If you have stories of old Galway, a scrap of a poem or even the bones of a novel stuffed in a drawer and don't quite know where to take it from here, Galway-based writer Fred Johnston is on hand to offer information and guidance.
Fred is helping to form daytime writers' groups in different centres around Galway city, and welcomes anybody interested in writing who is not otherwise engaged during the day. These groups will meet once a week to discuss each other's work and give encouragement and ferment ideas.
Three groups are already established at Westside, the Arts Centre in Dominick Street, and the Travellers' Support Group. Writing activities were already under way among the Travellers' group members before Fred's scheme, but they now benefit from his expertise.
Fred, whose most recent collection, Keeping the Night Watch, was published last year, aims to create a comfortable, unintimidating atmosphere at the meetings. He appreciates how difficult it can be for people who have been writing privately to make public their work.
Writing involves "enforced isolation" and it benefits writers to get together with people of like mind. He hopes to break down the "them and us" barrier, which can exist between those who have had their work published and those who would like to write; and he plans to invite established writers to visit the groups and share their experiences.
He feels it is important for groups to meet in their own locality to make it easier for individuals to attend. He will help to set up groups in any area where there is sufficient interest. In time, he hopes to start a writers' group network and eventually to publish a newsletter.
Another aspect of Fred's role is to offer information on publishing in general, as well as first-time publishing. He would also like to hear from people with local stories to tell, either written or oral. He may be contacted at the Galway Centre for the Unemployed, Canavan House, Nun's Island, phone (091) 567438.