Blogging Groups London

3RD THOUGHT EXPERIMENT WRITING WORKSHOP: cultivate curiosity :-)

A creative process to free your mind, and explore fresh perspectives. The first two workshops sold out, so here's another opportunity :-) Over the past 3 and a half years, I've written over 300 thought experiments and learned a lot along the way. [Here's a bit more about why I enjoy the practice.](https://experimentsingroupwisdom.substack.com/p/writing-thought-experiments) In brief, **the creative practice of writing thought experiments gives you the opportunity to:** * investigate ideas (old and new) * work your imagination * write creatively and playfully * produce compelling conversation starters that you can share with friends and strangers to provoke great discussions **In this workshop,** I'll share my process and together we'll create new thought experiments by: * Identifying areas of interest * Gathering ingredients for thought experiments * Imagining scenarios * Constructing narratives * Generating relevant, thought provoking questions * Participating in a round of small group discussions - you can volunteer your new thought experiment, or if you'd rather, you can pick one out of the hat. **By the end of the evening** **we'll have** * had some thought provoking conversations * become familiar with a new method for creative thinking * written our own original material for future group discussions :-) Although we’ll be learning a new technique we'll also be aiming to have **an enjoyable evening, with good humour and fun**. This will be less like school and more like a fun TEiP night out with an additional creative twist. **Who should come:** Everyone! We believe that the more perspectives, the richer the conversation. This group is not about being experts, it is about thinking creatively together and learning new ways to develop and communicate ideas. **Tickets** Space is limited (15-20) people and tickets are £15. I'd like to make this event accessible, so if cost is a barrier, please send me a DM. **Where we'll meet:** The Fitzroy Tavern in Fitzrovia. The nearest Tube stations are Goodge Street and Tottenham Court Road. We'll be upstairs in the Private Dining Room. Looking forward to meeting & talking with you! Bonny **[SUBSTACK](https://experimentsingroupwisdom.substack.com/) -** newsletter and further reflections on these events **[WHATSAPP GROUP](https://chat.whatsapp.com/D13LHw5BV3rEtUtO3ORklC)** \- stay in the loop **[INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/thoughtexperimentsinpubs/)** & **[FACEBOOK](www.facebook.com/thoughtexperimentsinpub)** \- see what we look like **[WEBSITE](www.alltogether.one)** \- everything else #philosophyinpubs #inclusivity #openmindedness #creativewriting #community #newskills

Unapologetically Childfree @ Mercato Metropolitano, London, UK

🎉 **Hey London & Southern England Childfree Friends!** 🇬🇧 📅 **Date:** last Saturday of the Month 🕖 **Time:** 15h/3 PM - Whenever 📍 **Location:** Mercato Metropolitano, 42 Newington Causeway, SE1 6DR I'm so excited to announce that even though I'm back in Portugal, the Londoners are keeping the childfree meetup momentum going—something I’m incredibly thrilled about! 🥳 **This is an ongoing monthly meetup without me physically present and run by y'all**, and I couldn't be prouder of our community! 👯‍♀️✨ **Event Details:** * 🤝 **Who:** This meetup is for **childfree individuals, meaning anyone who doesn’t have or wants kids**. It’s the perfect opportunity to find like-minded people, share stories, and build lasting friendships. Whether you're a local or just passing through, everyone is welcome! 🫶❤️ * 🍕 **What:** Dinner, drinks, and great company at Mercato Metropolitano, an iconic market in London known for its vibrant atmosphere, diverse street food, craft beer, and artisanal shops. With plenty of food and drink options, there’s something for everyone—**including vegan and vegetarian options!** 🍻🍽️ * 📍 **Where:** Mercato Metropolitano offers plenty of space for large groups, making it the ideal spot for our gathering. You can explore its variety of stalls or simply relax and enjoy the evening. [Website: MercatoMetropolitano](https://mercatometropolitano.com). * 📓 **Please Note:** The meetup is free, but you'll be responsible for any food or drinks you purchase during the event. 💸 * 🎉 **Why You Should Join:** If you're ready to enjoy a casual evening with people who share the childfree lifestyle, this is the perfect opportunity. Our meetups are all about having fun, connecting with new people, and building a supportive community. 💫💬 * ⏰ **Arrive & Leave:** Feel free to arrive and leave as it suits you. Come for the entire evening or just pop by for a drink—no pressure! 🍷✨ * 📱 **Join the WhatsApp Group:** Stay in touch with the group and make it easier to connect on the day of the event. It’s also a great way to keep the conversation going afterward. 🔗 (You just need jump on my email list and you'll get access to all the Unapologetically Childfree™️ WhatsApp Groups: [https://maggiedickens.com/childfree-group-chat](https://catharticcounseling.com/childfree-group-chat)) **Unapologetically Yours** 🫶 **Maggie Dickens** **Host of the Unapologetically Childfree Community + Podcast** **Instagram: @MaggieGetsREAL** 📣 🚨 **Important: Event Participation Agreement** This Event Participation Agreement ("Agreement") is entered into by and between Maggie Dickens, owner of the Unapologetically Childfree™️ Community ("UCC"), and the Participant ("Participant"). By attending the event, the Participant agrees to the following terms: 1\. Disclaimer of Affiliation and Liability 1.1 No Affiliation with Third-Party Vendors: The UCC has no affiliation with third-party vendors at the venue. Participation in any activities or purchases from vendors is at the Participant's own discretion and risk. 1.2 No Financial Remuneration: No member of the UCC receives financial compensation from third-party vendors, and this is subject to change without notice. 1.3 Waiver of Liability: The Participant agrees to waive all liability and hold Maggie Dickens and the UCC harmless from any claims or damages arising from participation, including physical injuries, property damage, or financial loss. 2\. Voluntary Participation and Assumption of Risk 2.1 Participation is entirely voluntary, and the Participant assumes all risks, including any injuries or losses. 3\. Photography and Marketing Consent 3.1 The Participant consents to being photographed or recorded during the event for marketing purposes. 3.2 The Participant grants the UCC the right to use their likeness for promotion without compensation. 4\. General Provisions 4.1 The Participant is responsible for any costs incurred during the event. 4.2 This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and can only be modified in writing. 4.3 This Agreement is governed by applicable laws.

Evening critiquing session

Practise Public Speaking at Bloomsbury Speakers London (Toastmasters)

This is our regular club meeting with prepared speeches, speech evaluations and "Table Topics" - a chance to practice impromptu speaking. Please arrive from 6:35pm for a prompt 6:45pm start. **Guests are always welcome and it's completely free**, but we do request that you buy drinks at the bar on arrival and during the break to support the venue. ABOUT BLOOMSBURY SPEAKERS Hello! Bloomsbury Speakers is a fun and friendly Toastmasters club near Farringdon in central London. We meet twice a month to improve our communication and public speaking skills by practising in a safe and supportive environment. New guests are always welcome and it's completely free. No need to book in advance (other than to receive a helpful reminder) - just show up on the evening! TYPICAL MEETING AGENDA A typical meeting agenda is as follows: 6:35 Doors open - meet and greet 6:45 Welcome from Club President 6:50 Introductions from Toastmaster and other meeting roles 7:00 Prepared Speeches (from club members) 7:40 Guest Introductions (a quick hello from the guests) Short break for refreshments 8:00 Speech Evaluations (of earlier speeches) 8:15 Table Topics (impromptu speeches of 1-2 minutes each) 8:35 Table Topics Evaluations 8:40 Reports and General Evaluation (of the meeting) 8:55 Awards (best speech, best evaluator, etc.) and announcements 9:00 Meeting close - retire to the bar! COME ALONG TO FIND OUT MORE! Visit our website for more information: https://www.bloomsburyspeakers.org.uk Toastmasters has helped thousands of people overcome nerves and improve their speaking confidence. Come along and find out how! Find your voice at #BloombsurySpeakers!

Feedback session in New Cross (message GRAIG for location.)

*Please ensure that you have READ THE SUBMISSIONS before attending the session. Contact Graig in advance for the submissions document and the exact location in NEW CROSS.* This session will focus on FEEDBACK for members' writing. We ask that people attend two meetings before submitting their own work. Read, read, read- and be ready to give thoughtful and detailed feedback at our meeting! We aim to finish at 10 each session, but several of us will often continue to socialise with a drink or two.

Blood on the Clocktower @The Winchester

🩸 Blood on the Clocktower is a game of murder and mystery, packed with bold lies, sharp logic, and just enough chaos to keep everyone guessing. **Walk-ins are welcome.** **Please note that the event is NOT limited to 10 attendees.** We’ll be playing **Sects & Violets** with a twist. **Knaves** will be in play. There are 2 Storytellers: one lies & one tells the truth. Who will you trust? Come find out! For anyone new to the group, a quick note: being on the **waiting list** does not mean you can’t attend on the day. The event is currently capped at 10 people because the Meetup app limits attendance numbers on the free subscription plan. As always, our events are completely free, we don’t ask for donations or charge for attendance, but unfortunately the app restrictions mean we have to keep the listed capacity limited. 🧠 Beginner-friendly, queer-friendly, and neurodivergent-friendly. Want to know how it works? 🎥 Watch this intro video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-aZP47Nm9g&t=58s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-aZP47Nm9g&t=58s) Want to see the chaos in action? 👀 Watch real games here: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Xhk7UmR9Qs&list=PLQBGXhGots83LIf1qY4Zg0Mp9qU1Kr2Hv](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Xhk7UmR9Qs&list=PLQBGXhGots83LIf1qY4Zg0Mp9qU1Kr2Hv) Come for the mystery. Stay for the lies. Trust no one. 😈🕰️

#WPLDN - July 2026: Our 150th Event! Accessibility, Identity & the Agentic Web

Join us for the 150th #WPLDN event. One hundred and fifty evenings of free, community-driven WordPress talks feels worth marking, so we're doing it with three sessions rather than the usual two. We're covering whether WordPress dropdown menus can ever be truly accessible, the business case for understanding why you do what you do, and what happens to your site when the visitor is an AI agent rather than a person. 📅 **Date:** 30 July 2026 ⏰ **Time:** 6:30 PM BST (doors from 6:00 PM) 🎟️ **Cost:** Free (Registration **Session 1: WordPress dropdown menus - Can they be truly accessible?** 🤝 **Speaker:** Graham Armfield ([Coolfields Consulting](https://www.coolfields.co.uk)) If your site runs to more than a handful of pages, you're almost certainly using dropdown or flyout submenus. WordPress themes have offered a whole range of approaches over the years, but how many of them actually work for everyone? Graham walks through the patterns commonly found in WordPress themes and assesses the level of accessibility each one delivers. Expect a clear-eyed look at what passes, what doesn't, and what to do about it. Graham is a Web Accessibility Consultant and the founder of Coolfields Consulting, where he tests websites for accessibility and advises designers and developers on fixing the issues found. He writes and delivers detailed accessibility training for developers, is a WordPress developer who has built accessible sites for clients large and small, and has contributed to the Make WordPress Accessible Team. He's spoken on accessibility at WordCamps and WordPress events for years, and he's been part of the #WPLDN story for a good chunk of those 150 events. Outside of work, you'll likely find him playing guitar, recording his next album, or at a local open mic night. **Session 2: Owning Your Why: The Only Constant in a World of Change** 🤝 **Speaker:** Raquel Manriquez ([PressConf](https://pressconf.events)) The only constant in your business isn't the strategy, the stack, or the team. It's the why underneath them. In this candid session, Raquel starts with the question most of us avoid: Who am I actually, and moves to the business case for answering it. The boundaries that hold because you know what you're protecting. The decisions that come quickly because you're not weighing up other people's opinions of you. The steadiness that comes from being someone, rather than just doing things. Raquel is the founder of WonderlandCurious, a tech event consultancy focused on innovative, people-first experiences. A longtime leader in the WordPress ecosystem, she founded the WooCommerce agency Mode Effect and led it for a decade before a successful exit in 2020. Today she channels that community experience into PressConf, a conference built around candid, unrecorded conversations among the leaders shaping the WordPress economy. A perpetually curious soul, Raquel believes deeply in the power of meaningful connection wherever her feet land. Outside of work, she's a recent graduate of full-time parenthood and enjoys music, the outdoors, wanderlust, and time with her big, Indigenous family. **Session 3: Preparing WordPress sites for the agentic web** 🤝 **Speaker:** Daphne Monro ([Hosting.com](https://hosting.com)) AI agents don't just rank pages. They call APIs, parse structured data, evaluate trust signals, and increasingly complete actions on behalf of users. Daphne explores what that shift means for WordPress: exposing clean, structured data through schema and feeds, building product and shopping setups that are machine-readable, keeping APIs and endpoints stable and well documented, and preparing content for retrieval, summarisation, and transaction. The focus is on building sites that agents can confidently interpret, cite, and act through, not just crawl, and positioning brands for a web where software is often the primary interface. Daphne is Head of Website and Content at Hosting.com, where she leads website performance, SEO, CRO, migrations, and global content strategy across multiple brands. She specialises in large-scale domain migrations, technical SEO, and building high-performing content ecosystems that align brand, product, and revenue. A frequent industry speaker, she has presented at events including BrightonSEO and featured on SEO podcasts, including SEO in 2026 and Masters of Search. She's known for combining deep technical expertise with strategic brand leadership across Web2 and Web3. **Schedule:** 🔹 **6:00 PM** – Doors Open & Networking 🔹 **6:30 PM** – Welcome & Session 1: Graham Armfield 🔹 **7:15 PM** – Session 2: Raquel Manriquez 🔹 **7:45 PM** – Short Break & Networking 🔹 **7:55 PM** – Session 3: Daphne Monro 🔹 **8:30 PM** – Q&A, Social & Wrap-Up 📢 **RSVP Now!** Three sessions, one milestone, and the usual good company. Whether you come for the accessibility deep dive, the honest conversation about why you do what you do, or the look at where the agentic web takes us next, there's plenty to take away. Bring your questions for the Q&A and stick around afterwards to raise a glass to 150 events. Secure your free spot today, and we'll see you on the 30th! 🎉 \-\-\- **Venue Information** **The Bridge** is a charity supporting women to make positive choices and encouraging improvements to fitness, health, and wellbeing. The venue features a plant-based café (supplied by Girls Who Grind Coffee) and is just a 5-minute walk from London Bridge Station. \-\-\- **Massive thanks to our sponsors who make these free events possible:** [Filter](https://filter.agency/), [Kinsta](https://kinsta.com/), [Mollie](https://www.mollie.com/gb/integrations/woocommerce), and [PodcasterPlus](https://www.podcasterplus.com/?utm_source=wpldn&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=partnership). \-\-\- If you're interested in being a featured speaker at an upcoming event, we'd love to hear from you at [https://wpldn.uk/speak](https://wpldn.uk/speak). **🎥 - Media Release Terms** By attending, you understand and accept that portions of the event may have audio/photo/video-recorded and/or live-streamed and may be used by the organisers. You agree that the organisers have the right and permission to use and publish such media for any purpose in any format, including online and offline, now and ever after, without further compensation, permission, or notification. You understand that all official recordings from the event are the exclusive property of the organisers, available under the Creative Commons Attribution­ShareAlike license for general use, and you do not ask for nor expect compensation or notification of the use of official recordings or photographs in which you appear or speak. Please inform an organisational team member at the event's start if you do not wish to appear in photos or videos.

A Sci Fi/Fantasy Feedback Session

Join us at Craft Beer Co. Brixton for our structured Sci-Fi & Fantasy Feedback Session. A supportive, focused space where writers can share their work and receive constructive, thoughtful critique. These sessions are designed not only to help authors refine their writing but also to strengthen our community. Giving feedback is as valuable as receiving it: by learning to critique effectively, we sharpen our own editorial instincts and deepen our understanding of craft. Whether you’re submitting work or attending as a reader, this is a collaborative, growth-focused environment. **FOR THOSE SUBMITTING WORK** **We allow up to 4 people to submit their work** **for feedback. In order to submit please RSVP and send your submission to** **scififantasyauthors@gmail.com no later than the Sunday prior to the session** to give organisers time to review submissions and arrange critique groups in advance. *Priority for submission slots is given to those who have attended a previous session.* To ensure quality and fairness, submission guidelines are as follows: * **A short introduction (2–3 paragraphs max.) explaining:** * The context and status of the piece (early draft? polished?) * What kind of feedback you’re looking for * **An excerpt (chapter or short story) of up to 3,000 words** * +10% flexibility allowed * Strict cut-off beyond that **FOR THOSE PROVIDING FEEDBACK** * Please RSVP and read the “How to Give Feedback” document that will be shared prior to attending. * Bring a device suitable for reading the submitted piece * There is no expectation to read anything in advance. All reading takes place during the session itself. We begin with dedicated silent reading time, ensuring that everyone engages with the piece equally and no one feels pressure to prepare outside the session. Just show up ready to read, think, and contribute. **SCHEDULE** Attendees will be placed into small critique groups of 5–6 people, each with an experienced facilitator to guide discussion and manage time. **6:30–6:45pm** – Arrival, drinks & group seating **6:45–7:30pm** – Silent reading & note-taking **7:30–8:00pm** – Structured feedback delivery **8:00–8:30pm** – Open roundtable discussion & author questions Each participant will have up to 5 minutes to share feedback during the structured critique section. Authors listen without interruption, with space for clarifying questions later in the roundtable. Whether you’re looking to polish a chapter, test an opening, or strengthen your editorial instincts, these sessions are an opportunity to grow together. RSVP early, as places are limited to ensure productive group sizes. If you can no longer attend, please update your RSVP.

In person meetup to critique work submitted by members.

This is a live session at The Mitre in Greenwich. The purpose of this meeting is to provide and receive critique on submitted extracts of members' creative writing, whether they're working on a novel, screenplay, poetry, a memoir or short story, etc. We share our extracts via email ahead of the meeting to give us all a chance to read the work in our own time and reflect upon it so as to be able to provide useful critique. If you want to submit an extract mail me at gpatrick66@hotmail.com to book a slot. If you are new to the group we ask that you participate in at least two of the Wednesday critiquing sessions before you submit work for review so that you get to know us and have a good understanding of how we operate. This will help you to get the most from a critique of your own work. Extracts should be approx 3,000 words and the full document (extract plus blurbs, questions etc) should not exceed 3,500 words in total. Extracts must be mailed to me (gpatrick66@hotmail.com) at the latest by 9pm on the Saturday before the session so that I can share your work with the rest of the group. We have a limit of 4 extracts per session to give adequate time to review work properly. Feel free to give guidance on any specific areas on which you would like feedback. E.g. Plot, pacing, structure or character development etc. (If you have not received the extracts by the Sunday before the session, mail me.) The group is friendly and relaxed, so please don't feel nervous about sharing your work! We will normally review extracts according to the order in which they are sent to me but if you need a particular slot let me know when you submit your extract and we will try to accommodate that. Please note that all phones MUST be switched to silent mode for the duration of the meeting.

‘Empire of AI’ by Karen Hao

The Art of Journaling

You can journal your thoughts, emotions, experiences… You can write a sentence, a paragraph, a page… But journaling doesn’t have to be a chore, it can be enjoyable and enlightening. It can deepen your self-awareness, help you gain clarity and add a sense of calm. Whether you’ve never tried it or you’ve done a spot of journaling in the past and fallen out of practice, join us to: * explore the why, the how and the art of journaling * get inspired to pick up your pen and start journaling **This is a free live in-person 60-minute seminar.** **If you would like to make a voluntary donation, please click** [here.](https://www.innerspace.org.uk/donations/ "https://www.innerspace.org.uk/donations/") \* I consent to my submitted data being collected and stored. We will process your personal data in line with the GDPR requirements and always store it securely and use it only for the purpose for which it has been collected. We will not pass on your details to any third parties without your consent.

Weekday Fiction Feedback Workshop

A weekday feedback session for those who don't work 9-5 during the week. I hope you'll join these new weekday sessions. In these regular writing workshops, we have three writers sharing a sample of their writing for immediate feedback, advice and encouragement. Critique is led and moderated by your host. You learn more by listening to the writing of others and the feedback their piece receives on the night than you can imagine. We've been running these sessions since 2010 and there's a reason they fill up so fast! Usually, we have a group of up to 15 writers attending. For people reading, pieces must be **3,500 words or less** as you'll have about 45mins for reading and discussion on your excerpt from around the table. Most people bring 3,500 words from their novel or a short story of all genres and styles. If you'd like to read, please **post a comment below**. ***You must have booked your place before making a request to read.*** If you are reading, **please bring enough printed copies (at least 10)** of your pages so members can make additional feedback/editing notes for you during the reading. All copies will be returned to you after the feedback has concluded. New members are always welcome in these groups. Most people come along to a few sessions before offering feedback, commenting or requesting to read but it's up to you. If you want to read right away, great, but if you want to come along and see how we roll first, that makes sense too. Again, you'll be surprised by how much you can learn from others by listening to the pieces and their feedback. After the workshop, most of us head to the bar for a social drink or two and extended conversation about the joys and woes of writing. **TICKETS:** £12.00 and please follow the steps to pay via PayPal when you RSVP. Williamson's have raised their hire fees and so ticket prices have to reflect that additional spend. It's also my role to organise and lead these sessions so ticket price incorporates my labour in hosting these sessions for you. Thanks for understanding. PLEASE NOTE: Refunds or credits will only be provided if the meetup is cancelled by us. We cannot offer refunds or credit for another session if you decide not to attend on the day. Please change your RSVP if you no longer plan to attend. We often have people on the waiting list and we'd hate for others to miss out. Location: **The Three Tuns,** 36 Jewry St, Aldgate, London EC3N 2ET. Closest stations are Aldgate, Aldgate East and Tower Hill. Try the official Meetup app to receive last-minute updates and notifications about our events as they happen to your phone. [Download it now](https://www.meetup.com/apps/). These workshops are hosted by me - Lisa Goll, Boss Lady at London Writers' Cafe - I'm a publishing professional with more than twenty years of working within the publishing industry. Added to that, I've been leading LWC feedback workshops for fiction writers since 2010 too. See more about [me on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisagoll/) or Insta me @LisasShare @LondonWritersCafe Question? Post a comment below.