The Westfield Writers’ Table: Shut Up & Write!

By Stephanie Karp

Five years after moving out of NYC to the suburbs of New Jersey, I was ready to find a group of writers and a place to write. This time, I didn't want a critique group (I participated in a few of those over the years and loved them). I simply wanted to write in community with other writers. Working from home wasn’t always productive for me. I needed to see other heads bent over their laptops, fingers flying furiously, so that I wouldn’t have an excuse to not do the same.

A google search revealed that Shut Up & Write! was exactly the group I needed. And since there wasn’t a group local to me, I decided to start one. The large family-style rustic table in the center of Farinolio, a cozy cafe on East Broad Street in Westfield, was calling my name. I set up the SUAW account and called our first meet up for September 18, 2018. Fearful that no one would show up, I asked 10 friends to join me so I wouldn’t sit alone that first day. I hadn’t needed to. Writers were hungry for community and began finding us on their own.

Inclusivity and a sense of welcome have always been at the heart of what I hoped to create. I suppose it was what I had needed myself having moved away from a city I’d always known just a few years before. The phrases “You are never late, just show up” and “It will never have been too long that we haven’t seen you” have ensured that writers have continued to join us, season after season, and have filled our table and beyond for almost 9 years. The group follows the same exact format every session – ensuring our writers know exactly what to expect each time we meet and where we are in our program if they happen to arrive in the middle. We meet and mingle for the first half hour, then write in two 30-minute sessions using the Pomodoro technique (we can do anything for 30 minutes!) with a “pay the parking meter!” break in between. Many sessions linger long after the writing is complete, as we sit for coffee and lunch together.

Shut Up & Write! Westfield not only survived the pandemic, but we thrived and grew. Our in-person sessions quickly moved to Zoom. When quarantine lifted and some of our writers had moved away, we kept the Zoom meetings going, grew them to twice a week, while also adding back the original in-person day. Our members' ages span from 17 to 94, from high school students to retirees. Genres we work on range from memoir, fiction and poetry, to mystery, crime and even business plans. Published authors, both independent and traditional, and those just starting out, share equally their joys and successes, resources and rejection woes.

With a steady and growing presence, we have become a well-known community group. Our Open Mic nights on Zoom and at local cafes are well-attended. We also host a Speaker Series featuring conversations with well-known publishers, editors, authors, journalists and, recently, our first TikTok Book influencer. It’s been amazing to see how eager authors and those in the business are to speak to local writing groups. We have collaborated and been asked to represent at quite a few literary events in our local community – at Rialto, The Center for Creativity, as well as our local 91 year old independent bookstore, The Town Bookstore. Farinolio, our host cafe, even has a shelf on their wall near the big table entirely devoted to the published works of our members.

Being a founding member of Shut Up & Write! Westfield has exceeded my expectations. I found a steady writing practice, met inspiring, creative friends and immersed myself in a literary community that has become like family.

Hear from our members

• "Becoming a member of SUAW Westfield was integral in fine-tuning my writing process. Dedicating time to write has always been a challenge for me and this platform provided the structure I had difficulty instilling within myself. Meeting like minded people who are incredibly supportive, talented and willing to share their knowledge and experiences navigating the literary world has been an added bonus!" – Betsy L.
• "I'm so grateful to have stumbled upon a wonderful group of writers in our Westfield chapter of Shut Up and Write!. I've loved getting to know them and truly appreciate their talents across so many different genres. They never fail to impress! Making new friends with people who share a passion for writing has been an unexpected and wonderful bonus!" – Sue C.
• "Shut Up & Write! began as a group of writers and, over time, has become an ever-growing circle of friends sharing a creative journey, fueled by inspiration, positive challenge, and a deeply supportive connection. Each week, whether gathered around a coffee shop table or on Zoom, we show up and leave with a renewed sense of confidence and motivation." – Cecilia S.
• "SUAW was just what I needed, just when I needed it — a regular jolt of motivation when mine was dwindling. Seven years and counting!" – Al T.
• "I've been a part of SUAW for 6 years, and maybe what I admire most about it is that it provides me with both a predictable routine and a more freewheeling exchange of ideas and support. Over time, its members lean on one another for specific feedback, craft and market knowledge, cheerleading, and levity. We know one other's caffeine preferences and literary tastes--who could ask for more? Love that collectively, we represent dedication to so many different genres." – Wendy M.
• "SUAW Westfield was a refuge during Covid when we all needed a sense of community. The fact that we share a passion for writing just made that community ever more meaningful. Now, years later we are friends, collaborators, supporters and inspiration for each other. Thanks for getting us together and keeping us together!" – Eva N.

You can keep up with the SUAW Westfield group on Instagram through Stephanie’s profile as well as the main SUAW Westfield account.

SUAW Westfield on Instagram: shutupandwrite_westfield

Stephanie on Instagram: stephaniekarpwrites