What is the Peacock Guild?

The Peacock Guild is a local writers salon that began meeting in the Flannery O'Connor Childhood Home in 2009. For more than a decade, aspiring and seasoned writers met to read from their works-in-progress, give and receive critical feedback, and build a community with fellow storytellers. Poets, memoirists, authors, playwrights, and journalists often made up the eclectic group. 

 

After a hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Flannery O'Connor Childhood Home's Board of Directors and the local writing community felt it was time to reinstate the Peacock Guild. The first iteration met between October 2023 and June 2024. Now, the Peacock Guild is seeking local writers from across genres to apply to its 2024-2025 cohort.

 

From August 2024 to June 2025, this community will serve as a support system for serious writers in the midst of a project, whether that's a novel, a collection of essays, or poetry manuscript. Together we help each other strengthen our plots, voice, and style. This is NOT a place for proof reading or line edits. The year culminates in a public reading also held at the Flannery O'Connor Childhood Home.

 

Key Objectives for Writers

• Build community by receiving feedback from and providing feedback to other writers

• Polish a work-in-progress so that it is ready for publication submission

• Identify and submit to at least 10 publication opportunities (whether an agent, publisher, journal, contest or other form of media)

• Participate in a public reading of their work at the end of the cohort experience

 

Meetings

Monthly in-person meetings will take place at the Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home at 207 E Charlton Street from August 2024 to June 2025. Exact meeting dates and times are to be determined based on the selected cohort members’ schedules.

 

Additional meetings and 1:1 feedback sessions may occur virtually throughout the year or they can take place in-person at locations determined by the parties involved.

 

Who can join?

All local writers, at least 18 years of age and at any skill level, are encouraged to apply! Our idea of local includes anyone willing to make it to Savannah once a month for these workshops.

 

Applications are now closed for the 2024-2025 Peacock Guild cohort.

 

Questions?

Please direct any questions to peacockguild@flanneryoconnorhome.org or

Ben Dombroski at bdombroski@gmail.com.