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Community
LitArts RI is a community space and a shared creative workspace. Our center at 400 Harris Ave, in the Valley District of Providence, also holds showcases, writing groups, workshops, and events.
Plus, there are still plenty of ways to get involved from home: from online events and a Slack message board to hybrid practicums and local writing groups on Zoom.
Community Resources
At LitArts RI we recognize that community care and support are essential to living a creative life. Our Community Resources page compiles past event recordings, local art and social justice organizations, mutual funds, housing help, health insurance and creative opportunities to support your writing life and help you find the resources you need to thrive.
Writing Groups
Looking for supportive feedback from like-minded writers? Join one of the local writing groups meeting over Zoom or at our center in Providence. Each group is organized around a genre or interest area and has its own cadence and structure. Writing groups are for ages 18+. Please review our guidelines before signing up. Details on current Writing Groups here.
Current Writing Groups
Accountability Writers Group
2nd Thurs of the month from 5:30-7pm at LitArts RI, 4th Thurs of the month at 5:30pm at The Parlour
From the Facilitator: The Accountability Writers Group is open to anyone working on a single project in any genre (i.e. novel, collection of poems, screenplay, etc.) who struggles to stay motivated without a deadline and someone (gently) holding them accountable to it. We will meet monthly to share our progress and set new goals for the next meeting.
Audio Arts Group
2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month from 6-8pm, biweekly at LitArts RI
From the Facilitator: A group to support writers interested in recording their work or someone else's in an audio format. From creating an immersive audioseries, to podcasters getting their first (or latest) podcast off the ground, and anything to do with talking into microphones. A place to share and pick up tricks of the burgeoning audio-trade.
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Creative Nonfiction Writing Group
1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month from 6pm-8pm, biweekly at LitArts RI
From the Facilitator: The Creative Nonfiction Writing Group is open to all writers interested in creative nonfiction. We'll cover a wide range of subgenres, ranging from memoir to essay, and everything in between. Group members are welcome to workshop pieces, alongside writing prompts.
Diverse Voices of Rhode Island [FULL]
Saturdays from 11am-12:30pm, weekly online
From the Facilitator: Diverse Voices of RI mainly critiques Fiction, Short fiction, Non-Fiction (including personal essays and memoir), and plays. Poetry may also be considered. And we foster the development of short/micro fiction through 25-minute writing sessions.
Experimental Essay Writers Group [FULL]
2nd Saturday from 10am-12pm OR 1st Thursday from 6-8pm, monthly at LitArts RI
From the Facilitators: The Experimental Essay Writers Group is for writers of short nonfiction that bends conventions of genre and form. We welcome lyric essays, hybrid memoirs, essays that combine visual and textual elements, and any other creative forms you may invent. Meetings will focus on discussing group members’ works-in-progress, with each cohort incorporating additional activities to meet their members' interests. Writers of all experience levels are welcome.
Horror, Thriller and Weird Fiction Writers Group
Saturdays from 2-3pm, biweekly online
From the Facilitator: The Horror, Thriller and Weird Fiction Writers Group gets together for critique, discussion, and improvement of one's own horror stories, as well as free-for-all conversation on the genre.
Illustrated Storytelling Group
4th Tuesdays of the month from 6pm-8pm, monthly at LitArts RI
From the Facilitator: Writing group for authors who use visual mediums to tell their stories. Focus will be on comics, graphic novels, and manga but we welcome all types of illustrated books!
Meet Cute: Romance Authors Group
1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month from 6-8pm, biweekly at LitArts RI
From the Facilitator: Meet Cute is a group of writers who come together to better understand the machinations of romance. Our goal is to learn and grow together by digging into the craft, market, and world of genre romance. We provide a positive environment for learning, questions, and accountability. We are open to all sub-genres, all heat levels, and writers at any point in their journey from first words on the page to established careers. We do ask that everyone be working within genre romance (sorry, but romance subplots don’t count) as that is the primary focus of this group. Meet Cute meets in person at LitArt on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6pm. The first Tuesday is an accountability check-in in and the third Tuesday is a discussion topic.
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Multilingual Writers Group
1st Saturday of the month from 12-2pm, monthly at LitArts RI
From the Facilitator: The Multilingual Writers Group seeks to offer community and feedback to those who write in more than one language. We will meet monthly to write and critique works in progress. Multilingual writers of all genres are welcome!
Novel Writers Group
Last Sunday of the month from 3-4pm, monthly online
From the Facilitator: The Novel Writers Group is open to writers of all experience levels working on a novel. Writers can submit chapters, elicit support when managing difficult stretches of their work, and find general comradery on the novel writing process.
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Poetry Writers Group [WAITLIST]
Sundays from 11am-12pm, biweekly at LitArts RI
From the Facilitators: A group for seasoned poets to connect, critique, and learn through workshops, discussions on poetic devices, inspirations, and favorite writers. All poetry forms and genres are welcome in a flexible, introvert-friendly, safe space for creative expression.
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Publish Your Piece
Last Saturday of the month from 3:30-4:30pm, monthly online
From the Facilitator: Take the leap into traditional publishing! Members bring a finished piece of any length or genre. We take turns researching and sharing on a different publishing-related topic every month.
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Queer Writers Group [FULL]
2nd Tuesday of the month from 6:45-8pm, monthly at LitArts RI
From the Facilitator: The Queer Writers Group is open to all LGBTQ+ writers working in any genre. We will meet on a monthly basis with the goal of cultivating a space for queer writers to discuss any and all aspects of the writing process. We are an LGBTQ+ affinity group for checking in and sharing monthly highlights from our lives. We are currently not a feedback/workshop group. During these meetings we hold optional accountability check-ins, casual conversations about the writing and publishing process, as well as talking about queer media we’ve been watching and sharing information about queer happenings around town.
Redefining Our Stories: Memoir Accountability Writers Group
Tuesdays from 10:30am-12pm, weekly at LitArts RI
From the Facilitator: The Memoir Accountability Writers Group is a supportive space for memoirists seeking to stay motivated and inspired as they transform their personal stories into written works. Through regular group shares and mutual encouragement, members connect deeply, gain fresh perspectives, and nurture each other’s storytelling journeys.
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Rhode Island Theatre Makers Roundtable
3rd Wednesday of the month from 6:30-8pm, monthly at LitArts RI
From the Facilitators: Theatre makers of all disciplines: playwrights, composers, actors, designers, and technicians are invited to meet once a month as a think tank to put our collective heads together. Our mission is to create a network that supports the work of local playwrights, to develop the means and methods of getting plays produced. There will be opportunities to have play readings and provide feedback; listen to guest speakers; meet actors; and learn about opportunities, venues, and the technical aspects of theatre. We will discuss how to overcome our collective obstacles together to strengthen our practice of making theatre, and bring the Rhode Island theatrical community closer together.
SciFi/Fantasy Writing Group
Sundays from 12:30-2pm, weekly online
From the Facilitator: The SciFi/Fantasy Writing Group is a small gang of active writers of varying ages, levels and publishing experience. We operate across a variety of subgenres and bring a diverse range of imaginative ideas to the table. We have Warsies, Trekkies, Whovians, furries, vampire lovers, history buffs, otaku, scientists... all sorts, all playing nicely together. Anyone is welcome, as long as what you’re writing falls under the generous umbrella(s) of science fiction/fantasy/speculative fiction. It is a safe space and critique is constructive. Submission is optional, and you are welcome to give feedback even if you do not submit. We try to keep it fun for all!
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Screenwriters' Group
Last Thursday of the month from 6:30-8pm, monthly at LitArts RI
From the Facilitator: We will get together and help all writers get their scripts to be filmed. All levels of experience of the writer and stage that the script is in are welcome. We will also talk about films and the business. Other disciplines who wish to join us are welcome as well.
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Short Story Writers Group
2nd & 4th Wednesdays of the month from 7-8pm, biweekly online
From the Facilitators: The Short Story Writers Group is for writers looking for a supportive community to develop their short story craft. We meet twice a month - with a focus on sharing of group submitted pieces and feedback. Additionally we look to support members wherever they are in their journey, whether that's providing prompts to inspire writing or recommendations on contests and publishing markets.
Writing Together at LitArts
Saturdays from 10-11am, weekly at LitArts RI
From the Facilitator: Writing Together provides everyone with a supportive and welcoming space to make progress on their writing journey. Bring anything you want to write on: laptop, journal, notepad, etc. We check in for 10 minutes, write independently for 40 minutes, and share out for 10 minutes. To be clear, we do not workshop submissions. We just write together in the same space.
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Writing Group GuidelinesLitArts RI is committed to establishing a safe space to share your creative work. Writing groups meeting in our physical or virtual space must abide by these guidelines, to ensure an open exchange of ideas between all participants. By joining a writing group you agree to abide by the LitArts RI Terms of Use and: 1. To be respectful of others’ work and keep feedback constructive and positive. Sharing creative work can be vulnerable, so be supportive. 2. To refrain from saying anything discriminatory, hateful, or threatening within the community space (virtual or physical). These things will not be tolerated. Harassment of any kind in the space is grounds for removal from the writing group LitArts RI. 3. To abide by the submission guidelines established by your group facilitator and determined by the group. Your group facilitator will provide you with the schedule and format for the group. Please note that some writing groups may have waitlists or request an initial writing submission before joining. We hope you will commit to your group for the long-term support and relationship growth. If you leave the group, please let your facilitator know so they can open the space to someone else. Writing groups are open to the public, but LitArts RI membership ($15/month; free for Black, Indigenous, or POC Creatives) is suggested. We need your support!
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Group Facilitator GuidelinesAs a group facilitator, you have some responsibilities, but LitArts RI will be here to help support and cultivate a safe space for sharing creative work. How LitArts RI Supports the Group As a Member, you have free access to the organization's Zoom account (unlimited minutes) for all your writing group’s meetings. As this account is shared, we will need to know the dates and times of meetings ahead of time to reserve it for you. It’s best to find a consistent monthly or weekly time so we can provide you with one recurring link that you can share with the group. Please do not post this link publicly. You will be able to use the account without a Staff member present, though we are happy to help you launch your first meeting if needed, and are generally available for tech support. Please do not share the Zoom login information with anyone else. If you are unable to host a meeting, please assign an alternate host and let a Staff member know. We will arrange separate Zoom access for your replacement on that date. You may also choose to meet in-person at our literary center in the Valley neighborhood Providence. Meeting rooms may be reserved by contacting jodie@litartsri.org. Room rentals are free for LitArts RI writing groups. All participants must abide by the organization's health safety guidelines. We will recruit and provide names and introductions for anyone interested in joining your group, and offer guidance around keeping the community space supportive and safe. Please note that this means that your writing group is open to the public. If you would like to set up meetings for a private writing group, please contact us at programs@litartsri.org. Your Role/Responsibility You will be responsible for establishing the cadence of the group meetings and communicating that with Staff as well as the group. With the input from your group, you will help determine the format for group submissions and feedback. If you need help establishing a structure for the group, feel free to adapt these workshop guidelines. You will provide some moderation during the meeting to keep things moving and ensure equal participation, and uphold the Writing Group Guidelines. We ask that you keep Staff informed of any issues or ideas you may have, and to let us know when your group has reached capacity or does not want to be listed publicly. If you no longer wish to facilitate the group, or the group wishes to dissolve, you will be responsible for informing Staff as soon as possible and assisting in the transition. All writing group facilitators must be current LitArts RI members ($15/month; free for Black, Indigenous, or POC Creatives).
