On a windy Saturday afternoon, a group of 30 writers, aged 10 to 68, gather at Aaromale in Film Nagar for the bi-weekly meeting of Write Club Hyderabad, the largest community for and by writers in the city. Between 2 and 5 p.m., the writers complete a short warm-up exercise and a longer writing session on a pre-determined topic, then read their work aloud before ending the session with a collective peer review.
Sravanthi Talluri, 33, started the club on a similar Saturday afternoon in 2015 at Lamakaan in Banjara Hills. What started as a gathering of 9-10 people that day is now a haven for writers from across the city. “We wanted to ease a writer’s journey by creating a supportive and symbiotic community. In nine years, the writers who joined us in their early stages are now published authors,” she says.
To date, the club has held nearly 600 meetings and published four anthologies — Of blood and ink, Encounters, 3:00 p.m. StoriesAnd The parchments illuminated by lamps — which contain stories written by the participants over the years. They have also conducted writing workshops for children and participated in the 2022 edition of the Hyderabad Literary Festival.
Later, Aditya Undru, Shiv Bansal and P Sai Tej Kumar joined the club as organizers. Sravanthi says their reach is through word of mouth or social media announcements. “Now more people know about the club as our club has a presence on Instagram. Hyderabad is a city of culture with a plethora of writers who are always looking for stimulating activities. Most of our participants help spread the word about the club. There is no registration fee or winnings of any kind; writers can just come in and join the community with no restrictions on age, language or writing format,” she adds.
Professional writer Shiv Bansal, who has been part of the club since 2017, recalls, “When I started writing, I had no academic background or training and was desperately looking for a community of writers. Through this club, I honed my skills and got writing opportunities. It helped me build my career and now, as one of the organizers, I want to help other aspiring writers launch their careers.”
Collaborative community
The club not only provides a platform to hone one’s writing skills but also serves as a community for those who feel lonely in their craft. “Participants review each other’s work without being given feedback or judgements, which makes the club different from a traditional class. It is a self-sustaining community that allows for open dialogue and helps writers overcome their creative blocks or other hurdles they may be struggling with,” says Sravanthi, emphasizing the collaborative role of the club.
Bhargavi, a 23-year-old software engineer who has been a regular at the club for over a year, points out that the club brings together writers of different genres, including students, screenwriters, journalists, copywriters, or anyone who works in a different industry but has a passion for writing. “Writing among 30 other writers who not only come from different backgrounds but also approach the craft in completely different ways helps you go beyond the peripheral view of your own work and the art of writing itself,” she says.
