Local authors trade solitude for support at Hudson Library

by Noell Wolfgram Evans

It is said that writing is a solitary pursuit. But there is a group in Hudson turning that old axiom on its ear. The Hudson Writers Group provides writers of all levels with opportunities to sharpen their skills in a safe, nurturing space.

The group originally started meeting in 2016 at the Hudson Library, but, like so many good things, COVID dealt it a bad hand. It’s now back with new opportunities, connections and exposure for writers.

“We have around 15 people each month who come to the meeting,” said Kelsey Logston, emerging technologies librarian at the Hudson Library. “Some are working on something very specific; others are just trying to build their skills.”

The group is effectively self-run with Logston acting as coordinator. “Before each meeting, people send me anything they want to get feedback on,” Logston said, “and I work to get that to the group.”

There are also always paper copies for anyone who attends as a drop-in.

Writers have shared their work in nearly every genre, including children’s stories, sci-fi, poetry, essays and fiction. It’s an opportunity for writers to get feedback on a specific aspect of the piece or their work overall. Some offer a new piece when it’s ready, while others take any feedback they like, incorporate it and then bring the revised story.

“The group has guidelines as to what a critique is and is not,” Logston said. “It always helps to know if there is something specific that the writer wants to know.”

“I’m a traffic cop,” said longtime group member and Hudson resident Ed Dell. He works as a facilitator during the meetings, keeping the discussion on track and the meeting moving.

“We open each meeting with a small writing exercise,” Dell said. “I give out a prompt word, and everyone has five minutes to use that word in their work.”

The meeting then segues into listening to the pre-submitted writings of three or four authors and discussing them.

“It’s a bit of a joy to watch the various transitions and see how other writers respond to the work,” Dell said.

Author De-de Mulligan found the group to be “a really great resource” when she was working on her first novel.

“It helped me immensely, not only in their response to what I wrote but in the work they shared,” she said.

“It’s a really great time to socialize, too,” Logston said. “I mean, where else are you going to find 15 writers at any one time?”

Mulligan found one of the continuing benefits of the group to be what could be described as “shop talk.” That can be anything from figuring out whether to self-publish to how vital a tool like Grammarly can be.

Logston shared that the current makeup of the group ranges from writers in their mid-20s through retirement. The library has, at times, offered programs for younger writers through the Creative Arts Program.

Dell said one of the great joys of this group is that “experienced writers and neophytes are seen as equals.”

The Hudson Writers Group meets on the last Monday of each month for two hours, beginning at 6 p.m., at the Hudson Library. Registration is not required but is recommended, so participants can receive the materials to be discussed in advance.