June 2025 Meeting

British Ironworks - Oswestry

High Town Writers’ Workshop

Meeting: 7pm 24 June 2025

Venue: The Spirit Room, Peepo’s High Street Bridgnorth

Present: Jennie (Chair), Adam, Suzi, Irena, Anne, John, Ruth

Apologies: Liz, Sue, Stuart

 

Minutes

Jennie thanked Liz (not present) for continuing the public HTW blog (hightownwriters.blogspot.com) and thanked Suzi for her blog which she explained is private and can only be accessed by the password from Suzi. Suzi says it is successful and it is there for any member of HTW to use. The idea of the private blog is to receive feedback from any member on writing /parts of writing, posted.

 

HTW Workshop: Saturday 12 July 2pm led by Irena

Subject: IS THERE POETRY IN ALL OF US?

Cost: participants to share the £42 room hire between them

 

Kay’s Poetry evening: Theme Summer; Wednesday 16 July

Venue: 7.30pm Presteigne Memorial Hall

Cost: £7.50

Contact: hightownwriters@gmail.com if you wish to go. If you are able to take anyone who has no car or isn’t able to drive that would be helpful.

Suzi and Ruth are judging poetry already submitted but prose/poetry can be taken to read out if selected randomly on the night.

 

Stuart’s summer party for HTW: date to be fixed at next meeting

We are proud to hear that Irena is to study for an MA in Creative Writing 

We also wish to congratulate Anne on reaching 3 score years and 10 on 27th July. 

Two great achievements!

 

Note: Former member Alex Honeybourne asked for donations to dog-appeal but the link is not to be circulated as it is not writing- related.

 

Workshop

Subject: A Promise

Jennie spoke again about ‘Hooks’ brought initially to her attention by Irena. A ‘Hook’ is an opening sentence (or more) that draws you into a piece of prose, a short story, poem or novel, making you want to find out more. Jennie read a few examples and the group then created their own Hooks based on ‘A Promise’ leading into a paragraph which introduced and developed a character or something abstract. Each then wrote a further paragraph to show the development of that character towards the end of the work. Jennie said that those who prefer to write poetry could use the same approach writing first a key Hook and then a first and last verse describing a character or, if preferred, something abstract.

 

In a very short time, everyone produced interesting and exciting Hooks followed by paragraphs with extremely well- developed characters.

 

Next month’s homework: to fill out the story, prose or poem on A Promise, incorporating the Hook and paragraphs already written. The group should feel free to change and improve their original work!

 

Last month’s homework: ‘Sleep’. Those members of HTW who had written work on this subject set by Liz, read out their varied and fascinating writing. Adam wrote an acrostic based on Tywyn Wales. Ruth and Irena read their beautiful poems and John A-S read a weird and wonderful poem he had rushed off that afternoon Suzi read a Haiku and a poem she had written, both excellent, then had to go. Anne brought her guitar and played and sang her own song. She had written both words and music and it was lovely. 

 

Tributes:  for Suzi, Ruth and John who have recently had work either published or credited. John’s work went into the publication, ‘West of the Clee’

 

Next meeting: Tuesday 22 July 2025

Chair: tbd