Controversy @ Noon – November 2026: Exclusivity in Writing Spaces (Online)

Writing groups, book launches, conferences, galas, workshops and intensives, these are a few of the many types of spaces that can feel cliquish or selective as a writer. Many of us will wonder if we’re “allowed” to attend such functions at one time or another as we navigate our writerly lives. Questions such as “Do I have the experience to register for this course or become a member of this guild?” or “Have I been published enough to take part in this writers’ retreat?” or “Am I a writer who deserves to occupy the same space as these other, real writers?” are not uncommon sentiments. What is it that can make these spaces feel so exclusionary or prohibitive? What can we do to evolve the collective mindset so that all writers, no matter what stage of their writing life they’re in, where they come from, or what they write, feel welcome?

Join our panelists as they discuss these ideas and more during our November Controversy @ Noon event.