Cleckheaton Writers Group (CWG) met for the first meeting of 2026 on Monday 12 January with Barbara, Karen and Kathy in attendance, Michelle, Molly, Paul and Reuben having passed on their apologies.
WIP updates: Since the last meeting, Karen had entered the Discoveries Prize with her new WIP. Kathy is hoping to kick start her writing again this year. Barbara had added to some previous WIPs and written more on her care home/how to do it memoir. She also hopes to write some poetry and short stories/fiction and will look into it on TikTok to make a collection.
Events: Anna Chilvers has some workshops starting in January (details of which were attached the agenda).
Writing Plans: Karen hopes to write some more on Touchdown her current WIP whilst she awaits hearing back from the two agents she submitted to. Barbara will type some stuff up properly instead of scribbling it in books/bits of paper. Kathy has a printed form and will have a go at typing them up, including her poem on 1st dates which has a Pam Ayres type rhythm going and other stuff she found such as Queen Bee and An Ode to Dwayne Dibbley which she brought for feedback.
Writing challenge: January theme is Anti-climax.
Feedback sessions:
Barbara shared a short story entitled Rough Diamond which was partly true as her MC is based on a student when Barbara was doing her first year of teaching at Boston Lincolnshire at an all girls secondary modern. It was set in the late 70s and CWG members felt it had a lovely twist ending and was a poignant treatise on poverty with humour to counteract the sad.
Kathy shared her Ode to Dwayne Dibbley, Part I The Wonder Year. CWG members loved the humour and were transported to how they felt on a first date. We look forward to hearing the other parts.
Karen shared the first two chapters of Touchdown as she had recently received mixed feedback at an online critique group. CWG members disagreed with the online feedback as they felt the dialogue worked well and the story drew you in to the characters straight away but agreed there should be more explanation of the course the FMC is on and show more in the beginning that the story is not set in the US.
The next meeting will take place on Monday 26 January at 5.30pm at Cleckheaton Library where we hope to welcome a new member, Kelvin.
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