To be a member all you have to do is show up occasionally, be part of the conversation, offer feedback, and share some of your work. We don’t have any limitation on the style or genre. Fiction or non-fiction. Prose or Poetry. Academic, technical or literary. Being a member simply requires that you are a writer. That means you actually write. It doesn’t have to be ‘good.’ It doesn’t have to be ‘finished.’ It has to be written and shared with the other writers.
That said, there are a few other requirements to be a GOOD member of the Lowell Writers Group.
- You must be kind. Writing is a very raw, naked art. It’s incredibly personal. To share unfinished work requires courage, and it demands respect. We ask that everyone that shows up for a meeting be kind to everyone who has the courage to share what they’re doing with us no matter where they are in their writers journey.
- You must be respectful. The conversations are always lively, and everyone at the table tends to have a strong opinion, but we rarely have any ‘fights.’ The way we do this is by letting people finish what they’re saying, by actively listening to each other and by allowing criticism to be given without becoming defensive.
- You must be Trusting. Sharing unfinished work can be really nerve-racking, being a member of the group means trusting everyone to be honest, fair and kind in their critiques. Trust is difficult, particularly at first, but we all hope we earn your trust as you come to the meetings and interact with the group over time.
- You must meet people where they are. Some people in the group are traditionally published writers, some are new to the writing life. While we don’t allow under-18, some writers in the group are young and some have seen a fair number of summers. Where ever we are at, we ask you to read our work with an open mind, a generous spirit. We are all trying our best to write as well as we possibly can.
Links & Bios
All members are offered a link from this page, and active members are invited to offer a little bio as well. Members involved writing projects, writing groups and other literary events are welcome to submit news updates for what they’re doing and the writers group will do whatever it can to support and promote what members are doing. Active members is anyone that has been to more than 2 meetings in the last calendar year.