Poets, novelists, short story writers, fiction and nonfiction writers of all levels are welcome to our Bangor
group!
Bangor Cellar Writing Group Newsletter
AUGUST 2009
The First Edition of Our Newsletter
Debz Hobbs-wyatt,
the cellar writing
group’s chair
Hi there!
Welcome to the Cellar
Writing Group’s first
newsletter - if you’re new
to the group, then we look
forward to hearing your
work, whether you are a
Arvon Inspiration
Recently Debz enjoyed a
week in Lumb Bank near
Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire,
the former home of the Poet
Laureate, Ted Hughes – ideal
for creative writing. She at-
tended her second residential
creative writing course ran by
The Arvon Foundation. All
centres, in idyllic settings with
no TV, radio or WIFI, are
perfect places to retreat - the
literary 'Big Brother' experi-
ence, but without nomina-
tions and evictions!
Debz described a typical day
with Arvon, “It begins with
workshops which include
writing exercises. This is
usually until about 12.30
and whets the literary appetite
so that after lunch you have
free time to work on some-
thing of your choosing. After-
noons are spent with tutors
for one to one feedback.”
poet, a story writer or a
budding playwright!
The group has been going
for three years now and
has grown steadily to al-
most 30 members.
The group meets every
third Monday in the Blue
Sky Café - we’ve been
meeting in the café since
June 2009. Meetings start
at 7:00 every third Monday
of the month.
Not only this, but we have
separate critique groups
for poetry, novels and
short stories (see overleaf
for more details).
Once you’ve joined, you’ll
be added to our mailing
list, where Mary (Cellar’s
founder) will email you
pages upon pages of wri-
While people retreat to their
rooms, library, computer
rooms etc, there is always
someone around eager to talk
to you about writing. Not
only this, but there's always
time to take a walk and check
out the surrounding area.
Even the cooking is a com-
munal experience and on one
of the days you will be in the
‘cooking team’. In the eve-
nings, there is a guest speaker
(publisher, agent or writer).
Also tutors will read from
their own published work and
two evenings are dedicated
for the group's own readings.
Be prepared for long nights
and free flowing wine!
ing competitions. Some of
our members attend Po-
etica, also held in Blue Sky
- a poetry night which is
also growing and growing!
Our resident poets have
read numerous times, with
the support of the rest of
the group sat in the audi-
ence.
Feeling active? Well, in
recent months, we’ve
started conducting a few
walks around Snowdonia.
That’s it for now - if you
are a new member, I look
forward to hearing your
work and if you are an
existing member, I hope
you enjoy this first edition
of the newsletter.
Keep writing
Debz xx
If you have works in pro-
gress, the feedback is invalu-
able. Debz still keeps in con-
tact with the people she met
last year, so above all it's a
great way to meet like-
minded people.
Challenge of the month: try
writing something using the
vocative. That means refer to
a character as YOU rather
than she or he. This doesn't
have to be in the second
person. You can use this
voice in the first person. Or
you could try writing in the
second person- a useful exer-
cise from Debz’s Arvon
course was taking some-
thing she'd already written in
the third person and changing
it to the second. See how it
changes the tone!
www.arvonfoundation.org
ISSUE 1
Quick Question Corner
This edition features Mary
Ward, founder of the Cellar
Writing Group.
Where is your favorite place
to write?
In an ideal writing situation, I would
love to have a cabin in the garden with
all the requirements such as a state of
the art of computer etc, in reality the
laptop is perched on a small table in
my living-room.
Favorite writer?
Favourite writer is determined by the
classic and the contemporary: for wit
and perception of the human condition
especially in the 'romantic form' and
never losing sight of economic reality,
it has to be Jane Austen. She still reads
like a modern writer.
The writer who most impresses me
today is the Afghan writer Khaled
Hosseini who has had global success
with first 'The Kite Runner,' and then
tops it with 'A Thousand Splendid
Suns.'
He writes with such clarity and touches
the soul of the reader with his
humanity, making you believe in the
plight of the characters.
Favorite genre?
I am happy to read most genres,
particularly if they are well-written; I
like light and literary and if they
entertain, instruct and serve to make
me think that is enough for me. If I am
given a choice I would probably enjoy
reading 'cosy' and historical crime,
particularly Lindsey Davies and her
amusing Roman detective Falco, or
curl up with someone like Maeve
Binchy or Katie Fforde.
I would prefer Hardy to Dickens when
it comes to 'the classics.'
What are you working on at
the moment?
I am still writing short stories mainly in
an attempt to enter competitions, but I
have had an historical novel mulling
around for a long time.
Any tips/advice?
I would recommend keeping a diary/
journal every day and wish I had done
mine years ago. It soon turns into a
period piece as the decades progress.
Philip Pullman has some excellent
advice as follows: 'set yourself a target
- if you write two double-spaced pages
a day (500 words approx.) that's a
50,000 word book in less than three
months!'
...And never give up!
 Being Critical
Sometimes, we do not have time to critique everyone’s work at Cellar meetings and as a result, three
critique groups have formed and are valued by members who want an depth critique of their work.
The novel critique group is a group for the serious novel writers amongst the group that have reached
a fairly developed stage with their novels, usually second draft at least, although this isn't obligatory.
They all started at the same time with their novels and have developed together, becoming very famil-
iar with one another's styles and able to offer constructive and useful comment. At the current time
The Paperwings Book there are only three members (Jean Lyon, Carol Croxton and Debz) and they share a couple of chap-
Group meet in the 1815
café in Bangor. They
ters with one another in advance of the meeting. Debz said, “The difference with a novel group com-
meet on every second pared to short stories is that we also have to consider the chapters in the context of the whole novel
Monday of the month, and if the story follows the right arc etc. We tend to vary times and places we meet, but it works well
6:45 for 7:00, £1 per and as we have come to trust one another's judgement and we all find it stimulating and rewarding.”
person.
Meanwhile, the poets of the group send a collection of their works beforehand, ready for comment.
The group are currently Lee Duggan, a member of the group and hostess to the meetings said, “It’s great to have some good
reading 'Rough Music' by solid feedback, rather than just nods and smiles. Sometimes you just need someone else to help you
Patrick Gale.
reword a line or restructure a stanza.”
In September, they shall The short story critique group meets once a month on a Wednesday night also at Lee's house. The
be discussing 'The Book group circulates any stories they have completed or are working on to the other members of the group,
Thief' by Marcus Zusak.
by email ahead of the meeting, and either send an immediate critique if it is urgent, or wait and dis-
Fan of Classics? cuss it on the night of the meeting. Mary, a member of the group said, “We aim to be constructive
and honest with any criticism and make suggestions where appropriate if we think that it would be
They have also founded a suitable for a market or competition”.
new group for reading
'Classics' which meets bi-
monthly and meets on a Cellar Successes
Tuesday night at same
time and venue. The The third Bridge House Pub- our manuscript readings and it
current choice is 'Martin was very moving.
lishing book launch took place
Chuzzlewit' by Charles
this summer, with Cellar’s Debz
Dickens to be discussed Jean Lyon has had her story Contact us
and Phil
on Tuesday, 8th accepted by publisher “Honno”
September. featuring Cellar Writing Group
for their “Fashion Anthology”.
in the
OUT JAN UARY 2010 If you’d like more
In November they shall latest an-
thology, information about the
discuss 'The Return of Carol Croxton has had her story Cellar Writing Group,
the Native' by Thomas ‘In the “The Sands Run Out” accepted please contact:
Hardy. Shadow by Bridge House for the Adult
Success with the of the Ghost Story Anthology. Debz Hobbs-Wyatt
Red queen
Red OUT OCTOBER 2009
Queen’. debznlee@googlemail.com
Brian Beard has had a review
The inten- accepted by “Movie Memories” http://cellarwriting.blogspot.com/
tion of the film magazine of the 1954
book was that there is one story prison drama “Riot in Cell Book Club
Why do writers for each day of your holiday, Block 11”.
If you’d like more
including the day you leave and
write? Because it the day you get back. Alan Dawson has written a re-
information about the
Book Club, please
isn't there. view on Amazon on a book contact:
Thomas Berger Joy Mawby has a book coming called “Tarana under Two
out and there will be a “drop-in” Flags” which involved his great Mary Ward
Book Launch on Sunday 23rd uncle during WWII.
August at the Victoria Hotel, mary@mary30.wanadoo.co.uk
Menai Bridge between 3.00 Well done to all!
pm-5.00. pm

The book is based on the mem-

oirs of a Polish lady during
WWII. During the July meeting,
Joy read us an excerpt during