Willesden Green Writers' Group

January 19th

2012-01-20T09:21:00.002Z

Last night we had a free style beat poem, an empty shampoo bottle, some exquisite ballet dancing and an extremely unusual school, and free sandwiches in the pub. Excellent start to the year I'd say.

Hello 2012

2012-01-06T08:56:00.002Z

We kicked off 2012 with an all female group, although before we started there were some pithy comments via his mobile from Bilal about the submissions for his online book ( stand by for feedback folks - or should that be, take cover)

We heard further extracts from Mary and Lily's books both of which are excellent and bode well for the standard of writing in 2012 and then we went down the pub. Within minutes of us arriving, the pub was compeletely deserted - was it something we said?

Mary is off to her editing course, which unfortunately clashes with wgwg so we won't be seeing her for a while. We wish her well for the course - we will miss you Mary, don't forget to come back to us!

Next meeting January 19th - see you there.

A good sesh

2011-12-18T18:29:00.000Z

There were only 5 of us, but the four readings and feedback took nearly the whole two hours. It was good to be able to delve deeply.

The first session in 2012 is 5 Jan. Have a good Xmas and happy new year and all that jazz...

Brilliant

2011-12-03T09:01:00.004Z

So, our dastardly plan has worked, we know that because twelve people turned up on Thursday night, proving that absence makes the heart grow fonder eh? A great night ensued, there was so much good work read out, and Lily is back - Hurrah! That was a good night people.

We taught us everything he knew!

2011-11-19T17:29:00.005Z

Antony Wootten’s debut novel, A Tiger Too Many, is a dramatic and powerful page-turner for the 9-12 age range. Set in London Zoo during World War II, it is a tense tale of a young girl’s desperate struggle to save her beloved tiger-cub. Despite the traumas of air-raids and evacuation, and her older brother going missing in action, Jill never gives up, even when the zoo itself is bombed and she finds herself amongst the burning debris...

TheBookbag.co.uk called it “real edge-of-the-seat-stuff”.

Read the entire first chapter - click here!

6

2011-11-03T22:32:00.000Z

An unexpectedly good evening (most of the regulars had said they would not be able to make it, so I did not have high hopes).

I guess that I was the only member of that rarest of minorities, a Londoner (although, in my heart, I don't even think of myself as British); we had three women from the US, a S African dude and our resident Irishman.

Mary's novel is going from strength to strength, but thank god I managed to not like 2 sentences...

See y'all in a fortnight...

That's the way to do it!

2011-10-28T08:50:00.005+01:00

Yes, if you want to get lots of people to turn up, then just announce there will be wine available - simples.
Really good night, Clare and Mary read some more extracts from their excellent novels, Tim had a great new poem (that wasn't about foxes) we had a new member join us and Alistair turned up in the pub afterwards - result!

Don't forget we are meeting next week, with or without wine, and that Bilal will be at Willesden Green library on Monday at 7pm for a 'How to get Published' event with Gary Pulsifer from Arcadia Books and author Simon Acland.

We are meeting twice a month now

2011-10-21T11:28:00.003+01:00

From Nov we will meet in the library centre on the 1st and 3rd Thurs of every month.

The dates for the next 6mths are:

27 Oct
3 Nov
17 Nov
1 Dec
15 Dec
5 Jan
19 Jan
2 Feb
16 Feb
1 Mar
15 Mar
5 Apr
19 Apr

No one came - except Steve

2011-10-20T20:50:00.002+01:00

No one came, except Steve. We had a pleasant chat and left after 15 mins.

It's dark out there!

2011-09-30T14:11:00.004+01:00

We did indeed, as advertised, have an alfresco wgwg last night. A balmy night ensued but we discovered that it is really hard to read in a garden after it gets dark. We also learnt why it's called an Indian Summer and, oh yes, if I might mention it once more, that Jarred's got a story on Radio 4 this Sunday at 19.45.

Al fresco tonight

2011-09-29T14:37:00.002+01:00

To celebrate the good weather we will be meeting in the garden of The Rising Sun pub tonight at 8pm. The pub is two minutes from the library centre at 25 Harlesden Road - go down Grange Road (on the right hand side of the library centre) and turn right at the end of the road, the pub is now in sight on the left of Harlesden Rd. See you there!

Good night

2011-09-17T01:05:00.000+01:00

More new people came. A good evening, all in all. Mary's novel in progress is like biting into very a Fortnum's fruit cake, with a thin slice of stilton on top, washed down by a Laphroaig. More, more, more...

Children's stories

2011-09-09T00:13:00.000+01:00

Aside from Mary and me, there were no regulars (what is the plural of 'Judas'? Judi? If so, that's most of you...

I think that we need to consider making a rule about writing for children. I think that narrative stories without pictures are fine, but perhaps we need to make it clear that writing for very young children (say, under 8) is really not welcome at the group.

Now there are nine

2011-08-26T12:02:00.003+01:00

What are the chances of two new people joining wgwg last night, both being called Ian? I don't know - what am I a maths genius? Anyway a very good night ensued with two excellent children's stories, a poem, a fantasy with an alarming amount of flaming resin (you had to be there) a very good mystery short story and the extremely promising start of a new book set in Korea. Then off down the pub. Perfect.

And then there were five

2011-08-13T01:32:00.003+01:00

So, at 8pm we appeared to have only one person who had anything to read out. Given that a new member had turned up, this looked to be embarrassing.

By 8.03pm I gave up and started downloading my manuscript on my phone to read out an excerpt. Desperation.

By 8.10pm another person turned up with something to read. It looked promising.

Miraculously, by 8.20pm we had 9 people and 5 readings set to go...

I love it when a plan comes together (after the Hannibal Smith).

August 11th

2011-08-11T15:47:00.003+01:00

We are carrying on regardless tonight, so feel free to come and join us, we figure that after three days the rioters must be tired by now...

28th July

2011-07-29T10:06:00.002+01:00

Six people, three poems, two excerpts from books in progress, a fillip, a dollshouse and a murder. Then we went off to the pub, not a bad way to spend a summer evening - and not a doldrum in sight.

Quality

2011-07-07T22:08:00.003+01:00

A select group tonight of four. We heard two very good stories and then went home, I like to think of it as quality rather than quantity.

30 June

2011-06-30T22:01:00.003+01:00

A good but short evening. We listened to and gave feedback on all four pieces by 9.20pm.

Is it 'lasagna' or 'lasagne'?

someone

2011-06-10T08:03:00.001+01:00

Someone old
Someone new
Someone talented
Someone... phew

I remember last year Anne or I would arrive for 8pm but people kept on drifting in til 8.20, which is when we would start. We seem to be back to punctuality, starting the readings a couple of minutes after 8. Which is good because it was a packed session.

Not Jackanory

2011-06-05T15:59:00.003+01:00

Ten people this week, two of whom were new to the group. We heard various pieces featuring amongst other things, child abuse, prostitutes and unicorns, beat that Jackanory.

Plus we had some very good poems from Steve, Lee and newbie Tim. In fact there was so much going on Bilal didn't get to read, which means he's on first next week - so don't be late.

Happiness

2011-05-29T19:51:00.003+01:00

I really enjoyed Thursday night, I thought it might be a bit sparse with the Bank Holiday looming but no - eight people turned up. We heard some excellent poetry plus a piece in translation and some very good prose and then to top it all, Steve gave a virtuoso reading of his piece - you know the one, the one about the man who wakes up dead. He had everyone in stitches including himself and eventually had to give up reading because everyone was laughing too much. Nice one!

Congratulations!

2011-05-07T19:55:00.004+01:00

Well done to wgwg member Mary Bracht who came second in the Page Turner Prize Novella Competition!

Cakes and Ale

2011-05-06T09:07:00.004+01:00

It was a good night - despite the room's lighting sensor going beserk and casting us into complete darkness - twice. A good turn out of eleven people and we heard some excellent poems, Jarred read another piece from his book in progress, three new people turned up and we got presented with free nibbles and cake in the pub afterwards. Result!

Don't Forget...

2011-04-27T19:37:00.001+01:00

We won't be there on the 28th - see you next week!

Competition readings and prizegiving with Maggie Gee

2011-04-26T10:28:00.002+01:00

Willesden Library Centre, April 7, 2011

The international Willesden Herald short story prize 2011. Introduced by Sam Taradash. Presented by actors Carrie Cohen, Sarah Le Fevre, Silas Hawkins and in Part 2 Elizabeth Bower. Thanks to Liars' League. Sponsored by Willesden Green Writers' Group.

Excerpts read by actors from Liars' League, followed by announcement of the results and prizegiving. Maggie Gee describes the judging process, comments on each of the finalists and announces the prizes for runners up and first place.

More pictures and links

Attention citizens!

2011-04-20T11:29:00.003+01:00

The group is happening this Thursday (21st) but we will not be meeting the week after on the 28th due to various jollifications, Bank Holidays, Bilal being unavailable and Anne taking herself off to Watford Film House to be on the box office and give out World Book Day books ( better late than never...)
We will be back bright eyed and bushy tailed on May 5th

7th April

2011-03-31T21:25:00.005+01:00

There will not be a Willesden Green Writers' Group meeting on Thursday April 7th instead we hope you will join us to celebrate the announcement of
The International Willesden Herald short story prize winners!

Join acclaimed author Maggie Gee for an evening to celebrate the short story and discover who has won the International Willesden Herald short story prize 2011. The Herald has also teamed up with Liars' League, a monthly fiction event where new short stories are read by professional actors, and tonight they have kindly agreed to read some of the entries to the Willesden Herald Short Story competition.

Supported by Willesden Green Writers' Group

We hope you can join us at Willesden Green Library

95 High Road, NW10

8 - 10pm

Admission is free

St Patrick's Day

2011-03-11T12:27:00.007Z

Next Thursday, March 17th is St Patrick's Day which means the entire library centre will be taken over by people celebrating. Yes, every room will be stuffed full of Irish jollifications which means that the group will not be meeting as usual, as there is nowhere left for us to meet!

Back on the 24th as usual.

Oh, and you should have been there last night - you missed two great poems from Lynsey and a good short story from Mary who took a night off from her Birkbeck course to come and see us.
Bon voyage to Aziza who is off to Bangladesh for a couple of months - hope to see you on your return.
And thanks to Carol for the chocolates...

Congratulations!

2011-03-04T10:09:00.006Z

Yes, it's congratulations to our very own Carol French who last night was named the winner of the Brent Library Service Scandinavian Short Crime Fiction Competition. Indeed, it proved to be a very good evening all round. Norwegian author Gunnar Staalesen gave an interesting talk about his writing and took questions from the audience and then presented Carol with her prize - and there was free wine throughout. Result!

Back as usual next week

Thursday 3rd March

2011-02-25T11:28:00.004Z

There is an event at Willesden Green Library on 3rd March, so wgwg will not be meeting that night. But all is not lost - why not come to the library anyway and meet award winning Norwegian author Gunnar Staalesen?
http://www.literature2000.org/bergen/eng/gunnar/om_gunnar.htm
Gunnar will be presenting the winners of the Brent Library Scandinavian crime short story competition with their prizes and will also be reading from his new book. This is a free drop in event that starts at 7pm.

Good luck to all those wgwg members who have entered the competition!

Wgwg will be back as normal on March 10th.

Short story competition results event

2011-02-19T22:04:00.018Z

Willesden Green Library Centre
98 Willesden High Road, London NW10
8 pm - 10 pm, Thursday, 7 April

Join acclaimed author Maggie Gee for an evening to celebrate the short story and discover who has taken the one-off inscribed mug and first prize in the international Willesden Herald short story competition 2011, supported by Willesden Green Writers' Group. If the printers do their bit then copies of the anthology of the short-listed stories should be on hand. Refreshments will be provided.

Last year's winner Wena Poon went on to have her novel "Alex y Robert" serialised on BBC Radio 4's Book at Bedtime for 10 nights and now for sale on the high streets everywhere from WH Smith. Jo Lloyd who won the previous year, her first ever win for her writing, went on to win the Asham Award in the same year for another story. The debut novel by previous winner Vanessa Gebbie is about to be published by Bloomsbury in the UK and the US. We're hoping to see Vanessa and many other friends at the event as well. Several of the writers have already confirmed they plan to be there on the night.

Links

Facebook event page
About the 12 short-listed authors
Willesden Green Library Centre

Come Along

2011-02-14T18:13:00.003Z

Come along and support two of our own!

http://thespecialrelationship.net/

On Tuesday, 22nd February at 19:30

It's at Concrete Lower Ground Floor 56 Shoreditch High Street

What Willesden Green writers group means to me

2011-02-09T21:26:00.006Z

A friend asked me what the writing group is like this week, because he's joining a group himself. It got me thinking about what our writing group IS like. And I realised I'm really proud of it. God knows, I tried moving to a different county to get away and I still came crawling back.
Anyway. I first started coming to WGWG around 2002 when I'd just left university and was looking to 'keep my hand in' with writing. It was a funny little place then, run by the author of Henry's Cat, who was an absolute nutjob (can I say that?). He was always trying to make us do exercises and going on about the characters in James Bond. It was fucked up and uncomfortable. Yet still I kept going.
We went through a couple of facilitators after that, and it's mad to think they actually used to get paid, when we do it on a rota basis now (having said that, I haven't had a turn for a bit). But the library took away our funding, but let us keep the room. We're lucky to have that room, and who knows what will become of it once they knock the place down? Well, it will be rubble. And I bet won't get a new room. It's more a goodwill gesture than anything. We'll be resigned to the pub or someone's house. And that doesn't seem right.
The format of the writing group is simple. You simply bring along what you're working on (and ideally, copies) and read it out, for about five minutes (don't take the piss reading out half a novel, especially if it's set in Victorian times).
Then we give feedback. And you know what? The feedback we give is good. We don't soft-soap, we don't pussyfoot around, we are honest (too honest? no, honest) and we help each other become better writers. I've walked out of there in a strop more times than I can count. But they were right. I was being lazy that week. I hadn't thought that bit through very well. And I have had praise, massive praise, when I've deserved it.
The group is full of totally different people from all walks of life, all ages, all interests and writing styles. Some people drive you mad, some people you end up genuinely caring for. We have a laugh. I have good friends there, and there are some bloody good writers there. I'm one of them.
There have been dramas- I won't deny that. There was much negotiation of how to run the group between the former chair (me), secretary and treasurer. We had to bring in rules to get rid of various psychos, people who were just plain drunk, or people trying to push religious or political agendas. Or people who just came to show off and didn't want to listen or learn or help anyone else. There have been wrangles over the anthologies we've produced, but hours and hours of hard work have gone into them, and with great results (we won 5 grand!). There have been arguments, broken hearts, hurt feelings, abject boredom, drunken nights, several crushes and loads of laughs. And that's just me.
Oh, and lots and lots of crisps at the pub. LOTS.
I have conquered my fears and stood in front of a crowd and read from my poetry or novel at various events we've done. I have signed autographs, for fuck's sake! The writing group gave me a platform. A very small platform with virtually no one there, but was still good for me.
There can be no better incentive to write than a deadline, and that's what Thursday gives you, and writers need a deadline. And I'm a lazy bastard, I only go once every couple of months (because I live reasonably far away now, in part, but I'm also just slack).
If you're thinking of joining the writers group, do, come along and don't be scared. If I'd given up the first time (or the first 20) I'd never have seen my name printed at the top of a book, like a real writer. Lots of people seem to come once and disappear, and I don't blame them. It is hard to write, and to force yourself to write, and to go somewhere and read out your writing, and potentially be told what's wrong with it- that's hardcore. But it's worth it.

Well done us!

2011-02-02T14:59:00.002Z

Wgwg is on a roll - first we came a respectable third in the 'Save Kensal Rise Library' pub quiz benefit last night ( well do you know who wrote Goldilocks and the Three Bears...)
... and then we found out that Mary has been shortlisted for this competition
http://www.pageturnerprize.com/the_contest.html

Whoop! Well done everyone, especially Mary.

Fresh Blood and Old Friends

2011-01-28T12:43:00.003Z

We like it when new people turn up, and tonight we had three newbies who were all brave enough to read out on their first visit, promising some interesting prose and poems for the future.

Plus a visit from Carol, who if memory serves, first came to wgwg about sixteen years ago. Her work just gets better and better, in fact one of our number wanted to take the short story she read out last night home with her to read again, yes it was that good!

Brent Libraries short story competition

2011-01-21T12:50:00.002Z

"Have you got what it takes to be the next Steig Larsson or Henning Mankell? If so there's a place on a Birkbeck College creative writing course up for grabs when you take part in the Brent Libraries short story competition. Swedish crime fiction author Camilla Ceder has written the opening lines. ... All you have to do is complete the story in no more than 2,000 words."

If you are interested go to click Brent Libraries short story competition for full details.

Breaking News

2011-01-11T10:53:00.003Z

On 19th January at the College of NW London in Willesden at 7pm there is a meeting about the fact the council want to knock down Willesden Green Library Centre in order to re-build it as a complex with space for social housing. The new complex is due to re-open in 2014. I don't know when the library is due to close but I'm guessing it must be fairly soon.

There are lots of questions to be answered, amongst them, why are they knocking down a building that received a £336500 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund as recently as 2006 in order to incorporate the Brent Museum into the building? They say they will replace the present library and incorporate it in the new building, but they said that about my local library in a new complex they have just opened in Northolt - and the 'new library' consists of about five bookcases of 'bestsellers' and virtually no non-fiction and one shelf of reference books - yes it's a library - but only just.

Where the wgwg will meet if/when the library is knocked down is something that we will need to think about - I am sure we will find somewhere but I also think we need to ask the council some questions about this decision to knock down a building that has has so much spent on it so recently!

2011 up and running

2011-01-07T15:00:00.005Z

Happy New Year to one and all.
Last night wgwg got back into the writing habit after all the Christmas and New Year madness with two excellent stories from Mary and Bilal. We then repaired to the pub to celebrate Bilal's birthday with a nice cup of tea - honest!

Xmas/New Year Arrangements

2010-12-05T21:55:00.003Z

We are running on 9th and 16th December and then shut up shop til 6th Jan.

Please do check in case very bad weather drives us to cancel - otherwise, hope to see you at the group.

Good night

2010-12-02T23:10:00.002Z

Despite the snow and cold, the pavements iced like mirrors, five of us made it in. We started a little late but discussions were thorough, so we just finished on time.

A good night.

Thurs 25 Nov

2010-11-29T09:32:00.002Z

A big crowd tonight, despite my reading BBC weather forecasts and relaying prognoses of sleet and doom and writers staying in their garrets to warm hands over tallow candles.

I thought the quality of work read out was pretty bad (with the exception of one piece, which I liked). But the bad pieces redeemed themselves by being short, so a good time was had in the pub afterwards.

It was Rachel's last session before she moves away to the strange wilds of saarf Lunnon. Hopefully she will find the literary aspirations of writers down there to be so stifling that she will come back us as often as childcare and public transport allow.

Thursday 25th

2010-11-25T10:09:00.001Z

Wgwg is happening tonight, come rain or shine, sleet or snow see you there at 8pm

Priceless

2010-11-19T09:07:00.002Z

Eight of us tonight including a new member and I think it fair to say a cracking good time was had by all, it's nights like this that make it all worthwhile. Some damn fine writing was read out, and some damn fine literary criticism was doled out, can't really say fairer than that - plus I forgot to take any money ( again) so it was all for free!

Thurs 10th Nov

2010-11-14T23:27:00.001Z

Only three of us - the cream of the crop, I like to think. As we were already perfect writers, we decided to leave at 8.20 and go to the pub. A great evening. Not very literary, though.

That was a good one

2010-11-05T11:33:00.005Z

Nine people last night - and what a good night it turned out to be. Indeed, Mr Moran, with these three poems, you are spoiling us! Yes, last night we had three new poems from Steve, whilst Raluca's story featuring a rusty penknife led us to a hypnotic and erotic place that was quite amazing and we are all on tenterhooks to hear more. Jamie had a 'madeleine moment' whilst Lynsey is still battling insomnia and Rachel looked both back and forwards...

New faces

2010-10-29T09:01:00.002+01:00

A really good evening. There were a few new faces, which was excellent. I am looking forward to hearing their work.

Although only four pieces were read out, the feedback was pretty detailed so we went on til nearly 10.

And Anne was missed.

Fete on the Green

2010-10-19T21:11:00.001+01:00

Saturday, October 2: Autumn fete at Willesden Green Library run by Brent Libraries, Arts and Heritage in aid of the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB)

Willesden Green Writers' Group read their hearts out for this and did the video show us? No. However it is a lively and charming video about a pleasant day at the Library Centre.

Well?

2010-10-09T17:16:00.001+01:00

The question on everyone's lips is - did he do it? Did Bilal shave off his beard, and if he did, where is the photographic evidence?

So what happened?

2010-09-17T12:01:00.004+01:00

Well, there was a preview of a very funny two hander that is due to be performed live in Camden in a couple of weeks, a poem and a caricature - you should have been there!

Phew!

2010-09-11T17:15:00.003+01:00

At last a decent turnout, eight people, three good readings given the wgwg treatment and a guest, but what happened to Susan :-o

It never rains but it pours

2010-08-25T20:51:00.002+01:00

Ok - wgwg is officially declaring summer over, and thus all future meetings will be in the ususal Space 1 room upstairs in the library centre. See you tomorrow ( with or without filth )

Ummm

2010-08-20T12:39:00.003+01:00

Started at 8pm, over by 8.30pm. Swift exit not caused by filth being read out, rather by only one person bringing anything to read out! Lets try again next week...

Bring it on!

2010-08-18T18:22:00.001+01:00

Tomorrow wgwg will be meeting in the library, in the usual room upstairs.
With added filth apparently...

Summer holidays take their toll

2010-08-15T09:37:00.003+01:00

Not to say that WGwg has taken a more continental approach, but the summer holidays seem to have thinned out the attendance a bit. But this week saw some new stories, three new faces, and a challenge for next week.

Have you been holding back a bit of risqué writing? Are you concerned about giving offence to artistic sensibilities of the group? Well, 19 August is your chance to prove that good writing can include naughty bits, the unofficial WGwg challenge is to bring some writing that's got the good kind of filth in it.

Don't worry if you're not inclined to write for more prurient interests, other content is still quite welcome.

Libraries R us

2010-08-11T18:06:00.002+01:00

Yes, it's the Willesden Green Library for the wgwg's tomorrow evening, sans Lily.
Bon Voyage Lily, we will miss you...

Hello! Goodbye!

2010-08-07T14:50:00.004+01:00

Bilal survived a duststorm, Mary had a handful of gore, Maureen tried to pin down the moment, Lynsey couldn't sleep and we said au revoir to Lily.

There were eleven of us, so not everyone got to read, shock horror! Them's the breaks I'm afraid. But fear not, those who lost out this week get to read first next week...

Now on to Saturday and Lily's goodbye BBQ, with a chance for everyone to say 'hello' to baby Milo.

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow

2010-08-04T19:24:00.002+01:00

Well, only tomorrow actually.

Tomorrow (Thursday 5th Aug) we will be meeting in the 'Education Room', so prepare to be Educated. It is downstairs in the library centre, behind the lift to the museum.
See you there!

Videos of WGwg at Bookstock

2010-08-03T20:03:00.002+01:00

These videos just in from Bookstock, as featured in Time Out. WGwg members in the spotlight in order of appearance

Lily http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYh6qdrzw4Y

Lee http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpWbsglVDfY

Bilal http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKSBs4qdMBU

tonight

2010-07-30T00:17:00.001+01:00

Surrounded by women, I read out something about how intoxicating it had been to be surrounded by women.

We are meeting in the library centre

2010-07-28T19:08:00.002+01:00

We are meeting in the library centre on Thurs 29th.

Unto the End of the Earth

2010-07-22T23:33:00.002+01:00

Joe and Lily are going... Joe to China this weekend, Lily in a month or so to Siberia, thence China.

The group, which was good this evening, will be poorer for their departures.

Rain, rain go away come again another day

2010-07-21T10:34:00.003+01:00

We are meeting in the library centre tomorrow, Thurs 22nd. BBC News says it will rain hard.

STOP PRESS!

2010-07-16T09:57:00.002+01:00

News just in:

Clare went home last night after the group and had a baby!

He is called Milo and came in at 5.7 pounds and is doing fine.

Mother also well, if a bit shellshocked...

Congratulations to all concerned from all of us at wgwg

Hurrah!

You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave

2010-07-16T09:32:00.004+01:00

Lynsey is back in London for good, Andrew only for the week, but it was great to see them both back where they belong, at the writer's group.

Nine of us altogether last night, producing amongst other things:-

1. Four very good but, it has to be said, fairly depressing poems - two each from Lynsey and Lee
2. A discourse on the nature of writing from Maureen
3. A further chapter of Lily's story set in Russia
4. The final chapter of Claire's American story
5. A tongue in cheek piece about possible future developments in the field of human intelligence from Andrew

Then, as predicted, off to the pub, where we were treated, at about midnight, to an off the cuff rap poem by some bloke at the bar, called Terry.

Where it's at...

2010-07-13T20:49:00.002+01:00

This Thursday, we will mostly be meeting at Willesden Green Library. We are not sure if we will be in the upstairs or the downstairs room. Just follow the signs - look on it as a sort of find the Writers' Group game - fun eh! And of course, we are not forsaking the pub altogether, we confidently expect to end up in the pub.

tonight

2010-07-08T23:22:00.001+01:00

First it was too hot, then it was too cold.

I'd say we were frosted with sweat. But I'd get shouted down for mixing metaphors.

Rain, rain, go away, come again another day

2010-07-07T09:58:00.000+01:00

It might rain tomorrow. Or it might not.

In any case, we have booked a room at the library centre, which is where are meeting.

Groupus Interruptus

2010-07-02T10:18:00.004+01:00

Hitherto
It had been too good
To be true

Last night
One noise
Gave us such a fright

Mary was reading
And crash
Suddenly impeding

The song blared
From the stereo
Our hearing impaired

The nice barmaid
Smiled and said sorry
Returning us to the fade

Of a man's sight
Whose wife wore spandex
What a night!

Rising Sun on Thurs 1 July

2010-06-30T15:41:00.002+01:00

It promises to be even warmer tomorrow... we are definitely in the Rising Sun's beer garden.

For new people, this is about 2 minutes away from the library centre at 25 Harlesden Road, WillesdenNW10 2BY at: http://www.ukpubfinder.com/pub/10483.

See you there!

Al... Al Fresco

2010-06-28T16:29:00.002+01:00

Willesden Library Centre has kindly agreed that we can contact them by 10.30am on Wednesdays to book the room - this means that Anne/Sam/I will make a decision then as to whether we are in the Rising Sun or the room - please keep an eye on this blog as we will not be emailing everyone every week.

Where have all the planes gone?/Long time passing

2010-06-25T09:32:00.001+01:00

We wondered where the planes were that had plagued us last week.

We wondered why the pub's ventilation exhaust, that had rumbled at us last week was silent.

Where were all the other punters, popping out into the garden for a smoke and a (very loud) chat?

We had nine people, and eight had brought stuff to read out. Poor Steve, Mary and Joe did not get a chance... so they will go first next week.

A damn good evening.

We are meeting in the Rising Sun tonight

2010-06-24T10:51:00.002+01:00

Gorgeous weather today, so we are meeting again in the beer garden of the Rising Sun ( 25 Harlesden Road, London NW10 2BY), which is literally 2 minutes from the library centre.

Although there was noise from planes overhead and some of the other regulars were at times a little noisy, we think it beats the hell out of the airless room in the library centre.

See you at 8pm!

Summer in the City

2010-06-18T10:10:00.003+01:00

Well, you could knock me down with a feather - you just have to mention the possibility of holding the group in the pub garden - and twelve people turn up! Despite the occasional airplane noise and the odd patron wondering into the garden to discuss Eastenders at full volume, holding the group
al fresco turned out to be a great idea which we will no doubt re-visit.

Whilst sitting in the garden we were taken to visit a sultry summer camp in America and a model posing for an art class in a cold room, we then met two ballet students, a terrorist and a woman wrestling with the philosophy of altruism. We also welcomed two new members and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, you should have been there. Perhaps next time eh?

If the sun is shining next Thursday, we will decided around four pm whether wgwg will be in the library as usual or at the pub, so watch this space for more instructions, we wouldn't want you to go to the pub by mistake...

Group tonight might be in a beer garden

2010-06-17T16:21:00.001+01:00

Look out for posters tonight if the glorious weather holds, we might be in the beer garden of a local pub, which is a 3 minute walk from the library centre...

Bookstock

2010-06-15T19:19:00.005+01:00

We are stardust, we are golden, and we like a good read.

The North London Reading Group has taken over a pub in central London on Saturday 31 July for their first literary evening - "Bookstock!"

Eight very varied local authors will be reading, performing and discussing their works in a beautiful Edwardian room in the Blue Posts pub in W1. In between there will be comedy, competitions, reasonably priced beverages (courtesy of Mr. Samuel Smith), and plenty of socialising and book swapping.

Lee Webber, Bilal Ghafoor and Clare Sandling of the Willesden Green Writers' Group
Crime author Leigh Russell
Nikki Dudley
Clive Brasnett
Bobby the Punk
Rick Senley

Download a flyer (PDF, 513KB)

Whether you are a member of one of the 10 North London Reading Groups or just fancy a bit of literary action, make sure you join us — the entertainment kicks off at 7:30 at The Blue Posts, 81 Newman Street, W1T 3EU. Tickets are just £5 in advance from the North London Reading Group home page (or £6 on the door).

Numbers

2010-06-11T01:01:00.004+01:00

8 chairs

6 people

3 readings

£3

1 pint

Thursday 3 June 2010

2010-06-04T08:26:00.005+01:00

Tonight, we were taken to Ireland (on the the day after the night before) and a poem transported us to a busy railway station in Japan where a man waits for his lover, hoping he will still recognise her when she finally arrives. We ended the night in a typical London school.

Talking of travel, our lovely globetrotting Joe is off again, this time to work in Istanbul, we wish him well and will all miss his poetry, his prose and his company ( but we trust he will come back again - he always does!)

And who says no one turns up at wgwg when the sun's out - we had another big group tonight, 10 people including two new members, one of whom was brave enough to read on her first visit to wgwg - well done Jane!

Big Crowd in tonight

2010-05-28T00:51:00.002+01:00

Biggest crowd in ages tonight - 11 people and more readers than we could fit into the two hours.

It was really nice to hear so many good pieces and a pleasure that everyone there contributed useful comments.

The writers tonight took us to the sea, to a canal then a car owned by an onanist...

Extracurricular activity: The Golden Hour on 24 May

2010-05-21T10:52:00.002+01:00

Fans of poetry and prose should check out The Golden Hour: a cabaret evening of literary delights. Visit the Green Note (106 Parkway, Camden NW1 7AN), readings from Erica Duffy, Jane Flett, Jason Morton and Ryan Van Winkle, a selection of live music and a Paper Cinema.
£5 admission, show starts at 7pm.

Oh yeah, also, Sam Taradash, one of the WGwg writers, will be reading something. So there's a "local" boy in this international literary brouhaha.

Short but sweet

2010-05-20T23:46:00.004+01:00

There were nine people in tonight but only two readings, which was fine as these took over an hour to listen to and discuss.

Readings about Japan and Pakistan...

A new member came along, who seemed very charming and we were glad to see a couple of people who had not been in a while.

The room is getting hot - we might try to move to the Rising Sun beer garden when it starts roasting... will keep everyone posted.

Bilal

Thursday 13 May 2010

2010-05-13T23:51:00.002+01:00

A new chap emailed us today and we naturally invited him to come along. Anne and I were there before 8pm. He turned up at 8 and we chatted... at 8.20 it looked like it would just be the three of us (embarrassing). Luckily, a couple of other members joined us and it turned out to be a good session with three readings. Anne wrote a poem called an amusing pantoum which I had to look up just before she read it out (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantoum).

A few other members have said they will come next week.

-Bilal

Join us for a joyful celebration: A new book

2009-05-16T15:15:00.009+01:00

What We Were Thinking Just Before The End

Meet the authors and hear some mind-blowing extracts and after the interval a rare treat — a young author finding great international success: Joe Dunthorne*, author of "Submarine", for reading and Q&A.

28th May, 8pm
Willesden Green Library Centre, Studio 2.
95 High Road
Willesden, London
NW10 2SF

Admission is free. Refreshments will be provided, and plenty of opportunity to get a copy of the stunning (we're prejudiced) new book. WGwg's previous collection won a major national award, but we're too modest to mention it (see links, everywhere!).

* Joe Dunthorne has been compared to a new J. D. Salinger, by no less than a reviewer in the New York Times. The same comparison has been drawn by other reviewers, so don't miss this chance to meet this interesting young author. (www.joedunthorne.com)

Now on Facebook

2009-04-01T16:28:00.001+01:00

You can now join the WGwg Facebook group.

Logo

2008-06-13T23:38:00.002+01:00

I made this cos I was bored out of my brain. By made it, I mean, I nicked the photo online the put the letters on via photoshop. But it's still pretty.

Ice Bears and Kotick

2008-03-02T01:06:00.005Z

Peter Webb put on an enthralling one man show based on his record-making circumnavigation of Spitsbergen in an open boat (Ice Bears and Kotick, Seafarer Books 2008)

For this Thursday only: Arctic adventure

2008-02-26T00:58:00.004Z

As featured on Midweek with Libby Purves, BBC Radio 4

Call for submissions

2007-08-15T14:55:00.001+01:00

Announcing a new anthology, working title "the new anthology". The previous anthology published by Willesden Writers' Group won first prize in the national Arts Council England/Raymond Williams award. Here's what you need to know, a proclamation by order of the most high Secretary:

1. Closing date is 5pm Wednesday October 31^st. If we don't receive your entry by then, it ain't going in the book, no matter how good it is.

2. Entries will be accepted from both present and past members of the group.

3. Entries can be in the form of a short story, a chapter of a book, poetry or any other form of creative writing.

4. You can submit up to 3 poems (up to 50 lines each) and/or 2 pieces of prose up to 4,000 words.

5. Entries must be typed on A4 paper, double spaced and handed in at the Writers Group on a Thursday. If you are not able to get to the writers group, then please email your submission to mullaneanne@aol.com.

6. Please feel free to come along between now and Oct 31^st in order to get feedback from the group on the piece you are working on for submission.

7. If your work is accepted for inclusion, we will then require it in a form that can be downloaded onto a computer i.e. sent online or via a floppy disk.

8. If you wish your manuscript and/or floppy disk returned to you, you must either pick it up from the workshop after the judging, or enclose an SAE with your submission.

9. By sending in a submission you are agreeing to your work being edited and also to it being published in the new anthology, however, you retain copyright.

10. Successful submissions will be notified in the New Year, the judges' decision is final.

11. Don't forget to put your name, address and contact details on your entry!

May the best be included and may you get painful whitlows if you send in rubbish.

Respect festival: Guests and short story slam

2007-06-30T00:36:00.001+01:00

Guests and 5-minute story slam, suggested theme "Respect". Come to listen and enjoy in our 1002^nd Arabian Night tent, or enter the slam.

You can come just to listen and enjoy or if you wish to enter the slam, please write a 5-minute story and come to Roundwood Park in London NW10 on Sunday, July 8^th after 5pm, and put your name in the hat. Yes a real hat. And a real bell will ensure that you don't go over 5 minutes, if your name is pulled from the hat. And a real literary belle, multi-award winning author Vanessa Gebbie, will pick the winner (guided by the shouts and hollers of your mates). Please copy or forward this announcement to as many people you know as might be interested.

But First

Starting at 5 p.m. we're going to whip the crowd up into a stupor before the slam starts with readings from local writers and special guests. There will be contributors from Willesden Writers Workshop. There will be some poetry from poets in the "Last Night's Dream Corrected" anthology. The "Willesden Herald: New Short Stories" crew with multiple award-winning writers Vanessa Gebbie, Jonathan Attrill and Bilal Ghafoor will lead up to some time about 6:30 p.m. perhaps.

About 6:30 p.m. the contents of the hat will be inspected and this is where your name should be - in the hat - if you want to win the Respect Festival 5-minute short story slam. Names will be pulled from the hat and called in turn to read. The five-minute time will be strictly enforced with the aid of a great clanging bell (a small tinkling one really).

The Slam

We'll take as many 5-minute stories as we can before 7:20-ish (bearing in mind we have to close at 7:30 p.m.) and then Vanessa Gebbie will choose the winner. The judge might be somewhat influenced by rowdy clapping and cheering by the crowd. (There better be a crowd, then.) If there are several all deserving of winning, the one most appropriate for the Respect festival day may be favoured. So, we're not telling you to write on the theme "Respect", but if you do, it won't do you any harm at all (hint, hint).

Brent Respect 2007
The Storytelling Tent, Roundwood Park, NW10
Sunday July 8th, 5 to 7:30 pm

Click here for Brent Respect Festival Programme 2007 including illustrated map of Roundwood Park and the Festival tents, stages, bars etc. (If you come early you can enjoy the whole Sunday starting from 2 p.m.)

This event is also listed as part of the London Literature Festival fringe "London Lit Plus" - so you get to say "I read at the London Literature Festival fringe. C'mon! Wot?

In the News

London's book festival acquires a fringe
"First ever" London literature festival announced
London Literature Festival 2007
London Lit Plus Festival listing for this event

Links

Brent Respect 2007
Willesden Green Writers
RISE: London United Against Racism
London Lit Plus Festival
New Short Stories

Willesden Green Writers podcast series: 1

2007-05-29T01:09:00.001+01:00

Two poems by Daljit Nagra (mp3)

We were honoured to have the celebrated poet Daljit Nagra as special guest in the Metrowords festival Willesden Writers Group event. He read with great gusto and good humour, alternating loud and humourous poems with quieter, touchingly sad ones. The publishers will only allow us to podcast two of the poems, and I have chosen "In a White Town" and "Darling & Me!", very reluctantly having to leave out the other equally brilliant ones, which you can read in Look We Have Coming to Dover! (Faber, 2007).

Subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes (free)
this feed to your own podcast software

Recording of complete event (with Daljit's readings edited down to two out of six, alas) (40 mb mp3, could take a while to download - only practical on broadband). Apart from the poems listed here, Daljit also read "The Speaking of Bagwinder Singh Sagoo", "To the Wealth of India" and "Parade's End".

The complete program:

Welcome and intros (Stephen Moran)
Jeff Achampong reading from a novel-in-progress, working title "Haemoglobin S".
Lynsey Rose reads two poems and an excerpt from newly completed novel.
Claudette Gordon reads four new poems.
Elle Ludkin reads love poems and a journal about a loved one's battle with cancer.
Stephen Moran reads five poems: "To the People of New Earth", "Willesden Sunset, January", "Lines Between Day and Night", "The Dolls' Hospital" and "Inisheer".
Dale Arndell reads a short story.
(At last!) Daljit Nagra, reading from "Look We Have Coming to Dover!"

Metrowords Festival 2007 Presents…

2007-04-25T13:10:00.001+01:00

WILLESDEN GREEN WRITERS' WORKSHOP
WITH SPECIAL GUEST DALJIT NAGRA
Willesden Green Library, Thursday, 24th May 8 - 10 pm

Local poet Daljit, has achieved the almost un-precedented feat of having his first volume of poetry published by Faber & Faber, Britain’s leading publisher of poetry. His collection is called, ‘Look we have coming to Dover!’ and many of the poems revel in the linguistic quirks of the British Asian scene.

Members of the Willesden Green Writers’ Workshop, whose anthology, ‘The Monkey’s Typewriter’, won the Arts Council’s coveted Raymond Williams prize in 2005, will be joined by Daljit for an exciting evening of poetry and prose.

BOOKS ON SALE, REFRESHMENTS PROVIDED AND IT’S FREE!

Poster

New Writing Ventures 2007 announced

2007-04-20T10:00:00.001+01:00

"New Writing Ventures, the awards that offer creative support and prepare writers for publication, is open for entries for 2007 on Thursday 19 April. Offering £3,000 to each winner in the categories of fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction, as well as a year-long creative mentoring programme with The Literary Consultancy, and £1,000 to the runners up, New Writing Ventures has a proven track record of achieving results.

"Through a programme of mentoring and a high-profile awards ceremony in London, this is the only prize which brings publishers and agents direct to the writers’ doors. As part of the prize package, New Writing Ventures will introduce winning and shortlisted writers to the movers and shakers of the publishing world through its exclusive networking event. Writers will also have their work sent out to personally selected contacts, assisting in the tricky process of looking for a deal. "

The 2007 awards are open for entry from 19 April. Closing date is Thursday 31 May 2007.

Judges:

Fiction: novelist, Louise Doughty; novelist and teacher, Ardashir Vakil; and Literary Editor of the Daily Mirror, Henry Sutton.

Poetry: poet and teacher, Mimi Khalvati; poet and author, Owen Sheers; writer and Literary Editor of The Times, Erica Wagner.

Creative Non-Fiction: writer and journalist, Giles Foden; journalist, birder and author, Mark Cocker; and Vesna Goldsworthy, writer and lecturer in English at University College London.

(More)

Invitation

2007-04-15T17:02:00.001+01:00

Metrowords & New Short Stories

Award-winning book, free

2007-02-14T17:36:00.001Z

Due to a misplaced sixth zero, printers delivered ten times too many copies of the Arts Council award-winning anthology "The Monkey's Typewriter". After a failure of sense of humour on the part of the delivery man, several people have been immured in their homes behind walls of boxes. Please help rescue them by taking one of the books, gratis. (Request details)

Workshop downstairs (Feb. 15th)

2007-02-13T17:36:00.001Z

This week's workshop will most likely be downstairs in the room near the security desk / Brent museum area. It's because upstairs is hosting an evening with Stella Duffy, which will be too noisy for us. Not sure how noisy she...er, let's not go there. Then again, ours might be too noisy. Unless we're doing that silent reading thing again.

For handing out by beady-eyed fanatics

2007-02-11T01:58:00.001Z

From the propaganda secretary

A bit like the Pony Express, but not very

2007-01-24T18:39:00.001Z

[insert picture of My Little Pony]

Last week it was a devastating storm, not long ago there was a tornado, and this week it's snow, but nothing ever stops the workshop (except devastating storm, last week). Hopefully, the ponies will not slip in the snow this week.

Storm in a teacup

2007-01-19T13:54:00.000Z

For years people have sneered at me for living in Willesden. Imagine how I happy I was then, when yesterday the storm wreaked havoc, death and destruction... almost all my work colleagues had trouble getting home... and they were green-eyed with jealousy when they realised that my beloved Jubilee line was still working.

On the other hand, I did get mugged on my way home from the tube.

Welcome

2007-01-19T13:04:00.000Z

Please return to "Willesden Green Writers: News" for the latest news about workshops and events.