About Exeter Writers
The group was founded more than 50 years ago and since then has been meeting throughout the year to share its members' writings and opinions and ideas. In July 2007 we changed our name from the Exeter and District Writers' Club to Exeter Writers - see the History link for background.
We meet in central Exeter on alternate Saturdays for a programme mainly of manuscript readings, alternating with outside speakers, competitions, workshops or discussions led by members, with some practical criticism of other writing. We also run a folder system for critiquing members' work. The requirement is not genius, but to be an enthusiastic, committed writer, anxious to improve and to share ideas and advice. At the moment we include novelists, poets, dramatists, and short story writers with a main focus on prose fiction.
We share the more formal offices between us, from Chair to Refreshments (we charge 50p for tea or coffee and biscuits). Nobody is pressed to read their work, just to partake in the friendly atmosphere and the tasks needed to keep the group going.
Since mid-2006 we have also had a Reading Group, membership of which is open only to members of Exeter Writers. The group meets about every six weeks in members' homes and chooses the books to read and discuss on a rota system.
Joining Exeter Writers
We expect that potential members can write to a publishable standard as we do not have the expertise or facilities to run a creative writing course. Writers applying to join are asked to submit:
* Two pieces of writing, maximum 5,000 words together
* If one of these is poetry the other should preferably be prose fiction
* A brief 'writing history'
These will be read by our Reading Committee who will then advise the main committee on whether to accept or reject the person concerned.
While our main focus is, at present, prose fiction, we will accept non-fiction if that is what the applicant will continue to write.
Potential members may attend a meeting so that they too can decide whether or not they wish to join. This should be done by arrangement. The annual subscription is £25.00 (£15 if joining after December)
The Group has set a limit on the maximum number of members at any one time. This is partly for reasons of space but, more important, to ensure that we remain at a size where discussions can be free and open and everyone present can participate. If this limit is reached we are prepared to take membership applications but, if accepted, the applicant will be put on a waiting list.