A new group at the Jefferson Public Library starts up later this week and it focuses on harnessing creative writing.

Library Director Jane Millard says “The Ink Society” is geared toward adults and youth in 9th-12th grades, as a supportive way for people who are interested in developing or improving their creative writing skills and talents. The program has two meeting dates per month, once a week on Wednesdays with writing exercises, and another time on Saturdays for the group to gather together and share and critique their work in a friendly, safe environment that is free of judgement. Millard points out that “The Ink Society” really caters to people of all skill levels.

“The people that have expressed interest so far, we’ve had that whole variety: people that just really want to try this for the first time and those who have already written things and want some feedback on them. We’re just really looking to develop this as an activity for people who are interested in improving their skills of writing different things but also just doing it together.” 

Millard notes the facilitator is a volunteer and Jefferson resident Wendy Taylor. Millard says Taylor is a former community college instructor, was a submissions editor for a literary magazine, and volunteers at the Sorcerer’s Apprentice Writer’s Camp for high school students in South Dakota, as well as a published author. 

The first meeting is this Wednesday from 6-7:30pm for the adults at the library, and this Thursday is for the high school students also from 6-7:30pm. Millard adds that on Saturday, January 18th from 10-11:30am is when everyone comes together to share their work for the first time.