Meetings

The Columbia Chapter of the Missouri Writers’ Guild normally meets the first Sunday of each month. In months with holiday weekends, we meet the 2nd Sunday of the month. Please confirm dates, times, and place by checking the events calendar before each meeting.

Meetings are held at Unity Center, 1600 W. Broadway, Columbia. Parking is behind the building.  All meetings are generally in the Founders’ Wing. If you can’t find us, we are in the Friendship Hall.  Meetings for Critiques are explained at the bottom of this page.

The meetings run from 2:00 – 4:00 PM. Each begins with a brief business meeting followed by either a speaker, workshop, or critique group. Recent speakers have brought us programs on topics including:

  • persona poetry
  • freelance writing
  • self-publishing
  • marketing
  • Q&A panels with editors, cover designers, and more

We alternate speakers with small group critiques for prose (short stories and novel excerpts), poetry, and non-fiction. This format encourages writers to build on their strengths with respectful help from other writers who recognize that each person has an individual voice and unique life experiences. Go to the CRITIQUES page of this web site to find the critique guidelines.

All meetings are free and open to the public, with the following exceptions: our ShowMe Masterclass mini sessions.