Regular schedule

Please make sure you can and will abide by our group rules and our rules for readings before attending a meeting.

Our regular meeting schedule is:

• from 6:15 pm till 7:15 pm
• the first Wednesday of the month
• in Prosper

What to expect

Our meetings generally follow the following agenda:

1. Introductions and progress reports We start our meetings by going round the group, introducing ourselves and our writing if there are new members, along with giving a brief progress report of how our writing has gone since we last met. If you haven't done much writing, don't worry: it happens to us all. And there's always this month!
2. Free-writing session When we all know each other, we'll have a free-writing session using a prompt. The prompt can be an object from the bag of goodies, three words from a random word generator, a given situation, a scribble chat with a character or something else entirely. The point of the prompt is to start you off. It doesn't matter if you mention the prompt or not: whatever is sparked by it is what you should write. The only way you can fail this exercise is not to write anything at all. Even one sentence is a success.
3. Readings Possibly the best part of the meeting is hearing our members read what they've written to the group. Please familiarise yourself with our rules for readings, which are there for the benefit of everyone in the group: we aim to be a safe space for everyone, whether it's first draft or final draft.
4. Discussion Next, we'll discuss any problems that we might have with our writing, bouncing ideas for solutions off each other, and seeing where we end up. Some of our members have had success with this. Unfortunately, we might not always be able to help, but, sometimes, just saying the problem out loud can help solve it. We also celebrate any wins we've had that we didn't mention in our progress reports.
5. Workshop Occasionally, we'll have a workshop session instead of or as well as the discussion, where we might go through a particular aspect of writing, sometimes with exercises, sometimes not. These are usually met positively.
6. Any other business Finally, we'll discuss any other business before we end the meeting.

If the sound of that floats your writing boat and you agree to follow the group rules and the rules for readings, then why not come along to our next meeting?

What to bring

• Writing materials We're a writing group, so we'll be writing! You'll therefore need to bring some writing materials with you. Bring whatever suits you best, whether it's a pen/pencil and paper, a laptop (bear in mind there's not much space for laptops and sockets are limited) or even your phone.
• Something you've written to read out (optional) If you want to read your work out out, bring a piece of writing no longer than that specified in our rules for readings.
  We aim to be a safe space, so you needn't fear any negativity. We know reading our work to other people can cause anxiety; we want you to feel as comfortable as possible if you do read.
  Reading your work is strictly optional, and we never expect someone at their first meeting to read.
• Your creativity You'll need it during the free-writing session and during any discussion.

How to find us

We're grateful to Prosper for hosting us. Prosper is An independent, plant-based, well-being coffee shop in the heart of Ely, set just inside Fresh., a Multi-award winning hub for dance, fitness & wellness. We'd love it if you could support Prosper by buying a delicious drink or a tasty treat.

Please arrive in time to get yourself settled with your refreshments before the meeting starts – the coffee machine is very loud!

Prosper's address is:
16–18 Broad Street, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB7 4AH

The Google Map below shows the location of Prosper:

Travelling to Prosper by car

Free parking is available in car parks. The closest to Prosper is Forehill Carpark, which has vehicular access on Broad Street adjacent to Prosper.

• https://www.eastcambs.gov.uk/parking/car-parks-ely

Travelling to Prosper by train

Prosper is a 10–15-minute walk from station.

• live arrivals: https://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/ldbboard/arr/ELY
• live departures: https://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/ldbboard/dep/ELY

Travelling to Prosper by bus

The bus stops near and opposite Cardinals Way are the closest to Prosper.

The bus stops on Market Street are a 5–10-minute walk away from Prosper.

• https://bustimes.org/localities/ely-cambs

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We hope to see you on Wednesday 5 June 2024!