Creative Writing New York

New York Story Night #85

New York Story Night is a literary community event based in Manhattan founded to provide creative writers, amateur and professional alike, a stage on which to share their stories and an audience with which to road test their works. Consider an open mic for stand-up tragedy, stand-up horror, stand-up drama if you will. A night of bedtime stories for adults. **For those who wish to share a story, please arrive before 6:50pm and sign-up for a reading slot.** (Find Aïss at the front of the second floor event space.) For those who wish to be an audience, get a drink, find a favored spot, chit-chat with fellow story lovers if you like! At 7pm story night begins. **Each writer gets 20 minutes in front of the microphone. (15 minutes for the story + 5 minutes for workshop/Q&A with the audience)** We have a 10 minute intermission at the end of every hour. **Rules for stories:** * Stories must be under 15 mins (around 2,300 words) * All stories must be written pieces * Stories can be fiction or non-fiction but must contain a narrative arc * No poetry, no essays We encourage you to email us at newyorkstorynight@gmail.com if you have questions or concerns on if your story is a good fit for our event. If you cannot attend this particular event but would like to be in tune with our next ones join our MeetUp group or email us at newyorkstorynight@gmail.com to be added to our e-mailing list! New York Story Night is a free event. *\*By attending, you acknowledge that you may appear in photos and videos used for social media or promotional purposes.*in

Writers Meetup in the West Village

**Itinerary** People are welcome starting at **6 o'clock**, and you can come and meet other writers, enjoy a happy hour, socialize and hang out as you like until 7 when we will start readings. At **7 o'clock** we formally get together as a group to listen to readings from those looking for feedback. * We do not select readers based on order of arrival or a sign-up sheet, so if you have work until late but still want to come and read, you can! * Each reader gets five (5) minutes to read, so please select a section of work which is appropriate for that time limit. * We welcome narrative prose (fiction and non-fiction), poetry, and scripts (be they for screen or stage), so long as it is writing that you're serious about. * We'll then spend another five (5) minutes in discussion. This is time for the listeners to provide feedback on the reading and discussing the craft in general. We welcome (and encourage) constructive criticism, so long as it is done with respect. This is just as important as the reading, and is done as an open conversation not lead by the reader or the host, so no hand raising required! * We try to get to as many people who want to read as we can, so if there are a lot of attendees we will be very strict on time. * We take a short break at **8 o'clock** . At **9 o'clock** we finish readings and start our formal social hour. Meet new friends, connect with old ones, exchange longer works for review, or just let loose.

Writers Meetup at Brooklyn Art Haus

The Writing Group returns to Brooklyn Art Haus. Join us! Craft is in session. **Itinerary** People are welcome starting at **6 o'clock**, and you can come and meet other writers, get a drink, socialize and hang out as you like until 7 when we will start readings. At **7 o'clock** we formally get together as a group to listen to readings from those looking for feedback. * We do not select readers based on order of arrival or a sign-up sheet, so if you have work until late but still want to come and read, you can! * Each reader gets five (5) minutes to read, so please select a section of work which is appropriate for that time limit. * We welcome narrative prose (fiction and non-fiction), poetry, and scripts (be they for screen or stage), so long as it is writing that you're serious about. * We'll then spend another five (5) minutes in discussion. This is time for the listeners to provide feedback on the reading and discussing the craft in general. We welcome (and encourage) constructive criticism, so long as it is done with respect. This is just as important as the reading, and is done as an open conversation not lead by the reader or the host, so no hand raising required! * We try to get to as many people who want to read as we can, so if there are a lot of attendees we will be very strict on time. * We take a short break at **8 o'clock** . At **9 o'clock** we finish readings and start our formal social hour. Meet new friends, connect with old ones, exchange longer works for review, or just let loose.

Writing Accountability Group (WAG)

**How to find us:** Look at my picture, memorize my face. We meet to discuss our writing progress, support each other, and hold each other accountable to self-determined goals. We also discuss strategies to increase our writing output, and, occasionally, brainstorm our project ideas. This is a not a critique group; we will not be sharing nor evaluating each other's work. Rather, we will discuss habits that help with writing or barriers that prevent it, and how to get around those barriers. It's a good way to get to know other writers in a small, intimate group. The meeting will proceed as follows (times are estimates): START 1\. brief introductions 2\. past week check\-in and goal\-setting the coming week\. 3\. 20 mins silent writing 4\. check\-in 5\. general discussion of writing habits END

Writers Meetup in the West Village

**Itinerary** People are welcome starting at **6 o'clock**, and you can come and meet other writers, enjoy a happy hour, socialize and hang out as you like until 7 when we will start readings. At **7 o'clock** we formally get together as a group to listen to readings from those looking for feedback. * We do not select readers based on order of arrival or a sign-up sheet, so if you have work until late but still want to come and read, you can! * Each reader gets five (5) minutes to read, so please select a section of work which is appropriate for that time limit. * We welcome narrative prose (fiction and non-fiction), poetry, and scripts (be they for screen or stage), so long as it is writing that you're serious about. * We'll then spend another five (5) minutes in discussion. This is time for the listeners to provide feedback on the reading and discussing the craft in general. We welcome (and encourage) constructive criticism, so long as it is done with respect. This is just as important as the reading, and is done as an open conversation not lead by the reader or the host, so no hand raising required! * We try to get to as many people who want to read as we can, so if there are a lot of attendees we will be very strict on time. * We take a short break at **8 o'clock** . At **9 o'clock** we finish readings and start our formal social hour. Meet new friends, connect with old ones, exchange longer works for review, or just let loose.

Wednesday Writing

Come relax after your day job by hanging out with some fellow Bushwick writers for some coffee and a group writing session. \*\*NOTE: Tipsy bean opens just for us on Wednesday night. Google says it's closed but it's not!! May not be open until 7pm though, so if it looks closed don't panic\*\*\* We'll write in three highly-focused 25-minute sprints. In between all that, we'll also talk about what we're working on and trade thoughts and tips on writing. It's a great way to shake off some procrastination and find the creative push needed for that writing project you've been putting off. All writers are welcome, as well as first-time members. Come prepared to write with paper & pen or a laptop...and at least an idea of what you'll be writing about.

August at Poets House // Poemancer Party!

Writing Accountability Group (WAG)

**How to find us:** Look at my picture, memorize my face. We meet weekly to discuss our writing progress, support each other, and hold each other accountable to self-determined goals. We also discuss strategies to increase our writing output, and, occasionally, brainstorm our project ideas. This is a not a critique group; we will not be sharing nor evaluating each other's work. Rather, we will discuss habits that help with writing or barriers that prevent it, and how to get around those barriers. It's a good way to get to know other writers in a small, intimate group. The meeting will proceed as follows: START 1\. brief introductions 2\. past week check\-in and goal\-setting the coming week\. 3\. 20 mins silent writing 4\. check\-in 5\. general discussion of writing habits END

Wednesday Writing

Come relax after your day job by hanging out with some fellow Bushwick writers for some coffee and a group writing session. \*\*NOTE: Tipsy bean opens just for us on Wednesday night. Google says it's closed but it's not!! May not be open until 7pm though, so if it looks closed don't panic\*\*\* We'll write in three highly-focused 25-minute sprints. In between all that, we'll also talk about what we're working on and trade thoughts and tips on writing. It's a great way to shake off some procrastination and find the creative push needed for that writing project you've been putting off. All writers are welcome, as well as first-time members. Come prepared to write with paper & pen or a laptop...and at least an idea of what you'll be writing about.

In-Person Writing Session in NYC

JCW: A Book Club for Writers

Join in the JCW Writers Loft on the 3rd Monday of every month for a discussion of literature from a writer's perspective. **August** \- Minimalist Realism * Our Souls at Night — Kent Haruf \~192 pages * The Old Man and the Sea — Ernest Hemingway \~127 pages Both rely on plain language and stripped-down storytelling. Discussion: * Minimalist prose * Dialogue as narrative engine * Emotional power through restraint ***Joshua Tedeschi*** *is a native Jersey City visual artist and writer working on his first novel. He writes literary fiction and urban-themed short poetry that probe everyday relationships and tensions for broader meaning. His writing appears on Substack and Instagram under his pseudonym Julius Germans (@juliusgermans).* ***John Schneider*** *is a teacher and writer from New Jersey. He reviews small and independent press fiction on Substack (@johnwschneider)*

JCW One-Mic Stand with SJ

**Step up. Speak out. Stand tall.** **Jersey City Writers** invites you to **One-Mic Stand with SJ**—an open mic experience like no other! This is where raw talent meets electrifying energy, and every voice has a chance to shine. On the 2nd Friday of every month, **two incredible featured poets** will take the stage alongside a lineup of fearless performers from our vibrant poetry community. **Open mic slots are 5 minutes each**, giving you the perfect space to share your truth—whether it’s poetry, spoken word, or a story waiting to be heard. Come for the poetry. Stay for the magic. Join the movement. **$10 Suggested Donation (Cash, Venmo, Paypal)** **Doors open at 6:30pm, Open Mic starts at 7pm -- first come, first served!** *Our Host **Steve Willett (SJ)** is a sound poet who is actively involved in the poetry community and has had several feature performances around New Jersey. His poem ‘Petulance’ was a shortlisted selection for the University of Grimsby’s Hammond House International Poetry Competition in 2019. Steve serves as moderator for the **Jersey City Writers (JC Plums)** poetry group, which meets online every week to discuss poetry and improve participants' works. He was also one of the producers for the **Jersey City Writers JC Poetry Festival in 2023** and is currently working on the 2025 festival. He is also a teaching artist at Newark School of the Arts. He lives with his wife, 2 daughters, and 5 cats in the Heights. He is excited to have his own Open Mic, (One-Mic Stand with SJ), and give back to a community that has given so much support to him.* Noah Arhm Choi is the author of Cut to Bloom, winner of the 2019 Jack McCarthy Prize. A Lambda Literary Poet-In-Residence and Valentines Editor for Honey Literary, they received an MFA from Sarah Lawrence, and their work appears in The Adroit Journal, Split this Rock, The Rumpus, Foglifter, and elsewhere. Noah was shortlisted for the Poetry International Prize and received the Ellen Conroy Kennedy Poetry Prize, alongside fellowships from Kundiman, the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, and the Adirondack Center for Writing. They serve on the Kundiman Board of Trustees and currently work at NYU Metro Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools. A K-12 educator of fifteen years, they work to embolden the intersection of education, activism, and the arts. Meliq August aka Meliq the Plant Poet is a Belizean-American, queer, non-binary, multi-disciplinary artist, earthworker, budding herbalist, and transformative educator. Hailing from North Bergen, NJ, they are now paving the way with their robust talents in the city of Newark through healing avenues stemming from an Afro-Indigenous framework of thought. With a collegiate background in sociology and photography, Meliq focuses on the intersectionality of identity as well as their lanes of expertise to shake and make a difference in the community. Through their artistry and activism, Meliq strongly focuses on the upliftment and empowerment of Black, Indigenous, Trans, and Queer peoples, as well as all other historically marginalized communities. To connect or learn more about their work, they can be contacted through instagram @meliqaugust or via email at [meliq.august@gmail.com](mailto:meliq.august@gmail.com) *Supported by public funds from the Jersey City Arts and Culture Trust Fund*