Writing Circles in NZ
Writing groups offer more than valuable feedback on your writing. They provide support and a strong motivation to keep writing. If you are completing a writing course with us, we highly recommend that you join a writers group in your area.
Please always contact the group convenor to check that the venue and meeting times are still valid.
If you run a writing circle and you would like us to add or update your details, please let us know.
Auckland
New Orewa Writing Group has been formed and is looking for new members who have works in progress and are actively engaged in writing. They meet on the first Monday of each month in Orewa at 6 pm. Any writers interested in joining should email Don Sebastian for details at ricpacifica@yahoo.co.nz
WRITE NIGHT is a new monthly meet-up for writers of all persuasions. Each session features a special guest presenter. $5 koha. Usually last Wednesday of each month. 6:30 – 8:30pm. Te Uru, Titirangi Road, Titirangi. www.teuru.org.nz
Green Bay Writers are a creative writing group from in and around Green Bay, West Auckland. They meet every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at the Green Bay Community House, 7.15 pm. All welcome. http://greenbaywriters.wordpress.com/
Franklin Writers Group meet at Franklin Arts and Cultural Centre, on Wesley Street in Pukekohe, on Tuesdays at 12.45 to 2.45 of each school term. Contact Ruby at 09 238 3979 or Irene at 021 059 6925
NZSA North Shore City Branch meets quarterly at Massey University Albany Campus. 2 to 4pm. Contact Maria Gill for more information: 09 422 9456.
Hibiscus Coast Writers Club meets at 1pm, 2nd Saturday of each month, Pohutukawa room, Whangaparaoa Library, The Plaza, Whangaparaoa. Contact: Tanya Gouws. More details at www.hibiscuscoastwriters.weebly.com
Kiwi Write4Kidz Phone Maria Gill 09 422 9456.
Mairangi Writers of North Shore. Contact Pam Laird.
NZSA Manukau Counties Writers’ Group. Contact Jocelyn Watkin Tel 027 493 9851 or email jwatkin@clear.net.nz
Piha Writers Group meets fortnightly 7.30pm in the Piha library. For more details contact Kath Dewar 09 8128 406.
International Writers’ Workshop meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month, February to November inclusive, from 10.30am to 12.30pm meeting in the downstairs Lindisfarne Room at St Aidans Church, 97 Onewa Road, Northcote, in September. Car entrance is via Woodside Ave
PoetryLive meets on Tuesdays at 8 pm at the Thirsty Dog on Karangahape Rd (corner of K Rd and Howe Street). Contact poetrylive@gmail.com
Sunday Evening Poetry meets at the All Nations Tavern (formerly Java-Jive) for world music and poetry. Contact Paul Varnham on 09 818 2497 or 021 1182825.
Waitakere Writers meet the second Saturday of each month (excluding January) at the St John Hall, 247 Edmonton Rd, Te Atatu South. 1.30 – 4pm. Fees: Annual membership: $20
We welcome new members to our friendly, diverse group, where we share knowledge and experience. Writing expertise is not a prerequisite – just enthusiasm.
Contact info: www.waitakerewriters.co.nz and Clarke James candajames@ihug.co.nz
Rose Centre Writers meets monthly on the second Saturday of each month at the Rose Centre, School Road, Belmont, Takapuna. For more info contact Hazel Roff Tel 09 489 7203.
WAIKATO
Hamilton Poets group. Contact convenor Penny Wilson.
Raglan Writing Group meets fortnightly. For further information, contact P Zohs.
The Coromandel Live Poets meet on the last Tuesday of the month at the Pepper Tree restaurant in Coromandel Town. Contact John Irvine, tel 07 866 6789.
Te Kuiti Writing Group meets at the Wintec – Te Kuiti Campus (Waitomo Learning Centre) Tiroa House, Taupiri Street Te Kuiti. Every Friday morning from 9.00am till 11.30am. Contact Elsie Blundell.
Thames Poets Circle meets on the 4th Thursday of every month at 7pm, Nectar Lounge Bar, 740 Pollen St, Thames. For more information contact Greg: greg_b@clear.net.nz
Thames Writers Group meets in Thames at 1pm on the second and fourth Thursday of each month. For further information contact Jim Rowe Tel 07 868 9193 or Norma Fulton Tel 07 868 6925.
NORTHLAND
Russell Writers’ Workshop meets 1st Sunday each month, 2 pm at Russell Library, Contact: Peter, Tel 09 403-8321.
The Writing Group meets 3rd Thursday each month, around noon in Whangarei. Contact: Anne, Tel 09 437-5062.
Northern Wairoa Writers’ Group meets 2nd Saturday each month at CMA Building, Tirarau St, Dargaville. Contact: Iris, Tel 09 439-8715.
Whangarei Writers’ Workshop meets alternate Fridays, 10:00 am till 12:30. Contact: Derin Attwood
CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND
Matamata Writers’ Group . For more information contact Lois Fox.
BOP Children’s Literature Association Inc meets bi-monthly on a pre-arranged date. Contact Angie Belcher.
Rotorua Writers Group meet on the first Saturday of each month at the Rotorua Arts Village in Hinemaru Street, from 1.30pm to 4.30pm. Contact Bernie MacWilliams(president).
Tauranga U3A Writing Group meets at 24/281 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui on 2nd and 4th Monday mornings, February to November. Contact Kathleen KellyTel 07 576 2626.
Tauranga Writers Group meets twice monthly on the first Thursday at 7 pm and the third Sunday at 2 pm at Tauranga Environment Centre, 12 Elizabeth Street. Contact: Jenny Argante (ph 07 576 3040, mob 027 316 31 93).
Whakatane Writers Group meets on the second Wednesday of the month from October 13th at the “Writer’s Corner” in the Whakatane Public Library. Val Bird, Tel 07 308 4133
The Blair Logie Writers Group meets at the Genealogical Centre, Queen Street, Masterton on the last Friday of each month from 2:00 pm till 4:00 pm. Tel 06 378-9495 or 06 378-6423 for further details.
The Taumarunui Writers’ Group. Details are on our website at http://www.taumarunuiwriters.nz/
WELLINGTON
A Writing circle in association with the Mt Vic Hub Community Centre in Wellington. We meet monthly and our point of difference is that we are not a criticism group. We all just quietly write together on our own projects in a community setting – fueled by tea and biscuits of course! Contact Stella Carruthers: stellacarr20@gmail.com
Upper Hutt Writers Group meets 10.30am to about 2pm on the 2nd Sunday of each month. At the Art Society Rooms, Ward Street, Upper Hutt. Contacts: Audrey Harper. Tel 04-970 6239.
Lower Hutt – Pub Poets meet at Murphy’s Bar in Angus Inn, Waterloo Road. First Monday of the Month (Feb to Nov).
Levin – Horowhenua Writers’ Group meets first Thursday of every month at 1.30 pm at Thompson House, Levin. Contact Bronwen Gunn: 06-368-5588
“Spread the Word” Poetry evenings at Tupelo, 6 Edward Street, the second Tuesday of every month. Contact Nick on 021 267 6442.
Wellington Playgroup meets on Mondays, fortnightly 6.30pm at Playmarket, Level 2, 16 Cambridge Tce, Wellington. For more info, contact Janie Walker on (04) 383 5353.
NELSON and SURROUNDS
Romance Writers of NZ, Nelson Branch meet on the second Saturday of every month at 2pm at 63 Golf Rd, Tahunanui, Nelson. Convenor: Annika Ohlson-Smith, tel 03-548-5561, email allan-annika@xtra.co.nz
Picton Writers. Contact Hilary Colquhoun at hjcpicton@yahoo@co.nz, tel 03-573-6157.
Golden Bay Live Poets’ Society meets in the famous Mussel Inn, Takaka, on the third Thursday of each month. Contact Joe Bell at gbaybell@xtra.co.nz, tel 03-524-8146.
Wild Miro Writers meets every third or fourth week, presently on Tuesdays at 7.30pm. Prospective members are welcome to contact: Marion Gilbertson, tel 03-548 4469, email b.gilbertson@xtra.co.nz or Annika Ohlson-Smith, tel 03-548-5561, email allan-annika@xtra.co.nz
Nelson, NZ: “Nelson Screenwriters Group”.
A private membership but people who would like to apply or need more info can find it at the google form: https://forms.gle/HgiRFk27fXiraTZC9 Alternatively email address is brogan.piping@gmail.com
Nelson screenwriters group runs under the umbrella of The Top of the South Filmmakers Society :http://www.topofthesouth.org, thus members of the writers group are expected to become members of the society in order to be protected under our code of conduct and further enable minors to participate in the writers group. Writers are expected to make one of the two meeting options a month. We focus on short film screenwriting.
CANTERBURY and SURROUNDS
Ashburton Writers Group. Contact Rae MagsonTel 03 308 8927.
Airing Cupboard Women Poets meet at 10 a.m. fortnightly at the South Christchurch Library, 66 Colombo Street. Phone Barbara Strang (ph 03 376 4486).
Methven Scribes meet on the first Monday of every month at members’ homes. Contact Susan Sandys.
The South Island Writers’ Association (SIWA).
This is a vibrant, friendly group that meets on the second Thursday of each month (except January) at 7.30pm in the St.Marks’ Church Hall, 101 Opawa road, Christchurch. They run monthly competitions for members, and judges talk to the group about their particular field of writing ranging from poetry to short stories, children’s stories or articles. Visitors are always welcome. For more details http://southislandwriters.wordpress.com
Small White Teapot Group meet 7 p.m., third Tuesday of the month. For those with an interest in writing haiku and related forms. Contact: Barbara Strang, Phone: 03 376 4486.
The Oamaru Writers’ Collective, based in Oamaru, Waitaki. We are a group that meets weekly in the evenings and we welcome writers of any genre or skill level. Our FaceBook page is https://www.facebook.com/groups/oamaruwriterscollective and we can be contacted at oamaruwriterscollective@gmail.com.
West Coast Writers’ Group meets on the first Wednesday of each month at Revington’s Hotel. Contact Sandra Quick at quick_Sandra@hotmail.com, tel 03-768-4922.
Writer’s South Canterbury, meet in Timaru on the third Monday of each month. We run competitions and workshops for writers of all genres. Visitors welcome.
Contact Russell on 027 208-2044.
SOUTHLAND
Upfront – a Dunedin open-mike evening for women – meets on the last Tuesday of every month from 7.30 – 9.00 at Cobb & Co. For more information, contact Martha Morseth.
Dunedin Playwrights Group meets Thursdays, fortnightly at 7.30pm, at Allen Hall Theatre Rehearsal Room, Otago University.
Dunedin Writers’ Workshop meets on the second Wednesday of the month from, February – November, at the Presbyterian Community Centre, 16 Maryhill Tce, Dunedin. For more information please contact us at: dunedinwriters.workshop@gmail.com
The Back Beach Writers meet on the last Wednesday of every month. Most members live on the north shore of the Otago Harbour. Contact Nicky Chapman.
Creative Writers of Southland (Murihiku) meet monthly on the 1st Sunday of every month at 2.00 p.m. at Southland Education, WEA Centre, 100 Esk St, Invercargill. Contact Maureen on 03 216 5021.
HOME (Harbour Open Mic Evenings) meets at the Anglican Church Hall, cnr Grey and Scotia Streets, Port Chalmers on the second Tuesday of every month, starting at 7.30pm. Contact Debbie Cartwright.
Queenstown Writers Group meets every second Thursday in Queenstown at Bound bookshop, 7pm – 9pm. Contact bethanyrogers137@gmail.com for further information.
Waitaki Writers Group meets in Oamaru 1.30 pm, second Monday each month. Contact: waitakiwriters@yahoo.co.nz or Bruce Costello 0274 514 149
Looking to start a speculative fiction writers group in the Waitaki/North Otago region. Brief site here: https://nebulabooks.wordpress.com/waitaki-science-fiction-fantasy-writers-group/