In 2025 I led a 9 month in-person reading group for the Royal Literary Fund. It was revelatory and transformational and fun.

One of only twenty in the whole country

In Brief: I read to the group, we chatted. The same people came to the group so we built a practice of listening and reflecting together. The seasons changed, we had a great time. Repeat for a year. It was a challenge for us all to show up week after week. It was unexpectedly and intensely pleasurable. I haven’t read in community since I started paying my own rent. The group is over but what I learned was: while I’m often lonely, sometimes trying to make friends gets in the way of just being with other people and having a great time. We need more spaces where we can read with others.

one short story and one poem

Open to All • No Homework • No Prep • Free Sessions • Professional Writer

More about the Reading Round:

https://www.rlf.org.uk/community/

There’s a short video on the link, too

Things people have said about the Reading Round

‘I wouldn’t miss it for anything’ 

‘it’s changed my view on poetry’

‘it makes me think about things in a different way.’ 

‘just six minutes of reading a day could lower stress levels’ …Mindlab International at the University of Sussex.