Friday, October 23, 2009

Library talk

Yesterday I was at a library event at Central library in Dudley. It happens to be the place where I found and joined my first writers group - I was thirteen. I met a woman there called Betty Warneck. Sadly, Betty is no longer with us but she changed my life completely. Betty was a tour de force, black hair, red lipstick and crackling with energy. She had a gift for making you believe that anything was possible if you wanted it enough and worked at it enough. Thirty years on I still miss her.
It was lovely to see that Dudley still has a writers group - now called Castle writers, hopefully they'll carry on supporting and helping young writers with a dream the way i was helped and supported. It's partly why I love beuing involved with Wombourne Writers and I especially enjoy supporting my local libraries. Libraries are such magical places for writers and readers.

4 comments:

Don Lister said...

Hi Nell, Don Lister here, (we met at Dudley library, I was the fat old pirate!)
Thanks for giving Castle Writers a plug in your blog, we appreciate it. Like you, I had a terrible job getting a publisher; but I'm glad to say that 'A History In Shorts' is now beginning to sell and I'm hoping it will 'snowball' around christmas time.
If any of your group at Wombourne would like to pop along to our meets anytime, please tell them they would be very welcome. we gather each week on Thursdays 10am till midday. Thanks again, Don.

Nell Dixon said...

It was lovely to meet you, Don and I enjoyed your reading very much.

Mart said...

Hi Nell, or anyone else reading who knows the answer :)

I am from Halesowen and interested in becoming a writer and would like to find out more about the writers groups around here, like Castle Writers or Coachhouse Writers. Do you know how to get in touch with someone who could help me?

Many thanks for your help, all the best,
Mart

Nell Dixon said...

Hi Mart,
Castle Writers meet at Dudley Library in St James Rd. I think if you call the library they'll tell you when they meet - I have a feeling it's in the day though so if you work that might be a prob. I belong to Wombourne writers, we meet at Wombourne library, first wednesday each month at 7.15 pm. You could try the NAWG website - thats the national assoc of writing groups to see if there is anything closer to you. Or Birmingham libraries website may have details of a group on there. In Bilston there are the Bilston scribblers and there are some groups in Wolverhampton. You can reach me via my email helen @nelldixon.com (without the space) if you want to know more. Good luck with your writing!