Anyone with an interest in writing is welcome to attend. Writing can be a frustrating, time-consuming, painful process. And the results often seem to be less than the writer hoped. With rare exceptions, fiction writer's seldom see their work published, and those who make a living as a writers are few indeed. If our work does see the light of day, it is certain to be criticized.
Every reader is a critic.
Writing can be an excellent hobby. It doesn't require any expensive equipment. It doesn't take up huge amounts of space. It's highly portable You can write on a plane, or in a waiting room, in the middle of the night, or the middle of the day. It is usually a solitary pastime, but it can be a group activity.