What we’re about
2024 UPDATE: This group is nearly at capacity, with folks stranded on the waitlist for most meetings, so we're being selective about who can join. When you fill out the "application," make an effort. Show us that you're someone that we want to work with and hang out with, and fyi, if your profile has a photo that faithfully represents who you are, that goes a long way. If your application is left pending, hang tight and don't be offended. As spaces become available, we'll comb through and add more people. That said . . .
This group started on craigslist (!!) and moved over to Meetup in 2013. There's still a separate email list for the OG craigslist members, some of whom remain regular participants, so we never know exactly who's gonna show up. (That makes it extra fun, right?) Some of our members attend nearly every meeting while others show up once a month or even once a year. It's all good. The main rule is to bring something to work on for the first hour, and there are no assignments or prompts. It's just a solid chunk of quiet time that you can use however you want.
After the writing wraps up, we take a short break to schmooze and eat snacks. (Feel free to bring something to contribute to the spread, but this isn't a requirement.) Then we gather for an intro circle, and after THAT, we allow up to 10 people to take turns reading their work aloud. Most folks share stuff that they've been working on for a while, but some people read what they've written during the hour. Each person gets eight minutes, which includes time for others to offer feedback, so we keep things moving at a pretty good pace.
People in this group have written and shared ALL kinds of stuff: novels, short stories, poems, personal essays, memoirs, plays, screenplays, journal and diary entries, articles, outlines, limericks, newsletters, blog posts, kids' books, science fiction, erotica, comedy, book proposals, query letters, cartoon strips, wedding speeches, eulogies, and song lyrics (sometimes actually performed as live music). Anything goes and the same is true for your writing experience. You don't have to be published or submit samples in order to join. The purpose is to have a varied crowd and a relaxed setting where we actually do some writing and have a chance to hang out and meet fellow writers, and since people often ask, we're mostly in our 20s, 30s, and 40s.
We get together about three or four times per month without a set schedule, and there's no regular location because we usually meet in people's homes. (If you can host, please speak up!) Sometimes we meet in other types of venues if anyone in the group has a connection and offers to hook it up. In warmer months, we meet semi-regularly in Central Park and other outdoor spots. We've even taken a few road trips as a group, but we almost always stay within subway range. About once per month, we meet on weekend afternoons, but we usually do our thing on weeknights from 7pm to 10:30-ish. People are welcome to show up late or leave early, so don't worry if these times aren't ideal. Can't make it for the writing hour? No problem. Come after that and check out the readings.
PLEASE NOTE: space is often limited, and as a result, people often get stranded on the waitlist. Therefore, if you RSVP and it turns out that you can't make it, please please PLEASE un-RSVP or at least give a heads-up that you won't make it. Post a comment on the page for that meeting or DM me. (Hi, I'm Zack, the organizer!) This group really IS laid-back, but that's not an excuse to be flaky, especially when it costs someone else a chance to attend. Cool?
Finally, this group has always been free (and will remain so for people who are already part of it), but because Meetup now charges me $357.98 per year to have this group on their bless'd platform, there's a one-time suggested donation of $2—not every time you show up, but just at the first meeting you attend. And hey, if you participate and really love it and wanna give more than two bucks, I will gladly accept.
Thanks for taking the time to read this long-ass description. Details are good, right? :)
