“A place where logophiles, those who love words, can meet and share their knowledge.”
It’s not the official mission statement of Moorhead Friends Writing Group, but they’re not mincing words. MFGW is a group for writers of all experience levels and genre preferences, offering the region’s writers a unique opportunity to write, publish and promote the literary arts among like-minded folks.
MFGW participants launched its most recent anthology, “Return to Effham Falls: Tales of Lost Souls,” earlier in December, with ambitious plans for the growing group’s future as a local literary mainstay to further meet the needs of area writers—all in the name of community.
“The group is a source of unqualified support,” William (Bill) R. Bartlett, 72, said of the writing group he joined in 2019 that now boasts more than 40 authors from 13 states, and more than 50 titles, five collaborative anthologies, and now novels, too. The group published member Chris Stenson’s book, “Sins of the Mother,” in July 2024.
Other anthology titles featuring group members’ work:
“Welcome to Effham Falls: Tales from a Small Town”
“Tales from the Frozen North” (an Awesome Foundation grantee)
“Tales From the Water’s Edge”
“Return to Effham Falls: Tales of Lost Souls”
View MFWG’s full catalog on their website. In addition, the anthologies are available for sale at a number of local bookstores and gift shops such as More Than Words book shop, 40 4th St. N., Moorhead.
From support to success
Formed at the request of the Moorhead Public Library in 2016, it has since grown into a thriving community for writers. MFWG has established a hybrid and virtual presence for writers looking to publish in a co-op-inspired environment. Members workshop their writing with one another and also form editorial committees so they can publish work, too.
“We help writers set realistic goals and help hold them accountable,” founding member Chris Stenson said. “Not everyone has the same goals, and everyone gets a chance to be heard. We love talking about our wins and rejections, too.”
The group meets every Tuesday, with in-person and virtual options for attendance. During sessions and in separate meet-ups, members form workshops and support groups. But that’s not all. There’s the marketing side, too.
“We do everything in house,” Stenson said of the group’s scrappy ability to form a legitimate publishing house.
Fellow writer and group member Chris Lucht, 47, who goes by the pen name Alexander Vayle, said, “The MFWG has become a support system for burgeoning writers, a social club, a marketing team, and an amassment of talent that has produced an amazing collection of anthologies.”
The group also bands together to promote their work, making it easier to manage the time-consuming tasks related to marketing and communicating.
“This group has been instrumental in getting my work known,” Bartlett said, adding that he has the group’s collective marketing efforts to thank for being able to launch his book in two additional states in the United States.
Members frequently become beta readers, editors, formatters and cover designers in the process of helping another member’s work come to life. They also support one another at local vendor fairs and other events where they can showcase and sell their books.
“You’ll find us at events all over the region, selling books and talking to prospective members,” Lucht said of the group’s marketing and promotional efforts. “The MFWG has become a support system for burgeoning writers, a social club, a marketing team, and an amassing of talent that has produced an amazing collection of anthologies.”
A growing catalog of titles available
MFWG’s publication catalog also includes almost 50 print titles since the group’s founding at the Moorhead Public Library in 2016. The books, written by MFWG members, come in every genre, including horror, historical nonfiction, romance, mystery, YA (Young Adult), children’s, queer lit and more.
Writers in the group are prolific, some generating up to three books a year while maintaining other writing obligations. Bartlett, for example, writes a regular fatherhood column for the Kansas City Parent Magazine and publishes short stories regularly in various anthologies.
Bartlett’s only concern now is whether or not he’s paying it forward. “I hope I’ve been able to contribute as much as I’ve gained from being a group member,” he said.
“If I have a question, all I have to do is ask and other members do everything they can to help me,” he said, noting the strong collaborative exchange reciprocated among members. “I’m able to help other members in their writing career, providing counsel whenever I can and making suggestions to help them out of tough spots.”
From first draft to final print, MFWG members have each others’ backs, and when it comes to creating literary art, collaboration is key—the friendships a huge extra perk.
“Our meetings are akin to hanging out with friends, yet we’ve stayed on task and evolved from a handful of writers at a local library to the largest writing group in the FM area,” Lucht said. “This group has become another branch of my life.”
Moorhead Friends Writing Group Membership details
Interested writers can find more membership information at moorheadfriendswritinggroup.com.
Moorhead Friends Writing Group is a proud Partner Organization of The Arts Partnership, joining more than 130 local artists and arts organizations that help cultivate community through the arts in Fargo, Moorhead, West Fargo and surrounding areas.
About the author
Lonna Whiting is a freelance writer and owner of lonna.co, a content marketing and communications agency located in Fargo, North Dakota. She is a frequent contributor to The Arts Partnership’s content library and also provides strategic communications consultation to the organization.
