Local writer Michelle Greysen didn’t know if Lethbridge had any other writers, so she decided to set up a writer’s group.
“I’m shocked. I didn’t think I’d find so many people. I didn’t do any advertising, I just put up the Facebook group and wrote it on the blackboard at the Penny Coffee House and I had eight people at the first meeting (in February),” said Greysen, who is a freelance writer for numerous magazines and self published a book of poetry in addition to publishing and editing community newspapers including the Calgary Straight. She is currently finishing her first novel.
“ But every meeting there’s more people and it’s not usually people bringing people. It’s people who are complete strangers. It’s unusual because writing is so personal. But it shows how brassy writers can be. When you go to a group where you don‘t know anybody,” she said adding the August meeting, which was held at Henderson Lake Park, attracted 30 writers. It also featured the first people to volunteer to read their works to the group, which is something she’d like to see continue.
The group includes all ages from teens to seniors from all backgrounds plus encompasses all genres and styles including poetry, fiction, non-fiction, playwrights, scriptwriters and even songwriters.
The original intention of the group was to meet on the second Tuesday of every month to discuss writing strategies, techniques and trends and to share works with each other.
However, the different members have branched off into their own little groups according to their interests and styles to workshop each other’s works.
“So we’re going to have each group host one of our meetings so it isn’t just me speaking, so we’ll have themes like fiction,” she said.
“We have four teenaged girls who formed their own group. They’re meeting at the library. It’s really great their parents have been so supportive. And it’s great they have their own group now because some of our material may not be children appropriate,” Greysen continued adding they have ideas like holding a ‘erotica’ themed night, where all of the members will have to write something erotic.
“It’s a really great exercise because you have to go to a different place to write erotica. It may not be children friendly and I don’t want to have to police that,” she said adding she has numerous ideas for the fall including incorporating a five dollar a month membership fee which will give them the funds to rent a room when the group becomes too big to meet at Humpty’s or to bring in speakers or even a hold a writer’s pyjama party where the members with spend the night in a gym writing. They are also discussing holding a writer’s retreat.
The members are also in the midst of compiling a library of all the member’s books and literature on writing which they can share with each other.
“We have all ages, male and female, though we could use a few more men and from all professions. There’s no cookie cutter people here. It’s a fun group of people, it’s not a formal, scholarly, pretentious group with Scotch and cigars. Not yet,” she laughed.
The group also has an active Facebook group under Lethbridge Writer’s Group where the members are starting to post discussions of their genres
The next meeting is Sept. 14 at Humpty’s downtown.
