Ripon Writers' Group

JANUARY 2024

10^th      (962^nd Meeting) Essential business followed by ‘Member’s Manuscripts’ and book sale

24^th      (963^rd Meeting) Theme – ‘A Winter’s Tale’

FEBRUARY

7^th        (964^th Meeting) Theme –‘What if . . . .?’

21^st      (965^th Meeting) Write on the Night – topic to be set by Peter Page on the night

Closing date for ‘Blast from the Past’ competition for a piece of fiction with a historical theme.

MARCH

6^th        (966^th Meeting) Adjudication of the 2023 Poetry Competition by Mary-Jane Holmes

20^th      (967^th Meeting) Talk on Comedy Writing by Swanwick Writers’ Summer School regular Phil Collins.

              POSTPONED DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND OUR CONTROL.

This will now be a  Members’ Manuscripts evening.

APRIL

3^rd        (968^th Meeting) Adjudication of the ‘Blast from the Past’ Competition by Suzanne Stirke

POSTPONED DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND OUR CONTROL.

This will now be a short talk on Arvon by Peter Page and a Members’ Manuscripts evening.

17^th      (969^th Meeting) Adjudication of the ‘Blast from the Past’ Competition by Suzanne Stirke

MAY

1^st        (970^th Meeting) Short talk on Swanwick Writers’ Summer School by Maggie Cobbett and Members’ Manuscripts.

15^th      (971^st Meeting) Theme – a piece in any genre beginning ‘As I walked out . . . .’

Display of six items to inspire writing for 12^th June meeting

29th    (972nd Meeting) Poetry Evening

JUNE

12^th      (973^rd Meeting) Theme – a piece incorporating at least five of the six items displayed on 15^th May

Closing date for Short Story competition

26^th      (974^th Meeting) Write on the Night – topic set by Maggie Cobbett on the night

JULY

10^th      (975^th Meeting)  Talking about our writing – introduced by Susan Perkins

24^th      (976^th Meeting)  Adjudication of Short Story Competition by Suzanne Stirke

AUGUST

7^th        (977^th Meeting) ‘Member’s Manuscripts’ and book sale

21^st      (978^th Meeting) Theme – Book Review or ‘A book I would recommend’

Closing date for the Janet Barclay Memorial Trophy competition for a piece of humorous writing

SEPTEMBER

^5th        (979th Meeting) ‘How Not to get Published’ – a talk by Andy Croft of Smokestack Books. (NOTE: This meeting is on a Thursday evening rather than the usual
Wednesday)

18^th      (980^th Meeting) Write on the Night – topic to be set by Sheila Whitfield on the night

OCTOBER

2^nd        (981^st Meeting) Adjudication of the Janet Barclay Memorial Trophy (competition for humorous writing) by Ewan Craig.

16^th      (982^nd Meeting) ‘Member’s Manuscripts’ and book sale

30^th      (983^rd Meeting) Theme – Gothic Fiction

NOVEMBER

13^th      (984^th Meeting) AGM followed by ‘Member’s Manuscripts’

27^th      (985^th Meeting) Theme – an opinion piece

Closing date for the Poetry competition

DECEMBER

11^th      (986^th Meeting) Pre-Christmas event

JANUARY 2025

8^th        (987^th Meeting) Adjudication of the 2024 Poetry competition

22^nd      (989^th Meeting) ‘Member’s Manuscripts’ and book sale

Themed and ‘Member’s Manuscripts’ evenings:

Unless otherwise stated in the programme contributions on these occasions may be

• fact or fiction
• comic, tragic or simply serious
• prose, poetry, song lyric or drama

On ‘Members’ Manuscripts’ evenings pieces on any theme, finished or ‘in progress’, may be read. Priority will be given to competition entries not previously shared and to pieces written for themed evenings for which there was not time on the night. Apart from competition entries length guideline for the shared pieces is that they should be capable of being read in 5 minutes – say 40 lines of poetry or 600-800 words of prose. Longer items may be shared if time allows.

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Ripon Writers’ Group Competitions:

These are open to paid-up members only.

No member may submit more than one entry in any one competition.

Each entry must be the member’s original work and neither previously submitted for a RWG competition nor published (or broadcast) for a fee.

With the exception of the Short Story competition no entry in the competitions may exceed 1,500 words (including the title) or 40 lines of poetry. Entries in the Short Story competition must be between 1,200 and 1,700 words (including the title). A word count must be stated for stories and articles.

Entries must be submitted to the Competitions Secretary no later than the published closing date and the text must bear no means of identification.

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The President’s Cup

The President’s Cup is presented at the Pre-Christmas Event.

The Competitions Secretary keeps a record of points accumulated throughout the year at RWG activities. These are awarded as follows:

• 2 points for each RWG competition entered
• 5 points for 1^st place in a RWG competition
• 3 points for 2^nd place in a RWG competition
• 2 points for 3^rd place in a RWG competition