At The Writer’s Table, good writing is always up for discussion

Words are having a moment. From spoken word open mic nights to poetry slams, to the popularity of “The Moth Radio Hour,” good writing is all the rage. But for the members of The Writer’s Table in Center Moriches, words have always been hip.

One Saturday a month, they gather at the Center Moriches Public Library to read their writing to each other. The group numbers about 10 people, who range in age from 60s to 80s. The Writer’s Table offers a judgment-free space in which writers can share their work and receive appreciation, gentle feedback, and encouragement.

“You just feel like you’re in the presence of a lot of talent,” said Angela Werner, 61, of Center Moriches, the group’s moderator for the past 10 years and a self-described “word person.”

The group is sponsored by the Friends of the Library. It started more than 20 years ago, with a focus on poetry. These days, the work is as varied as the life experiences of the group’s members.
On a recent Saturday, the writing ranged from Lorna Coppola’s science fiction to Betty Brown’s autobiographical reminiscences of growing up near the Mississippi River, to David Fredette’s poetry to Len Slatest’s domestic drama between a husband and wife.

“Our writing deserves respect,” said Jane Tintle, 76, an artist and recently retired real estate agent from Center Moriches. “Where else am I going to experience this? Nowhere else.”

The work can sometimes be deeply personal and for some, a way of coming to terms with life’s challenges.
“Everything I experience in life, I write down,” said Dorothy Mato of Hampton Bays, whose husband died four years ago. “I write about grief and self-discovery and living alone now.”

Mato, 81, is working on a memoir about her life growing up in Jersey City, including the years she and her sisters spent in an orphanage.

Diane Morelli, 60, of Hampton Bays, read her poem reflecting on her experience of working in Lower Manhattan in the weeks and years after the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center. She’s hoping to have the poem published.

“I haven’t found the right venue for it, but I will,” said Morelli, who, like several members of the group, have had their work printed in various publications. Other members have self-published their novels or short stories.

Several also belong to a writer’s group that meets at the Hampton Bays Public Library.

Will Hill, 70, of Medford, read a short story he wrote about a condemned prisoner walking his last mile to his execution. The story packed an incredible amount of detail into two short pages.

“I don’t want it to be too obvious,” he said of the story’s ending.

Writing can be a solitary pursuit, but being part of a community of writers makes it easier to keep putting pen to paper or fingers to computer keyboard.

“It gives us a push to get those creative juices flowing,” said Werner. “Because you know you’re going to get together next month.”