The Room to Write

It's always a pleasure to step into the WCAT (Wakefield Community Access Television) Studios tucked behind the high school where visitors are surprised to see such a professional and impressive space dedicated to film and audio media.   During my most recent visit to the studios I interviewed local writer, illustrator and animator Sarah Lynne Reul .  Sarah is one of only a few illustrators I have interviewed in the space and so I was eager to learn more about how she creates the characters readers see in her many published books for children, including:  The Breaking News, Allie All Along, Nerp!, Farm the Farm, Pet the Pets and her Fall 2022 release of Bubbie & Rivka's Best Challah Ever (So Far!) . We talked about how all of us often start out liking to draw as children, but how as we get older we draw less and less until we're convinced we don't like to draw or that we can't draw well. Sarah's offers viewers inspiring advice about how much practice plays a...

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...

Sometimes it's simply a case of being surrounded by creative people and trying to come up with a way to collaborate in order to use their various super powers to make the group, as a whole, stronger. It's fun when we connect with other creative minds. And so that's how last week's mini-photo-shoot-fundraiser for The Room to Write came to be. TRtW is a smally but mighty, local non-profit. Together with two more mighty, local businesses: Ally Houghton Photography and Whitelam Books --the plan for a fun photo shoot was hatched. Writers and artists need head shots (a nice, professional photograph of themselves) and yet writers and artists tend to be a bit humble and shy, which is often their biggest barrier to actually getting one done. Often a writer or artist wants to be seen through the art they create--to remain off-camera. The other two barriers keeping local writers and artists from getting a professional photo of themselves taken are not knowing where to find a phot...

Need a professional headshot?  Headshots. You've heard about them--you've seen them, but how does one go about finding a photographer to take one and how much?! Maybe you got a headshot ten years ago and you'd like an updated photo, or you'd like a more serious photo, or a sillier photo . . .  Ally Houghton Photography is supporting TRtW by donating time and talent to provide professional, affordable headshots for local writers and artists and all the proceeds go toward supporting TRtW's writing programs.  Click here to sign up for a 10-minute shoot slot between 6pm - 8pm on May 12, 2022. Every writer and artist should have a high-quality, digital head shot to add to a website, social media page, blog or book cover. Special thanks to Whitelam Books for providing our "studio" space. What better backdrop for your photo: a bookstore. If weather permits, you can pick a spot outside using the nearby park as your backdrop or the brick wall of the building, etc. ...

  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...

THANK YOU TO THE SAVINGS BANK!! The Room to Write is so grateful for the ongoing support we receive from our community.  The Savings Bank has been a reliable supporter for our youth programming in the past and was right there to support our more recent efforts to create writing programming for Seniors and Veterans in the north of Boston region. Bob DiBella, left, President of The Savings Bank, and Raichelle Kallery, Executive Vice President – Senior Retail Banking Officer, far right, recently presented a $500 donation to (from left to right) Linda Malcolm, Coordinator of Senior and Veterans Programming; Emily Seward, Vice President; and Colleen Getty, President.

We're going back to our roots!   In February 2017 The Room to Write hosted its first-ever Writers and Illustrators Meet & Greet at the Boys & Girls Club of Wakefield where writers and illustrators of all genres and levels were invited to meet up and get to know other creative minds in the north of Boston region.  Five years later on Monday, April 11 th --since so much feels like starting over again these days--we are returning to where it all began. Stop in anytime between 6:30pm and 8:30pm. At that very first Meet & Greet we encouraged writers, illustrators, book sellers, librarians, and lovers of words in general to join us for casual conversation about writing and illustration. Join us! Attendees are encouraged to bring writing samples, art samples, books or just show up to connect with local writers and illustrators at the Boys & Girls Club of Wakefield located in the Americal Civic Center at 467 Main Street in Wakefield, MA . In addition, we would lov...