About us
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
- £15.00
Fiction Feedback Workshop
Williamson's Tavern, 1 Groveland Court, London, GBIn our regular feedback 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!
For reading samples, 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 an excerpt from their novel or a short story of all genres and styles. You must have booked your place before making a request to read.
If you'd like to read, book your seat first and post a comment below with 'I'd like to read' and I will confirm. It's a first request, first reading system so do check if there have been three requests made already.
If this one has no reading spots left, you might like to book early for the next upcoming session. Reading spots go FAST but there are always more to come. That said, we don't allow the same people usually to share work in consecutive sessions.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. Most sessions have 50/50 split on new members vs regulars.
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 for venue arrangements, organising and hosting. Please follow the steps to pay via PayPal when you RSVP.
PLEASE NOTE: Refunds or credits will only be provided if the meetup is cancelled or rescheduled. 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. Failing to show up means you'll be flagged as a 'no show' and potentially removed from the group if this happens frequently. It takes only a minute to change your RSVP before the meeting starts. Manners cost nothing, folks.
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.
7 attendees - £15.00
Powerful Opening Stories with Yemi Dipeolu
·OnlineOnlineThe start of any story is make or break for most readers. Will they keep reading or 'bounce off' to browse something else?
Join us as we dive deep into the makings of a great opening and how to know when you've chosen the right moment where the backstory ends and the forward story begins. Here you'll have a the chance to get feedback on your opening page or two from our guest author too.
The start is often the part of any novel that is reworked the most so we can all struggle to know where our story could start, but, worry not, I've invited a guest to helps us out. Yemi Dipeolu is a copywriter by trade and a novelist by choice. I attended a session with Yemi last year on openings and it was brilliant so I've asked her to come and tell us everything she knows and give her feedback on openings to writers live in the session.
For context, I'm asking all writers who attend to read Yemi's opening of Kiss Marry Kill as we'll be discussing it in the session. It is only a few pages and it won't take very long. You can download her opening via most ebook retailers (Kindle, iBooks, Kobo etc) for free or you can 'read a sample' on desktop via Amazon.
Agenda:
18:50 login, arrival and intros
19:00 Yemi and I in conversation about great openings and her opening for Kiss Marry Kill
19:45 Openings shared by writers with feedback from Yemi
21:15 EndsYou can attend the session but not share any of your own work for feedback. That's completely fine. As we know from the workshops, sometimes you learn more by listening to the writing and feedback of others.
Feedback on your opening pages: As part of this workshop, you'll have the chance to read the first 1,000 words (or less) of your opening to Yemi for constructive feedback on what's working and where it might need more thought.
If you'd like to share your opening in this session, please book your seat then comment 'I'd like to share' below and I will add you to the list of people reading. You will need to send me your opening in a word doucument by email to londonwriterscafe@gmail.com by 5pm on Friday, May 22nd to have feedback from Yemi on your piece in the session. This deadline is final with no exceptions. Any questions, please ask. Any late entries will not be accepted.
Location: This event will be held online to keep it affordable and make it accessible to all writers in our community. I use Google Meet to host our events online. You will be able to see the link to join once you've booked your ticket.
Cost: £15.00 to pay for content, preparation and event organising. 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.
Yemi Dipeolu is a British-Nigerian writer from South East London. She studied English Literature with Creative Writing at the University of Surrey and has an MFA from Kingston University. By day, Yemi works as a copywriter, using her passion for storytelling to help businesses connect with their customers. In her fiction, she blends crime and romance, her two favourite genres, to create character-driven thrillers with relationships at their heart. Kiss Marry Kill (Faber, 2026) is the first of many novels. Follow her @wordsbyyemi.
Praise for Yemi Dipeolu's Kiss Marry Kill:
‘Fast-paced, wickedly witty, and brimming with Nollywood-level drama. An unforgettable story that pulls you in and refuses to let go.’ LIZZIE DAMILOLA BLACKBURN
‘Rich in character, smart and pacy. Yemi Dipeolu brings a brilliant new voice to the thriller genre.’ L. V. MATTHEWS
‘A deliciously twisty debut thriller that adeptly explores the lethal margins of love, with compelling characters and a fiendish ending.’ ISABELLE GREY
5 attendees - £15.00
Fiction Feedback Workshop
The Sutton Arms, EC1, 6 Carthusian St, Barbican, London EC1M 6EB, London, GBWriters, learn more about writing fiction well through our constructive feedback, comradery and lively discussion. You'll be amazed at what you can learn by listening, and sharing your own words once you feel ready. No pressure.
In our regular feedback 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 Lisa Goll.
Listening to the writing of others and the feedback their piece receives on the night is how we learn. We've been running these sessions since 2010 and there's a reason they fill up so fast! Usually, our workshops are limited to a group of 15 writers in total. Three reading; the rest listening, commenting and giving feedback.
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 highs and woes of writing.
TICKETS: £15.00 and please follow the steps to pay via PayPal when you RSVP. Ticket price pays for workshop fees, planning, hosting and organising which involve time and effort. A community of 4,500+ writers takes time to manage.
PLEASE NOTE: Refunds or credits will only be provided if the workshop 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 Sutton Arms EC1, 6 Carthusian St, Barbican, London EC1M 6EB. Closest stations are Barbican, Farringdon and Moorgate.
Use the official Meetup app to update your RSVPs, check what's on and last-minute 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.
3 attendees
Past events
830
