About us
South Austin Writers is a group for people who write speculative fiction: horror, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, thrillers, and the strange stuff that lives in between. This Meetup is our monthly write-in. It is social, low stress, and open to anyone. Bring a notebook or a laptop and spend a couple of hours writing alongside other people.
How this connects to the critique group
South Austin Writers also runs a critique group. That one is a real commitment. Members read each other's work ahead of time and come with written feedback prepared.
These monthly meetups are not that. There is no submitting, no homework, and nobody critiques your work. If the critique group interests you later, this is the easiest way to meet the people in it. You can read more at southaustinwriters.com.
What happens at a meetup
Each month has a theme, and I bring two or three writing prompts built around it. We write to them on the spot in short timed rounds, with time to talk in between.
If you want to read what you wrote out loud, you can. If you would rather keep it to yourself, that is completely fine. Nobody is graded and nobody is workshopped.
The point is to practice, meet other writers, and leave with something on the page you did not have when you walked in.
Genre is not a dirty word
Most writing groups drift toward literary fiction. That is fine work, and we respect it. It is just not what we are here for.
We are here for the haunted house, the ship lost in space, the heist, the detective who drinks too much, the kingdom on the edge of a war. If it has a ghost, a spaceship, a spell, a body in the study, or a world that is not quite this one, bring it.
How often do we meet?
This meetup meets on the second Wednesday of every month. Check out our upcoming events.
Do I need experience?
No. Beginners and published writers are both welcome. If you have never finished a story, this is a good place to start one.
Do I have to write speculative fiction?
Mostly, yes. The prompts lean that way, and so does the room. If you write literary fiction as artistic expression first, you are welcome to come, but the group's tastes may not be yours.
Does it cost anything?
No.
A note on AI
Bring your own words. Large language models are useful for brainstorming and research, but drafting is the part worth practicing, and it is the reason we are all in the room.
Upcoming events
3
Past events
6
