Diane Malloy knew that creativity flows out of La Jolla — she just didn’t see any outlet for it. For years, Malloy has been involved with San Diego Writers, Ink (SDWI), an organization dedicated to serving San Diego’s literary scene. The group hosts events like open mics, writers’ roundtables and critiquing sessions. Starting out as the Writing Center in the 1990s, the organization became incorporated and changed its name in 2004. Since its base began to grow, Malloy, a La Jollan who has worked as a writer, a teacher and a counselor and has experience writing everything from grants to fiction, has seen drop-in creative writing groups pop up in just about every corner of the city — except La Jolla. “There was such a need for this kind of thing in La Jolla,” she said. “There is one downtown, there was one in South Park that moved to North Park, and there used to be one in Del Mar, but we never had anything in the north city area.” Malloy took that hole and filled it with the Pen to Paper weekly drop-in writing group. Every week since Aug. 25, Malloy has hosted an ever-changing group of writers at the La Jolla Riford Library. From those who have never written a word to accomplished scribes who have been published (“It’s a very even playing field,” she said) show up, pen and paper in hand. Malloy gives them a prompt — a photo or perhaps a word — and they set to writing whatever comes to their minds for 20 minutes. Afterward, those who wish to read what they’ve written are welcome to do so. The group then repeats the process, and they’re done. “This is just about sitting and moving pens,” Malloy said. “The time frame is designed to get people in and out on their lunch hour. They can do this quickly.” La Jollans, it seems, have responded to Malloy’s offer. She said in the month since the group began, she has seen about 50 people in total come and go. Some show up regularly, while others come when they have the time. The group’s average size on any given week is about a dozen writers. “I’ve been wanting to do this for years,” Malloy said. “Lots of people have asked me in the past why there was nothing like this in the area. People keep telling me they’re so glad we’re here, and one woman said she’s wanted something like this for 30 years.” In addition to helping writers exercise their brains and “get their creative juices flowing,” Malloy said the group offers another much-needed benefit: community. “Writers lead such solitary lives,” she said. “We keep each other going and keep each other motivated. It’s good for writers to know other writers.” The group meets at the library, 7555 Draper Ave., every Thursday from noon to 1 p.m. For more information, visit www.lajollalibrary.org, www.sandiegowriters.org, or call (858) 272-2905.