The Speculators meet the 1st Sunday of every month from March to December. 2-4pm

Convenor: Liam Selby

Level: Suitable for all writers

Group overview: Do you find yourself dreaming of distant worlds, far beyond our horizon? Into what deep, dark and horror-filled world does your creativity take you? Perhaps you’ve imagined a world filled with magical wonders and creatures that would dazzle the layman’s mind? If so, this is the place for you to find like souls, a place to share, to discover, to learn about the wonders of speculative fiction.

This group is perfect for those developing any writing within speculative fiction (fantasy, sci-fi, horror), whether it’s a full-blown space opera or epic fantasy, or on the smaller scale of novellas and short stories.

Join us to find a space to network with similar writers, a space to provide and gain encouragement and support in writing, and to build on writing skills within speculative fiction. This group will involve sharing our work and garnering some useful feedback from each other. To support this, participants will learn an editor’s guide to giving and receiving feedback.

Each session will involve:

·         Sharing personal writing updates: progress, shortcomings, struggles, breakthroughs.

·         Writing warm-ups and sessions: make use of writing prompts, sprints, and exercises to practise writing; utilise time to work on your work-in-progress (WIP) in company of other spec fic writers.

·         Critique session: critique excerpts of others’ work and provide useful feedback.

·         Brainstorming session: utilising critiques, make use of the extra minds to brainstorm fixes, improvements and new ideas.

·         Discussions on various topics on writing craft and the publishing industry.

Adult writers over the age of 18 are welcome.

Venue: Edith Cowan House, Building 20, ECU Joondalup Campus, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup.

Parking: Free on weekends. You can park in any bay on weekends. Carparks 14 (enter from Lakeside Drive) & 8 are closest to the house. Click here for a directional map.

Cost: $5.00. Members. $10. Non-members, includes light refreshments (tea, coffee, biscuits).

Sessions for 2025:

March 2

April 6

May 4

June 1

July 6

August 3

September 7 - Father’s Day. Group will decide if it meets on this day.

October 5

November 2

December 7.

Health/Covid-19: Please do not attend the group if you are unwell, have tested positive to Covid-19, are awaiting a test result, or are still recovering from infection. Thank you.