Twenty Years of Turning Up: The Story of the Original Writers Group
Founded in July 2006 by Philip Davies-Cooke, the Original Writers Group began with a simple premise: to create a consistent, welcoming space where writers could share their work and develop their authentic voice. For us, ‘originality’ isn’t about novelty for its own sake; it is about the patient process of uncovering your distinct personal style.
Over the past twenty years, our journey has taken us through several physical and digital homes, from the Garfield Community Centre to The Battersea Arts Centre and then, with the onset of Covid, we transitioned online in 2019 to meet on Zoom, transforming our local London workshop into an international community, welcoming members from around the world. Over the past two decades, our writers have published more than twenty traditionally published books, alongside other creative projects.
We run on a facilitator model with a seven-minute reading limit and seven minutes for feedback, ensuring everyone has an opportunity to be heard. We have four key principles:
- Simplicity: No bureaucratic hurdles or complex guidelines – just writers gathering to share words.
- Inclusivity: Open to every background, genre, and level of experience without auditions or gatekeeping.
- Generosity: Constructive, reader-centred feedback designed to encourage and support rather than tear down.
- Consistency: The foundational belief that creative progress comes down to one thing: showing up.
Today, guided by a team of writers and supported by voluntary annual contributions, the Original Writers Group continues to look forward, balancing regular online sessions with our Meetups, occasional in-person social gatherings in London.
The Organisers
Philip Davies-Cooke
Growing up in the 60s, the experience of writing letters at boarding school taught me the art of the brave face. When I was thirteen, I began to write a diary, which became a refuge for raw honesty, sparking a lifelong love for the power of personal narrative.
As a teenager, I stayed with my grandmother, who lived at Owston Hall, an old rambling house in Yorkshire full of long dark corridors, ancient dusty furniture and family portraits. Among the oil portraits, drawings, sketches, and watercolours was a photograph of a cowboy leaning against a horse. My grandmother told me that this was her father. Five years on, that photograph inspired a BBC Radio4 documentary called Letters From A Cowboy. And the radio program inspired my book project, The Tenderfoot.
I’ve always loved telling stories. But I felt something was missing, and I wanted to connect with other writers. That’s why, in 2006, I founded The Original Writers Group at the Battersea Arts Centre in London. When Covid hit, we moved online and now have a thriving community of writers worldwide.
My blog: www.pdcooke.com
Gal Podjarny
I have always been fascinated with stories. I grew up in a close-knit farming community in Israel and quickly developed a passion for reading, devouring every book in the small community library.
I find that I think better when I write. English isn’t my first language, but I write in English because, nowadays, that’s how I experience life. I like how, in English, there is almost a word to describe every situation.
We all like a good story. That’s the basic human condition: stories and music. I am interested in stories that give a different take on the world, especially social justice and mental health issues.
That’s why, in 2018, I joined the Original Writers Group. It is a supportive community with great feedback. Writing is a solitary profession, so it is a pleasure to meet with writers, our fellow travellers who understand and share our journey.
My blog: www.galpod.com/blog
Jasmin Allenspach
I am a Swiss writer, educator, and award-winning theoretical physicist living between Zurich and London. As the youngest co-organiser of The Original Writers of London, I created and host the monthly Peerclass, a grassroots twist on the traditional writing masterclass.
Speaking seven languages, I write in English despite my mother tongue being Swiss German. In a no-man’s land between places and cultures, my writing explores multilingualism, sexism, science, and severed roots.
The Original Writers of London became my first literary family and a stepping stone to pursuing writing professionally. Since joining, I have gone on to be nominated for the Forward Prizes for Poetry, longlisted for the National Poetry Competition, and won the Platinum Poetry Prize at the Creative Future Writers’ Award. I am also a Barbican Young Poet and a Young Trustee of the London Library, where I was formerly an Emerging Writer. My writing has been performed at Southbank Centre, Barbican Centre, Audible Studios, and on BBC Radio.
My physics research seeks to unite the largest and smallest scales in our universe, not unlike my writing. When not dissecting sentences or equations, I train in classical ballet. I am fond of frosty weather and my far-from-frosty writing family.
