The NYC Atheists’ Advanced Writers Group, now going for two years, is open to talented writers who want the support and camaraderie of other secular writers in polishing their work and getting happily published.  Our group meets once a month; we gently critique each other’s work, but our main focus is on helping each other get published. There is no charge for this workshop; we ask only that you commit to meeting once a month, reading the work of the other members and offering your suggestions for improvement in an upbeat, encouraging manner.

What do we mean by “advanced writers?”

We mean those writers who are close to being published or have already been published in some form. We also mean writers who, we can see by reading samples of their writing, have great potential but until now have not been mentored or encouraged to treat their work seriously or to aim for publication.

How do you know if you fit our criteria for a writer with promise?

You don’t.  Writers are often poor judges of the level of their talent. We suggest that you give us the opportunity to judge that, because we can often sense that spark of talent even if you yourself do not.  Additionally, we have recently instituted a new member category, dubbed “Apprentice author”--individuals who demonstrate potential but who have not yet been published anywhere or achieved commercial capability.

Submit a Sample

If you are interested in joining this kind of a close and involved group of writers, submit a sample of your writing (15 pages or less) to the group,plus a personal letter telling us a little about your background, what you are aiming for and what you think we can do for you. Your sample submission may be a play, fiction or non-fiction. If fiction, it can be a short story or a chapter of a book.  If non-fiction, the sample can be an article or a chapter of a non-fiction book. If a play, send only Act One.

If you are accepted into the group, we ask only that you encourage and support each group member by reading his or her material, critiquing it in a kindly, professional manner and attend our monthly meeting to discuss it in a group setting. There is no charge whatsoever for membership in the Advanced Writers Group.  Our goal is to encourage more good secular writers to enter the literary marketplace.

Bear in mind that once you are accepted, everyone in the group accepts that you are headed for publication; this is not a “learn to write” group. This is a group whose members have shown themselves to have solid skills and need only minimum critiquing or, more importantly, encouragement in tackling the publishing industry, which, when done alone, can be discouraging. We are there as friends, as your cheerleaders, your mentors, your colleagues.

Jane Everhart, Facilitator  NYCA Advanced Writers Group

NYC ATHEISTS CONTACT:[masked] / [address removed]

TO APPLY, PLEASE SEND A SAMPLE OF YOUR WRITING (15 pages or less) plus a brief bio and a letter telling us what you think we can do for you, to:

NYC Atheists Advanced Writers Group                                                                                                c/o NYC Atheists Inc.                                                                                                                        Box 6060 NY, NY[masked]

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