Cleckheaton Writers Group meeting, Monday 26 January 2026

Cleckheaton Writers Group (CWG) met on Monday 26 January with Elliot, Karen, Kathy, Reuben and new members Kelvin and Karen in attendance.

Karen welcomed Kelvin and Karen to the group and members introduced themselves and their writing experience. Kelvin runs a signs/reprographics business from home, sings and writes poetry and Karen spent 20+ years in education and took early retirement from being an English teacher. Kelvin would like to record his poems as songs one day.

The minutes from the last meeting were passed.

WIP updates: Karen has been working on the MS of one of her CSY business clients. Reuben has been working on half of the second chapter of his thesis and had lots of ideas for other projects, making notes on these. Elliot has finished a short story. Kathy did some work on the January writing theme Anticlimax which fell into an ode but then it started to get a bit deep.

Writing events/competitions/courses: Anna Chilvers is running more workshops, the details of which were shared with the agenda. Write Across Bradford launches on Monday 9 February 2026 and #QuestPit takes place on 31 January.

Writing plans: Karen hopes to write more on her current WIP Touchdown. Kathy wants to write for the January theme - new things and for wrong reasons, but what the real objective is for her. Elliot will try to make a start on something new. Kelvin hopes to write a poem for the January theme. Reuben will be working on his thesis.

Feedback: Kelvin shared three of his poems, some read by Karen - A Walk With The Vicar, Brother and My Thoughts. Members were intrigued by the twist in the first poem, some members saw it coming, others did not and the emotional pull of the second poem which some members felt worked better. It was suggested keeping it open throughout rather than revealing what the poem is about at the end as poems can work better when readers have to work at interpreting. Kelvin suggested members look up the poem The Hound of Heaven. Karen read a couple of chapters of her current WIP which members felt would work better if the two chapters introducing the MMC were swapped around.

Karen suggested Writers & Artists Yearbook if Kelvin wishes to research agents who you can submit poetry to and to read widely in different types of poems to see the layout on the page, rhythms of cadence and style.

Writing theme: January - Anticlimax. Theme needed for February.

Next meeting: Monday 23 February, 5.30-7.00pm at Cleckheaton Library. New members always welcome.