"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
— Maya Angelou
Every writer has a story waiting to be told. But sometimes, fear of judgment or self-doubt holds them back. But in Thiruvananthapuram, this is no longer an issue. The city has growing communities for writers to support and uplift them in every possible way. Whether it’s poetry circles, writer’s meetups, or creative workshops, these groups bring people together and encourage them to grow through their words. Here are two such groups.
Let’s Write Trivandrum
“The layers that form with words, that is us,” says Narayan Menon K, founder of the community Let’s Write Trivandrum.
In 2023, Narayan noticed the lack of writing and literature-based groups in the city and decided to create one. What began as a small gathering of 20 people has now grown into a community of over 200 members, including writers from Thiruvananthapuram and other districts.
The group that meets on the second and fourth Saturday of every month at Vyloppilli Samskrithi Bhavan has become a platform for people to express themselves through various forms of writing.
“We have a very open, non-judgmental space where everyone is welcome. There are no constraints — no language barriers, no fixed formats or structures, and no restrictions on topics. I believe that in creativity and literature, there should be no boundaries,” says Narayan.
He recalls a recent conversation with a member: “One person told me she had been undergoing therapy for a long time. During her last session, the doctor suggested reducing her medication and asked if she had done anything different. She mentioned attending our writing sessions, and the doctor said, ‘then it’s working; please keep doing it’. This is just one of many such moments in our two-year journey.”
Not just the sessions, but these 200 members also have an active WhatsApp group where they can share their writings from anywhere, discuss various topics, and stay connected.
“The interesting part is that people have started asking me if we can create branches like Let’s Write Dubai, Let’s Write Thrissur. Hopefully, this will become a movement. That’s the vision,” Narayan added.
The community also organises writing workshops in schools to encourage students explore writing and reading, helping them create worlds of their own through words.
They are also planning to publish an anthology born from the works of their members very soon.
Blank Space
“An inclusive space where people can come, write, and feel safe - that was the core idea of this writing community,” says 25-year-old Aiswarya Albert, the visionary behind Blank Space that has now become a go-to spot for writers in Thiruvananthapuram.
The sessions, held once a month at Starbucks in Lulu Mall, begin with Aiswarya giving a topic to write about, followed by a discussion on their writings and a debate on various relevant social issues.
“There are talented people who remain unseen because they lack a platform. And if someone wants to publish their work the process can be overwhelming. I believe communities like these help build confidence and provide feedback from others,” she says.
People also come to listen during the session, she says. Newcomers in town looking to meet like-minded people are also part of the group.
“So I think in a world where everything is online, real-life meetups like are very important.”
Blank Space also organises writing competitions for the public, including free writing sessions. They also started a charity programme where members contribute groceries and other essentials to old age homes.
“In future, I want to hold more writing competitions since the first one was a great success. I also hope to bring publishers to the group to conduct workshops, helping members understand the process of publishing a book and related aspects. Most importantly, I want to promote safe spaces for writers,” Aiswarya smiles.