News

The next in-person discussion group is less than a week away!

Please take a moment to [ register for this free event on Eventbrite ] so that we know how many attendees to expect.

Saturday May 10th 2025
1:00pm – 3:00pm
The Royal Oak – Kent at Slater
180 Kent Street Ottawa, ON K1P 0B6
(walk all the way to the back and you’ll find us gathered at tables along the windows to your right)

The theme of this month’s discussion is

– The Blank Page and Overcoming Writer’s Block –

Every writer at least occasionally struggles with the blank page. Where can we get ideas from and find inspiration? Are there tricks and techniques to getting ourselves out of a rut? Is there a way to just power through and write even when the inspiration doesn’t come? Come to the Writers of Ottawa monthly discussion group for a friendly chat about these and other ideas with fellow writers and aspiring writers!

As always, writers of all genres, mediums, and skill levels are most welcome at the table. Come join us for an hour or two!

The next in-person discussion group is less than a week away!

Please take a moment to [ register for this free event on Eventbrite ] so that we know how many attendees to expect.

Saturday March 8th 2025
1:00pm – 3:00pm
The Royal Oak – Kent at Slater
180 Kent Street Ottawa, ON K1P 0B6
(walk all the way to the back and you’ll find us gathered at tables along the windows to your right)

The theme of this month’s discussion is

– Character Arcs and Motivation –

What motivates your character? How do you make a character likeable? What touches can you add to their personality to make a reader connect better connect with them and how did you give them a satisfying journey? Come to the Writers of Ottawa monthly discussion group for a friendly chat about these and other ideas with fellow writers and aspiring writers!

As always, writers of all genres, mediums, and skill levels are most welcome at the table. Come join us for an hour or two!

The next in-person discussion group is just a week away!

Please take a moment to [ register for this free event on Eventbrite ] so that we know how many attendees to expect.

Saturday February 8th 2025
1:00pm – 3:00pm
The Royal Oak – Kent at Slater
180 Kent Street Ottawa, ON K1P 0B6
(walk all the way to the back and you’ll find us gathered at tables along the windows to your right)

The theme of this month’s discussion is

– Plotting and Pacing –

What do we mean when we call a story well paced? What kind of plots keep a reader engaged? What makes the difference between a page turner and book that’s just a slog to get through? Come to the Writers of Ottawa monthly discussion group for a friendly chat about these and other ideas with fellow writers and aspiring writers!

As always, writers of all genres, mediums, and skill levels are most welcome at the table. Come join us for an hour or two!

The next in-person discussion group is less than a week away!

Saturday January 11th 2025
1:00pm – 3:00pm
The Royal Oak – Kent at Slater
180 Kent Street Ottawa, ON K1P 0B6
(walk all the way to the back and you’ll find us gathered at tables along the windows to your right)

The theme of this month’s discussion is

– Narrative Voice –

How do you decide which narrative voice to use in a piece? How can narrative voice change the tone of a piece? Is there a narrative voice you gravitate towards as a writer or as a reader/viewer?

As always, writers of all genres, mediums, and skill levels are most welcome at the table. Come join us for an hour or two!

The next in-person discussion group is just a week away!

Please take a moment to [ register for this free event on Eventbrite ] so that we know how many attendees to expect.

Saturday December 14th 2024
1:00pm – 3:00pm
The Royal Oak – Kent at Slater
180 Kent Street Ottawa, ON K1P 0B6
(walk all the way to the back and you’ll find us gathered at tables along the windows to your right)

The theme of this month’s discussion is

– Winter Mixer –

This month’s discussion group is an opportunity to relax and catch up with your fellow writers without a set topic. We’d love to hear about how you’ve grown as a writer during the last year, and how you’ll be spending the last couple weeks of 2024!

As always, writers of all genres, mediums, and skill levels are most welcome at the table. Come join us for an hour or two!

The next in-person discussion group is little more than a week away!

Please take a moment to [ register for this free event on Eventbrite ] so that we know how many attendees to expect.

Saturday November 9th 2024
1:00pm – 3:00pm
The Royal Oak – Kent at Slater
180 Kent Street Ottawa, ON K1P 0B6
(walk all the way to the back and you’ll find us gathered at tables along the windows to your right)

The theme of this month’s discussion is

– Time –

How do you measure and tell time in your writing? How do you decide on the pacing of your writing, and the arrangement of scenes within the span of time that they’re set in? Do you use time travel in your writing, or arrange your work in a non-linear way? Do you write across a large span of time, or do you prefer to focus on events or an event that takes place in a short span of time and attend to its every detail?

As always, writers of all genres, mediums, and skill levels are most welcome at the table. Come join us for an hour or two!

The next in-person discussion group is a few days away!

Please take a moment to [ register for this free event on Eventbrite ] so that we know how many attendees to expect.

Saturday September 14th 2024
1:00pm – 3:00pm
The Royal Oak – Kent at Slater
180 Kent Street Ottawa, ON K1P 0B6
(walk all the way to the back and you’ll find us gathered at tables along the windows to your right)

We invite you to join us for the

– Fall Edition Discussion –

Fall is here! How is your writing going? Have you started a new project or are you making progress on an ongoing work? What are your writing goals this year? Come get inspired by socializing with your fellow creatives. Whether you’re new to the group or a long-time member, whether you’re a seasoned pro or just dabbling, and regardless of what type of writing you do, come on out and join us!

As always, writers of all genres, mediums, and skill levels are most welcome at the table. Come join us for an hour or two!

The next in-person discussion group is little more than two weeks away!

Please take a moment to [ register for this free event on Eventbrite ] so that we know how many attendees to expect.

Saturday August 10th 2024
1:00pm – 3:00pm
The Royal Oak – Kent at Slater
180 Kent Street Ottawa, ON K1P 0B6
(walk all the way to the back and you’ll find us gathered at tables along the windows to your right)

The theme of this month’s discussion is

– Endings –

How do you decide where your story should end? How do you ensure your ending is satisfying? How do you avoid pitfalls, such as obvious endings, deus ex machina, twist or surprise endings that don’t work, etc.? Do you prefer closed or open endings?

As always, writers of all genres, mediums, and skill levels are most welcome at the table. Come join us for an hour or two!

The next in-person discussion group is a month away!

Please take a moment to [ register for this free event on Eventbrite ] so that we know how many attendees to expect.

Saturday July 13th 2024
1:00pm – 3:00pm
The Royal Oak – Kent at Slater
180 Kent Street Ottawa, ON K1P 0B6
(walk all the way to the back and you’ll find us gathered at tables along the windows to your right)

The theme of this month’s discussion is

– Characterization –

How do you bring your characters to life? What are some techniques you can use to help the audience see, hear, and understand your characters so that they feel real? What are your favourite fictional characters and what can we learn from how they are constructed?

As always, writers of all genres, mediums, and skill levels are most welcome at the table. Come join us for an hour or two!

The next in-person discussion group is little more than two weeks away!

Please take a moment to [ register for this free event on Eventbrite ] so that we know how many attendees to expect.

Saturday June 8th 2024
1:00pm – 3:00pm
The Royal Oak – Kent at Slater
180 Kent Street Ottawa, ON K1P 0B6
(walk all the way to the back and you’ll find us gathered at tables along the windows to your right)

The theme of this month’s discussion is

– Adaptations –

Have you ever tried to adapt a story into another medium, form, or style? What are the challenges with adaption? Why do some adaptations work and others don’t? What are your favourite or least favouitre story adaptations and what can we learn from them?

As always, writers of all genres, mediums, and skill levels are most welcome at the table. Come join us for an hour or two!