The Stoney Collection is more than an anthology. It is a free community platform for independent writers and their remarkable craft. Presented by PC Studios Publishing, this annual series showcases the best work of the year from Dublin’s Stoney Writers Group – ranging from modern realism and tragic thrillers to fantasy tales and surreal satire.
Building on the success of our debut volume in 2024, we are proud to launch our latest edition, The Stoney Collection, Volume Two, new stories & poems from 24 emerging Dublin writers. Over two volumes, what began as a small neighbourhood gathering has grown into a deeply connected creative community.
We were founded by author Lorna Keane and brought to life by more than sixty writers and poets, Irish and international. The heart of our gatherings may be in District 7, but we are free and open to all writers. What started as casual meetings soon turned into a mission: a community designed to put writers first.
This is the mission that drives us. We believe independent writing flourishes when diverse voices are given a safe, trusting, and inclusive space to grow. All you have to do is show up, and we will uplift you in your creative craft.
The Stoney Collection: Addressing the Gaps
The Stoney Collection series addresses critical gaps in Dublin’s literary scene: limited submission opportunities for unknowns, gatekept editorial support for debuts, and insufficient promotional resources for small press publications. By combining professional publication standards with coaching and strategic promotion, we create pathways for writers who would otherwise struggle to access these resources.
Selected contributors receive editorial coaching throughout development, participate in a coordinated reading series, and benefit from professional publicity. These are resources typically unavailable to debut writers. Through PC Studios Publishing, we provide not just a publishing credit, but structured mentorship, public platform opportunities, and sustained visibility within Dublin’s literary landscape.
How Community-First Publishing Works
The Stoney Collection goes beyond traditional small press by engaging directly with the writing communities we support. We recognise the best stories and poems emerge when writers feel safe, supported, and free to experiment in front of peers who will lift them up rather than judge them down.
The process is deliberate: writing workshops reinforce mutual accountability, monthly sharing sessions are structured to encourage honest critique tempered with care, and social gatherings nurture trust. Writers grow stronger not only by refining their craft but by witnessing and celebrating the achievements of their peers. This is how inclusive literary communities are formed.
Our model’s replicability ensures lasting impact. Each edition strengthens Dublin’s independent literary community while developing the next generation of Irish writers.
Writing Can Be a Stoney Road
Cobblestone roads, stoney as they often go, serve as our symbol for this journey. They are both the paths that take us away and the avenues that bring us home. These are the choices writers face at every turn, the forks that challenge us to pause, reflect, and decide where we belong. Along these roads, we meet other travellers, exchange ideas, and weave narratives together.
This is exactly what Stoney Writers Group has done. We created a space where the act of story making is both personal and communal, where every contribution matters, and where the group itself becomes a living anthology of camaraderie and creativity.
Lessons for Writers and Publishers
For writers and publishers reading this, the lessons are practical and actionable:
Community-first publishing works. Building spaces where writers feel safe encourages risk-taking, experimentation, and innovation. When contributors trust that their work will be met with care, creativity thrives.
Mentorship is a two-way street. Emerging writers grow through feedback, but seasoned contributors learn as much from teaching, listening, and guiding. Every participant becomes both student and teacher.
Structure fosters trust. Workshops, regular meetings, and sharing sessions signal commitment. They demonstrate that the community is serious about development whilst also being flexible enough to embrace diverse approaches.
Invest in the long view. A small press, a writing group, a literary community: these are long-term projects. Nurture them consistently, and you will see exponential growth in both talent and morale.
A Word to Writers
Finally, a word to writers everywhere: seek your tribe. Find the community that lifts you for your differences, not in spite of them. Surround yourself with peers who celebrate your breakthroughs, support your failures, and challenge you to grow.
The Stoney Collection, Volume Two is our polaroid in time: the shared harvest of a year’s work, frozen yet vibrant, tender yet enduring. My hope is that each story will inspire you to build your own stony roads, to cultivate safety and trust in whatever creative outlet you seek, and to celebrate how great storytelling emerges when writers gather together.
(c) Paul Carreo, Publisher for PC Studios
In collaboration with Lorna Keane, for Stoney Writers Group
To order your copy of The Stoney Collection Volume Two
www.pcstudiosmedia.com/stoneycollection
Available on Kindle, on any Amazon site.
Available in local Dublin bookstores (Books Upstairs, The Winding Stair, & Raven Books in Black Rock).
Read more about our debut, The Stoney Collection (2024) here.
PC Studio Publishing, founded by publisher and author Paul Carreo, is an independent press dedicated to developing remarkable voices in modern story making. We promote emerging writers by supporting local artist communities as centres for peer-to-peer excellence.
