Creative Writing New York

The Writing Group – West Village Session

**Itinerary** Our social hour starts 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, but you are welcome to stick around! Meet new friends, connect with old ones, exchange longer works for review, or just let loose.

New York Story Night #91

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

The Writing Group – Harlem Session

**Itinerary** Our social hour starts 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, but you are welcome to stick around! Meet new friends, connect with old ones, exchange longer works for review, or just let loose.

November at Poets House

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.

Hot People Read Poetry IN NEW JERSEY!

PLEASE NOTE: This event is only for those that are 18 years or older. ID required for entry and participation. Jersey City Writers welcomes Hot People Read Poetry for a very special night! Hear poems & storytelling from our panel of brilliant baddies, with a conversation led by the amazing Delilah Saul. We end the night with some more poetry magic: sign up for the chance to read at the open mic! Make It Work by HPRP is a SWer founded and focused reading. We are so excited to bring our fabulous readers and guest speakers to such a wonderful place, and to hear your work at the open mic! **$10 Suggested Donation (Cash, Venmo, Paypal)** **Doors open at 6:30pm, Panel Discussion Starts at 7pm** PANEL **MODERATED BY DELILAH SAUL** Delilah Saul is a SWer, documentarian, and founder of @outlawmediacompany. Her recent film, "Beloved", explores the impact of stigma on the love lives of SWers. She’s currently directing and producing a documentary about media bias against SWers. She hosts SW + LOVE, a podcast about navigating personal relationships as a SWer. **Kitty Bailey** is a poet, multimedia artist, and educator from Las Vegas, Nevada, presently based in New York City. Drawing from her experiences as a queer woman & a SW, she shapes her work with a deep belief in art as a catalyst for social change. Her passion for writing stems from her certainty in the power of words in hopes that they touch the minds, hearts, and souls of others. She is currently cohosting the page pink dancing poets— bringing more awareness to the nuances of SW, in order to break down stigmatization and decriminalize the work that made her who she is today. **Tivali Thomas** is an internationally recognized writer, performance artist, and DJ whose work spans across multiple mediums with the central goal of celebrating and interrogating her experience as a black trans femme within the world. Her work serves as both an observation and reaction to the condition of existence; often offering unconventional applications of different references to create pieces of sound and literature that are unique to her perspective. **January Santoso** is a writer from Fresno,CA. Her work has or will be featured in ONLY POEMS,The Georgia Review, The Texas Review, The Chestnut Review,The Champagne Room, Discount Guillotine, Pine Hills Review, SHIFT, The Meadow, and Pink Disco Magazine. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Maryland. She lives in New York. **OPEN MIC HOSTED BY** **Natalie Gilda** believes SWers are inherent storytellers, which is what makes them such amazing writers. She is the creator and host of Hot People Read Poetry, a SWer founded and focused open mic experience and poetry show in NYC. She also cohosts an interview series, Pink Dancing Poets. **Special Guest:** NJ Red Umbrella Alliance, working to decriminalize and protect those in the SW community. *Supported by public funds from the Jersey City Arts and Culture Trust Fund*

Writing group meeting in Washington Heights

Wanna know what makes me happy? When a longtime member of this group moves to a new apartment and the first thing they tell me is that it'll be a great spot to have a meeting, that puts a big-ass smile on my face -- and that's the situation here. Ryan hosted multiple times at his place in East Harlem, and now he's welcoming us to Washington Heights. The night before we meet, I'll send all the details to people on the RSVP list. For now, just know that the place is wheelchair accessible, and also, if you plan to bring snacks, DO NOT bring anything with nuts because our host is very allergic. That's it for now. See you there! -Zack

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.* **THIS MONTH'S FEATURES (11/13): Natalie Gilda & Maria Rubio** Natalie Gilda believes SWers are inherent storytellers, which is what makes them such amazing writers. She is the creator and host of Hot People Read Poetry, a SWer founded and focused open mic experience and poetry show in NYC. She also cohosts an interview series, Pink Dancing Poets. Maria Rubio (she/they) is a born and raised New Yorker with roots in the Philippines. Her writing explores everything that she comes in contact with as a Brown queer woman who is building community within the belly of capitalism. **SPECIAL GUEST: DELILAH SAUL** Delilah Saul is a SWer, documentarian, and founder of @outlawmediacompany. Her recent film, "Beloved", explores the impact of stigma on the love lives of SWers. She’s currently directing and producing a documentary about media bias against SWers. She hosts SW + LOVE, a podcast about navigating personal relationships as a SWer. *Supported by public funds from the Jersey City Arts and Culture Trust Fund*

Writing group meeting in Washington Heights

Yes, a meeting on Thanksgiving weekend cuz why not? I'll be here in NYC and if you are too, come hang! Also, fun fact: our host for this meeting offered to write the Meetup description for me, so here it is ENTIRELY in his words: \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- Long-time member Chris is still working out whether his apartment is in Inwood, Washington Heights, or Fort George. Let's just call it Upstate Manhattan. Chris will be cooking! He's vegan. So suck it up — if everything goes right, there'll be several dishes and a couple of cakes. (Actually, you can bring food too! And drink! And what the heck, it doesn't have to be vegan. Chris won't scowl at you very much.) This is a weekend afternoon meeting, so we'll take a 90-minute window to kick it off, starting at 1:30. Come for as much of that as you'd like. At 3:00 we'll start the quiet writing hour. The night before we meet, I'll email all the details including the address, to everyone who's on the RSVP list. For now, the only other thing that you should know is that the building has an elevator (the apartment is on the 3rd floor), but that's not absolutely reliable, and is sometimes out of service. (Chris has gotten stuck on it three times.) Looking forward to seeing y'all there! -Z

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.

NYC Writers Retreat at an Artists Loft

**NOTE: The cost to attend this retreat is $100. Please register [here](https://breatheandwrite.as.me/?appointmentType=99104996).** Join Katya Borkov and Kayla Schwab for a daylong writing retreat, with breaks for guided movement, at a creative studio in Gowanus, Brooklyn This experience is designed to help you generate new pages, dive deep into your creative practice, and spend a nourishing day in community with other writers. Our day is structured around **two, 2-hour writing sessions** following the Pomodoro technique (**25 minutes of focused writing**, followed by **5 minutes of guided movement**). These sprints are broken up by longer breaks and movement practices, like a **morning yoga class** and a **mid-day dance session**, to help us stay connected to our bodies as we write. We’ll also hold (optional) space for you to share what you've written at the end of the day! Coffee and tea will be served in the morning, and light refreshments will be served in the evening. We will break mid-day for lunch (bring your own). You’ll leave with **words on the page**, a sense of **accomplishment**, and **newfound connections** to a community of passionate writers. **Hear from past retreat participants below**, or scroll on for a detailed itinerary and more about our facilitators! *"I thought writing for so long would be scary, but it was such a pleasure the time flew by almost too quickly. I have never focused this long on anything, so that says a lot about the space, environment and people."* \- Megan Glynn *"This experience was an invitation to seriously invest - time, energy, money, planning, intention, focus - in my writing. I am glad I accepted it... I started with 0 words and ended with 5,452!"* \- Gabriella Acquaviva *"The best part was definitely having like minded individuals around that we can converse and form ideas with. It felt like building a community. It helped me feel structured and supported in my creative pursuits."* \- Osvaldo Martinez Abreu Exact location will be sent to attendees after registering. Please inform us about any dietary restrictions, and see below for FAQs and full agenda. Still have questions? Need financial assistance? Email [katya@everythingspills.studio](mailto:katya@everythingspills.studio) or [breatheandwrite1@gmail.com](mailto:breatheandwrite1@gmail.com).

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.