We support a growing network of local groups across the UK and abroad, connecting SoA members at regular meet-ups and events. Run by members for members, local groups are a great way to meet fellow authors in your area, share knowledge, support and inspire one another.
Whenever a new group is set up or an event is scheduled in your area, we’ll email you to let you know. Local groups are currently running a mix of online and in person sessions.
- No group in your area? We can help you start your own
- Tips and ideas for successful meet-ups
Looking for a group near you but not yet an SoA member? You’re welcome to attend up to two local group meet-ups before we ask you to join the SoA to continue attending.
Find a group near you
Aberystwyth Group
Informal online meet-ups every two months, usually from 5.15-6.45pm on the first or second Tuesday in the month. Meet fellow authors in your area, share your work and discuss your current projects and publishing matters. The group is very well-connected with links to Aberystwyth University, local arts organisations, and Wales-based publishers.
Bath Group
The Bath Group was established started in 2018 and usually meet for lunch in central Bath. Events include practical talks by guest speakers with time to chat to fellow authors.
Brighton & Worthing Group
The Brighton and Worthing Group was established in November 2018 as an informal gathering of local members to socialise, support and advise one another. The group are in need of a volunteer to take over organising meet-ups every two months. Please get in touch if you are interested.
Bristol Group
The Bristol Group was established in 2018 and currently hosting monthly online sessions for members to chat and connect. Sessions are informal, sometimes with a themed discussion or speaker. All members are welcome.
Cambridge Group
The Cambridge Group are a newly established group. We are currently looking at hosting local group meetings every 2 months, primarily in person such as picnics, local walks and meet-ups linked to local book events, with the option of online meet-ups in the future.
Canterbury and East Kent Group
Established in June 2021, the group host online for informal sessions to network, share and learn from one another. The group is in need of a volunteer to take over organising occasional meet-ups. Please get in touch if you are interested.
Children's Writers and Illustrators in Scotland
The Children’s Writers and Illustrators in Scotland Group is a place to connect with peers and network with industry professionals, to give and receive support amongst members. Everyone in the group has the chance to share a bit of who they are, what they write, and what are their aspirations for the future. We encourage all members to help shape the group according to their own needs and expectations. Come join us for insightful panels, socials, and networking events.
Chilterns Group
The Chilterns Group was established in January 2021 and hosts a mix of online and in person meet-ups in Amersham. Sessions are informal and usually include a themed discussion or prompts to discuss our writing lives.
Cornish Chapter
The Cornish Chapter is an informal group which meets around five times a year for lunch in Truro, sometimes featuring a guest speaker. We also have open forums on themes including agents and publishers and offer advice and support to one another.
Cumbria and Lancaster
The Cumbria and Lancaster Group was established in October 2021 for members in the north west to share advice and support one another. The group are currently meeting on Zoom and host a range of themed discussions and informal sessions. All members welcome from the surrounding area!
Devon Writers Group
Established in 2010, Devon Writers Group host monthly online sessions for members to connect, chat and share advice. New members are always welcome!
Dorset Group
This group started meeting in March 2021 and are currently host a mix of online and in person informal monthly sessions for members to meet fellow authors in the area.
Dunfermline and West Fife Group
Established in June 2021, the group meets on the last Friday of the month at Firestation Creative in Dunfermline. Our meetings are unstructured and usually start with coffee and end with lunch. We are a small informal group who encourage and support each other’s creativity and professional writing lives. We would love to see some new faces for 2023.
East Anglian Writers
East Anglian Writers, based in Norwich, was formed in the 1960s. We aim to bring together professional authors working or living in Norfolk and Suffolk. We host a mix of in person and online events including discussions, talks and socials in the Norwich area.
East Midlands Group
The East Midlands Group was formed in 2018 and usually meets online on the second Saturday of every month from 2pm. The group runs informal sessions for members to share advice, experiences, questions and words of wisdom on all things literary. The group is currently looking for a volunteer to organise informal session. Please get in touch if you’re interested.
Eastbourne, Lewes & Seaford Group
Established in November 2020, the group run a mix of online and in person informal sessions to network, share and learn from one another. In person lunchtime and evening meet-ups rotate around the three locations. Sessions include themed discussions and socials, and sometimes feature guest speakers from industry.
France Group
Established in August 2022, the group hosts monthly online meet-ups for members across France. Sessions take place on Zoom and feature themed discussions and short talks about writing. All members welcome.
Germany Group
Established in November 2020, the group host occasional online sessions for SoA members across Germany to connect and share advice. Sessions usually include a talk from a member or themed discussion.
Glasgow Group
The Glasgow Group includes a mix of published and self-published authors in all kinds of genres through fiction, non-fiction, books for children, young adults and adults. Our primary focus is to support and encourage each other with our writing and by sharing our expertise and experience with each other. We meet once a month and rotate our venue between the South side, the West end and Zoom in order to make it easier for everyone to attend meetings.
Gloucestershire Group
This group started meeting in December 2022 and host monthly in person meet-ups in Stroud for members to connect and share advice on writing. All welcome from the surrounding area.
Herefordshire Group
The Herefordshire Group was founded in 2019 and now hosts online informal sessions to chat and connect. Sessions are every two months on the second Tuesday of the month at 2pm. Meet fellow authors in your area, discuss your work and support one another.
Hertfordshire Writers
Hertfordshire Writers was founded in 2016. The group hosts a mix of online and in person meet-ups in Hitchin on the second Tuesday of every month at 7.30pm. Meet-ups are informal and occasionally include a short talk and Q&A with a group member or themed discussion.
Ireland Group
The Ireland Group started meeting in September 2021 for informal, supportive online sessions for authors to connect, share and learn from one another. All members welcome!
London Non-Fiction Group
The London Non-Fiction Group was founded in 2019 and are currently meeting online. SoA non-fiction writers get together for an informal chat to share their work and current projects, sometimes including a short talk and Q&A with a group member or external speaker. The group is friendly and supportive and new members are always welcome!
Manchester Group
Established in January 2020, the group host a mix of online and in person monthly meet-ups for members across Manchester. Sessions usually feature a themed discussion, talk from a group member or external speaker.
Monmouth Group
The Monmouth Group meets online on the first Friday of the month at 3pm. This is an informal meet-up for authors in the area to discuss their work and share advice on publishing. Members from the surrounding borders with Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire and Herefordshire are welcome!
Nice
We represent a wide variety of writers and usually meet for lunch at a Nice restaurant to discuss our work. All members are welcome!
North Derbyshire Group
Informal online sessions for members across the area to chat, connect, share advice and support one another.
North East Group
The North East Group was established in November 2018. This group hosts informal online and in person sessions for members across the area to chat, connect and share advice. The group are currently planning in person meet-ups for 2023 and will resume meeting in March.
North Wales Group
This group runs informal online sessions for authors across North Wales to connect and share advice, sometimes featuring a themed discussion or talk. Meet-ups are on the last Thursday of the month from 7pm on Zoom. All welcome!
Novelists in London
Novelists in London is a friendly, informal group for fiction writers to get together, discuss their projects and support one another. We usually meet once a month in The Plough pub in Bloomsbury, but are currently meeting online.
Oxfordshire Group
Established in October 2020, the Oxfordshire Group host informal online sessions to chat and connect with authors in the area. Sessions usually include a themed discussion with time for social chat. The group also meet in person over the summer months, usually in central Oxford.
Paris Group
Formed October 2021, we’re a micro-group with macro experience & talents including all forms of writing and translation. Editors welcome too. We meet monthly for face to face discussion in English in a café or public space according to the season. Meetings are informal but always pertinent (the rambling club is on a different day!). Don’t worry – if you’re in the business of words, you’re always pertinent. We host themed discussions on our community, industry news, professional skills, demands/offers, collaboration.
We’re looking for a volunteer to lead this group. Please get in touch if you’re interested.
Scottish Islands Group
The Scottish Islands Group started in September 2021 and runs monthly online sessions on the last Tuesday of the month at 7pm for members to connect, learn and support one another. Members welcome from all scottish islands including Orkney, Shetland, and the Inner and Outer Hebrides.
Scottish Non-Fiction Group
This new group began in April 2021 and hosts online sessions for non-fiction authors from across Scotland to discuss the business of writing, the publishing industry and share advice. We hope to meet in person in the future but will continue online sessions so as many authors from across Scotland can join. The group is in need of a volunteer to organise sessions, so please get in touch if you’re interested.
Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells Group
The Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells formed in April 2022 and host in person meet ups in both locations for members to meet fellow authors in their area, network and make connections.
Shropshire Group
Established in March 2021, the group host regular online sessions for members across Shropshire to connect, share advice and support one another. Sessions include talks, discussions and workshops. The group are in need of a volunteer to take over running the online sessions, so please get in touch if you’re interested.
Somerset Group
Established in March 2021, the Somerset Group hosts monthly online meet-ups for authors across the area to connect and support one another. Sessions often include a themed discussion or member-led talk to share advice and learn new skills. The group will continue online sessions to be as inclusive as possible and welcome new members.
Surrey Group
The group meet for lunch in Guildford, usually featuring a speaker from the group on wide ranging topics about writing. Members pay for their own food and drink and guests are welcome.
Tufnell Park Writers
Tufnell Park Writers is a vibrant local group that features guest speakers, themed discussions, social events including summer picnics, Christmas parties and even the occasional excursion. If you are a writer seeking inspiration, support, improvement of knowledge or you just want to make some more author friends then this is the place for you.
With usually meeting on the first Wednesday of each month for a Prompt 7pm start, upstairs in The Lord Palmerston, Tufnell Park, NW5 1HU. We also have ad hoc extra-curricular dates for special guest speakers and social events.
Warwickshire Group
Established in April 2020, the Warwickshire Group host a regular creative writing coffee morning on the last Friday of the month in Leamington Spa. We also host occasional events in Kenilworth and Warwick, alongside regular online sessions. Events feature a themed discussion or talk and are informal for members to make connections and share advice on writing.
West Midlands Group
The West Midlands Group started to meet online in December 2021 and get together once a month for an informal chat with authors in the Birmingham and Worcester area. The group are currently looking for a volunteer to take over as organiser to continue meeting. Please get in touch if you’re interested.
West Yorkshire Group
The group started in March 2022 as a space to to support fellow authors, develop friendships, and share opportunities in the local area. The group host a quarterly in person meet-up between Leeds and Ilkley. If you know of a venue in your local area which we could use to host a meet-up, please get in touch. All members welcome!
Writers of Essex
Come along and meet fellow authors in your area, discuss your current projects and ideas, and chat about the highs and lows of writing. The group host a mix of online and in person meet-ups in the café area at Colchester Library and Community Hub.