The Room to Write

We were so pleased to see some early-birds at our most recent quarterly Writers and Illustrators Meet & Greet on Thursday, January 18th from 8am to 10am at Brothers Deli-Restaurant in Wakefield, MA. What a great way to start off the year and the day!  We love these casual gatherings that always have such a great mix of writers, artists, playwrights and musicians.  The Room to Write's entire Board of Directors was in attendance and Joy and Kathy, members of the Arts Collaborative of Wakefield , attended to share information and gather ideas about upcoming exhibits they are planning to hold at the local Albion Cultural Exchange building in Wakefield. We look forward to sharing information on their "Tell Me a Story" exhibit planned for April when details are available. The group got to know each other over a hot cup of coffee or tea and a delicious mix of freshly baked muffins, a mix of bagels and fresh fruit. A bit thank you to the owners and staff at Brothers Deli-R...

So, what is it that The Room to Write preaches? Write. When in doubt: Write. When you have a moment: Write. If you want change: Write. Don't say you don't know how or you're no good at it or you don't know what to: Write. When you want to express yourself creatively, think comprehensively, share knowledge, create healthy dialogue, connect with others: Write. As Founder and Director of The Room to Write, I have found myself pushing my own personal and professional writing projects to the back of the ever-growing list of "things to do." Finding that work/life balance is difficult for all of us. Making time for yourself when you have a family is a challenge. And saying, "No" doesn't always come easily. The list of responsibilities grows while the number of hours in a day remain the same. Still just the 24. So, we must sit and focus. Decide what we want 2024 to look like for each of us. I have my own website for my own writing and I'd like to sha...

We are waist deep into our Senior and Veterans Writing Workshop series taking place at the Wakefield Senior Center and we are happy to say that fifteen participants showed up for that first introductory session and then returned even after being warned that poetry would be on the menu for the second session. Colleen Getty facilitated the Portrait Poetry workshop and we hear from a reliable source that she is very fond of the poetic form. She actually thinks it's fun and at the very least cathartic .  Participants were walked through a simple brainstorming process and then invited to put words down on paper. It was that simple. Getting what is in your head or heart down on paper where you can shape it in a tangible way using words. Sometimes you really have to hunt for the right word. Throw one out, pick another one up or pull something away so that a word that really works is allowed to shine and make a point. That's poetry. It's the whiskey of the writing world, if you w...

Anytime you can try to block all else out and focus on your writing, that's a good thing. If you can do it with other writers--that's even better! One way to try to surround yourself with other writers and creative minds is to join various groups and participate in creative events or opportunities. SCBWI (Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) is one of those groups that people don't always hear about and then don't know how they didn't know about it after they do. Often times you will need to leave the confines of your home, go out into awkward situations where you don't know people, do your best to be friendly, ask questions and share a bit of yourself. Sometimes you're simply networking, and other times you're actually making friends or colleagues that will be a consistent presence on your journey.  This past weekend I had the good fortune to participate in a Writers' Retreat organized by the wonderful Shawn Anderson , a volunt...

We are so grateful to the Town of Hamilton's Holly Erickson , Wenham Museum's Kristin Noon , and The Room to Write's Linda Malcolm for the generous collaborative spirit that made The Room to Write's July Writers and Illustrators Meet & Greet a success.  Pictured (left to right): Colleen Getty and Linda Malcolm, The Room to Write; Holly Erickson, Town of Hamilton's Patton Homestead; Kristin Noon, Wenham Museum; and Sandra Haupt and Robert Pushkar, writers in attendance. Twelve creative minds came out to gather, connect and enjoy an absolutely beautiful summer evening in the lovely and historically significant Patton Homestead. The inspirational space was made even more interesting by the invitation to take a glimpse into the Archives. Kristin Noon and Maj. Paul Cancelliere answered questions and pointed out highlights.  Learning about the Patton family's military history, vast equestrian knowledge and involvement, passion for sailing, as well as their connec...

TRtW's Gather & Write series is as social as writing gets. Gather and write. People want to write. We are writers of our own admission or perhaps we are hesitant to think of ourselves as such. Maybe we just want to try something new. And, it would be nice to write in the company of others. A designated time and space to set pen to paper or fingers to keyboard.  Writing is so often a solitary art. So many forms of art are solitary. Cerebral. Tapping into that mind of ours requires focus. Usually. But, focusing can be difficult in this day and age. Maybe when we look up from whatever it is we're trying to focus on it might help to see a rolling hill, distant trees--a bit of space. A different setting instead of the same pile of laundry or a new stack of dishes. Inspiration. That's what an artist of any sort needs. Where? How? Perhaps a beautiful old homestead in the pastoral setting of Hamilton, MA might do the trick. I have to say it was beautiful to see so much space a...

  After over two years of not meeting up in person to enjoy the feeling of being in a room filled with people who like to write and create--it felt SO good to be among last night's Meet & Greet group! A little coffee, tea and some sweets and a whole lot of talent, varied experiences and positive energy! The Room to Write's quarterly Writers and Illustrators Meet & Greets are always an inspiration and remind each of us that there really are other people in our communities that love to write in so many different forms and for so many unique reasons.  I think last night set our record for the number of playwrights in the room. I learned about a 10-minute play and it sounds like the theatrical equivalent of poetry. What a wonderful concept!  You had to be there to feel the creative energy and enthusiasm that was filling up the space. It really was refreshing and had a spring vibe to it--a renewal. So, thank you to all who took the extra effort to break out of your co...

I have to admit that I have no problem stepping over the threshold from 2021 to 2022. Much of the past year was like the last few cloudy, dreary days of this year of 2021:  -- Gray, but warmer than expected.  Not necessarily a good thing. Cloudy. Moist. A bit solitary, dankly so. Sluggish -- Someday I will fill some "vacation" days with activity whether it be of the fun or the necessary sort, but these last few days deserved a cozy, lazy resignation. A recovery--the kind you can't rush or pretend away. The kind that proves the old adage: time heals. In 2021 time ticked or often flew by, and I for one couldn't decide whether I regretted the pace either way. It was a year to be gotten through--for me anyway.  But, as a gardener the days that are difficult and that feel like a grind are those I label: Sowing Days. Those who farm or garden know that there are the boring--paint primer--kind of days that don't show tangible progress and sometimes feel like a backward mo...

  Whether you are savoring warm memories of Hanukkah past or looking forward to Christmas ahead, hopefully there is something celebratory each of us can focus on as this year comes to a close and we head toward another new year. I hope and have to believe that the year 2022 will be an improvement in the quality of our lives and contentedness. So much stress, anxiety and patience in the face of difficulty has been a constant that many, if not all, of us have come to just deal with, cope with--expect as "normal." But, it isn't.  If you feel tired. You should. The last two years have been exhausting. We have all been through an extraordinary period of time--of history. Go easy on yourself and those around you. Be kind and feel grateful, but know that you need to heal and it will take time. Create space in the weeks ahead to rest, recover, renew, and maybe do some writing, a little reading, napping--laughing. We are looking forward to 2022 and seeing YOU in the new year!