What we’re about
Welcome! We're a fiction writing group of like-minded individuals gathering for writing confidence, advice and support.
Our community is here to give fiction writers a place to meet other writers, hear what others are writing and improve your own skills. If you could use some practical advice on developing your storytelling skills, our workshops and events will give you more confidence about being a fiction writer.
See a full list of what's on: https://www.meetup.com/londonwriterscafe/events/
Read on for more about us and how we roll.
We have members who write from all levels, abilities and genres and we aren't at all snobbish about 'worthiness' or literary merit. All we care about is if the story is well told or if it needs more work. We have writers working on stories for adults, young adults and children.
Our group was founded in June 2006 in a lovely pub near Liverpool Street with only a few members and now we're a bustling community of 4,400 so we must be doing something right! Most of us are in the process of writing fiction (novels, short stories and scripts) at every stage, but it doesn't matter if you've been writing for years, or mere months, we're here for every kind of fiction writer and we'd love to meet you.
On that, we don't believe in groups where everyone is forced to share/contribute/offer feedback *shudder* so we'll never pressure anyone to read before they're ready.
Read more about what makes a quality writing group.
That's all for now. We hope to meet you very soon and happy writing!
Lisa x
Email: londonwriterscafe{@}gmail.com
Follow what's on via Eventbrite.
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Socialise with us via London Writers' Cafe
Instagram: @LondonWritersCafe
X: @LDNWritersCafe
LinkedIn: @ldn-writers-cafe
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Isabelle Grey on writing psychological suspense, murder and detectivesThe Square Pig, Holborn, LondonGBP 10.00
Isabelle Grey is the author of six novels. Two standalone novels of psychological suspense and a contemporary crime series of four novels featuring DI Grace Fisher. Her latest, Wrong Way Home, was published by Quercus and was a Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month. She also writes historical crime as V.B. Grey. For books, Isabelle is represented by literary agent Sheila Crowley at Curtis Brown.
I'm delighted that Isabelle will be talking to us about her extensive writing career as a writer of fiction and television and advising all writers out there on writing suspense in all its forms. If you're writing crime, suspense, thriller or mystery, you need to hear from Isabelle.
'I enjoy writing crime and suspense because such gripping and tightly-woven stories offer a chance to explore how secrets come back to haunt us, the chilling emotions of why people kill, how love can go terrifyingly wrong, and the psychology of what we most fear.' - Isabelle Grey
This is a salon Q&A event where I'll be asking Isabelle some questions but I hope that you will bring your own and pepper her with queries about writing a detective series, murdering characters and psychological suspense, getting published, working in TV writers' rooms and lots more. Her career has spanned so many writing forms that I know we can all load a lot from her experiences for far.
Bring a writing friend too, if you like!Isabelle was an arts journalist, feature writer and television screenwriter before turning to fiction. She has contributed episodes to such well-loved TV series as The Bill, Wycliffe, Midsomer Murders and Jimmy McGovern’s award winning BBC series Accused. Her episode, the series finale, starred Anna Maxwell Martin and was described by The Times as ‘the most moving and powerful drama on television in a long time’.
Isabelle's time is tight so this event will start prompt at 12:15pm but we'll have a short break and finish our Q&A by 2pm. I hope all writers attending will stay after Isabelle has dashed off for a drink/late lunch to discuss everything with others who were there and meet some other writers.
Date: Saturday, July 19th from 12:15pm.
Hospitality: a selection of snacks/nibbles will be served.
Location: The Square Pig, 30-32 Procter St, London WC1V 6NX. Closest stations are Holborn and Russell Square.
Cost: £10 tickets to pay for hosting, fees and preparation. Please follow the steps to pay via PayPal when you RSVP. Refunds or credits will only be offered if the meetup is cancelled by admin. Please change your RSVP to 'Not Going' if you can no longer attend as we often have people waiting and we'd hate for them to miss out. Download the Meetup app to manage your RSVPs quickly.
Any questions, please just ask.
Source: https://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/client/isabelle-grey
About Isabelle Grey via Goodreads: I write the DI Grace Fisher series of crime novels, set in Colchester, Essex. 'The Special Girls', the third in the series, was a Sunday Times Crime Novel of the Month. The first three books in the series are 'Good Girls Don't Die', 'Shot Through the Heart' and 'The Special Girls. The murder detective's fourth investigation, 'Wrong Way Home', was a Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month.
Quercus also publish my novels of psychological suspense, 'Out of Sight' and the Amazon bestseller 'The Bad Mother', as well as historical fiction by my new writing persona, V.B. Grey.
As a screenwriter I've contributed episodes to such television crime dramas as 'The Bill', 'Wycliffe', 'Rosemary & Thyme' and 'Midsomer Murders' and, with Jimmy McGovern, an episode of the Bafta and International Emmy award-winning BBC series 'Accused'.
I was born within the sound of Bow Bells in London's East End, grew up in Manchester, lived for ten years on what was once a tidal island at the edge of the Romney Marsh, and now live and work in north London. - Fiction Feedback WorkshopWilliamson's Tavern, LondonGBP 15.00
Join us in 2025! In these regular writing workshops, we have three writers sharing a sample of their writing for immediate feedback, advice and encouragement. Critique is led and moderated by your host.
You learn more by listening to the writing of others and the feedback their piece receives on the night than you can imagine. We've been running these sessions since 2010 and there's a reason they fill up so fast! Usually, we have a group of up to 20 writers attending.
For people reading, pieces must be 3,500 words or less as you'll have about 45mins for reading and discussion on your excerpt from around the table. Most people bring 3,500 words from their novel or a short story of all genres and styles. If you'd like to read, please post a comment below. You must have booked your place before making a request to read.
If you are reading, please bring enough printed copies (at least 10) of your pages so members can make additional feedback/editing notes for you during the reading. All copies will be returned to you after the feedback has concluded.
New members are always welcome in these groups. Most people come along to a few sessions before offering feedback, commenting or requesting to read but it's up to you. If you want to read right away, great, but if you want to come along and see how we roll first, that makes sense too. Again, you'll be surprised by how much you can learn from others by listening to the pieces and their feedback.
After the workshop, most of us head to the bar for a social drink or two and extended conversation about the joys and woes of writing.
TICKETS: £15.00 and please follow the steps to pay via PayPal when you RSVP. Williamson's have raised their hire fees and so ticket prices have to reflect that additional spend. It's also my role to organise and lead these sessions so ticket price incorporates my labour in hosting these sessions for you. Thanks for understanding.
PLEASE NOTE: Refunds or credits will only be provided if the meetup is cancelled by us. We cannot offer refunds or credit for another session if you decide not to attend on the day. Please change your RSVP if you no longer plan to attend. We often have people on the waiting list and we'd hate for others to miss out.
Location: Williamsons Tavern is located in a tiny courtyard off Bow Lane in Cheapside, closest tube station is Bank. Address: 1 Groveland Ct, London EC4M 9EH. Grab a drink and come to the private room downstairs. We start promptly so please try and be on time.
Try the official Meetup app to receive last-minute updates and notifications about our events as they happen to your phone. Download it now.
These workshops are hosted by me - Lisa Goll, Boss Lady at London Writers' Cafe - I'm a publishing professional with more than twenty years of working within the publishing industry. Added to that, I've been leading LWC workshops for writers since 2010 too. See more about me on LinkedIn or Insta me @LisasShare @LondonWritersCafe
Question? Post a comment below.
- Fiction Feedback Workshop for First Timers (and new members!)The Square Pig, Holborn, LondonGBP 10.00
Join your first event with others who are new to our workshops too!
In this Saturday afternoon session, I invite anyone curious about our sessions, to attend their first event with others. Our groups are very friendly but I know how hard it can be to join a new community so this workshop aims to give a space to new members - or those who've been a member for a while but haven't attended before now.
This session will be a critique workshop combined with a social so everyone who attends meets other writers and feels welcomed to our community. We'll do the workshop and have a late lunch. The group will be small at 15 seats only.
We will have three reading spots for those who are keen to share their work in a safe environment. If you want to read, book your seat and comment on the page 'I'd like to read'.
Naturally, if you want to read right away, great! But if you want to come along and see how we roll first, that makes sense too. You'll be surprised by how much you can learn from others by listening to the pieces and their feedback.
For people reading, pieces must be of 3,000words (or less) as you'll have about 40mins for reading and discussion on your excerpt from around the table. Most people bring an excerpt from their novel, short story or a script of all genres and styles. We focus on fiction writing only.
If you are reading, please bring enough printed copies (at least 5-10) of your pages so others can make additional feedback/editing notes for you during the reading. All copies will be returned to you after the feedback has concluded.
I hope three people will want to read but if most of you want to join and discuss aspects of writing; how do we start, what do others write, what's easy or hard for others, what's their process? etc. We can have a bit of a discussion instead.
After the workshop, we'll gather for a few drinks and some food. The Square Pig has a brilliant menu with plenty of choices. Please don't bring your own food or drinks.
TICKETS: £10.00 and please follow the steps to pay via PayPal when you RSVP. Our regular workshops are usually £15 or more. This money covers the cost of organising, hosting and running our events and community.
NOTE: Refunds or credits will only be provided if the meetup is cancelled by us. We cannot offer refunds or credit for another session if you decide not to attend on the day. Please change your RSVP if you no longer plan to attend. We often have people on the waiting list and we'd hate for others to miss out.Location: The Square Pig, 30-32 Procter St, London WC1V 6NX. Closest tube stations are Holborn and Russell Square. Grab a drink and come to the private room downstairs. We start promptly so please try and be on time.
These workshops are hosted by me - Lisa Goll, Boss Lady at London Writers' Cafe - I'm a publishing professional with more than twenty years of working within the publishing industry. Added to that, I've been leading LWC workshops for writers since 2010 too. See more about me on LinkedIn or Insta me @LisasShare @LondonWritersCafe
Question? Post a comment below.
- Ask the Agent LIVE: Hannah SheppardThe Square Pig, Holborn, LondonGBP 15.00
Hannah Sheppard is a different kind of agent with a new kind of agency. Her approach to agenting is to champion writers everywhere and I want all of you to meet her in person for only £15.
It'll be so useful to you to have met a literary agent like Hannah before you submit your work to any agent - so if you've never met a literary agent before but you have questions about their role, come to this Q&A session and ask Hannah yourself.
'At the Hannah Sheppard Literary Agency I aim to create an inclusive and supportive community of likeminded authors. If you think our world views align, please do send me your submissions – I am actively seeking authors from diverse backgrounds with the sorts of stories that are not regularly amplified.' Read more about Hannah Sheppard before you attend so you know a little bit about her approach.
Hannah has such a passion for guiding writers that she hosts a regular zoom drop-in session once a month where you can ask her anything.
Even if Hannah isn't the right agent for your submission, I'd encourage you to come along to hear how she talks about her role, her work and her clients. It might change the way you're approaching your submissions to other agents.
If you feel shy about asking questions to Hannah, that's fine, there will be so many others who will likely ask what you wanted to know. Listening to this session will be a fund of useful information that you can take forward in your career. Also, I will be asking questions here and there to keep the conversation flowing.
This session will be £15 because I want to make it as accessible as possible to anyone in our community to meet a literary agent in person. They are all lovely people but writers don't always see them that way!=
Please do share this event and spread the word with other writers you know (you can book for guests with your ticket) as I hope we will have a very lively session where we can all learn about what an agent brings an author's career. You can forward the email announcement or reshare our posts on insta @LondonWritersCafe.
If you've ever wondered...
- How likely is an agent to suggest rewrites/changes to my story?
- What do agents try to achieve for any writer they represent?
- Can you send an unfinished piece to an agent?
- Do I need an agent for my career? Why?
- What makes a good agent? How would you know?
- Where and how do agents bring value to their clients?
- Why has my submission been rejected by so many agents?
- Can agents do anything with short stories? Do they want to?
- If I decide I don't need or want an agent, does that limit my publishing options?
I want to know your questions before the event. No matter how bold. Please post your question below in the comments and I will ask Hannah for you if it isn't asked by others on the night.
Date: Tuesday, August 19th.
Location: The Square Pig, 30-32 Procter St, London WC1V 6NX. Nearest station is Holborn. Doors open at 6:30pm for a 7pm start. Please try and be on time. We will finish by 9:30pm and adjourn upstairs for a few social drinks. No bother if you can't hang around.
Cost: £15 to pay for running this event and our community. Please follow the steps to pay via PayPal when you RSVP. Refunds or credits will only be offered if the meetup is cancelled by admin. Please change your RSVP to 'Not Going' if you can no longer attend as we often have people waiting and we'd hate for them to miss out!
If you questions, please post a comment below and I'll respond.
