Dearest Friends—

Welcome back to our weekly Friday Note. 

Observing

On this day, September 30, 1868, the first volume of Little Women was published. The book became Louisa May Alcott’s first bestseller. Alcott was already an established writer when her publisher asked her to write a book for girls. The idea didn’t interest her. It was her need to support her family financially that motivated her to quickly write the first volume of Little Women.“I plod away although I don’t enjoy this sort of thing,” she wrote in her journal at the time.Little did she know, it would become an instant hit and an enduring children’s classic that has never been out of print. 

Reading

The story has been recreated into various adaptations for films and TV shows, with a recent film version starring Emma Watson and Florence Pugh.Read how Greta Gerwig adapted a 150-year old text for our time. 

Writing

Think back to a time in your life when you could have done with a little steer from an older, wiser version of you.Write a letter to your younger self. 

Sharing

This week’s Sharing is from Jamie Jauncey as he has some news on his latest book.Don Roberto and Me, Jamie’s biography of his great-great uncle, RB Cunninghame Graham, will be published in June 2023 by Scotland Street Press. Don Roberto - a fantastic combination of Don Quixote and Sir Gawain, Indiana Jones and the Lone Ranger – is known mainly as the founder with Keir Hardie of the Scottish Labour Party, and later the founding president of the SNP. But in a long and extraordinary life he was many other things besides ... 

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Diary 

Weekly Tuesday Gatherings
Join us for a reflective hour of reading, writing and communing led by Neil Baker. Everyone is welcome; in fact, invite a friend along. We meet at 7pm UK time. To join us, click here on the night. There’s no need to register in advance and we’ll be using the same link every week from now on. 

26 Orphans: Creative Writing Workshop
As part of a project for writers’ group 26 with the Foundling Museum in London, devised by John and called 26 Orphans, John & Neil will be running a creative workshop based on Dark Angels thinking.The workshop will be in the morning and in the afternoon there will be a tour of the museum with readings from some of the 26 writers involved. And it’s all part of the Bloomsbury Festival on Saturday 22 October.You can find out more and book a ticket here through the Foundling Museum. 

Writing With Constraints: London, 9 November
One way to make writing easier is to make it harder. That sounds illogical, but putting some obstacles in the way of your writing can be a great way to get the creative juices flowing.Whether you are a first timer, an experienced writer or all-round creative person, this will be an enjoyable and rewarding workshop. Find out more about the Writing with constraints workshop on the website. 

Be well, keep reading, keep writing and know that we’re always here.

From everyone at Dark Angels