Write-on Anthology 2023 now available

Great news for Write-on members and the general public! The Hardback and Paperback versions of our Write-on Anthology 2023 are now available to order from Amazon. The KINDLE edition can be downloaded to your device in an instant! With 320+ pages, the Anthology is the biggest book ever produced by the Write-on group. We have 27 authors and there is something for everyone to enjoy in this publication. We cater for every interest – short stories, poems, songs, memoirs, mug of the month competitions, and challenges. There is a special section on writings about Christmas which would make this Anthology a very welcome gift for the festive season. Order your copy from Amazon now. Details are below.

WOWO 9 December

As a writers’ group, part of our function is to WRITE! This week we will ask our participants to do just that. We will devote approximately ten minutes of our session just writing. So, have your writing implements to hand – notebooks, pencil and paper, quills, laptops, or mobile phones. Mary Rose has written an intriguing new story with the “working title” CHARITY SHOP. She will read her story at the session, but… just when you think she is reaching the denouement, she will stop. At this point, we will ask our participants to ‘GUESS WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?’ or ‘HOW WOULD YOU END THE STORY?’ We can have lots of fun exploring the different suggested endings and then will come the big reveal: How did Mary Rose finish her story?

We are spoiled for choice this week with so many contributions. We have a wonderful selection of stories, poems and songs to get us into the Festive Spirit.

Newsflash!

Bill Geoghegan is working on a Write-on Christmas Song. Remember last year? We hope to do a collective recording of our new song for Christmas 2021 during the week.

Here’s What’s On Write-on (WOWO) for this week:

STORY: Charity Shop by Mary Rose Tobin (Write the ending exercise!)

STORY: Christmas Years by Elizabeth Hannon

STORY: An Irish Odyssey by Michael O’Dowd

POEM: All Around Me by James Conway

POEM: Samhain by Anne McManus

POEM: Curlew by Christine Kelley

SONG: Laura by Michael O’Dowd

SONG: Rathmullan Romance by The Pattersons

SONG: On Galway Bay by Michael O’Dowd (Cancer Care West Charity CD)

Nail-biting Finish to November Mug of the Month Competition 2021

This month’s MOTM Competition was a hard-fought contest with nine superb entries using the keywords BELT and BRACE. The electronic voting process added to the excitement by keeping us in suspense with its state-of-the-art calculation algorithms. When the bytes settled, it churned out the results. In first place was Elizabeth Hannon. Oh no! In first place was also Jutta Rosen! It was a draw! The victorious poets declined the offer of a play-off, generously agreeing to accept the lesser title of Mug of the Fortnight! When it was mooted that we should have another Mug of the Month Competition on 16 December, the winners protested fiercely at this threat to their newly acquired elevated status.

‘Bad enough to only possess Mugsy for two weeks; now you want to deprive us of the honour after only 16 days!’

Needless to say, the Mug will be in their joint possession until the end of January 2022.

To watch the enthralling competition, go to the Mug of the Month section of this website.

WOWO 11 November 2021

Another bumper week of activities lined up for this Thursday’s session. As well as all the new writing, we will have the opportunity to look back at some of our most popular Presentations for the years gone by. Using our Electronic Voting method, we aim to select the single most popular offering from over 200 entries. Of course, this will only be a snapshot in time, but it will give new members (and old) the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the progress of our writing – our stories, poems and songs – since our foundation in 2017. It may be of interest to note how our skills with technology have improved and how the quality of our writing and presentations have evolved over the years.

We are delighted to have a poem in Irish (as Gaeilge) by our guest writer Colma Nic Aodha Bhuí called Slán le Berna which will be read by her friend, Elizabeth Hannon.

What’s On Write-On this session

Story: The Letter by James Conway

Poem: Heaney (Revised) by Seamus Keogh

Poem: Slán le Berna by Colma Nic Aodha Bhuí read by Elizabeth Hannon

Poem: Title to be announced by Christine Kelley

Poem: Solar Wind by James Keogh

Exhibition and Voting

Presentations Old & New with the opportunity to vote for the most popular one on the day!

WOWO 14 October 2021

We have another interesting session lined up for Thursday evening. Isn’t it great to have new material each week? The writers in the group never let us down and as some take a back seat, recovering no doubt from the exhaustion of having written too many poems and stories, others are ready to keep the sessions going with their offerings.

So, a question that each member might like to ask themselves: When is the last time that you wrote a really satisfying Short Story or Poem? If you have slipped out of the habit of writing, the onset of darker days of Autumn and Winter might inspire you to take up pen and paper (or laptop) again and let your mind wander into that wonderful world of creativity that you once explored.

And Song Writers! There’s no escape for you! Have you given thought to creating a musical extravaganza or a simple ballad? Don’t forget about our inaugural Write-on Song Contest which will be held in April. The prize of a fantastic Mug awaits the winner. Get composing!

And if that isn’t enough inspiration for you, what about writing your entry for October MUG OF THE MONTH?

The keywords are: STAND and STICK.

Here is the menu for What’s On Write-on (WOWO) for this week.

POEM: Lovers Entwined by Thomas MacMahon

POEM: Before the Reign by Ciara Keogh

POEM: Seasons by James Keogh

POEM: All Her World by James Conway

SHORT STORY: A Dilemma by Anne Murray

SHIORT STORY: Kingston by James Conway

WOWO 7 October 2021

After the excitement of last week where we surprised Jutta with a “physical” Write-on session in Barna, and Anne Murray won Mug of the Month for the first time, it is back down to earth this week.

We have a packed programme – no major surprises that I’m aware of!

Here is What’s On Write-on (WOWO) for this evening:

POEM: Hufflepuff by Thomas MacMahon

POEM: Grandad by Ciara Keogh

POEM: Heaney by James Keogh

POEM: The Pull by James Conway

STORY: A Latte and a Danish by James Conway

STORY: The Armadillo by Sarah Burke – A reading of The Winning Entry for The Scottish Book Awards 2021

WOWO 30 September 2021

It’s the first MUG OF THE MONTH of the new season. Excitement has reached fever pitch. Who will go away with the coveted prize? The competition is of a very high standard and any one of the ten entries would be a deserving winner!

It is always a source of amazement that ten people, using the same keywords, can come up with such a variety of ideas using less than 50 words!

The Keywords this months are:

SMOKE and FIRE

MOTM 01 Smoke and Fire by Richard O’Donnell

MOTM 02 The Annual Novena by Anne Murray

MOTM 03 Office Fire by Elizabeth Hannon

MOTM 04 Modern Warfare by Frank Fahy

MOTM 05 Smoke and Fire by Ciara Keogh

MOTM 06 Be Careful What You Wish For by Mary Rose Tobin

MOTM 07 Wildfire by Celia Scully

MOTM 08 The Garden in Autumn by Jutta Rosen

MOTM 09 Even Tide by Nollaig O’Donnell

MOTM 10 Fired by Anne McManus

NEWSFLASH

New Write-on Competition

A Special WRITE-ON COMPETITION will be announced tonight which will be of interest to

Poets, Musicians, and Song Writers!

Make sure not to miss it!

In a packed meeting which will be full of surprises, we also have more contributions from members.

Short Story: In My Post This Morning read by Mary Rose Tobin

Poem: Wildflowers by Elizabeth Hannon

Poem: Bees by James Keogh

Poem: Brush and Paint of Memory by James Conway

Poem: Towards Windermere by James Conway

WOWO 2 September 2021

AGM WRITE-ON

The AGM of Write-on will take place this evening at 7:00pm. The Agenda has been circulated to members.

All members are encouraged to attend. New members will be welcomed. This is your opportunity to ask questions and to find out what makes Write-on tick! We will be discussing the year gone by and our plans for the future.

Get involved. There are many roles to play in Write-on. A little help goes a long way. If everybody contributes a little time and effort, the group will continue to thrive, to bring joy into the lives of others, and to go from strength to strength.

We look forward to meeting you all on Thursday evening!

WOWO 26 August 2021

We’re back! Yes, Write-on is back after the summer holidays! Looking forward to the new season – new stories, new poems, new memoirs, new songs and, of course, meeting new members.

A gentle introduction back with discussions about the summer just past and plans for the year ahead.

The night would not be complete, however, without some new writing:

POEM: The Departure Lounge by Thomas MacMahon

STORY: Eva and Franz 2 by Jutta Rosen

Finally, an update on our Documentary: Beat the Virus – how Write-on coped with the Covid-19 pandemic

As ususal, plenty to discuss, plenty to read and plenty to enjoy.

Welcome back!

WOWO 11 August 2021

NEWSFLASH!!!

The Write-on Documentary will be launched on Culture Night Friday 17 September 2021.

A special webinar will feature

BEAT THE VIRUS – How Write-on Coped with the Pandemic

https://youtu.be/_-PWe6xgz1g

as well as launching three of our new publications.