Novel Writing
Meet other local people interested in Novel Writing: share experiences, inspire and encourage each other! Join a Novel Writing group.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out novel writing events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the novel writing events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
Absolutely! Find novel writing events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.
Novel Writing Events Today
Join in-person Novel Writing events happening right now
In Person Writing
is is an In-Person Writing Event at Three This is an In-Person Writing Event at Kaldi's Social House in Clarendon! Please join us.
This is not a critique session or discussion event. If you're interested in attending one of our regular meetings to discuss the art and craft of writing or to review another's work, please join us for a regular meeting on Wednesdays from 7p-9p.
Gaithersburg Book Festival
A great fee event with authors, workshops, and more.
[Details here.](https://www.gaithersburgbookfestival.org)
NEW LOCATION: Reading Time (In-Person) {Near Clarendon Metro}
* We meet inside Zazzy
* Bring something to read, as we often take some time at the beginning telling each other about what we're currently reading.
* I have a favor to ask of you. To offset the cost of Meetup fees (\~$200 a year), I kindly request that you consider a small donation to my my [Pledge account](https://www.meetup.com/a-different-type-of-book-club-arlington/#pledge). 😊
**NOTE: NO DISCUSSION OF POLITICS: 12/31/21 UPDATE**
For the sake of polite company, moving forward, we will avoid the discussion of politics at meetings of the book club. Please let me know if you have any questions.
**NON-ATTENDANCE / NO-SHOW POLICY**
If you have said that you will attend this event, but no longer are able to attend, please kindly update your status to "Not Attending" so that someone on the waitlist is able to RSVP. **Because this Meetup group is popular, and typically has a waitlist, effective immediately, I'm instituting a two-event no-show policy. If you RSVP as "Attending" but do not show at two events, you will be removed from this Meetup group.**
We look forward to seeing you!
Best,
Jay
Killers of The Flower Moon Book Discussion
For our inaugural meat up we will discuss the fan favorite David Grann’s Killers of The Flower Moon.
Synopsis:
The book investigates a series of murders of wealthy Osage people that took place in Osage County, Oklahoma, in the early 1920s after extensive oil deposits were discovered beneath their land. After the Osage are awarded headrights in court to the profits from oil deposits found on their land, the Osage people prepare to receive the wealth to which they are legally entitled from sales of their oil deposits.
The Osage are viewed as the "middle man" and a complex plot is hatched to eliminate the Osage inheritors one by one, by any means possible. Officially, the count of the wealthy Osage victims reaches at least 20 but Grann suspects that perhaps hundreds more may have been killed because of their ties to oil. The book details the new FBI’s investigation of the murders and the eventual trial and conviction of cattleman William King Hale as the mastermind behind the plot.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/193388249-killers-of-the-flower-moon
We will meet at ForFive in Rosslyn in the upper floor seating area.
Financial Literacy Workshop
Come learn how money really works. We’ll cover how to grow it, protect it, get out of debt, and use smart retirement and infinite banking strategies to build long-term security.
Red Carpet Movie Premiere This Saturday
This Saturday, we celebrate more than a film premiere. We celebrate the power of storytelling, the strength of family bonds, and the love that connects us all. GYPASO. May 16th. 1:00 PM. Greenbelt Cinema. See you on the red carpet.
Novel Writing Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
Shut up & Write Arlington/Alexandria
This is the sign you've been waiting for. Come write with us Sunday at 7:30 am at Kaldi's Social House in Arlington. Kaldi's opens at 7.
Grab a coffee and join the group! We generally have 10 to 14 writers attend each week, and new folks are welcome to drop in anytime.
Intros start at 7:30 am. We will write for one hour. After writing, feel free to debrief, share thoughts or get advice. Our meetups are a safe space for writers to work on their craft. No one will read or critique your writing.
Kaldi's Social House website:
https://www.kaldissocialhouse.net/
\* Resource \* Many thanks to Justin for putting together a shared file of resource discussed at the meetings. Feel free to add to it!
[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13LONNjZvsO5hEXM7NsBnWCgy3GgPgjAbQxE0lPxp7hc/edit?usp=sharing](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13LONNjZvsO5hEXM7NsBnWCgy3GgPgjAbQxE0lPxp7hc/edit?usp=sharing)
Shut Up & Write! at Cascades Library
Looking for a quiet, focused space to write?
Come be part of our writing group—a dedicated time just for writing alongside fellow writers in your community. No readings, no critiques, no peer-review—just you writing within a supportive atmosphere.
11am-11:15am: Find your seat, set up your writing station, quick intro's.
11:15am-12:45 pm: An hour and a half of silent focused writing.
12:45pm-1pm: Quick debrief, pack and head home.
We will be in Room C at Cascades Library.
Can't wait to see you! :)
Disclaimer: Shut Up & Write! is not affiliated with the Loudoun County Libraries or any other entity.
May Meetup: Affliction by Russels Banks
We will meet in the Wilson Room at the Central Arlington Library.
Note: The RSVPs for this meetup opens when the previous meetup ends.
For our May meetup, we will be reading Affliction by Russell Banks. It was first published in 1989. A paperback version of it runs 368 pages.
The GoodReads blurb is
Wade Whitehouse is an improbable protagonist for a tragedy. A well-digger and policeman in a bleak New Hampshire town, he is a former high-school star gone to beer fat, a loner with a mean streak. It is a mark of Russell Banks' artistry and understanding that Wade comes to loom in one's mind as a blue-collar American Everyman afflicted by the dark secret of the macho tradition. Told by his articulate, equally scarred younger brother, Wade's story becomes as spellbinding and inexorable as a fuse burning its way to the dynamite.
NEW TIME - Discussing "The Correspondent: A Novel" by Virginia Evans
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER Discover the word-of-mouth hit hailed by Ann Patchett as “A cause for celebration”—an intimate novel about the transformative power of the written word and the beauty of slowing down to reconnect with the people we love.
“The Correspondent is this year’s breakout novel no one saw coming.”—The Wall Street Journal
“I cried more than once as I witnessed this brilliant woman come to understand herself more deeply.”—Florence Knapp, author of The Names
LONGLISTED FOR THE CENTER FOR FICTION FIRST NOVEL PRIZE AND THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: NPR, The Washington Post, Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor, She Reads
“Imagine, the letters one has sent out into the world, the letters received back in turn, are like the pieces of a magnificent puzzle. . . . Isn’t there something wonderful in that, to think that a story of one’s life is preserved in some way, that this very letter may one day mean something, even if it is a very small thing, to someone?”
Filled with knowledge that only comes from a life fully lived, The Correspondent is a gem of a novel about the power of finding solace in literature and connection with people we might never meet in person. It is about the hubris of youth and the wisdom of old age, and the mistakes and acts of kindness that occur during a lifetime.
Sybil Van Antwerp has throughout her life used letters to make sense of the world and her place in it. Most mornings, around half past ten, Sybil sits down to write letters—to her brother, to her best friend, to the president of the university who will not allow her to audit a class she desperately wants to take, to Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry to tell them what she thinks of their latest books, and to one person to whom she writes often yet never sends the letter.
Sybil expects her world to go on as it always has—a mother, grandmother, wife, divorcee, distinguished lawyer, she has lived a very full life. But when letters from someone in her past force her to examine one of the most painful periods of her life, she realizes that the letter she has been writing over the years needs to be read and that she cannot move forward until she finds it in her heart to offer forgiveness.
Sybil Van Antwerp’s life of letters might be “a very small thing,” but she also might be one of the most memorable characters you will ever read.
Time to Read-In Person
We will meet outside as long as the weather is nice. If not, we will move inside. Look out for a comment the morning of each meeting with our exact location.
As we are meeting in person, please remember to bring something to read as we usually spend some time sharing our current reads and/or reading when meeting in person. As a reminder, there is no assigned reading; please bring whatever you are currently working on. This group is super casual, sometimes we read and sometimes we talk the whole time.
**** NO SHOW POLICY: Due to the high number of members on the waitlist recently we are having to reinstate our no-show policy. If you sign up and no-show to 2 events you will be removed from the group. Reminders are provided weekly to change your RSVP to allow those on the waitlist a chance to come to the meet-up, no 3rd chances with be given. Please be considerate to your fellow members. Thank you!
I look forward to reading you!
Share a book, meet a friend
We are going to talk about the books we read—any books, from any genre. Whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, classic literature or something modern, everyone is welcome to share their thoughts, impressions, and favorite passages. It’s a relaxed and friendly conversation where we can discover new ideas and enjoy each other’s perspectives.
Uncle Vanya/Man and Superman
This meeting will be devoted to discussing two plays:
-Uncle Vanya (Anton Chekhov)
-Man and Superman (George Bernard Shaw)
Novel Writing Events Near You
Connect with your local Novel Writing community
Shut Up & Write!® East Side Columbus
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.
Shut Up & Write!™ Easton Town Center
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!
Shut Up & Write! Kingsdale Shopping Center
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!
Shut Up & Write! Kingsdale Shopping Center
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!


























