The Original Writers Group

a place, a space for writers

For the moment, just write. Don’t worry.... you will find better words later.

Welcome

We meet on the first and third Wednesdays of each month from 7:00 to 9:00 at the Battersea Arts Centre on Lavender Hill.

There is a £3 attendance fee that goes towards the room hire. Please note that the meeting room changes according to availability so please check with the Box Office on arrival.


About the Members
We have many members: poets, novelists, playwrights, scriptwriters, historians, philosophers. It is a rich mix and makes a lively evening. We welcome writers from all walks of life as everyone has a point of view, and the more varied these opinions, the richer the experience.

Please do join us. Even if you are just starting out and are just interested in writing, but don't have anything to read, come along and experience the evening. As sometimes the best motivation to writing is to hear how others got there before you.

Rupert Davies-Cooke, Group Moderator


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Latest Activity

Elizabeth Hoey, Tara Whiteson and Clare Fisher joined The Original Writers Group
on Wednesday
Lily Sheehan has set up their private workspace using Huddle Workspaces.
on Tuesday
Brian Kavanagh added a blog post
My Christmas Giveaway this year is a paperback copy of BLOODY HAM and an eBook PDF copy of CAPABLE OF MURDER. Please specify which one you would prefer. This year you must answer a question! Belinda Lawrence's new mystery takes place in an import...
on Monday
Stephen Prendergast has set up their private workspace using Huddle Workspaces.
November 11
Belinda Whitehead added a discussion
Hi All, Was great to be back last night! For those who are interested, the National Novel Writing Website can be found here: http://www.nanowrimo.org/ For anyone who is doing it this year, I'd highly recommend signing up as they send you some r...
November 5
Stephen Prendergast is now a member of The Original Writers Group
November 4
Lindsay Walton is now a member of The Original Writers Group
November 3
Lily Sheehan and Scarlett joined The Original Writers Group
October 30
 

Original Writers News

Next Meeting

Our next meeting is at 7pm Wednesday 4 November.

How is the word count on NaNoWriMo? Mine is dreadful, but that's no surprise. Still, it is great to be there, still writing away. That's why next meeting will be the same format as the last but this time I have branded it! I have divided the evening into "The Reading Room" and "The Writing Room". Meet us at the BAC for next Wednesday's meeting. Decide what you want to do -- (do you want to get some feedback or get a few words under your belt), and join us.

A Message from Nicholas re. ‘Zero Degrees of Separation’

"The BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play transmission date for the three writers' group plays from London, the Isle of Mull, and Ballycastle is Monday 7th Dec at 14:15. ‘Zero Degrees of Separation’ will also be available via the Radio 4 website on 'Listen Again' for 14 days after TX.

"The plays all sound great and go together well as a trio too. Inevitably they've changed a bit in the edit but I think you'll be very pleased with your work when you hear it. I can't send out any preview copies but after TX I'll send each of you an MP3 download which you are free to distribute to those who took part.

"Very many thanks for all your talent and commitment. I do hope you found the project rewarding and fun to be involved with."

The Writers Workshop Evening

Big changes with our move to The Battersea Arts Centre. We are still working out the best format for the evening. Having said that, the first evening was a great success with a lot of discussion around the proposed BBC Radio 4 project and then finishing with two readings from members. Altogether a most enjoyable evening.

I will be keeping a watch on the group's size and make sure that however many members turn up, that we manage to keep the group as vital and dynamic as it has always been. The Caffè Nero sessions helped us to develop the smaller, more intimate groups of writers of three to four writers a table. Somehow I want to keep that in mind as we start our sessions at the BAC.

But as I have said in the past, do bring your work, from working on finished pieces of writing, brainstorming ideas, develop notes, even readings from favourite authors. You can try anything and learn everything.


Bobbie Darbyshire's 'Truth Games'
Congratulations to Bobbie on the launch of her book "Truth Games" by Cinnamon Press. If you pass a bookshop, be sure to pop in and ask them to order up a copy!

"Fantastic story telling, with wonderful characters who you soon feel you’ve known for ever. Set in the 1970s between the advent of the pill and the onset of aids, Truth Games explores the complex relationships between a group of friends in the long hot summers of 75 and 76 and the winter in between. Cleverly observed, the book has laugh out loud moments interspersed by episodes that challenge you to examine your own behaviour when dealing with close friends and those not so close. For those who remember the 70s Bobbie Darbyshire conjurs up lots of memories, from the clothes we wore, to the things we ate and the parties we threw. For those who don’t remember the 70s don’t be put off. There’s as much here that’s as relelvant today as it was back then. The nature of friendship and fidelity between friends as well as between partners. Page turning stuff. Thoroughly deserves a 5 star rating!" Posted on Waterstones Website


Colin Macintyre's 'Island'
Congratulations to Colin on releasing his latest album "Island".

"Although ‘Island’ was recorded on both sides of the Atlantic, it’s West Scotland and An Tobar where the heart of this LP lies. Rootsier than his old band, The Mull Historical Society, and his previous solo LP ‘The Water’, ‘Island’ sees MacIntyre take influence from traditional British folk music in a largely strippeddown effort. This is notable both on the tender ‘The Edge Of Nearly’ and the intensely personal ‘Samuel Dempster R.I.P’. It’s not all stories round the log fire, though; ‘Cape Wrath’ is a stirring conglomerate of strings, dry percussion and brass, whilst the closing ‘Ned’s Song (Brother)’ sees a community choir of An Tobar’s finest bring a well-paced and lovingly-crafted album to a rousing finish." Simon Jay Catling, The-Fly.co.uk

John Rico's Border Crosser
Congratulations to Johnny on the publication of his book 'Border Crosser' published this June by Ballantine Books.

“A timeless story of confounded youth and its eternal struggle for meaning, this book may well signal the birth of a titanic new voice. . . . [Rico’s] precise, evocative prose balances pathos and humor with an almost destructive compulsion for honesty and so much frustrated wit that, even at his most naked and sensitive, he holds nothing sacred.” Publishers Weekly

Richard's short story 'Connie'
And congratulations to Richard Oldale who has just had his short story 'Connie' accepted for publication in 'Debut' magazine.

Till next time.... keep writing

Rupert ( posted 1 October 2009)

Forum

Belinda Whitehead

NaNoWriMo - Weekly Pep Talk 2 Replies

Started by Belinda Whitehead. Last reply by Belinda Whitehead Nov 6.

Nicholas

Radio 4 project - Final script! 4 Replies

Started by Nicholas. Last reply by Nicholas Oct 25.

Becca Thackray

resources 2 Replies

Started by Becca Thackray. Last reply by Craig Oct 5.

Becca Thackray

favourite dialogue - prompted from 'What is good dialogue' 1 Reply

Started by Becca Thackray. Last reply by Nicole Sep 7.

Natalie Gey van Pittius

SW11 Literary Festival

Started by Natalie Gey van Pittius Aug 26.

Blog Posts

Brian Kavanagh

Christmas Giveaway

Posted by Brian Kavanagh on November 16, 2009 at 4:06am

Rupert Davies-Cooke

The amazing rise of Stuff White People Like

Posted by Rupert Davies-Cooke on October 15, 2009 at 7:00am

Brian Kavanagh

Thank you.

Posted by Brian Kavanagh on October 7, 2009 at 10:03am

The Pepys Diary

Wednesday 21 November 1666

Up, with Sir W. Batten to Charing Cross, and thence I to wait on Sir Philip Howard, whom I find dressing himself in his night-gown and turban like a Turke, but one of the finest persons that ever I saw in my life. He had several gentlemen of his owne waiting on him, and one playing finely on the gittar: he discourses as well as ever I heard man, in few words and handsome. He expressed all kindness to Balty, when I told him how sick he is: he says that, before he comes to be mustered again, he must bring a certificate of his swearing the oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, and having taken the Sacrament according to the rites of the Church of England. This, I perceive, is imposed on all, and he will be ready to do. I pray God he may have his health again to be able to do it. Being mightily satisfied with his civility, I away to Westminster Hall, and there walked with several people, and all the discourse is about some trouble in Scotland I heard of yesterday, but nobody can tell the truth of it. Here was Betty Michell with her mother. I would have carried her home, but her father intends to go with her, so I lost my hopes. And thence I to the Excise Office about some tallies, and then to the Exchange, where I did much business, and so home to dinner, and then to the office, where busy all the afternoon till night, and then home to supper, and after supper an hour reading to my wife and brother something in Chaucer with great pleasure, and so to bed.

The BBC Writers Room Blog

UNSOLICITED SCRIPTS: AN UPDATE

Writersroom is updating the policy on what we do and don't accept, and compiling all our guidelines into one set of Terms & Conditions for anyone sending a script in to us. This is where it lives: Terms & Conditions. They will come into effect as of 1 December 2009.

We will now refer writers wherever possible to this information regarding any questions about submitting a script and how the system works. Much of this is brought together from what already exists on the website. But there are some new changes, the main ones being:

  • We will no longer accept unsolicited adaptations
  • We will no longer accept short films - only scripts of at least 30 minutes
  • We will no longer accept scripts from overseas
We will process any of the above that are already in the system, but will not accept any that arrive from 1 December onwards. We will also be updating various other pages on the site to align with the new guidelines, so bear with us while they update - and do tell us if you spot anything we have missed...

Robin Kelly's Writing for Performance

Screenplay Adaptation Contest (USA Only)


It says something that while I'm watching a cheerleader movie instead of saying: "Corr!", "Wha-hey!" and "Hubedah, hubedah!", I'm actually saying:"what a brilliant screenplay!" That's how I felt about "Bring It On". I actually became quite evangelical about it and tried to convert genre snobs.

Well, the screenwriter of that movie, Jessica Bendinger has a new book out called
The Seven Rays and tweeted me about a USA ONLY adaptation contest based on it.

The idea is to read the book and choose a section to adapt into a 2-5 page screenplay. Although you do get the first chapter free on the competition page.


The prizes are a one-on-one script consultancy with Ms Bendinger herself and second prize is an opportunity to pitch a script to Jessica and various industry bods. Final Draft copies go to the runners-up.


Deadline: 15 February 2010.


Fee: $20


More details
 
 

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The Story Behind the Name

"The most original authors are not so because they advance what is new, but because they put what they have to say as if it had never been said before."
J W Goethe

People ask me why call it
"The Original Writers Group?"

It goes back to 2002 when I designed a series of prompt cards called 'The Original Writer's Cards. It was well received but ultimately came to nothing.

I kept the domain name as I thought it kind of cute, and that's why, when back in 2005 setting up this group, I thought "hey, what if I call the group ...."

And that's the story behind the name. I like it because it's aspirational. I suppose it is about finding your own voice and staying true to who you are. And I suppose that's the purpose of the group -- not to change you, but to help you reveal the writer within.

Rupert

The Battesea Arts Centre

The Grade II* listed building which houses BAC, designed in 1891 by EW Mountford, first opened as Battersea Town Hall in 1893. The building was used for over 70 years as council chambers, holding borough meetings, elections and discussions - it was a key focal point essential to the legislative activities within the borough. During both world wars the then Town Hall building was a recruiting station, administrative centre and between 1914 - 1918 used as a conscientious objectors' tribunal site.

During The Second World War the building became an Air Raid Precautions centre, site for rationing control and distributing gas masks and the lower hall was used as an air raid shelter. Its history as a home for the arts began in the early 1900's when the Grand and Lower Halls staged talent contests, traditional jazz performances and musical evenings, taking over the role of the bombed Shakespeare Theatre as a music hall venue for a period during the 1950's.

The 1963 London Government Act reformed London's 83 Metropolitan boroughs, dissolving them into the Greater London Council and 32 London Boroughs. Consequently in 1965, Battersea Borough became part of Wandsworth Borough Council. The building was striped of its role as a borough administration centre. The municipal building became partially unused, with the exception of the Grand and Lower Halls, which continued to hold dances, shows, music, bazaars, wedding receptions and an array of other community events.

In 1967, Wandsworth Borough Council announced that the building's Victorian frontage was to be demolished, to make room for a recreation centre and library. However residents of Battersea demonstrated a deep loyalty towards the building, expressing great public concern with a protest led by the Battersea and Victorian Societies, appealing to the Greater London Council for a preservation order to be placed on the building. At the recommendation of Housing Minister, Anthony Greenwood who was advised by specialists that the building should be listed as one of special architecture and historic interest, asked the Council to reconsider their proposals, which they did providing that a use for the building was found.

The use for the building was found in 1974, when the building was reopened as a community arts centre run by Wandsworth Borough Council, Ê offering a variety of arts and adult education classes and space for local theatre groups to use for rehearsals and performances. However in 1979, the council decided to close the Arts centre as part of a wide-ranging programme of expenditure cuts. In response to the closure, representatives from the arts world and the local community mounted a major campaign of protest.

It was agreed that the arts centre would become an independent organisation with the Borough Council providing an annual grant to cover part of the costs of operating the centre. In 1980, BAC was born.

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