World of Words: Local writers are on the silk road...

We are particularly keen to hear from groups who have upcoming events. Get in touch and let us know about your work. This week, we profile the Silk Road Writers. Tucked away in Arcade Road, just behind Littlehampton’s High Street, is an excellent little Mediterranean restaurant called the Silk Road. It is here, at 7.30pm on the third Wednesday of every month, that a creative writing group has been meeting since 2002. The group takes its name from the venue – its members are the Silk Road Writers. The core purpose of the group is to give local writers an opportunity to develop their craft by presenting new work or work in progress in an atmosphere which is supportive and sympathetic but in which helpful and positive criticism can be offered . But other things happen at the meetings, too: members have the opportunity to lead creative exercises or make presentations about writers / themes in literature – and coming together is always a good opportunity to pool knowledge of interesting literary events or competitions and the like. The meetings, however , are far from the whole story – over the years, the group has published five or six anthologies of members’ work, usually with the helpful support of Littlehampton Town Council – and there have been many, many recitals, in Littlehampton, in Worthing and in Arundel during the Festival. This is shaping up to be a very busy year for the group. Its first public appearance will be at 2.30pm on Saturday, February 15, at Worthing Library’s lecture theatre. It will present (with a little music thrown in) a recital of original love poetry in honour of the St Valentine’s weekend. Admission is free but advance tickets will be available from the library desk. Later in the year, the Silk Road Writers will be working with West Sussex County Council by presenting two recitals of poetry in connection with the anniversary of the beginning of the First World War. And , as if that wasn’t enough, members will be bringing out a new anthology of original work on the theme of war and conflict in the wider sense. For anyone interested in learning more about the group, contact details are available through the library service.