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**Torture is a messy business but we writers must transform our characters by any means necessary.** Join a torturous seminar on how to surface core conflicts into cruel but useful tensions that will transform your main characters as the story unfolds. Character growth, development, transformation - call it what you will - is a fiction fundamental but not every story achieves the promise of the premise when it comes to delivering for readers. First though, you must understanding your story's capacity to 'torture'. This seminar will show how to create character transformations with practical writing techniques and you'll engineer more compelling stories for your readers, as a result. If a character doesn't grow, they die. How will your story inflict the appropriate level of emotional and psychological pain to produce change in your core characters? Sounds tough but it is not. I believe this is the stuff that keeps readers guessing, hypothesising, riven mad, turning pages frantically until 3am to find out what happens and every writer must aspire to be read with greed, no? In three hours (with a short break) we'll go through how to expand and apply internal and external conflicts for your protagonist, recognise which conflicts will drive your character forward, and pull that tension so tight it threatens to snap on any page. Brilliant. 'The only thing worth writing about is the human heart in conflict with itself ' - William Faulkner LEVEL: This session is designed for writers with a basic understanding of plotting, story structure and character development. If you're unsure if that's you, please message me and I'll be happy to advise. TIMING: Saturday, February 28th from 2:30pm to 5:30pm. LOCATION: The Artillery Arms, 102 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8ND. Nearest stations are Old Street, Barbican and Moorgate. We have hired the room but please don't bring your own food and drinks. The pub landlord will have my head! TICKETS: £20.00 to pay for content, preparation, venue hire 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. Please post below if you have questions above the above. Hope to see you there!

**We will be at The Mitre pub in central Greenwich.** 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. **Our Saturday sessions sometimes rotate location. We're going to stick with the Mitre for now, but do check the location of the specific meetup before signing up. If you arrive later, you may need to ask the bar staff to show you through to the room.**

## [You're welcome to book your space directly via our website, here: https://www.writeandpint.com/events/the-unknown-spirit-chaos-and-creative-writing-food-drink-handouts-a-pub-quiz] ... ## Hello there! So, what do we mean when we say *spirit*? Is there meaning in the universe, or only stories we like to tell ourselves? Does God exist, or not, and what happens when certainty collapses? What do we do with chaos, doubt, nihilism, mystery, and the things we can't know for certain? This Write & Pint workshop invites you into **The Unknown**: the vast, unsettled territory where existential questions, spiritual longing, disbelief, myth, and imagination meet. Not to resolve these questions, but to **live inside them**, to test language against the ineffable, and create. Together, we’ll be touching on themes like: * Meaning, being, and time * God (or not), belief, disbelief, and doubt * Spirit (across traditions: Abrahamic, Buddhist, Taoist, mystical, and esoteric) * Chaos, nihilism, and creative destruction * Mystical atheism and radical unknowing * Conspiracy, esoterica, spaghetti monsters, little green men, and the stories we invent to survive/make sense 👽 This is, of course, a **creative writing day**, designed to help you generate new fiction and/or poetry through guided prompts and shared enquiry. ## What we’ll read Across the day, we’ll draw from a wide range of writers, poets, mystics, philosophers, and mythic traditions. These will be **short excerpts, fragments, and quotations** used as sparks for writing, not as material to analyse in depth. So, there will be **plenty of time to write**. The readings exist only to open doors. Texts may include brief passages or quoted lines from: ### Fiction, Philosophy & Cultural Thought * **Fyodor Dostoevsky** * **Sergey Nechaev** (via *The Master of Petersburg*) * **Albert Camus** * **J. M. Coetzee** * **Jacques Derrida** * **Simone Weil** * **Clarice Lispector** * **Anne Carson** * **Louise Glück** ### Mystical & Non-Western Traditions * **Rabia al-Adawiyya** * **Hafiz** * **Rumi** * **Kabir** * **Mirabai** * **Ryokan** * **Han Shan** * **Chögyam Trungpa** * Selections from the **Tao Te Ching** ### Folklore & Myth * **Amos Tutuola** * **Birago Diop** These voices allow us to move beyond certainty, beyond Western rationalism, beyond fixed belief, and into paradox, absence, longing, humour, terror, devotion, doubt, and not-knowing. ## What we’ll write You’ll be guided through a series of **creative writing exercises and prompts** designed to help you write fiction and/or poetry around *The Unknown*, whatever that means to you. There is **no pressure to share**, though you’ll be warmly invited to if you wish. As always, our intention is to gather **likeminded, creative, enquiring, compassionate people**, writers, readers, thinkers, believers, atheists, doubters, and question-askers alike. ## Schedule **11:00am** Arrive, order your tea or coffee, settle in, meet some friendly faces. **11:00–11:30am** Introductory writing exercises to familiarise ourselves with words, images, feelings, and intuitions around *The Unknown*. **11:30am–1:00pm** Short readings and quotations paired with creative writing prompts. **1:00pm** Lunch break: a Finch’s pub brunch. **2:00–4:00pm** More writing, more prompts, more exploration. You’ll leave with new material to take home, edit, and keep. **4:00–5:00pm** 🎉 **The Write & Pint Pub Quiz** A fun, light-hearted general knowledge quiz covering culture, films, literature, history, and society, a playful way to end the day together. ... If you have any question at all, about this full day workshop or any of our other events, you're very welcome to text or WhatsApp me on +44 (0) 7534 981 636. Cheers! Sean (A Write & a Pint).

Come and get the chance to speak in a supportive and friendly environment. Public Speaking will boost your confidence and give you more power to speak and to be listened to in both your personal and professional life. **What makes this public speaking session different from others you ask?** There is a strong emphasis on self-expression, creativity, trial and error, and most importantly, speaking practice! **What will you gain from this event?** * Gain confidence by overcoming your fear of public speaking * Learn to think on your feet with our Impromptu speaking format * Get feedback and improve your public speaking with a real audience * Tips and opportunities to practice: body language, voice, tone, pitch, uses of stories, use of pauses, humour, etc... **Here's how it works:** \*I may choose to change the format from time to time based on numbers, and to practice different aspects of public speaking in order to keep it challenging\* You will put your name in a hat/bowl and when your name is chosen, you will be asked to perform. You will speak for 2 minutes on a random topic given by the audience. This is called an impromptu speech. We will do 2-3 rounds of speaking followed by a feedback session at the end of the workshop. **Public Speaking suggestions:** TIP: Give your impromptu speech the following 3 sections below. 1. Introduction ("Today, I'm going to talk about....") 2. Body ("Here is my personal experience....") 3. Conclusion ("So, my key message is ....") Each speech is to be 2 minutes long. Audience size 10-15 people. You're not obligated to speak, although I may strongly encourage you to do so. **What to bring:** Yourself only- There are no mandatory necessities which you must bring. **Dress Code:** There is no dress code. It is best practice however, that you wear the attire for the occasion which you are practicing for. **Where to find us:** **Closest underground stations:** Bank, Monument, Liverpool Street, Aldgate - All 5 minutes walk away **Theatre Delicatessen** **107 Leadenhall Street** **EC3A 4AF** Should you have any problems locating the venue, please feel free to contact me before the start of the event. The event is wheelchair accessible. **\*Please note we start and end strictly on time\*** \*You will be refused entry beyond 7:10pm, so please reschedule if you should not make it\* **EVENT DURATION:** 3:45pm - Registration :: 4:00pm - Event start - 6:00pm - End **\*This event is FREE - for first timers only\* -** **FIRST TIMERS PLEASE NOTE:** You MUST book a free "First timer" ticket through Eventbrite and present this on attendance. Failure to do so means that you will need to pay £15. This is a measure intended to keep control of the number of students attending the event. **Cost: £15 per session** **First-timers only discount: £35 for 5 sessions**. Please speak to the organiser for registration. (These can be used within 60 days and you can attend any of our public speaking practice sessions on any day.) **Payment methods:** Cash in hand, Card reader, Pay on www.veespeak.co.uk ***Marketing and email subscription disclaimer:*** *We value your privacy, and would never we will never share or sell your details to a 3rd Party.* ***Email Subscription:*** *By signing up and attending our events you explicitly agree to be contacted by email from Veespeak's marketing team regarding our newest courses, discounts, and upcoming events. You can always opt-out if you feel the information shared is no longer relevant to you.* We may take pictures or record sections of the workshops for training and quality purposes. We will never use this information without your prior consent. **Website & Social Media:** *Website: [www.veespeak.co.uk](http://www.veespeak.co.uk/)* *Instagram: @veespeak - [https://www.instagram.com/veespeakps/](https://www.instagram.com/veespeak/)* *Facebook: @veespeak - [https://www.facebook.com/veespeakps/](https://www.facebook.com/veespeak/)* *Linkedin: @veespeak - [https://www.linkedin.com/company/veespeakps](https://www.linkedin.com/company/veespeak)* *Meetup Group: [https://www.meetup.com/veespeak](https://www.meetup.com/veespeak)* **Contact Information:** Email: hello@veespeak.co.uk Contact No: 07713 123321 Valentin Todorov - Organiser

If you would like to meet others who have left high-control religious groups, then please join us for our monthly social for drinks and chats. This is a safe space to make friends and talk with people who share a similar past. On average we get about 10 people attending these events and they tend to be a mixture of ex-Muslim, ex-Jehovah's Witness, ex-Evangelical, ex-Orthodox Jews, and other groups. The venue is in a nice pub in the Farringdon area. Nearest tube is Farringdon. Please email info@faithtofaithless.com for registration details with the name of the religion you have left and Terri will be in touch with you shortly after. (We do not publicly disclose the event location so that everyone attending feels safe. Our registration process includes an informal chat by video call to answer any of your questions, explain how the rest of our services work and to ensure the safety of all our service users.)

Join us for a slightly different kind of meetup. We’ll start at **The Poetry Pharmacy** in central London, a unique café and bookshop devoted entirely to poetry. It’s a beautifully curated space where poems are “prescribed” for different moods and moments, and it’s worth visiting for the atmosphere alone. After browsing, we’ll head to a nearby café to discuss a few of the poems that stood out from this book: **The Poetry Pharmacy: Tried-and-True Prescriptions for the Heart, Mind and Soul**\- by [William Sieghart](https://www.amazon.co.uk/William-Sieghart/e/B076BT2GZL/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1) Don’t worry if you haven’t read the poems in advance — you can absolutely still come. Many of the poems are well-known and accessible, and we can read short pieces together. The discussion will be informal and pressure-free, whether you prefer to share or simply listen. It’s less about analysis and more about reflection and conversation — and a relaxed way to meet thoughtful new people. **Read a poem. Share a thought. Leave with a connection.**

Join us at the top of the biggest bookshop in Europe to work in company on your own writing, be it a book, blog, screenplay, dissertation, poem, song, coursework, memoir, play, journal, travel writing or work stuff. Newcomers always welcome. No one will see what you're writing or give you unsolicited advice. Now that our Saturday events are filling the room we're testing out a Sunday, same format but an hour later. In case it's as popular as our Saturdays we're saying that you MUST SIGN UP below AND ARRIVE BY 12.40 at the latest, or we can’t guarantee you a seat. And if you can't make it CHANGE YOUR RSVP to "not going" ASAP to give someone else a chance, thanks. WHERE? FIFTH FLOOR CAFÉ, Floor 5, Waterstones, 203-206 Piccadilly, W1J 9LE TIMINGS:- 12.00 - Shop and café open 12:30 - Host will be there. Say hello, especially if you’re new. 12.40 - Brief introductions from everybody - your name and what you’re working on 12:45 - Timer starts: write for 45 minutes 13:30 – Break, chat to your neighbours if you like 13:45 - Timer starts: write for 45 minutes 14:30 - The End…feel free to stay and keep writing or chat some more. Bring whatever you need to be able to write. It’s a café, there’s some noise so earbuds/headphones/earplugs are handy. There’s very few mains sockets so charged-up laptops are a good idea too. And please remember everybody, thank our venue by buying a drink or food, and don’t consume anything from outside while you're here. IF YOU ARRIVE AFTER 12.45 - everyone will be quiet and writing. If there's no spare places ASK THE CAFE STAFF, they may be able to seat you in the adjacent restaurant section (without having to buy food). If not then there's sofas on the sales floors below as well as one cafe at the back of the ground floor and another in the basement. The hosts won't have any other alternatives to offer you. Please feel free to join us for the break and afterwards. We’re looking forward to writing with you, your hosts, Sarah, Nick, Laura and Anna

Do you want to meet new people in a relaxing chill atmosphere surrounded by new books? Do you dislike loud and smelly places like pubs and clubs? This is the event for you. Science and Philosophy Book Club is creating a new kind of meetup where people who love books and knowledge can meet new friends in a big book shop. We will explore around different sections of the book shop together as a group while making interesting conversations with each other. We will go to both fiction and non-fiction areas. If you feel shy and feel nervous to come alone, I will make sure you will feel comfortable and accomodate to your needs. I will help introduce you to others so you can go over the barrier of anxiety when approaching a new person. We will meet on the ground floor lounge area of Doubletree Hilton Hotel at 6 p.m. It is an amazing cosy bar with classy vibes. We will wait for everyone to show up while getting some drinks and socializing. At 7 p.m we will head to the Waterstones book store near Russel Square and UCL. After we explore the book store, we will come back to the hotel bar and stay there for the rest of the night. This event requires £5 donation to cover the venue fees. You can pay via cash or card. Thank you for helping the book club!

⚠️ **Please read any of the books voted below** 🙏🏽, and avoid last minute AI summaries. This is a **book club** after all! 😊 14 votes - Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me) - Carol Tavris & Elliot Aronson 14 votes - The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down - Haemin Sunim Join us for Deeper Discussions, where we dive into thought-provoking non-fiction books that challenge perspectives, inspire growth, and spark meaningful conversations. Whether you're an avid reader or just curious about exploring new ideas, this is a space to reflect, share, and gain new insights into the world around us. 🌍💡 **How does it work?** * The above books have already been voted on for reading * We will split into groups based on the book you've read 💬 * Everyone shares summary / thoughts 🧠 * Focused Discussion on a specific chapter or topic / theme from the book for 30 minutes 📚 * Open Q&A regarding the book and any related topics ❓ **What to Expect?** 🔍 **Deep Discussions**: We’ll explore key themes, insights, and arguments from this month’s two books 💬📚 💡 **Critical Thinking & Reflection**: Engage in conversations that go beyond surface-level takeaways. Challenge perspectives, question assumptions, and discover new ways of thinking. 🤔✨ 🌿 **Personal & Collective Growth**: Non-fiction books have the power to transform our understanding of society, relationships, and ourselves 🧠🚀 **How to get the most out of this event?** 📝 **Read the Book:** While reading the full book is ideal, even if complete significant amount can help you engage in the discussion. 📖✨ 🗣 **Respect & Openness:** Every perspective matters. This is a space for discussion, not debate. Stay curious, listen actively, and engage with an open mind. 🙏🌱 🤝 **Be Ready to Share & Learn:** What resonated with you? What challenged you? Personal reflections make the discussion richer and more meaningful. 💡🌍 📌 **Why a Non-Fiction Book Club?** 📖 **Expand Your Perspective:** Learn from diverse ideas, and real-world experiences. 🌏✨ 🧠 **Foster Growth:** Engage in stimulating conversations that challenge and refine your thinking. 💭🔄 💬 **Deepen Connections:** Connect with like-minded individuals who value insightful discussions and continuous learning. 🤝📚 **Who is this event for?** * You love exploring ideas that shape the world. 🌎 * You enjoy thought-provoking discussions. 🗣 * You want to engage in meaningful conversations beyond small talk. 💡 * You’re open to challenging your assumptions and learning from others. 🔄 **What's in it for you?** * 💡 **A Space for Reflection:** Step back and think critically about important ideas. * 📚 **New Perspectives:** Gain insights from both the book and fellow participants. * 🤝 **Deep Connections:** Meet others who share a love for learning and growth. **Ready to dive into big ideas?** 🌊 Join us for an evening of engaging, insightful discussions on a book that **challenges**, **inspires**, and **expands** the way we think. 🌟 We really hope to see you there! 👋 **About Deeper Connections** We have a mission at Deeper Connections to improve the quality of people's lives through conversation. All our events are centred around the concept of connecting deeply, because we believe we all deserve to be seen, felt and understood for who we really are. To have the 'deeper conversation' approach when relating with others can change our lives and can change the world. **Our Values** * **Respect:** Treat everyone with kindness and consideration. ❤️ * **Open-mindedness:** Be open to different perspectives and ideas. 🧠💡 * **Active Participation:** Share your thoughts and engage in meaningful discussions. 🗣️💬 **Staying in touch** Interested in finding out about all the events sooner than on Meetup or staying in touch beyond the events, you can join our WhatsApp channel and community using 👉🏽 [Deeper Connections WhatsApp Channel](https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb6CBAdIN9ijrEYdv33z) 👉🏽 [Deeper Connections WhatsApp Community](https://chat.whatsapp.com/EqGsmF3021RKTwBpGcuR80) **Keep This Event Free 💝** If this event brings you something meaningful, you can help others access the same transformational experience. Whether it's £5 or £15, every contribution keeps these events accessible to everyone in our community. You'll find a QR code on your conversation sheet during the event, or you can contribute here #SupportYourCommunity 👉🏽 [Ko-Fi](https://ko-fi.com/deeperconnections) 👉🏽 [Buy Me A Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/deeperconnections) 👉🏽 [PayPal](https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/DDSNCCFCYUEB2)

A relaxed Sunday walk in nature with friendly people 🌿 No pressure, just connection and fresh air. Coffee after if you’d like ☕ Community-led this week — see you there!

This event is a **poetry social**, a chance to meet poets and share your poetry and poetry thoughts informally. Please be aware this is not our regular session of around the table poetry sharing, but a **chance to chat and connect with other London poets**. That said, you are of course welcome to read and perform your poetry for those who want to hear it. Just be aware there can be some background noise in the area where we meet. There will be some tables and chairs set up for us **outside the poetry library on the fifth floor**. Coffee and tea are available in the cafe on the ground floor. Also be aware there may be some external noise from the nearby children's library and south bank centre members attending events. If you have not attended our group before, please introduce yourself to David, the organiser. This session is right next to the poetry library, so a perfect opportunity to browse and share published poetry with others as well. Make sure to be quiet when inside and using the library.

The Humanist Monthly Program is our longest running event and still a community favorite. In the old days it used to be called "Going to HCCO" and we still like to think of it as our flagship event. Food and drinks will be provided at the event. Feel free to show up a little bit early to hang out and talk. Our March speakers are Molly Gaines and Zack Parrish, co-organizers of the Secular Education Association: They will share their story of how a small group of Ohio parents grew into a national organization tracking released-time religious instruction and other church–state issues in public schools. The presentation will cover SEA’s early wins and hard lessons, what we’re seeing nationally right now, and how local advocates can play a meaningful role in protecting public education. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the landscape — and practical ways to get involved. Going forward our meetings will be hybrid. You can meet us in-person or attend online Join Zoom Meeting [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1) Meeting ID: 878 3656 4953 Passcode: 760812 One tap mobile +19292056099,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (New York) +13017158592,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (Washington DC) The formal presentation will start at noon

This meeting will be an open discussion about the book "an Immense World" by Ed Yong

**We are expanding our creative programming opportunities with Queer Quills, a quiet writing and sharing space. Queer Quills features some prompts, supplies and friendly faces to help get some inspiration or feedback for your writing. Hope to see you there!**

Rev. Steven Clevenger is an ordained spiritualist minister with over 40 years experience as a Spiritual Healer, Clairvoyant and Spiritual Teacher, educated and trained at the White Lily Chapel. Rev. Siobhan Wolf Shaffer is an ordained spiritualist minister and certified medium and healer with over 20 years experience. She began her development in 1988 in Pennsylvania and continued when she moved to Ohio in 1998 where she studied at Rays of Lights Church with Rev. Steven Clevenger. Our full worship services consist of an inspirational lecture, healing meditation, and messages from the spirit world that serve to demonstrate evidence of eternal life. Please visit our Official Church Website (http://raysoflightchurch.com) for more information.

This will be the first ever Book Club Meet up for this group! * We will be discussing Dating After the End of the World by Jeneva Rose (if you would like a free EPUB copy of this book to read on kindle, message me & I can send you the ebook) * ***Changed the book from Daggermouth due to it being independently published and hard to find in print**** * Feel free to attend even if you haven't started or finished the book ◡̈ ! * Small snacks will be provided. You’re welcome to bring your own snacks & drinks too! * Even if the meetup event shows full, you are welcome to come. If you can no longer attend the event, no worries, just please try to update your status on meetup for it.

**Google Analytics Alternatives** Is it finally time to make the switch away from Google Analytics? Two-and-a-half years ago Jason Packer asked this question at Columbus Web Analytics Wednesday. Since then: Google’s Universal Analytics has been sunset, we’ve changed our name to Columbus Data & Analytics Wednesday, and Jason has released two editions of his book “Google Analytics Alternatives”. Fresh off the release of the 2nd edition of his book, we thought it was time to re-open this conversation. While people love to complain about it, GA’s market share has remained relatively constant (at least in the United States). Why is that? You won’t find any complaints about GA4 in this talk, but rather an overview of what’s currently available in the market and how to frame your decision-making process. We’ll also be giving out some free copies of Jason’s book! So even if you’ve got a “GA4Lyfe” tattoo (no judgement), there’s free books to go with the free pizza and beer. Thanks to our 2026 sponsors: [Clarivoy](https://www.clarivoy.com), [What Box Consulting Group](https://www.whatboxconsultinggroup.com), [Conductrics](https://www.conductrics.com), and [Piwik PRO](https://piwik.pro) More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)