How It Works
Our fellowship, organized like an Oxford pub
The Pub Metaphor
The original Inklings gathered at the Eagle and Child pub in Oxford... the "Bird and Baby" to those who knew it well... where they claimed a back room they affectionately called "The Rabbit Room." Around well-worn tables, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and their circle read their work aloud and offered one another honest, sometimes brutal, always constructive critique.
Our fellowship draws on this rich history. We organize ourselves using the metaphor of a pub: Tables where intimate groups gather, Rooms where multiple Tables share together, and The Pub itself representing the entire community.
Tables
2 to 5 members
Intimate creative circles where you share your work, receive honest critique, and build deep creative friendships. Every Table has a Host who facilitates and invites new members.
Rooms
Alliances of Tables
When Tables join together in a Room, they can share works with a broader audience while maintaining the intimacy of their own Table. Room Hosts manage which Tables join.
The Pub
The entire fellowship
Works shared at the Pub level are visible to all fellowship members. Community events, the gallery, and fellowship-wide announcements happen here.
Tables: Your Creative Circle
A Table is the heart of the AmericanInklings experience. Like the Inklings gathering around their favorite corner of the pub, your Table is where the real creative work happens.
Share Your Work
Read your poetry, share your prose, display your visual art with trusted peers who understand your craft.
Honest Critique
Receive the kind of thoughtful, constructive feedback that only comes from people who know your work intimately.
Creative Growth
Be encouraged and challenged by fellow Christian creatives who share your commitment to excellence and truth.
How Tables Work
- Each Table has 2 to 5 members
- A Table Host creates and manages the Table
- Members are invited by the Table Host or can request to join
- Works shared at the Table level are only visible to your Table
- You can belong to multiple Tables
- A Table needs at least 2 members to be active (40-day grace period if it drops below)
Rooms: Broader Fellowship
Just as the Inklings had their famous "Rabbit Room" at the Eagle and Child, our Rooms are where Tables come together to share their work with a wider audience. When you're ready to broaden your circle beyond your own Table, a Room is the next step.
How Rooms Work
- A Room Host (also a Table Host) creates the Room with their Table as the founding Table
- Other Table Hosts can request for their Table to join
- The Room Host approves or denies join requests
- Works shared at Room level are visible to all members of all Tables in the Room
- A Room activates when at least one of its Tables has 2+ members
Sharing Your Work
As you create and share works, you control who can see them with four visibility levels:
Only members of your selected Table(s) can see the work. Perfect for works-in-progress and early drafts.
All members of all Tables in your selected Room(s) can see the work. Great for getting broader feedback.
All fellowship members can see the work. Share polished pieces with the entire community.
Anyone, including visitors, can see the work in the public gallery. For finished works you're proud to share widely.
You can change the visibility of your works at any time. You always control your creative content.
"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one.'"
~ C.S. Lewis
Join the Fellowship
Are you a Christian creative passionate about literature or visual arts? We would love to hear from you.
Apply for Membership