MEETINGS, COMPETITIONS and ACTIVITIES

JAZZ TRACK TITLES COMPETITION

This year's Jazz Junction Festival will be taking place in Watford from 10th to 18th May, and Watford Writers will be appearing at the event on Thursday 15th May from 6pm to 7pm!

To coincide with our appearance in support of the festival, we are holding a poetry and flash fiction double competition entitled Jazz Track Titles; with winners to be announced at the event on Thursday 15th May.

(Please note that the competition is only open to Watford Writers group members on our current email circulation list).

You are invited to write a poem or flash fiction piece, taking your lead from the title of any jazz recording of your choice.

Maximum of two entries per person - all entries must be "NEW" - that is to say, nothing previously written, read out, submitted elsewhere, published, or known to the group...

POETRY:

Min of 12 lines; max of 48 lines
Please ensure that your poem has a title (different to the competition title) but your name does not appear on the entry
Please ensure that your poem is checked thoroughly before emailing as corrections cannot be made after submission
Format: PDF and word.doc accepted
Please email your poem to Ian ianwelland@hotmail.co.uk AND Helen lels40@hotmail.com

FLASH FICTION:

Min of 450 words; max of 500 words
Please ensure that your flash fiction piece has a title (different to the competition title) but your name does not appear on the entry
Please ensure that your flash fiction is checked thoroughly before emailing as corrections cannot be made after submission
Format: PDF and word.doc accepted
Please email your flash fiction to Ian ianwelland@hotmail.co.uk AND Helen lels40@hotmail.com

DEADLINE:

All entries must be received by 7pm on FRIDAY 12th APRIL.

JUDGING and RESULTS:

Judging will be by Watford's very own entertainer extraordinaire Alex Williams.

Results for both competitions will be announced at the Jazz Junction Event on Thursday 15th May; and published on the Watford Writers website on Friday 16th May.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL WHO ENTER.

MEETINGS and ACTIVITIES

MONDAY 31 MARCH 2025

ZOOM MEETING

(Chairperson: Helen)

WRITING PROMPT

Theme: The Quarrel

You are invited to write 300 to 500 words prose or any number of lines for poetry, on the theme of The Quarrel and read out to the group tonight.

If you would like to book a reading slot in advance, please email Helen lels40@hotmail.com AND Ian ianwelland@hotmail.co.uk

MONDAY 7 APRIL 2025

OUR FIRST MEETING OF THE MONTH SHALL BE AT:

QUAKERS MEETING HOUSE, 150 CHURCH ROAD, WATFORD, WD17 4QB

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EVENING STARTS AT 7:30pm

WORKSHOP:

Once Upon A Genre

Andrea will be presenting a workshop and would welcome group members to familiarise themselves with some fairy tales in preparation or even bring some fairy story books with if they have them at home. One thinks of Ladybird books, which can often be found in charity shops of course... Should be a fun evening...

SUBSCRIPTION PRICING STRUCTURE:

£5 per person (Hall only)

£5 per person (Zoom only)

£10 per person (Hall and Zoom)

PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN CUP FOR TEA / COFFEE

MONDAY 14 APRIL 2025

ZOOM MEETING

(Chairperson: Pat)

MANUSCRIPT NIGHT (tbc)

Are you working on a novel, non-fiction, biography, autobiography, poem, article? Manuscript night is the perfect way to present your latest work and receive excellent critiques from fellow group writers.

If you would like to read up to a 1000 words (a little more to complete a chapter), then you are welcome to book a reading slot by emailing Helen lels40@hotmail.com

We may have time for some more "TWENTY" competition entries to be read.

MONDAY 21 APRIL 2025

EASTER MONDAY - BANK HOLIDAY

MONDAY 28 APRIL 2025

ZOOM MEETING

DETAILS TO FOLLOW

MONDAY 5 MAY 2025

MAY DAY BANK HOLIDAY - NO MEETING

MONDAY 12 MAY 2025

OUR FIRST MEETING OF THE MONTH SHALL BE AT:

QUAKERS MEETING HOUSE, 150 CHURCH ROAD, WATFORD, WD17 4QB

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EVENING STARTS AT 7:30pm

WORKSHOP:

Are we there yet?

The journey from drafting to final product.

Sumi Watters and Mike Lansdown will be presenting a workshop on editing.

Full details to follow.

SUBSCRIPTION PRICING STRUCTURE:

£5 per person (Hall only)

£5 per person (Zoom only)

£10 per person (Hall and Zoom)

PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN CUP FOR TEA / COFFEE

THURSDAY 15 MAY 2025

WATFORD WRITERS AT THE JAZZ JUNCTION FESTIVAL

The Charles Room, Watford Pump House

6pm to 7pm

The results of our Jazz Track Titles Flash Fiction and Poetry Competitions will be announced at this event.

Group members will have a chance to read out their entries.

Results will be published on the website on Friday 16 May.

MONDAY 19 MAY 2025

ZOOM MEETING

(Chairperson tbc)

MANUSCRIPT NIGHT (tbc)

If you would like to read up to a 1000 words (a little more to complete a chapter), then you are welcome to book a reading slot by emailing Helen lels40@hotmail.com

MONDAY 26 MAY 2025

SPRING BANK HOLIDAY - NO MEETING

MONDAY 2 JUNE 2025

OUR FIRST MEETING OF THE MONTH SHALL BE AT:

QUAKERS MEETING HOUSE, 150 CHURCH ROAD, WATFORD, WD17 4QB

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EVENING STARTS AT 7:30pm

Theme to be confirmed.

SUBSCRIPTION PRICING STRUCTURE:

£5 per person (Hall only)

£5 per person (Zoom only)

£10 per person (Hall and Zoom)

PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN CUP FOR TEA / COFFEE