torringtonwriters started life as Torrington First Thursday Writers Group over 25 years ago. Initially the group was a Plough driven enterprise and met in the Plough gallery.
However the group tends to attract folk of “riper years,” as it says in the Prayer Book, and also members who work part time, or on a volunteer basis. It was decided that afternoon meetings would suit many of us better. Since venues are still hard to come by in the town we could not manage to keep the tradition of First Thursday going so we have now become “torringtonwriters” – the same as our website address.
The summer prior to the pandemic we were fortunate that the Council Chamber became available and now meet there, above the Library, on the last Tuesday afternoon of each month at 2.00 p.m, aiming to finish at 4.00 p.m. We make a minimal charge of £2.
By default I took over the organising the group about five years ago. The format has remained largely the same for twenty odd years. Each month we write to a set subject – in any form – poem, prose, short story, monologue, anything, but we try to limit this to 1,000 words or thereabouts, and we read out our contributions at the meeting.
If you have not written to the subject then you are welcome to bring a piece you have written on another subject or just tell us what you have been doing on the writing front over the previous month. Part of the meeting is also given over to Recommended Reads where we talk about books read by members over the previous month or so – nevertheless we are always open to new suggestions.
We have also written three “Round Robin or “Pass the Parcel” stories (where several of us have combined to write a story passing it from person to person to add a part). “Joy to the World” is included on the website. This tends to happen during the fallow period around Christmas time since the group does not meet in January.
To avoid possible embarrassment, or offence to other members relating to subject matter or content,, we operate a Code of Conduct also available on the website.
I like to keep the email addresses and phone numbers of members and hope that you do not mind the other members knowing them. However if you would rather not have your details circulated then let me know.
My name is Stephanie Easton (Stef) and my phone number is 01805 622688 and I can also be reached at stefton@aol.com. Our website is torringtonwriters.co.uk.
torringtonwriters 