Sunday afternoon plans include something wonderfully straightforward – a writing meetup at Caffe Nero on Tottenham Court Road. The event promises exactly what its title suggests: writers gathering to actually write rather than discuss writing.
The format appeals to me after weeks of workshops, readings, and literary socials. No critique sessions, no performance pressure, just parallel creative work in shared space. The image they’ve chosen for promotion – coffee cups with “What consistency actually is” – speaks directly to every writer’s struggle with routine and productivity.
Caffe Nero provides the perfect backdrop for focused work. Coffee shop atmosphere without the pretence of formal literary venues. Writers bringing laptops, notebooks, whatever tools help them produce actual words rather than talk about producing words.
What draws me is the simplicity. Too many writing events become about everything except writing itself – networking, feedback, literary theory, publication strategies. This meetup strips away performance anxiety and returns to fundamentals: sitting down, opening a document, putting words together.
The two-hour timeframe feels manageable yet substantial. Long enough for genuine progress, short enough to maintain concentration. Being surrounded by other writers wrestling with similar challenges – blank pages, stubborn sentences, that persistent gap between vision and execution.
Sunday at Tottenham Court Road represents return to writing as practice rather than performance. Looking forward to discovering what emerges when writers simply commit to showing up and doing the work alongside others equally committed to the craft itself.
— Writer Anastasia Dubinina