Graphic Novel Writing

Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you're invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done.

**WELCOME** **This is a supportive, growing community for writers — a quiet space to return to yourself, your words, and the simple rhythm of creating alongside others. I organise and gently hold the space, and it’s been beautiful watching this become a regular place to focus, write, and connect.** **WHAT TO EXPECT** **Simply arrive, order your food or drink at the counter, then settle into your writing persona. Together, we’ll share 90 minutes of quiet focused writing — a calm co-working space for writers of all levels.** **No critiques. No pressure. No one reads your work.** **Just the quiet companionship of people showing up for their creativity.** **Afterwards, everyone is welcome to stay, unwind, and socialise with fellow members until closing time.** **TIME & DATE** **Focused writing time:** **Every Thursday, 7pm–8:30pm** **The venue closes at 10pm.** **VENUE** **I’m holding this space at the warm, beautiful, and intimate British Patagonia café, opposite Islington Town Hall on Upper Street.** **TRANSPORT** **The venue is situated between Angel Tube Station and Highbury & Islington Station.** **Closest bus routes: 4, 19, 30, 43.** **There’s also free street parking after 6:30pm (please check signs).** **ABOUT ME** **I create from lived experience — rooted in care, healing, and meaningful connection. I hope to meet you all in time, but if we don’t get the chance to speak, please know you are warmly welcome here.** **See you soon,** **Sara x**

DROP IN'S WELCOME *If you'd like to book in advance, you can purchase tickets [here](http://www.soholifedrawing.com/store/p82/Thursday_Drop-In_Life_Drawing%3A_Both_Sessions.html) . Otherwise please bring cash as we are cash only* £17.00 (cash, £1 surcharge for PayPal/card payments) Soho Life Drawing is a non-profit drawing group in central London that aims to make life drawing affordable and accessible while paying our models a fair wage. We believe that creativity is an essential part of well-being that is often stifled by the demands of busy schedules or fear due to lack of experience. We want to change that. Whether you're a professional, student, or amateur artist you'll find yourself at home at Soho Life Drawing. Located in one of London's most central locations, our drop-in classes provide an easily accessible and nonjudgemental space for you to hone your life drawing skills. We offer a portfolio boosting mix of both short and long poses with new models every week, making us a great fit for professionals and novices alike. Our members come from literally all walks of life, so don't be afraid to drop by if you have no background in art--at Soho Life Drawing, you are guaranteed to find a supportive place to explore your artistic abilities. Here's why you'll love Soho Life Drawing It's a Great Space!--Our sessions are held at one of London's best kept secrets--the historic Quaker Meeting House, which provides an oasis of calm just minutes away from Leicester Square Station. Short and Long Poses!--Our sessions begin with short, gestural poses and move up to a longer sustained pose. Our models are personally vetted professionals, and some of the best in the business. No Need to Bring your own Supplies!--We provide clipboards, and pencils, paper, and rubbers are available on site. Tea and Biscuits!--Yes, that's right. We provide tea and biscuits to keep your energy up during the breaks! Also, quite often homemade cookies! Drop-ins Welcome!--No need to book in advance! So come by and check us out—we look forward to seeing you there! 6:30-7:30 PM Guided Life Drawing 7:30PM-8:30PM: Tea Break + Longer Poses We also host private events. For more information visit www.privateartevents.co.uk

**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. **This is usually in the meeting room at the Mitre. If you arrive a bit later, you may need to ask the bar staff to show you through to the room.**

Join our group for under-represented writers who want more time to write, feedback on their work, and tips on developing their craft. \*\* Please come to the Reading Room on the 2nd floor at The Wellcome Collection and look out for the Writer's Corner sign \*\* The Writers' Corner is a peer support community for under-represented writers, with bi-monthly meet-ups both online and in-person. Join us if you want more time and space to write, get feedback on your work or to develop your craft. We welcome all writers who tend to get overlooked by the publishing industry, or struggle to afford the costs of other writing courses and groups. We'll let you self define, but we particularly welcome writers of colour, those from the LGBTQ+ community, disabled writers, unpaid carers, low income writers and anyone who self-defines as a woman. While we have done our best to pick venues that are accessible to all, if you have any specific accesss requirements please send us a message so we can discuss how we can meet your needs. That includes anyone feeling anxious about attending a group for the first time (very happy for you to come a bit early, before everyone else, if that helps). The session will work as follows: 1\. Introductions 2\. Warm up exercise 3\. Writing time \(work on your own project or get a prompt\) 4\. Feedback 5\. Set writing goals for the next month

If you are you interested on creating your own comic, but need help to put your vision together or do not know were to start then we may have the solution for you. Come talk shop with fellow creators, share experiences, ideas, techniques and tips to help each other grow and have a chance in the industry.

**Write together with other writers. If you write more surrounded by others, I hope you'll join these new sessions.** Starting up regular Saturday sessions where we writers will gather to write in the same space. There will be plenty of time for you to push forward your own individual projects, but I can provide a writing prompt, short exercise or challenge to anyone who needs them. You can book a spot for a guest with your ticket if you want to bring a writing friend with you. They don't have to be a member of our group. Timing: From **12:30** grab a drink, a table and set up **12:35** individual writing time\* *\*if you'd like a prompt or writing exercise, please ask when you arrive.* **13:15** take a breath (stand up, stretch, look out window, tea, wine etc) **14:00** end of writing time **14:00** we'll gather at the same table to say hello, compare notes and how we got on with our projects in the session **15:00(ish)** end of session I'm hosting this in the main public area of the pub so you can come and go as you please. You can come to write for a short time or the whole thing. I've allowed two hours for the session but you can easily stay on longer if you wish. I will be there for 12pm when the pub opens to grab us the horseshoe of tables (pictured above) so most of us can be sitting in the same vicinity together. That said, it's a spacious pub so if you want to spread out and choose your own spot, feel free. Manners suggest that you'll buy a drink and perhaps a snack or two from the pub as a part of using their table. Please don't bring your own drinks from elsewhere (water bottles included) as the pub will never let us back in. See their menu on the website for more info. Location: The Square Pig, 30-32 Procter St, London WC1V 6NX. Closest tube is Holborn. Timing: Doors open 12pm for a 12:30pm start and we'll finish the main session by 3pm at the latest. Cost: £10 for hosting, venue arrangement, writing task prep etc. 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. If you change your mind after booking, please change to RSVP to 'not going' as we often have people waiting. Download the Meetup app (check the app store) to manage your RSVPs on the go and be notified about new workshops. Questions or concerns? Please post a comment below and I'll respond. I'm looking forward to it already!

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, work stuff or anything else. Newcomers always welcome. No one will see what you're writing or give you unsolicited advice. \*\*We often fill the room, so you must RSVP below and please arrive by 11.40 at the latest. \*\*And if you can't make it change then your RSVP to "not going" ASAP to free it for someone else, thanks. WHERE? The Fifth Floor Cafe, Floor 5, Waterstones, 203-206 Piccadilly, W1J 9LE, right by Piccadilly Circus. TIMINGS:- 11.00 - Café starts serving 11:30 - Host of the day will be there - say hello, especially if you’re new. 11.40 - Brief introductions for everybody - your name and what you’re working on. 11:45 - Timer starts: write for 45 minutes 12:30 – Break, chat to your neighbours if you like 12:45 - Timer starts: write for 45 minutes 13:30 - 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 11.45 - everyone will be quiet and writing. If there's no spare places 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 lower ground floor. We’re looking forward to writing with you, your hosts, Sarah, Nick, Laura, Anna, John and Solitaire

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, work stuff or anything else. Newcomers always welcome. No one will see what you're writing or give you unsolicited advice. Now that our regular Saturday events are filling all the seats we're adding some Sundays when we're able to - check Meetup for dates. Same format but an hour later. 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. We’re looking forward to writing with you, your hosts, Sarah, Nick, Laura, Anna, Solitaire and John

We'll meet at The Capital One Café, 167 Easton Town Center, Space A-103. This is in the main mall where the Microsoft store used to be, on your left if you're standing at the bottom of the AMC Theater escalator. Join us on Saturday for an hour of uninterrupted wordmaking! • What we'll do Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at 10AM on Saturday mornings. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. SCHEDULE: 10:00 - SESSION 1: quick intros. 10:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour. 11:10 - chat / take off / keep writing. OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 11A-11:30ish. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and get settled, then check-in with me after the session. (I’ll be the person with the Shut Up & Write! sign.) If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing and I look forward to seeing you! • What to bring Whatever you need to be able to write! Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block noise or the occasional conversation by other patrons. Electrical outlets are limited, so charge your devices before whenever possible. See you at The Café on Saturday!

Greetings writers! Come down and join your fellow wordsmiths for one hour of uninterrupted writing time in the upper level of the Market District Supermarket in Upper Arlington. The main entrance of the shopping center opens onto stairs/elevator leading up to the 2nd floor cafe section where we will have a table displaying a sign with the Shut Up & Write logo. Writing is largely a solitary craft. Practicing with others in a community setting may be the thing you need to fire your own routine. We’ll meet on Wednesday evenings, starting the clock at 6:30, following a brief period of introductions. This is solid writing time and all inclusive. Any project is acceptable, be it fiction, non -fiction, work or homework assignment. All is welcome and will remain private to you. The market boasts a Starbucks, a full service bar and various affordable food options. Parking is plentiful, free Wifi is provided as well as outlets for charging your devices, though they are somewhat limited, so plan accordingly. Show up as early as you like, or stay late. This group tends to socialize some, both before and after the alloted time, but this is not mandatory to you. Feel free to come and go as you please and late arrivals are welcome. The cafe may be noisy on occasion so headphones/ earbuds are reccommended as you see fit. Please try to RSVP if possible so that we may grab enough seats for all—the venue can be busy at times. Feel free to message me privately wth any questions and/ or concerns you may have. Happy writing!

Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at 7:00pm on Wednesday, February 11 at Streetlight Guild. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. **SCHEDULE:** 6:45ish - Quick introductions 7:00 - Timer starts: write for 1 hour 8:00 - The End **OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING** happens before and after the writing hour. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. **BEING LATE IS OKAY:** just show up and get settled! If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing & I look forward to seeing you at Streetlight Guild! **WHAT SHOULD I BRING?** Whatever you need to be able to write! You're welcome to bring earplugs/headphones if noise will bother you! **OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS:** * **RSVP:** Please RSVP by 6:00pm the evening of the meeting. This helps me know how many to expect, and if we'll need additional space! * **COVID:** While masks are not required, please be mindful of the other writers around you and their comfort levels. * **WIFI/OUTLETS:** Outlets are limited, so please ensure your devices are charged when you come! But Streetlight Guild does have free WiFi! Yay! * **PARKING:** There is free public parking at Streetlight Guild.

**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!**

Let’s meet and discuss John Updike's Rabbit, Run, the first in his series of four novels following the life, hopes, and disappointments of former local basketball star, Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom, as he fitfully confronts and evades adulthood.