Writers Groups are comprised of several people who get together on a regular basis to share their writing with one another, with the goal of improving the writing of each member.  The pieces are generally read aloud at group meetings.  Members then share their opinions on the strengths of the piece, as well as how it might be improved.  Since groups don’t work without material to read, members should be actively working on a writing project.

Referrals to writers groups are available to CCWC members.  For information on joining the CCWC, please click on "Membership" in the index to the left.

Our current groups are listed below.  If you do not see a group that meets your needs and would like to start one, please contact Ann Specht, thespechts@msn.com (to start a group in the area from Barnstable to Provincetown), or Tom Smith, tewrdsmith@gmail.com (to start a group west of Barnstable, including off-Cape).

For more detailed information on the following groups, please see Group Profiles, below the listings.

Merrimack Valley Writers - New Group!

Location: Lowell/Haverhill area, specific location TBD

Meets: First and third Thursday of each month at 6:30 PM

Genre: Fiction and creative nonfiction, including novels, short stories, column writing, poetry

Contact: Tom Smith, tewrdsmith@gmail.com

West Falmouth Nonfiction Writers Group - Open
Location: West Falmouth
Meets: Third Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm  
Genre: Memoir, history, non-fiction articles or other non-fiction projects
Contact: Tom Smith, tewrdsmith@gmail.com

Advanced Writers Group - Open
Location: Osterville
Meets: Every Tuesday 10 am to noon
Genre: Novelists, short story writers, essayists, poets, and playwrights

Contact: Ann Specht, thespechts@msn.com

Chatham/Hyannis Nonfiction Writers Group - Open
Location: Alternates between South Chatham and Hyannis
Meets: Monthly in the evening; scheduling currently varies based on member schedules
Genre: Memoir and other nonfiction projects

Contact: Ann Specht, thespechts@msn.com

Steeple Scholars - Closed
Location: West Falmouth
Meets: Tuesdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Genre: General fiction (mystery, thrillers, romantic suspense, women's fiction, YA)

Contact: Tom Smith, tewrdsmith@gmail.com

Cape Cod Children's Writers    

Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) – Closed, maintains waiting list

Location: West Falmouth
Meets: First and third Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm
Genre: All types of writing and illustrating for children, including fiction and non-fiction picture books, chapter books, poetry, YA novels, short stories, and youth magazine articles
Contact:  Tom Smith, tewrdsmith@gmail.com

Group Profiles

Merrimack Valley Writers - New Group!

• Skill Level - This group is seeking membership of mixed abilities.

• A writing sample is not required of prospective members.

• The group will meet twice per month to start, and adjust frequency and length of meetings based on member needs.

• The group currently has two members.

• The goal of the group is to treat all available pieces at each meeting

• The length of pieces to be treated at meeting will be about six pages or 1500 words, depending on the number of members and available time.

• Writers will e-mail pieces to be reviewed to all members in advance of the meeting.

• Writers will read their pieces aloud at the meetings, unless he or she would prefer to hear it read by another member.

• Format for feedback will be determined by the members.

West Falmouth Nonfiction Writers Group – Open

• Skill Level:  Mixed; two members have been published, one has a project she's trying to get published, and two are enthusiastic novices.   

• Prospective members are asked to send a writing sample prior to their first meeting. 

• Meetings run from 6:30 to 8:00, but the goal is to expand to two hours with additional members.  If you are interested in this group but are unable to meet at these hours, contact us.  Current members may be able to adjust the meeting time to accommodate new members.

• The group currently has five members, and generally gets three to five per meeting.

• The group is currently able to treat all available writing pieces at each meeting.  

• Members generally present pieces of one or two pages at the meetings, but longer pieces may be presented if they are sent to the rest of the members in advance.

• Pieces are not currently sent to members in advance of meetings, but members may to that if they choose, and should do that for pieces longer than a couple of pages.

• The writer reads the piece to be presented aloud at the meeting, and provides copies to other members to follow along.

• Meetings are informal and very supportive.  Feedback is in the form with which the writer feels most comfortable.  Most prefer an open critique after the piece is read, with the writer answering questions and responding to feedback as it comes up.  One member prefers listening without comment as the others tell what they "heard" in the piece.

Advanced Writers Group – Open

• Skill Level:  Mixed – all are writers who are serious about their writing, most working toward publication.

• A writing sample is not required of prospective members.

• Meetings generally run two hours, but may go over fifteen minutes based on the amount of material to get through.

• The group has twelve active members, and generally gets five or six per meeting.

• The group generally gets through all pieces available for presentation at each meeting.

• Members present pieces that can be read within twelve minutes, perhaps a little longer, depending upon the number of pieces to be treated at the meeting.

• It is preferred, but not required, that writers send their pieces to other members in advance of the meeting.

• Pieces are read aloud by the author at the meeting.

• Feedback is in the form of a give and take discussion.  The writer is often asked to clarify intentions or choice of tense, words, allusions etc.  Although members comment on what is good, the group's operating principle is that it is a given that members are good writers, with a focus on improvement rather than praise.

Chatham/Hyannis Nonfiction Writers Group – Open

• Skill Level:  Polished writers with previous publishing experience or contest recognition. Publishing experience includes books, articles, reviews, marketing and corporate communications materials.

• Non-published writers are asked to submit a writing sample.

• Members meet monthly in the evening for two hours.

• The group currently has five members, and gets three or four at meetings.

• The group is currently able to treat all available writing pieces at each meeting.

• Each member may submit up to ten pages for review at a given meeting.

• Submissions are e-mailed to members in advance to allow time for reading and reflection.

• Pieces are read aloud by the author at the meeting.

• Feedback is informal in an open discussion format. Members support each other by providing honest, constructive input in a positive, nurturing environment.

Steeple Scholars – Closed

• Skill Level:  Intermediate to advanced; none published (alas), but polished.

• A writing sample ir required of prospective members; members who have completed at least one novel are preferred.

• Meetings last three hours.

• The group has six members and normally has five or six per meeting.

• Time is allocated to allow each member to read his/her piece at each meeting.

• No strict restriction on numbers of pages presented at each meeting, but a maximum of ten pages is preferred.

• Pieces to be presented are not sent to other members in advance of the meeting.

• Writer reads his/her own work aloud at the meeting.

• Feedback loop:  focus is on large themes, i.e., dialogue, plot, flow, character. No line editing.  Informal critique style--group leader typically goes first. All may join in including the writer. Critique must be professional and positive, focus on improving the writing or discussing the theme. Author may explain what he/she intended, and ask group for suggestions on specific items if needed.

Cape Cod Children’s Writers

Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) – Closed, maintains waiting list

• Skill Level:  A mix of all skill levels

• Prospective members are not required to send a writing sample.

• The group meets as long as necessary to treat available pieces.

• The group has eight full time members and two alternates.

• The group is limited to eight members so all members are able to have their work reviewed at each meeting.

• Members may present three poems, one picture book, or one chapter of a chapter book at each meeting.

• Pieces are not usually sent in advance of meetings.

• All pieces are read aloud at meetings, by either the writer or another member.

• Each member in turn offers verbal feedback once a piece has been presented.