Welcome to Rockford Area Writers (RAW), a platform created to connect writers in the Rockford, Illinois area and help them grow as writers, publishers, and craftspeople. Founded in late 2022 by JP Rindfleisch IX, an author with years of experience in online writing groups and masterminds, RAW seeks to bring the knowledge and connections of these online communities to the local level.
RAW currently has over 50 members and works in partnership with Maze Books, a local indie bookstore, to promote local events, share knowledge and uplift each other’s work. We pride ourselves on being a social and information-sharing platform for writers to connect, network, and improve their writing skills.
At RAW, we believe that writers of all backgrounds and experience levels should have a space to connect and grow together. We welcome writers, authors, poets, comic book artists, and everyone in between. Our bi-weekly in-person meetings provide a space to discuss all things writing, craft, and publishing-related, and our members share local events from readings, contests, signings, and so on.
Our mission is to bring a voice to local authors and help them gain more presence in the community. We strive to share our knowledge and uplift each other’s work, ultimately becoming a stronger community. RAW seeks to make a presence in the local arts community and find more opportunities for local writers.
Membership is free, and we encourage interested writers to join us by reaching out to us at Rockfordareawriters@gmail.com or stopping into Maze Books to learn more.
