our local pub for some karaoke afterwards! **The Jam Plan** Working on tunes from the Song List spreadsheet 2:30pm-4:30pm BREAK 4:30pm-6:30pm **Song list sheet:** Head over to the link below to nominate songs or put your name against existing songs on the list. [Link to spreadsheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MFZSyioTvFhU3cipoh-CxLDB2Dgu7R2BXaW4G0Wg5nQ/edit?usp=sharing) # **What to bring on the day:** There will be a keyboard, drum kit, 4 mics, 1 bass amp and 2 guitar amps on the day. Singers: Bring along lyrics. Guitarist / Bassist: Bring along your instrument. Drummers: Drum kit and sticks are provided. Keys/piano players: Keyboard is provided. # **Considerations** 1. Jammers should come prepared for the songs they have chosen on the spreadsheet. 2. No shows or cancellations up to a week before the Jam will not be refunded. Ask the organizer for a refund if you cancel before then. 3. Spreadsheet: maximum 5 song nominations per person. Put your name on the 'Nominated By' column. 4. Guitarists: there will be a rig setup for each amp you will all be using this jig. We will plan ahead and agree who is bringing what pedal for the day. 5. Jammers doing very few songs will go on the waitlist. The cost is £12 pre-pay for the day, fees all go towards running The Jam.

**We will be at The Mitre pub in central Greenwich.** **This meetup will start half an hour earlier than usual, as we need to finish half an hour earlier to give the pub the room back for another meeting.** This meetup is free and casual. We just sit around for a few hours and write together. Bring a laptop, or use a pen and paper or clay tablet and stylus if that's what works for you. The structure of the session is roughly: 2pm: chat 2:20–3:25: writing time 3:25: chat/coffee break 3:40–4:45 writing time 4:45: chat But our Saturdays are very casual, so feel free to drop in and out. **This is usually in the meeting room at the Mitre. If you arrive a bit later, you may need to ask the bar staff to show you through to the room.**

Our 43rd Spiritual Creatives gathering - in person! Come and join us for a lovely walk and talk around Hampstead Heath. We are meeting just outside Hampstead Heath station (London Overground train) at 11.00 on Sunday the 26th of April. Please note: This is NOT Hampstead Station on the Northern Line! It is the Hampstead HEATH station. The Google link is here: [https://goo.gl/maps/AJCNoxkKNj6K9Gp77](https://goo.gl/maps/AJCNoxkKNj6K9Gp77) We will wait for people to arrive until 11.15am and then we will begin walking. If you arrive later, you will only be able to catch up with us at Kenwood House approximately between 12 and 12.30pm. You should be able to find us sitting around as a group having a drink. If the weather permits, you'll find us outside the main café, towards the back. Look for the guy with the multicoloured scarf... that's me! After a short break of 20-30 minutes, we then walk back through the Heath, taking the long way round to Parliament Hill, and conclude our stroll back to Hampstead Heath overground station around 2 to 2.30pm. (Please note that you may become so involved in your conversations that you end up losing sight of the main group! Unfortunately, there is no way for you to catch up with us once we have become separated (and we do NOT check our phones for texts or messages during our walk) so please be mindful and conscious to stay with the main group if you want to keep up. Also please bear in mind that Hampstead Heath can be muddy sometimes, so please wear the appropriate shoes). After returning to Hampstead Heath Overground station, many of our (usually hungry) members like to continue the camaraderie over lunch at one of the local cafés or restaurants. As our group has grown over the years, these gatherings can be quite large, so we usually have to split into smaller parties and explore different venues. Some of our favourite spots are Dominique’s Café (dominiquescafe.co.uk) and Silverberries (silverberry.net), both of which offer a welcoming atmosphere and delicious food. It’s a great way to wind down the walk and continue our conversations. Spiritual Creatives is a warm-hearted and popular meetup group, as you can see from our ratings and comments! We hope to meet you then! :-) Best wishes Cliff **Find out more about us at [https://www.spiritualarts.org.uk](https://www.spiritualarts.org.uk/).**

Join us at Craft Beer Co. Brixton for our structured Sci-Fi & Fantasy Feedback Session. A supportive, focused space where writers can share their work and receive constructive, thoughtful critique. These sessions are designed not only to help authors refine their writing but also to strengthen our community. Giving feedback is as valuable as receiving it: by learning to critique effectively, we sharpen our own editorial instincts and deepen our understanding of craft. Whether you’re submitting work or attending as a reader, this is a collaborative, growth-focused environment. **FOR THOSE SUBMITTING WORK** **We allow up to 4 people to submit their work** **for feedback. In order to submit please RSVP and send your submission to** **scififantasyauthors@gmail.com no later than the Sunday prior to the session** to give organisers time to review submissions and arrange critique groups in advance. *Priority for submission slots is given to those who have attended a previous session.* To ensure quality and fairness, submission guidelines are as follows: * **A short introduction (2–3 paragraphs max.) explaining:** * The context and status of the piece (early draft? polished?) * What kind of feedback you’re looking for * **An excerpt (chapter or short story) of up to 3,000 words** * +10% flexibility allowed * Strict cut-off beyond that **FOR THOSE PROVIDING FEEDBACK** * Please RSVP and read the “How to Give Feedback” document that will be shared prior to attending. * Bring a device suitable for reading the submitted piece * There is no expectation to read anything in advance. All reading takes place during the session itself. We begin with dedicated silent reading time, ensuring that everyone engages with the piece equally and no one feels pressure to prepare outside the session. Just show up ready to read, think, and contribute. **SCHEDULE** Attendees will be placed into small critique groups of 5–6 people, each with an experienced facilitator to guide discussion and manage time. **6:30–6:45pm** – Arrival, drinks & group seating **6:45–7:30pm** – Silent reading & note-taking **7:30–8:00pm** – Structured feedback delivery **8:00–8:30pm** – Open roundtable discussion & author questions Each participant will have up to 5 minutes to share feedback during the structured critique section. Authors listen without interruption, with space for clarifying questions later in the roundtable. Whether you’re looking to polish a chapter, test an opening, or strengthen your editorial instincts, these sessions are an opportunity to grow together. RSVP early, as places are limited to ensure productive group sizes. If you can no longer attend, please update your RSVP.

Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at 7:00pm on Wednesday, April 22 at Streetlight Guild. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. **SCHEDULE:** 6:45ish - Quick introductions 7:00 - Timer starts: write for 1 hour 8:00 - The End **OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING** happens before and after the writing hour. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. **BEING LATE IS OKAY:** just show up and get settled! If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing & I look forward to seeing you at Streetlight Guild! **WHAT SHOULD I BRING?** Whatever you need to be able to write! You're welcome to bring earplugs/headphones if noise will bother you! **OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS:** * **RSVP:** Please RSVP by 6:00pm the evening of the meeting. This helps me know how many to expect, and if we'll need additional space! * **COVID:** While masks are not required, please be mindful of the other writers around you and their comfort levels. * **WIFI/OUTLETS:** Outlets are limited, so please ensure your devices are charged when you come! But Streetlight Guild does have free WiFi! Yay! * **PARKING:** There is free public parking at Streetlight Guild.

We'll meet at The Capital One Café, 167 Easton Town Center, Space A-103. This is in the main mall where the Microsoft store used to be, on your left if you're standing at the bottom of the AMC Theater escalator. Join us on Saturday for an hour of uninterrupted wordmaking! • What we'll do Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at 10AM on Saturday mornings. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. SCHEDULE: 10:00 - SESSION 1: quick intros. 10:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour. 11:10 - chat / take off / keep writing. OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 11A-11:30ish. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and get settled, then check-in with me after the session. (I’ll be the person with the Shut Up & Write! sign.) If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing and I look forward to seeing you! • What to bring Whatever you need to be able to write! Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block noise or the occasional conversation by other patrons. Electrical outlets are limited, so charge your devices before whenever possible. See you at The Café on Saturday!

Greetings writers! Come down and join your fellow wordsmiths for one hour of uninterrupted writing time in the upper level of the Market District Supermarket in Upper Arlington. The main entrance of the shopping center opens onto stairs/elevator leading up to the 2nd floor cafe section where we will have a table displaying a sign with the Shut Up & Write logo. Writing is largely a solitary craft. Practicing with others in a community setting may be the thing you need to fire your own routine. We’ll meet on Wednesday evenings, starting the clock at 6:30, following a brief period of introductions. This is solid writing time and all inclusive. Any project is acceptable, be it fiction, non -fiction, work or homework assignment. All is welcome and will remain private to you. The market boasts a Starbucks, a full service bar and various affordable food options. Parking is plentiful, free Wifi is provided as well as outlets for charging your devices, though they are somewhat limited, so plan accordingly. Show up as early as you like, or stay late. This group tends to socialize some, both before and after the alloted time, but this is not mandatory to you. Feel free to come and go as you please and late arrivals are welcome. The cafe may be noisy on occasion so headphones/ earbuds are reccommended as you see fit. Please try to RSVP if possible so that we may grab enough seats for all—the venue can be busy at times. Feel free to message me privately wth any questions and/ or concerns you may have. Happy writing!

AI is changing how art is made. But when does it stop being your work and start being the machine’s? This month we're going to be doing a panel with with digital image, music, and written word artists, talking about at what point, while using AI in the creation process, does the work become not the artist creation? We encourage audience participation during this event that will be moderated by Chris Slee. Whether you’re deep in the field or just getting curious, come connect with others building and exploring AI in Columbus. Sponsored by [Transform Labs](https://www.transformlabs.com/services) Sign up also accessible via [Transform Labs Luma](https://luma.com/55umjqta)

Let’s meet and share our thoughts about Carson McCullers’ novella, The Ballad of The Sad Café.

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** GitHub Copilot is powerful, but what if you could scale from a solo AI assistant to an entire team of specialized agents working in parallel? This session introduces Squad: an open-source framework for multi-agent orchestration that lets you define teams of AI agents with specific roles, responsibilities, and expertise. We'll progress from Copilot basics to the Copilot CLI, explore how Agents add autonomy, and see how Instructions and Skills let you customize agent behavior. Then, the climax: a live demo where a Squad team of 3 agents (Lead, Developer, Tester) stands up and builds a working application in real-time, showcasing true multi-agent collaboration. Whether you're new to AI or exploring how to scale your use of Copilot, this session will show you what's possible when agents work as a team. **YouTube Link** TBD