Writers’ Cafe
Finish your novel in 2026
(and have fun along the way!)
Writers’ Cafe is an online community for novel writers, offering encouragement, accountability, and all the support you need to write your novel in 2026.
Registration closes Friday 19th December.
Join us on the great-value annual plan before then and get a free one-to-one coaching session with me in January.
About Ali
Hi, I’m Ali, and I love helping writers get their novel to “the end”. I have an MA in Creative & Life Writing, and I’ve self-published three novels (the Lycopolis trilogy) and a novella. I’m also the author of Publishing E-Books for Dummies, in Wiley’s iconic “For Dummies” series. I live in Leeds in England, with my husband and our two kids.
Over the years, as well as having plenty of my own “stuck” moments, I’ve seen so many other writers struggle with the writing process, like:
- Tanya, who’d been writing her first novel on and off for over ten years.
- Alex, who began a bunch of novels, but never made it past chapter three.
- Charlie, who wrote chapter one – then wrote it again, and again, and again.
- Mary, who always needed to take just one more writing course before starting her novel.
(Names changed to protect everyone’s privacy!)
That’s why I created Writers’ Cafe. It’s a warm, friendly, supportive online community – full of people who get it.
There are lots of ways to engage, so you can get everything you need to make faster, more confident progress with your novel.
I recommend joining us on the annual plan. It’s great value, and it lets you lock in our support – and the time and space for your novel – for the whole of 2026. But if you prefer, you can join as a monthly member, for a shorter-term boost to your writing.
What’s Included in
Writers’ Cafe?
Writers’ Cafe is designed to help you make fast, confident progress with your novel, with lots of opportunties for support, feedback, accountability, and more.
You don’t have to do everything, of course. You can dip in and out, taking advantage of whatever’s most helpful for you (and the stage you’re at with your novel) during a given week or month.
Every Week, We Have . . .
Accountability Check-Ins
Share your progress and your goals for support and a boost of motivation.
I reply to every check-in with support, encouragement, or any extra resources you might need.
Weekly Live Writing Hours
Give writing a space on your calendar with built-in accountability.
We have live writing hours most days – and at different times to suit your timezone. (Schedule in FAQs below.)
Live Feedback Sessions
Get direct, supportive feedback from me and other members.
Each week, we have a live feedback call: upload your piece in advance for us to read, then we’ll chat about what’s working really well and what might need a tweak.
Prompts & Discussions
Keep your writing flowing every week, even when you can’t join us live.
Our weekly prompts are designed to spark ideas for your novel. I also start a weekly discussion topic to chat about different aspects of writing and the writing life.
Every Month, We Have . . .
Momentum Writing Retreats
Have fun immersing yourself in your novel … and get lots of words written.
Our day-long virtual writing retreats run once a month (alternating between Fridays and Saturdays), so you can enjoy being fully in the writing zone. Our first retreat for 2026 is on Friday 23rd January.
Hands-On Workshops
Master new aspects of novel-writing in a practical way (no dry theory or fluff).
Our workshops tackle practical elements of writing – like varying your sentence structure, or showing characters’ thoughts – with plenty of examples and exercises so you can use what you’re learning.
24/7, We Have . . .
Discussions & Chatroom
You can start a discussion topic or pop into our text Chatroom at any time.
This is a great way to get to know other members, ask questions, or have some extra accountability with your writing.
Any-Time Feedback
Post your work-in-progress any time for feedback.
If you can’t make a live feedback call (or want more opinions!) then post your work any time in our Feedback space.
Here’s a Sneak Peek Inside . . .
What Members Say
In Our 2025 Survey
I asked members what’s most helpful about Writers’ Cafe, for them. Here’s what some of them said:
“Motivation for writing + meeting people and reading their work, supporting them!” – Mia
“Being part of a like-minded writing community. It’s made me focus on actually writing rather than thinking about being a writer.” – Maria
“Accountability and working with other writers; the workshops and [Ali’s] ongoing personal support!” – Angie
“I really look forward to seeing people in the writing hours. It’s such a friendly group. I don’t feel alone during this process, and it makes me accountable each week.” – Valerie
In Our Check-Ins
Here are a few comments from recent weekly check-ins:
“It blows my mind a little that I’ve written all 126K [words] in the last five months…and if we want an even more accurate word count solely for the purpose of patting myself on the back, my “cut scenes” document is 26K! So I’ve actually written 152K in five months.”
“I’ve started thinking about my novel again and, literally, dusting it off. Thanks to Ali for listening and sparking ideas in the writing hour.”
“Thank you for consistently checking on us, Ali. I wanted so badly to say I had written something that I wrote today! Honestly I was scared to death of the challenge and didn’t write at all until today and was thinking of quitting. But after I wrote today, I am on fire and so pumped to keep writing!”
BONUS: Free Coaching Session
If you join before the end of Friday 19th December, you’ll get a free 30 minute coaching session with me in January.
This is just you and me, talking privately about your writing.
We can dig into your novel idea, develop your outline, review up to 2,000 words of your draft, or use our time in any way you like.
Normally, my coaching sessions are a minimum of $150 / £110. Joining Writers’ Cafe before the end of 19th Dec is the only way to get a free one! As with all my coaching, you’ll get a full recording plus my notes after the call, and you can follow up with any questions.
Join Us For 2026
Writers’ Cafe is normally $49/month, or £37/month if you pay in pounds.
Until Friday 19th December, you can join for the whole of 2026 for just $399 / £297 and get a free coaching session included.
This saves you $189 / £147 and includes everything: live writing hours, feedback sessions, gentle accountability, practical workshops, and all the support you need to write your novel.
30 day “no quibbles” money back guarantee.
Prefer to pay month by month? You can toggle to that option after you click through.
FAQs About Writers’ Cafe
How much does Writers' Cafe cost?
Writers’ Cafe is currently $49/month or £37/month (you can pay in dollars or pounds, whichever suits you best).
OR you can currently pay for the whole of 2026 for just $399 / £297.
The monthly price works out to $588 / £444 across a year, so the annual option saves you $189 / £147.
Note: I price in both pounds and dollars so you always know what you’re paying, regardless of the exchange rate. Just click the button of your preferred currency to join.
Are there any discounts or payment plans available?
Currently, the only discount is the annual plan.
You can pay for the annual plan in full upfront, or you can pay in 3 instalments across 3 months, if that works better for you. Once you click the “Join Now” button, you’ll see this option.
I can offer other payment plans, if you’d like the annual option but you need to spread the $399 / £297 out over a longer period. Just drop me an email at ali@aliventures.com and we’ll make it work.
When are the live writing hours and feedback sessions?
Currently, our live writing hours in 2026 are scheduled for:
- Mondays, 4-5pm UK time (that’s 11am-noon EST, and 8-9am PST)
- Tuesdays, noon-1pm UK time (that’s 7am-8am EST, and 4-5am PST)
- Wednesdays, 5-6pm UK time (that’s noon-1pm EST, and 9-10am PST)
- Thursdays, 9-10am UK time (that’s 6-7pm AEST, 4-5am EST, 1-2am PST)
- Fridays, 4-5pm PDT (that’s 7-8pm EDT, midnight-1am UK time) (member-hosted)
- Saturdays, 2-3pm UK time (that’s 9-10am EST, and 6-7am PST) (member-hosted)
- Sundays, 7-8pm UK time (that’s 2-3pm EST, and 11am-noon PST)
We’re also hoping to have an extra member-hosted writing hour in the mix.
Occasionally, a writing hour won’t run if I (or the host) have a clash, but you can expect most of these writing hours to run each week. We also take a break over the Christmas / New Year period.
Our live feedback sessions are on Thursdays, alternating between:
- 1.30-2.30pm UK (that’s 8.30-9.30am EST)
- 7-8pm UK (that’s 2-3pm EST / 11am-noon PST)
How do I access Writers' Cafe?
Writers’ Cafe runs through a platform called Circle. Everything is inside there: all our content (pre-recorded workshops, prompts, discussion topics, etc) and all our live calls take place inside there too.
You can access Writers’ Cafe in either of these ways:
- A web browser on your computer, tablet, or phone
- An app (on your phone, and some tablets)
Not 100% confident with tech? Long ago, before I was a writer, I worked in tech support … so if you get stuck at any point accessing Writers’ Cafe, I’ll be very glad to talk you through things.
What if I can’t make it to everything?
There’s plenty going on inside Writers’ Cafe, so that everyone can use it however suits them best!
You’re not expected to come to everything. (Even I don’t go to every single writing hour … we have some lovely members who help host too!)
Ideally, I’d recommend that you:
- Figure out ONE weekly writing hour that fits well into your schedule, and come to that as often as you can.
- Come to our live feedback calls whenever you have a piece (or outline, notes, etc) you’d like feedback on.
- Check in with us weekly – it only takes a minute or two, but can give you a massive boost to your writing motivation.
Do I have to keep my camera/mic on for writing hours?
No, you don’t have to use your camera/mic at all if you don’t want to. Most people start on camera for the first five minutes, and we take it in turns to share out loud what we’ll be working on. But there’s also a chat feature where you can type to us instead, and you can keep your camera off the whole time if you prefer.
Everyone goes on mute, and most people switch off their cameras, while we’re actually writing.
How do I keep up with what’s happening in Writers’ Cafe?
Each Monday, I send out an email to all Writers’ Cafe members (unless you’ve chosen not to receive this).
The email links to the check-in thread for the week, highlights the upcoming weekly writing hours, the live feedback call, the weekly prompt, and anything else coming up.
On Wednesdays, I send a quick reminder email briefly recapping all of this.
You can also receive email and app notifications from Writers’ Cafe (if these get annoying, you can adjust them any time in your settings).
Do I need to use my legal name for Writers' Cafe?
No, you can use a nickname, pen-name, or any name you want. When you create your profile, just enter your name exactly how you want it to display.
Most members enter a full name (e.g. Ali Luke), but you can use your first name (Ali), or your first name plus your initial (Ali L) if you prefer.
How do I create my profile?
You’ll need to enter your email address and set a password before paying.
After you pay, you’ll be taken to a form where you can fill out your profile for Writers’ Cafe. You can change any/all this information at a later point! All you need to enter at this stage is your name.
Can I get a refund if Writers’ Cafe isn’t a good fit?
Of course! I have a 30-day “no quibbles” refund guarantee. If you join Writers’ Cafe on the annual plan and decide it’s not right for you, just let me know within 30 days and I’ll refund you in full.
If you’re on the monthly membership, you can cancel at any time, and I can refund you for any payment within the last 30 days. Just drop me an email or a message in the Cafe, and I’ll get it sorted.
I’m not a novelist … can I still join Writers’ Cafe?
You’re very welcome to join us, but I’ll be upfront that most of the content (workshops, worksheets, writing prompts, etc) is aimed at novelists.
If you’re writing short stories and maybe thinking of working up to a novel in the future, then you’ll find that plenty of our material applies to you. 🙂
We do have members who are working on other types of writing alongside novels / short stories (e.g. blog posts, copywriting, freelance articles) and you’re always very welcome to discuss any time of writing in Writers’ Cafe.
Hang on – I’ve got more questions …
No worries! Drop me an email at ali@aliventures.com and I’ll be very happy to answer anything you’d like to know about Writers’ Cafe.