Writing Buddies - A great success!

Well, here we are, the first Writing Buddies. As you can see, there were 10 of us, 8 published writers and 2 aspiring, all with great plans and lots of interest in all aspects of the writing business.

Subjects discussed included the loneliness of the isolated writer, markets - which I will be exploring for the group and bringing suggestions to further meetings, writing associations and societies and a resume of the writing accomplishments of each of the group.

Two ladies from WiS - Writers in Southampton - turned up and told the group about themselves. WiS is a group of published writers who meet on the first Thursday of every month at the Richmond Pub in Portswood. The group is open to all published writers, who receive news of local literary events and can participate in discussions and hear guest speakers. Please contact me if you are interested in details of this group and I will put you in touch with them.

All agreed that having coffee and a chat in Borders was a good idea and there was much laughter amidst the more serious talk.

The next meeting is in two weeks time, on Friday 5th June at 2pm, at the Borders bookshop in Southampton. Join us, you will be very welcome!

Writing Buddies will launch this afternoon!

Yes, today is Writing Buddies day! Can't wait! I will be taking my camera along and recording the event for posterity, so watch this space for up to the minute news of the first meeting.

It will be interesting to see who comes along. As the group is aimed at anyone with an interest in writing, I am hoping that the first participants will be an eclectic mix of personalities.

More later!

Writing Buddies on Borders' website!

Writing Buddies is now being advertised on the Borders website. This is good news indeed. As the days rush by to the first meeting, interest is reaching epic proportions. I hope that come Friday, we have a nice sprinkling of interested writers just ready for a cuppa and a chat.

I'll have my camera with me to record the event for posterity and this blog. I look forward to meeting YOU there!

Writing Buddies, stirring up interest!

Writing Buddies is starting to attract attention.

My friend and colleague, Pam Whittington, who has been my right hand in helping to set up Writing Buddies, will be there for the launch on Friday, 22 May. Pam is a local historian, short story writer and novelist. She is a member of the Society of Woman Writers and Journalists and Flair for Words.

Janie and Cass Jackson are also coming. They are the authors of more books than I care to count and the founders of Flair for Words. I was recently at the Flair 21st birthday 'Pow-Wow' in Bournemouth, when we celebrated 21 years of success. It will be great to welcome them to Writing Buddies.

Rob Innis, feature writer for The Inland Magazine magazine in Spain, short story writer, editor of the Writers Bureau student magazine, Chapter and Verse, and Deputy Chairman of the Torrevieja Writers Circle, has blogged about the launch and sent best wishes for our success, as has Simon Whaley, author, photographer, traveller, Writers Bureau tutor and good friend. For some reason I cannot get the link to Simon's blog to work correctly. His site is: http://simonwhaleytutor.blogspot.com

I will, of course, also be there. For those interested, my name is Penny Legg. I am a freelance writer, photographer and editor. A member of the Society of Woman Writers and Journalists and Flair for Words, I edit The Woman Writer, the Society's magazine. I am currently working on a book, Folklore of Hampshire, for The History Press, to be published in July 2010.

Writing Buddies is open to everyone with an interest in writing. Come along to Borders in Southampton at 2 o'clock on Friday, 22 May 2009, and join us for a cuppa and a chat. It's free, just pull up a chair!

Welcome to Penny Legg's 'Writing Buddies'

Welcome to this, the first blog on the new Writing Buddies blog site.

I have had to call the site Penny Legg's Writing Buddies because someone else had already got the Writing Buddies blog name. Shame, but no hard feelings!

So, what is this all about? Penny Legg's Writing Buddies are a group of professional and aspiring writers who meet for an informal cuppa and a chat at Borders bookshop in Southampton, every other week. Our first meeting will be on Friday 22 May 2009, at 2pm.

We are not a writing circle and so we do not read our own work, nor do we offer critique or proof reading services. Instead, we chat about anything writing related, from market news to current successes, problems to overcome, plots to move forward and successes to share. Anything in fact that the writers meeting that week want to talk about.

It will be fun and free. So, if you find yourself in Southampton and want to join in, pull up a chair and enjoy!