Is 2026 the year you finally write that book you’ve been thinking about? Whether it’s a novel, an autobiography, a children’s story, a snapshot of local history, or a collection of short fiction or poetry, your book is waiting for you to sit down and start typing.

If you’re looking for support, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a taste of what’s on offer in and around Bury St Edmunds.

Writing Groups A writing group can be an invaluable source of support and advice. The groups listed here are open to everyone, from published authors to writers who are just starting out:

Bury Library Writers Group meets every other Tuesday at the library. Check out the events page of the library website for more details.

The Writers Room meets at the Theatre Royal. Find details on the Community Engagement page of the Theatre Royal website.

Fram Writers, run by author Russell Webb, meets at Framlingham Library every month and caters for anyone with a passion for writing (russellwebb@live.co.uk).

Find the Suffolk Writers Group, run by local author Mai Black, on Facebook. Join the group to meet other authors and take part in online writing activities.

Coaching If you’re looking for support from an experienced author, Ruth Leigh offers half- and full-day in-person workshops with a track record of guiding writers to publication (www.ruthleighwrites.co.uk).

Tiffani Angus is a former creative writing lecturer and multi-award shortlisted author, offering online workshops and coaching services (www.tiffani-angus.com).

Editing Every good book needs a great editor! If you write scifi or fantasy, contact AJ Deane (andrewjamesdeane@outlook.com), Tiffani Angus (www. tiffani-angus.com) or Rachel Churcher (www.tallerbooks.com) for specialist editing and advice. Rachel also specialises in books for teenagers and young adults.

Typesetting Your book deserves to look beautiful and professional. Book Polishers in Bury St Edmunds creates high-quality pdfs for physical hardbacks and paperbacks, as well as files for eBooks (www.bookpolishers.com).

One-stop shop For award-winning editing, book design, printing, publishing and distribution services, contact independent publishing specialists Softwood Books in Stowmarket (www.softwoodbooks.com).

Whatever you’re planning, why not make 2026 the year you write your book?