Writing group draws large crowds
By Angela Greiner Contributing Writer

PHOTO/SUBMITTED Hudson resident Tiana Gorham

Hudson - With standing room only, writers from the community have been gathering monthly at the Hudson Public Library to read, analyze and critique fellow authors' works.

The group, which meets regularly the first Wednesday of the month from 6:30 to 8 p.m., was founded last summer by local resi- dent and writer Tiana Gorham. Gorham volunteers her time to run the group and said that it is open to anyone with an interest in writing, regardless of skill level.

"I recently moved to Hudson and wanted to join a local writers' group and thought the logical place to start to look would be the library," Gorham said.

The library staff , she said, has often toyed with the idea of starting a writing group but did not have a staff member able to do it. They immediately offered Gorham the meeting space, support and publicity for the program.

"I am happy that this is taking place in the library …," Library Director Trisha Desmond said. "It fits into the library's objectives, off ering adults in the community an opportunity to gather … and another venue to have an educational experience."

After Gorham established the group, Desmond was pleased with the response.

"I was really surprised to see how many people are out there writing in the community," Desmond said.

The first meeting drew an unusually large crowd for an adult program and now, with several months of meetings behind them, the group has 18 to 20 members and has outgrown the existing meeting room.

"This program has had an incredible response," Desmond said.

To accommodate the interest, two groups will run simultaneously on the first Wednesday of the month.

Gorham, whose career has included a wide range of writing positions - editor, film reviewer and adjunct professor - and who holds a master's degree in English literature, is excited about the success of the program.

The group, she explained, is run like a workshop in which a few writers volunteer to read what they have written and then the group talks through the story, off ering suggestions and compliments. Often, she said, the discussion strays from the original piece because of questions stimulated about other writing topics.

The writing level of group members ranges from professional to amateurs just dipping their toes in.

"You can get a response from everyone … but you get it from diff erent writing levels," Gorham said.

She believes that this is a good feature for the group because it gives the writers a wider range of critics.

"Often, as a writer, we think our story intention is clear, but then we find that people may not be commenting on the intention because it might not have been clear," Gorham said. "This gives writers an opportunity to get an honest reaction."

Criticism and compliments can vary. Sometimes, Gorham explained, it is just pointing out that the writer uses a particular word too often or that the subject was interesting.

Gorham believes that reading and writing go hand in hand.

"Writing is a natural off - shoot of reading … I believe that everyone has a story to tell," Gorham said.

For more information about this program or other library programs, visit the website at www.hudsonpubliclibrary. com or call the circulation desk at 978-568-9644.