It may sound like an 18th Century gentleman's club, but the Hampstead Literary Society was launched a mere two years ago.
The group of like-minded locals meet on the first Thursday of the month in the Holly Bush to share their writing and tell stories.
They have produced two journals of stories, poetry, "musings" and illustrations which they sell for "the price of a pint" in bookshops and local venues like Burgh House.
Self-funded and run on "goodwill and voluntary effort," the team are inviting contributions for their third edition.
"We feel it's a nice way to promote local talent and want to broaden our reach," says US born Ted Shergalis.
"We are trying to build on Hampstead's rich literary history and the idea of community writing. Everyone has a novel or a poem or something to contribute."
Writer and stay at home dad Morgan McClaren says the invite is open to all: "It's an open submission and a light touch on the edit. If we like the story, we are not going too much into the structure or grammar."
Londoner Philip Drummond, who submitted a poem to the first edition, has brought "rigour to the editorial process", and masters student Rebecca Galian Castello recently joined the team: "I read a lot and do creative writing," she said.
"I thought it was such a fantastic idea, it felt like an 18th Centry literary society, it's such a shame people don't do that sort of stuff any more."
Ted adds: "We all united around a love of the literary, and with Hampstead's amazing literary connections it felt overdue - from the 18th century to today, it seems everyone has been through this little hamlet."
He and Morgan met while walking their dogs: "Then we ran into each other in the Holly Bush, struck up a conversation and realised we both grew up 20 miles apart. We were two Americans in London who thought it would be great to get people together at the pub to tell tales."
Morgan adds: "We launched it and the next thing we got a ton of responses, it felt like a real outlet."
The journal cover features a fox by well regarded illustrator Ross McDonald. Animator and Hampstead resident Simon Otto has also contributed sketches, graphics and photography.
Morgan invites anyone to their pub get-togethers: "You can discuss the work you've written but also just come and have a pint and tell stories."
The Hampstead Literary Society Journal is on sale at Daunts Hampstead and Belsize, West End Lane Books, and House of Books. Email submissions for the third edition including a poem of up to 50 lines or prose of up to 2,000 words to hampsteadlitsoc@gmail.com.
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