The first Annual Reading of the Broadmead Writers Group was held in April 1997 with public presentations of their work by members of the group.
A printed Journal of Poetry and Prose was begun in 2015 and continued until 2025. It was published twice a year, first commercially, and then inhouse, with a series of covers in color by resident photographers. The cover of the first issue was based on a photograph by resident Jim Butzow of a stitched representation of Holly House discovered in Holly House, attribution unknown, but possibly by one of Broadmead's oldest residents and Mudder, Caleb Winslow (1889-1996).
Cover Art of the First issue of the The Broadmead Journal of Poetry and Prose
Vol. 1, No.1, Fall 2015
As the first issue explained:
The Broadmead Journal of Prose and Poetry is produced by the Writers Group of the Broadmead Residents Association. It consists of writings submitted by Broadmead residents and associate members. At the present time we expect it will appear in the fall and spring of each year. Residents who wish to submit poems and prose articles should email them to: broadmeadjournal@gmail.com, and also place a typewritten copy in the mailbox designated Writers Group.
The Broadmead Writers Annual Report of August 2022 provides an overview of their approach to exploring writing based on the Amherst Writing Method:
Broadmead Writers Report, August 2022
The Broadmead Writers have continued to meet weekly by zoom to write and listen to each other’s written work. There is interest in beginning to meet in person. I will investigate the mechanics of hosting a hybrid meeting to accommodate those with mobility issues. Our philosophy is a simple one: every person is a writer and every writer deserves a safe space in which to experiment, learn and develop craft.
We follow the guidelines of the Amherst Writing Method which states:
Everyone has a strong, unique voice.Everyone is born with creative genius.Writing belongs to all people.A writer is someone who writes.
We begin with a moment of silence. Then one of the writers suggests a word as a prompt. The writers write for five minutes in response to the prompt. We share our new work and receive feedback from others focusing on three main things:
What is strongWhat we like and WHY we like it.What stays with us about the writing.
We refrain from criticism, questions, suggestions and personal anecdotes.
Writers are then invited to read something they have written that week, either from a prompt the Chair suggested the week before, or something else.
We end with a moment of silence.
Those writers who choose, have dinner together.
Traditionally once a year there is an evening where writers read from their work to the greater Broadmead community. Annual Writing by Residents. We would like to see that event take place several times a year. We would also like to bring in a speaker to present a seminar on writing, a topic of interest to the entire Broadmead community.
Maggie BabbChairK13maggie.babb@gmail.com
The Broadmead Journal of Poetry and Prose will be available as fully searchable pdfs on Archive.org:
Volume 1, No. 1, Fall 2015
Volume 1, No. 2, Spring 2016
The authors in each volume also will be linked to online biographical sources provided online by the BRA Archives Committee.