This Whittier writers’ club has been helping writers succeed for over 70 years. The story continues – Whittier Daily News

Members of the Writers’ Club of Whittier Members of the Writers’ Club of Whittier (WCW) gathered on a Sunday in May to celebrate published authors at their annual Authors’ Tea in Robin Axworthy’s shady backyard garden. Top left to right: Cindi Peterson, Kay Murdy, Robin Axworthy, Frank and Carol Kearns. Bottom left to right: Ester and John Eliot, Jackie Fisher Not pictured: Sherry Novak, photographer, Fran Syverson

Without the support of a critique group, a writer’s life can feel like solitary confinement—feeling trapped in your own thoughts and ideas, sometimes experiencing blocks that can hinder any flow of writing.

For the past 71 years, the Writers’ Club of Whittier has supported a community of writers in developing, reviewing, and refining their writing toward publication.

The Writers’ Club of Whittier was founded by Susan Dibelka, a writing instructor at Whittier College, after she and her student group began meeting outside the classroom in 1953.

71 years later, the group continues to promote the careers of many authors of various genres. Since its inception, the club has helped authors publish hundreds of books and articles.

According to Carol J. Amato, the club’s next president and one of its oldest members, the club does not keep a count of the books it has helped publish, but the number is in the hundreds.

Amato was the first unpublished member to join the club in 1973. For the first 20 years of its existence, the club did not allow unpublished members to join.

Since joining, Amato has published 29 books and over 200 articles. She credits the club’s feedback with helping her launch her career as a professional writer.

“Without the group, I wouldn’t be released,” Amato said.

The group has helped Amato understand her own writing through the critical lens of other writers and has helped her build a community that goes beyond the boundaries of a book.

“I’ve been a member of the Writers’ Club of Whittier for most of my life,” Amato said. “It’s invaluable, not just for the friendship and everything and the camaraderie with other writers, but also for the feedback, which is just crucial.”

Amato currently leads the Nonfiction/Fiction Morning Workshop, but will assume club president duties from 2024 to 2025.

The Writers’ Club of Whittier not only encourages professional writers but also helps them overcome the rigors of rejection. Jackie Fisher, the current president, believes that the routine of the workshops helps writers overcome the obstacles in their careers.

“I think meeting in a group, like every other week,” Fisher said. “Having that as a regular event in our lives helps us come together.”

Fisher understands that rejection is a big part of a writing career. The group comes together to celebrate the successes of its participants, but also to lift each other up when times are tough.

“Sometimes we exchange query letters, and that helps. And then the idea of ​​rejections, just reading rejections, is very natural. You just pick yourself up and try again,” Fisher said.

Fisher has been with the group for six years and is finishing her final year as president. Before joining, she self-published her writing and is currently working on her second novel in the series, which was published in 2018.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the club has been meeting via Zoom and hosting two different workshops: Nonfiction/Fiction, which meets on the first and third Friday mornings of the month, and Poetry, which meets on one Sunday of the month.

Before joining the group, visitors can attend up to two workshops before deciding whether or not to make the group official. Annual club dues are $30, or $15 if there is less than half a year left.

“Being part of a critique group can make the difference between selling your work and getting rejected,” Fisher said.

To request the link to the Zoom meetings, email the club at [email protected].