Route One Writers' Collective (ROW C)
Welcome to the Route One Writers' Collective (ROW C). We are readers and writers of all stripes, from amateurs to professionals. Membership is open for anyone in the Route One corridor who writes. Writers get together to read and critique each other's work. Participate in discussion groups, workshops, exercises, feedback sessions, and more.
About Us
The Route One Writers' Collective (ROW C) came out of a couple of folks that like to write. We might have full-time jobs, kids, commitments, hobbies. But we find time to write.
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We enjoy the world's most radical invention by writing, then opening it up to the creative process -- hearing what readers liked, didn't like, understood deeply or didn't understand at all. We might be published, unpublished, self-published. We just like to share our ideas with others.
OUR OFFERINGS
Elevating Your Writing Experience
Feedback Sessions
Engage in constructive critique sessions to enhance your writing skills and receive valuable feedback from fellow writers and readers.
Writing Workshops
Participate in specialized writing classes designed to explore different genres, techniques, and storytelling methods.
Author Focus Groups
Join author focus groups or one-on-ones to delve deeper into specific writing styles, discuss literature, gain insights from published authors, or just bend an ear.
MEMBER STORIES
Frequently Asked Questions
1
What's in it for me?
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Get critical feedback on your writing from real readers.
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Get advice from those who have published works.
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Partake in exercises to enhance your writing.
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2
What do you actually do?
Check out our Events Calendar to see what events are going on soon.
The main feature of our Collective is Feedback Sessions. In such sessions, the writer whose work is being reviewed hosts a small discussion, much like a book club. The readers offer feedback and words of encouragement. The writer can ask questions or explain their thinking.
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​Other activities may include writing sessions (e.g. flash fiction), discussion groups (e.g. read an article together), or other exercises.​
3
I'm not ready to share my work with others. Should I join?
We understand. Sometimes it helps to see others' work first. Feel free to read others' work and treat it like a book club for the first couple of sessions.
4
What genres do you accept?
We will be happy to read any genre, including fiction, nonfiction, memoir, poetry, news, and essays.
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EXCEPT: the writing must be accessible to a general audience (e.g. no scientific papers), and the group reserves the right to ​veto certain kinds of works (e.g. hardcore porn, Nazi propaganda, translations of auto manuals).
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Read the full Rules.
5
I'm not very good. Should I join?
Did you hear us? Many of us are amateurs!
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ROW C members are looking to grow. If you're bad, we'll try to get you to less bad. If you're great, we'll try to get you to excellent.
But no egos, please.
6
What does it cost?
Membership is nominal at $25/year, simply to cover basic operating costs (such as this website). All events are FREE for members to attend.
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If you are submitting work for a Feedback Session, the fee is a base of $20, plus $1 for every 1,000 words. A novel of 80,000 words, therefore, costs $100 to submit. A short story of 5,000 words costs $25. This fee is separate from membership.
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We also ask that the writer whose work is being reviewed host the discussion in a location they can confirm (such as their own home).
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Who can join?
Anyone can join, for now. We'll try not to scare you with the details, but note that members can be expelled, limited, or disinvited upon certain behavior.
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What is the Route One Corridor?
The Route One Corridor consists of the communities in Prince George's County, Maryland, in the fifteen-mile stretch between Washington, D.C. and Laurel. Participating towns include Mount Rainier, Brentwood, Bladensburg, Hyattsville, Edmonston, Riverdale Park, University Park, College Park, Beltsville, Greenbelt, Ammendale, and Laurel.
If you live outside this area and want to travel to us, you can sign up, but we ain't coming to you.
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Is anyone published here?
You'll just have to sign up to find out!
