This week on the Stoop
Creative Coworking (Virtual)
Drop-in, creative co-working with peers over Zoom.
Stop by for a few minutes or stay for the whole session — it’s totally up to you. You can use this time to write, edit, read, daydream, or whatever best serves your literary life.
We will open and close the session with 10 minutes to check-in about our writing goals, obstacles, and accomplishments. Mics will stay off during the silent working portion of the event (3:40-5:20 pm ET).
Note: we do not workshop or read our work aloud to the group.
This event is free and open to all.
Thursdays on the Stoop: Main Character Syndrome—Owning Our Flawed Selves in Memoir
Thursdays on the Stoop is a series of free, virtual writing workshops led for and by our community members. With topics ranging from generative prompts to editing strategies, these informal workshops are sure to shake up your Thursday routine. RSVP below to get the link.
One of the most complex facets of writing memoir is finding ways to portray ourselves authentically — flaws and all. In this free hour-long session led by the author of the forthcoming memoirella, "Don't Let Them Eat the Baby: Why Roller Derby is the Greatest Sport Never Sold," (Banana Pitch Press) participants will encounter a series of questions and exercises designed to foster more depth, realism, and honesty when casting oneself as the main character.
Erica Vanstone is an author, poet, and Executive Director living in Philadelphia, PA. Former Executive Director for the sport of roller derby, Erica's groundbreaking sport for development policy work has been featured in Teen Vogue, WIRED Magazine, and more. As a writer, Erica has been published in Philadelphia Magazine, Chill Subs' Write or Die Magazine, and Heritage Local Magazine. Her poetry has been featured in Black Bough Poetry's "2023 Winter Anthology," Open Shutter Press' "Flora/Fauna,” Wee Sparrow Poetry Press' "Ourselves in Rivers and Oceans," and more. her most recent work, “When we weren’t broken,” is featured in Intangible Press’ October 2024 issue, “Kintsugi.” She's represented by Belcastro Agency and works in sport for development, building community safety and mentorship programs as Executive Director for the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia. Erica's debut memoirella publishes October 14, 2025 from Portland, Oregon's indie house Banana Pitch Press. Erica has a BFA from NYU Film and an MS in Sports Business from Temple University.
Creative Coworking (Virtual)
Drop-in, creative co-working with peers over Zoom.
Stop by for a few minutes or stay for the whole session — it’s totally up to you. You can use this time to write, edit, read, daydream, or whatever best serves your literary life.
We will open and close the session with 10 minutes to check-in about our writing goals, obstacles, and accomplishments. Mics will stay off during the silent working portion of the event (3:40-5:20 pm ET).
Note: we do not workshop or read our work aloud to the group.
This event is free and open to all.
Thursdays on the Stoop: Into the Language Lab—Poetic Experiments
Thursdays on the Stoop is a series of free, virtual writing workshops led for and by our community members. With topics ranging from generative prompts to editing strategies, these informal workshops are sure to shake up your Thursday routine. RSVP below to get the link.
Experimental writing techniques can give us enough distance from our drafts to revise with fresh eyes. In this free hour long session, we'll explore Oulipo-inspired creative constraints and translate between languages. Through these experiments, participants will break out of their comfort zones and discover new entry points into their own poetry.
Kristen Kelly is a high school English teacher living in Mt. Airy. She loves spending time running in the Wissahickon trails and wandering the aisles of Chinatown grocery stores.
Delco Writers and Friends: A Reading, Reception and Open Mic
Join us on Sunday, September 28 at 4:00 pm at the Park Avenue Community Center in Swarthmore for a reading and reception celebrating the literary talent thriving in Delaware County.
Featuring Moriel Rothman-Zecher (Sadness Is a White Bird), Dilruba Ahmed (Bring Now the Angels), Zach Ozma (Etiquette in the Arts), Avitus B. Carle (These Worn Bodies), and Liz Moorhead (lizmoorhead.substack.com).
After the featured readings, attendees are invited to take the mic during our open session, browse books by the featured performers via Celia Bookshop, and mingle at a casual reception with fellow lovers of language and local talent. All are welcome; no RSVP required.
This free event is sponsored by Blue Stoop, the Park Avenue Community Center, and Delaware County’s Community Partnering Program.
Registration deadline: Tackling NaNoWriMo Together
9 Mondays, 10/6 – 12/8 (no class 10/13)
6:00 – 8:00 pm (ET)
In-person @ 1315 Walnut Street
Can’t join in-person? Try the asynchronous version!
Need financial aid? Apply here first.
Every November, thousands of writers attempt to write a 50,000-word novel in a single month. This 9-week course will guide students through the process with motivation, information, and accountability. Perfect for those with a novel idea, a work in progress, or the desire to start from scratch, this class will include tips on building a routine, outlining (or not), and revision.
In-person students can expect interactive craft lectures, regular progress check-ins, individualized support, short readings, community-building discussions, and a private end-of-semester reading with snacks.
Asynchronous students can expect craft lecture slides, weekly email reminders, short readings, and optional community-building activities, including drop-in office hours (11/4, 11/18, 11/25 from 4–5pm ET on Zoom), weekly co-writing sessions, and a private end-of-semester reading on Zoom.
Instructor: Kale Choo Hanson is an educator, writer and editor. Their work has appeared or is forthcoming in Peatsmoke Journal, The Good Life Review, Glassworks and Thirteen Bridges Review. They hold an MFA from Temple University and are currently instructing at Widener University.
Read our FAQ
Registration deadline: With New Eyes—Deep Revision in Any Genre
9 Mondays, 10/13 – 12/8 | 6:00 – 8:00 pm (ET) | Virtual
Need financial aid? Apply here first.
Deep revision doesn't mean wielding a red pen or finding what's "wrong" with your piece. It's about listening for the thrumming heart of a story, essay, memoir or poem, and asking the big questions: What is this REALLY about? Why have I invited the reader here? What have I missed? Together, we'll practice greeting those questions with curiosity and openness, reimagining voice, structure, and language to give your piece maximum impact.
In this open-genre 9 week class, you can revise existing works in progress or generate new writing between sessions. Expect creative prompts, a wide range of model texts, opportunities to reflect and connect, and periodic critique to help you deepen both the work at hand and your journey as a writer.
Readings may include:
“Bread” by Naomi Shihab Nye
“The Meaning of the Shovel” by Martin Espada
“The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros (excerpt)
Instructor: Anndee Hochman is a journalist, essayist, storyteller and teaching artist. Her book, Parent Trip: Unexpected Roads to Form a Family, is due out from Temple University Press in February 2026. She's a longtime contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer and Broad Street Review; her work has also appeared in Poets & Writers, WebMD, O, the Oprah Magazine and other magazines, journals and anthologies, including Best Short Stories of Philadelphia. Anndee has worked with writers of all ages, inspiring them to raise their voices in poetry, memoir, creative nonfiction and storytelling. She's also an 11-time Moth Story Slam winner who loves composing stories in her head and bringing them to live audiences.
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Registration deadline: Magical Imaginings with Andrés González-Bonillas
3 Tuesdays, 10/14 – 10/28 | 6:00 – 8:00 pm (ET) | In-person @ 1315 Walnut St
Need financial aid? Apply here first.
This generative 3 week class delves into the intersection of magical realism and speculative fiction. We'll study examples spanning multiple disciplines — short fiction, poetry, film, theory — to gain a deeper understanding of the role of the artist in society, the conventions and shared traits of each genre, and their political and creative power. Through discussion, close reading, reflection, and writing prompts, we'll create a playful space to dream up radical alternatives to our current reality.
Readings may include:
Promises of Gold by José Olivarez (excerpt)
Sister Mine by Nalo Hopkinson (excerpt)
The People of Paper by Salvador Plascencia (excerpt)
Instructor:Andrés González-Bonillas (he/they) is a Philly-based Chicano poet, restorative justice practitioner, editor, and teaching artist from Arizona. They write between and within many forms, including poems, plays, and comics, and genres like magical realism, speculative fiction, and sci-fi. Their studies were focused on Post-Colonial Literature and Theory, and their work is inspired by the fantastic, radical, and liberatory visions of story and our commitment to a new world.
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Registration deadline: The Joy of Collaboration with Kurt David
6 Wednesdays, 10/15 – 11/19 | 6:00 – 8:00 pm (ET) | In-person @ 1315 Walnut St
Need financial aid? Apply here first.
Writing is often a solitary experience — but it doesn't have to be! Taking inspiration from an array of literary duos, students in this generative 6-week class will write across genres together: in pairs, in small groups, in person, and online. We'll dig into skillful examples of collaborative writing, play surrealist poetry games, and workshop a full-length essay. Bring a friend (or make one in class) and delight in the surprise of collaborative writing!
Readings may include:
“Letters from Two Gardens” by Ross Gay and Aimee Nezhukumatathil
“I FEAR WE HAVE MADE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE” by Christopher Citro and Dustin Nightingale
“Interview with a Comic Strip Diva” by Denise Duhamel and Maureen Seaton
Instructor: Kurt David is a Philadelphia public school teacher and unionist. As a writer of poetry and creative nonfiction, he's particularly interested in friendship, queerness, and the labor movement. For more, visit www.kurt-david.com.
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Registration deadline: At First Blush—Crafting Trust in Creative Nonfiction
6 Thursdays, 10/16 – 11/20 | 6:00 – 8:00 pm (ET) | In-person @ 1315 Walnut St
Need financial aid? Apply here first.
From the first page, a writer can establish the emotional stakes and boundaries needed to foster moments of deep connection and understanding with the reader. In this generative 6 week class, we'll explore strategies for achieving intimacy in personal essay and memoir right from the start. Examining contemporary and canonical works by Hanif Abdurraqib, Jo Ann Beard, Jason McCall, Sung Yim, and others, we’ll consider numerous techniques — from fact to flashback, searching to speculation, mourning to myth — that will shape how we think about craft and form’s role in building trust with readers. Each week we’ll generate new or alternate beginnings to brand new works or works-in-progress. Expect generative writing exercises, inspirational readings, interactive discussions, and opportunities to share drafts with peers.
Readings may include:
“Defiance, Ohio is the Name of a Band...” by Hanif Abdurraquib
“The Pain Scale” by Eula Biss
“Transgender Day of Remembrance: A Found Essay” by Torrey Peters
Instructor: Camellia-Berry Grass is the author of the lyric essay collection Hall of Waters, and her essays appear in DIAGRAM, Barrelhouse, the Texas Review, and Waxwing, among numerous other publications and anthologies. She has served as Nonfiction Editor for Black Warrior Review and for Sundog Lit. She holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Alabama, and has taught most recently at Rutgers-Camden, University of the Arts, and in the MFA program for creative writing at Rosemont College. Her essay "Battle Vest" was a 2019 nominee for the Krause Essay Prize.
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Registration deadline: Starting and Growing Your Newsletter
Sunday, 10/19 | 1:00 – 3:00 pm (ET) | Virtual
Need financial aid? Apply here first.
Writers are often told they need to “build a platform” — but what does that actually mean? Taught by the author of the popular Substack, "Write More, Be Less Careful," this masterclass will provide practical advice on starting and growing a newsletter that supports your broader goals as a writer. We’ll address developing your newsletter’s niche and style, creating a content calendar, and keeping up with your newsletter without letting it take over your writing life. The session will be interactive, with opportunities to try out key ideas. You’ll leave with clear takeaways and a plan for how to launch your own newsletter.
All registered students will receive 30 days of access to the recorded session.
Instructor: Nancy Reddy is the author of The Good Mother Myth. Her previous books include the poetry collection Pocket Universe and the anthology The Long Devotion: Poets Writing Motherhood, which she co-edited with Emily Pérez. Her essays have appeared in Slate, Poets & Writers, Romper, The Millions, and elsewhere. She writes the newsletter Write More, Be Less Careful about why writing is hard and how to do it anyway.
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Registration deadline: Channeling Grief
Friday, 10/24 | 5:30 – 8:30 pm (ET) | Virtual
Need financial aid? Apply here first.
Poetry can be a sacred container for grief. In this generative 3 hour session, we will experiment with different strategies for expressing grief through reading, discussing, sharing, and writing poetry. While not a replacement for professional counseling, students in this course will have the opportunity to engage with poetic forms around themes of grief and loss.
This virtual session will not be recorded.
Instructor: Sham-e-Ali Nayeem is an interdisciplinary artist, musician, screenwriter and poet. She has two albums, ‘City of Pearls’ (2019) and ‘Moti Ka Sheher’ (2023), featuring sonic interpretations of her poetry, ranging from classical rabab to self composed electronica. Sham-e-Ali is the screenwriter for Suneil Sanzgiri’s award winning experimental film, ‘Two Refusals (Would We Recognize Ourselves Unbroken?)’ (2023), and is the author of the poetry collection, ‘City of Pearls’ (UpSet Press, 2019).
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Registration deadline: Wonder Worlds—Creating Comic Scripts
Need financial aid? Apply here first.
Once considered a “lesser medium," comics, manga and graphic novels have finally claimed their place in the literary canon! Even so, the perception of comics as cool images with words haphazardly sprinkled in still persists. In truth, the best comics — from Watchmen to Planetary to Ms. Marvel — all share the same origin: a cohesive, well-crafted script. This duo of 3 hour intensives, available individually or as a pair, will guide students through the art of transforming an idea into a script ready for visual storytelling.
Saturday, 11/1 | 1:00 – 4:00 pm (ET) | In-person @ 1315 Walnut St
Part 1: Building. In this generative introductory session, we'll discover the visual language of comics. Together, we'll draft page 1 of our scripts by exploring characters, setting, worldbuilding, theme, and narrative.
Sunday, 11/16 | 11:00 am – 2:00 pm (ET) | In-person @ 1315 Walnut St
Part 2: Scripting. In this generative intermediate session, we'll dive deeper into the mechanics of comics writing — different types of scripts, paneling, dialog, and tips for working with visual artists to craft immersive, thrilling, and lived-in comics worlds.
Instructor: Alex Smith is a sci-fi writer and artist in Philadelphia. He's won awards (Pew Fellow, Lambda Literary nominated), has had stories published (BLACK PUNK NOW, Soft Skull Press; BLACK FANTASTIC, Library of America; ISLAND comics anthology, Image Comics; sci-fi collection ARKDUST, Rosarium Publishing), and music and art ranging from punk to jazz to experimental. His work moves in Afrofuturist and queer sci-fi spaces, transcending what's possible with the speculative. His comic series BLACK VANS drawn by James Dillenbeck is a cyberpunk/super-hero mash-up highlighting plus-size Black and Brown bodies in a future Philadelphia.
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Registration deadline: A View From the Queue
Sunday, 11/2 | 12:00 – 3:00 pm (ET) | Virtual
Need financial aid? Apply here first.
Getting published in literary magazines can be complicated and intimidating. In this 3-hour intensive, students will learn about the process, buzzwords, and common pitfalls that accompany publishing poems and other standalone pieces in lit mags. Alongside a holistic overview of the submission process, students will consider their individual motives for pursuing publication, identify strategies for improving the odds, learn how to select the best outlets for their work, and exchange tips and frameworks for handling rejection. Drawing on her experience judging contests, reading for book prizes, and jurying residencies, Amy Beth will answer pressing questions about the submission process and offer a behind-the-scenes perspective on publishing in literary magazines.
This virtual session will not be recorded.
Instructor: Amy Beth Sisson (any pronouns) lives near the skunk cabbages in a town outside of Philly. Her poetry has appeared in Cleaver Magazine, Philadelphia Stories, Hot Pink Magazine, and others, andis forthcoming in Plant-Human Quarterly and the anthology Queer Flora, Fauna, Funga, edited by Frances Cannon. She received her MFA in poetry from Rutgers University Camden in 2023. Sundress Publications selected her manuscript I Instruct My Toad How to Write Poetry as a semifinalist for its 2022 Chapbook Contest. In 2024 she was a Peter Taylor Fellow with the Kenyon Review Writing Workshops. She is a 2025 winner of the Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia’s Joyful Abundance: Emerging Artist Commissioning Program. Currently, Amy Beth is Fence Magazine's Steaming (online) visual poetry editor and serves on the board of Blue Stoop where she helps with educational programming.
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Registration deadline: Poetry Is Still Not a Luxury
3 Wednesdays, 11/5 – 11/19 | 6:00 – 8:00 pm (ET) | Virtual
Need financial aid? Apply here first.
“I feel, therefore I can be free. Poetry coins the language to express and charter this revolutionary demand, the implementation of that freedom.” – Audre Lorde
In this generative 3 week class, poets of all experience levels will explore the revolutionary potential of the written and spoken word. After grounding ourselves in Audre Lorde's seminal essay, "Poetry Is Not a Luxury," we'll discuss works by Lucille Clifton, Danez Smith, Suheir Hammad, Tonya Ingram, Ocean Vuong, Refaat Alareer, and others to expand our understanding of and relationship to poetry. Together, we'll craft new works "carved from the rock experiences of our daily lives" and move past surface-level interpretations to refine our individual poetic voices.
This virtual session will not be recorded.
Readings for this class will include sensitive content, including mentions of suicide, war, racism, and sexual assault. Example readings:
“If I Must Die” by Refaat Alareer
“Alternate Heaven for Black Boys” by Danez Smith
“Shiv” by Rachel McKibbens
Instructor: Gabriel Ramirez, author of the chapbook IF PIT BULLS HAD A GOD IT’D BE A PIT BULL (The Head & The Hand Press) and the children’s book We’re Community is a Queer Afro-Caribbean writer, performer, and educator. A 2023 Gregory Djanikian Scholar in Poetry at Adroit Journal and the CantoMundo 2024-2025 Poetry Coalition Fellow. Gabriel has received fellowships from the The Conversation Literary Arts Festival, Miami Book Fair, a graduate fellow at The Watering Hole, and a participant in the Callaloo Writer’s Workshops. You can find their work in various spaces, including YouTube, and in publications like Poetry Magazine, Poem-a-Day, Muzzle Magazine, Adroit Journal, Split This Rock’s The Quarry, BOMB, and others as well as Latino Poetry: The Library of America Anthology (Library of America 2024). Learn more about Gabriel Ramirez @RamirezPoet. and RamirezPoet.com.
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Registration deadline: Viewpoints & Vantage Points
Need financial aid? Apply here first.
People contain multitudes, and it's a writer's job to try to capture the wholeness of their being on the page. But transforming people into characters requires us to intentionally choose a point-of-view for the story. This duo of 3 hour intensives, available individually or as a pair, will guide students through the art of perspective in flash fiction.
These virtual sessions will not be recorded.
Saturday, 12/6 | 11:00 am – 2:00 pm (ET) | Virtual
Part 1: Viewpoints. In this generative introductory session, students will embody their characters, navigating first, second, and third person perspectives. Through lecture, discussion, and writing prompts, we'll explore how flash writers use each approach to craft stories that resonate with readers — whether through rants and monologues, genre-bending "you," or through retellings and gossip.
Tuesday, 12/9 | 6:00 – 9:00 pm (ET) | Virtual
Part 2: Vantage Points. What lies between first, second and third person perspectives? And how are flash fiction writers using those liminal spaces to challenge genre norms? In this generative intermediate session, we'll push the boundaries of point-of-view: characters will lose their humanity, forms will be bent out of shape, and a singular event witnessed by many will shift depending on who's looking.
These sessions will not be recorded.
Instructor: Avitus B. Carle (she/her) lives and writes outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her stories have been published in a variety of places including Ghost Parachute, X-R-A-Y Litmag, SoFloPoJo, Necessary Fiction, The Commuter (Electric Lit.), and elsewhere. Her work was selected for 2025, 2024, and 2022 Best Small Fictions anthology, 2024 and 2023 Wigleaf Top 50, the 2022 and 2020 Best of the Net anthology, and nominated for the Pushcart Prize, PEN/O. Henry Prize, and the Best Microfictions anthology. She is the author of the flash fiction collection, "These Worn Bodies," which was the winner of the 2023 Moon City Press Short Fiction award. Find her at avitusbcarle.comor online everywhere @avitusbcarle.
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Registration deadline: It Builds Character—Finding the Heart of Your Story
Sunday, 12/7 | 1:00 – 3:00 pm (ET) | Virtual
Need financial aid? Apply here first.
Building a character is building a world of one; defining them, shaping them, and changing them is what a story is for. In this craft-first workshop, N. K. Jemisin will share how to consider character as a building block — and an engine — of story, from initial worldbuilding to creating pivotal plot points. We will create several characters as an exercise, and walk them through both typical and atypical plot arcs, to better understand how character informs story. This workshop is suitable for early-stage writers, though writers of all levels are welcome.
All registered students will receive 30 days of access to the recorded session.
Instructor: N. K. Jemisin is a fantasy author and 2020 MacArthur Fellow whose fiction has been recognized with multiple Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards. Most of her works have been optioned for television or film, and collectively her novels, including the Broken Earth trilogy, have sold over two million copies. Her speculative works range widely in theme, though with repeated motifs: resistance and oppression, loneliness and belonging, and Wouldn’t It Be Cool If This One Ridiculous Thing Happened.
Read our FAQ
Thursdays on the Stoop: Better Worlds Through Radical Imagination
Thursdays on the Stoop is a series of free, virtual writing workshops led for and by our community members. With topics ranging from generative prompts to editing strategies, these informal workshops are sure to shake up your Thursday routine. RSVP below to get the link.
Radical Imagination means studying the rigid systems around us, acknowledging how they limit our imaginations, and dreaming beyond oppressive barriers. In this free hour-long session, we'll discuss the concept of Radical Imagination and explore ways to apply it to our writing practices. Participants will walk away with new creative strategies for building worlds and stories without leaning on what is "traditional" or "expected."
Zo Williams is Community Educator, Tabletop Game Designer and Screenwriter that specializes in creating new and innovative worlds.
Creative Coworking (Virtual)
Drop-in, creative co-working with peers over Zoom.
Stop by for a few minutes or stay for the whole session — it’s totally up to you. You can use this time to write, edit, read, daydream, or whatever best serves your literary life.
We will open and close the session with 10 minutes to check-in about our writing goals, obstacles, and accomplishments. Mics will stay off during the silent working portion of the event (3:40-5:20 pm ET).
Note: we do not workshop or read our work aloud to the group.
This event is free and open to all.
Thursdays on the Stoop: Write on Time — Chronology in Fiction
Thursdays on the Stoop is a series of free, virtual writing workshops led for and by our community members. With topics ranging from generative prompts to editing strategies, these informal workshops are sure to shake up your Thursday routine. RSVP below to get the link.
Fiction writers are often tempted to account for every minute of a story in chronological order. In this free hour-long session, participants will be encouraged to take a playful approach to writing time, skipping forward to the next part of the story that matters. We'll study excerpts from Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh and the short story “Silence” by Lucia Berlin, then draft new passages of our own.
Sofia M. Rabaté is a writer and educator based in Philadelphia. She attended the University of Pennsylvania and later earned her MFA from Temple University, where she was the editor of TINGE Magazine.
Creative Coworking (Virtual)
Drop-in, creative co-working with peers over Zoom.
Stop by for a few minutes or stay for the whole session — it’s totally up to you. You can use this time to write, edit, read, daydream, or whatever best serves your literary life.
We will open and close the session with 10 minutes to check-in about our writing goals, obstacles, and accomplishments. Mics will stay off during the silent working portion of the event (3:40-5:20 pm ET).
Note: we do not workshop or read our work aloud to the group.
This event is free and open to all.
Thursdays on the Stoop: WHOOSH—From Prose to Comics!
Thursdays on the Stoop is a series of free, virtual writing workshops led for and by our community members. With topics ranging from generative prompts to editing strategies, these informal workshops are sure to shake up your Thursday routine. RSVP below to get the link.
You don't have to be a professional artist to write comics, but strong storytelling skills are crucial. This free hour-long session will explore the key differences between writing prose and comics, covering the craft of pacing with visual cues, the power of juxtaposition, and mapping out beats on the page. Participants will have the opportunity to practice writing scripts and, time permitting, gain insight into the business side of comics.
Kelley Skovron is the author of more than 15 novels and comics for kids, teens, and adults across a range of genres, including fantasy, horror, and adventure. Her work has been translated into 6 other languages, published in 9 countries outside the US, and adapted for audiobooks, including a free serialized version of Hope and Red on Apple Podcasts.
She co-hosted the Kid-Lit Writing Forum at the Arlington Public Library for several years, and was given the privilege of lecturing at the Library of Congress on the life and works of Mary Shelley. She has taught classes at Thurber House, Atlas Obscura, and led workshops at libraries and book festivals across the country. Before beginning her career as an author, she graduated from the prestigious Carnegie Mellon School of Drama conservatory program, and briefly worked as a professional stage actor.
Kelley lives in Philadelphia, and enjoys the occasional visit from her offspring, when they can spare the time from their busy college lives.
Poetry Club
A peer-led poetry reading & discussion group, powered by Blue Stoop volunteers. Sign up for 1, 2, or all 3 sessions! This is a free public program.
Poetry Club meets monthly over zoom to discuss a selection of poems. The meetings will be facilitated but informal, focused primarily on fostering community around a shared love of poetry and a mutual interest in learning.
This month’s poems are all by Andrea Gibson. Read the selected poems here.
Poetry Club is a space to shake loose from the idea that poetry is too academic or inaccessible, and is an opportunity to celebrate the beating heart of this art form with peers. Each meeting will close with short, optional writing prompts and ways to carry the spirit of these poems into the world with you.
If you'd like to sustain community programs like these, consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Blue Stoop: bluestoop.org/donate
Pours + Prose: Happy Hour & Creative Coworking
Join us on Wednesday, 8/20, from 5:00-8:00pm at The Wet Bar (W Hotel, 7th floor, 1439 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19102) for a happy hour and coworking session with the Blue Stoop community members and friends. Learn more about the venue here.
WHAT TO BRING (OPTIONAL)
Something to read or write on/with
Noise-canceling headphones or earplugs if you need them
CREATIVE COWORKING AGENDA
5-6: Arriving at WET Bar
6-6:10: Goal setting in the lounge space
6:10-7: Individual writing or reading sprint
7-7:10: Post-sprint check-in in the lounge space
7:10-8: Schmoozing
FYI
This is a 21+, non-smoking environment, including the outdoor garden space. Unfortunately, we cannot use the pool or cabanas. Please respect the venue to ensure that we are invited back.
We can sit anywhere in the bar, but the lounge area on the left side of the bar will be a central gathering point. Open-air outdoor seating is available in the "Secret Garden" space just outside the bar, along the side of the building that faces City Hall. The cabanas and poolside seating are reserved for hotel guests.
There will be a DJ playing music on site; you may wish to wear noise-canceling headphones/earplugs or sit outside if the music is bothersome.
Please note that the bar specializes in premium wines and low/no-ABV cocktails. Happy hour drinks start at $7+ for canned beers, $8+ for n/a mocktails, and $12+ for cocktails. Food is also available for purchase ($16-24). Outside food and drink are not permitted.
We have asked security to be mindful re: trans and gender-nonconforming guests when checking IDs; if you encounter any issues, please ask to speak with Julian Shendelman (Blue Stoop) or Indira Jimenez (W Hotel staff).
This is an ADA accessible venue. Women's, men's, and gender neutral/accessible restrooms are available on site. The outdoor garden space has low artificial grass. The bar's interior is air-conditioned, though they may open the windows if weather permits. Masks are not required. Let us know if you have specific accessibility related questions: info@bluestoop.org.
Thursdays on the Stoop: Who Let the Dogs Out? Writing About Pets
Thursdays on the Stoop is a series of free, virtual writing workshops led for and by our community members. With topics ranging from generative prompts to editing strategies, these informal workshops are sure to shake up your Thursday routine. RSVP below to get the link.
From early cave paintings to Poe's raven, animals have always played an important role in humanity's stories. In this free hour-long workshop, we'll take inspiration from our domesticated companions. After digging into examples by writers like Margaret Atwood, we'll "paws" to write our own pet poems using a series of generative prompts. Participants will leave with a collection of images and memories to continue developing after the session.
Yasmine Ameli (she/her) is a queer biracial Iranian American writer and fiber artist whose publications appear in Poetry Magazine, The Sun, The Southern Review, and elsewhere. She teaches creative writing workshops and the business of thriving as an artist through Assets for Artists and Grub Street as well as independently. She is the author of the monthly newsletter Word Play: Your Guide to a Sustainable Writing Life, and she makes and sells crafts in Philadelphia, where she lives.
Creative Coworking (Virtual)
Drop-in, creative co-working with peers over Zoom.
Stop by for a few minutes or stay for the whole session — it’s totally up to you. You can use this time to write, edit, read, daydream, or whatever best serves your literary life.
We will open and close the session with 10 minutes to check-in about our writing goals, obstacles, and accomplishments. Mics will stay off during the silent working portion of the event (3:40-5:20 pm ET).
Note: we do not workshop or read our work aloud to the group.
This event is free and open to all.
Creative Coworking (Virtual)
Drop-in, creative co-working with peers over Zoom.
Stop by for a few minutes or stay for the whole session — it’s totally up to you. You can use this time to write, edit, read, daydream, or whatever best serves your literary life.
We will open and close the session with 10 minutes to check-in about our writing goals, obstacles, and accomplishments. Mics will stay off during the silent working portion of the event (3:40-5:20 pm ET).
Note: we do not workshop or read our work aloud to the group.
This event is free and open to all.
The Stories You've Never Seen Before: A Masterclass with Alexander Chee (HYBRID)
Registration for the live session will close on Friday, August 1, at 5:00pm ET.
Thursdays on the Stoop: Writing News-Style Satire
Thursdays on the Stoop is a series of free, virtual writing workshops led for and by our community members. With topics ranging from generative prompts to editing strategies, these informal workshops are sure to shake up your Thursday routine. RSVP below to get the link.
News-style satire is exploding into different forms and markets. In this free hour-long workshop, humor writer Jeff Bender will break down the key elements of satirical news stories, from headline to punchline. Participants will leave with a few headlines of their own and concepts for future articles.
Jeff Bender writes for McSweeney's, The Hard Times, Electric Literature, Reader's Digest, and other comedy sites. His fiction has appeared in The Iowa Review, Fence, Electric Literature, and Guernica. He recently completed his first headline trial for 'The Onion' and is a Senior Writer for Sports Riot. He grew up in Philadelphia and lives outside the city.
Pours + Prose: Happy Hour & Creative Coworking
Join us on Wednesday, 7/30, from 5:00-8:00pm at The Wet Bar (W Hotel, 7th floor, 1439 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19102) for a happy hour and coworking session with the Blue Stoop community members and friends. Learn more about the venue here.
WHAT TO BRING (OPTIONAL)
Something to read or write on/with
Noise-canceling headphones or earplugs if you need them
CREATIVE COWORKING AGENDA
5-6: Arriving at WET Bar
6-6:10: Goal setting in the lounge space
6:10-7: Individual writing or reading sprint
7-7:10: Post-sprint check-in in the lounge space
7:10-8: Schmoozing
FYI
This is a 21+, non-smoking environment, including the outdoor garden space. Unfortunately, we cannot use the pool or cabanas. Please respect the venue to ensure that we are invited back.
We can sit anywhere in the bar, but the lounge area on the left side of the bar will be a central gathering point. Open-air outdoor seating is available in the "Secret Garden" space just outside the bar, along the side of the building that faces City Hall. The cabanas and poolside seating are reserved for hotel guests.
There will be a DJ playing music on site; you may wish to wear noise-canceling headphones/earplugs or sit outside if the music is bothersome.
Please note that the bar specializes in premium wines and low/no-ABV cocktails. Happy hour drinks start at $7+ for canned beers, $8+ for n/a mocktails, and $12+ for cocktails. Food is also available for purchase ($16-24). Outside food and drink are not permitted.
We have asked security to be mindful re: trans and gender-nonconforming guests when checking IDs; if you encounter any issues, please ask to speak with Julian Shendelman (Blue Stoop) or Indira Jimenez (W Hotel staff).
This is an ADA accessible venue. Women's, men's, and gender neutral/accessible restrooms are available on site. The outdoor garden space has low artificial grass. The bar's interior is air-conditioned. Masks are not required. Let us know if you have specific accessibility related questions: info@bluestoop.org.
Poetry Club
A peer-led poetry reading & discussion group, powered by Blue Stoop volunteers. Sign up for 1, 2, or all 3 sessions! This is a free public program.
Poetry Club meets monthly over zoom to discuss a selection of poems. The meetings will be facilitated but informal, focused primarily on fostering community around a shared love of poetry and a mutual interest in learning.
This month’s meeting will focus on legendary local poet, Sonia Sanchez. We’ll be reading and discussing the pieces linked in this document.
Poetry Club is a space to shake loose from the idea that poetry is too academic or inaccessible, and is an opportunity to celebrate the beating heart of this art form with peers. Each meeting will close with short, optional writing prompts and ways to carry the spirit of these poems into the world with you.
If you'd like to sustain community programs like these, consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Blue Stoop: bluestoop.org/donate
Give Them Flowers: A Special Reading Celebrating the 2024-25 Blue Stoop x Jennifer Weiner Fellows
Please join us on on Saturday, July 26th at 6:30 PM for Give Them Flowers: A Special Reading Celebrating the 2024-2025 Blue Stoop x Jennifer Weiner Fellows
Join Blue Stoop and Jennifer Weiner in celebrating their inaugural fellowship cohort with a reading. On Saturday, July 26 from 6:30-8:00 PM at Head House Books, hear writing and reflections from Jennifer Weiner and six talented emerging writers: Reema Rao, Tori Lee, Colette Walker, Alexandra Naughton, Liz Moorhead, and Larissa Pahomov.
Entry is free with limited seating. Please RSVP below using the webform. Head House Books is ADA accessible, but please note in your RSVP if you require any special accommodations. Paid street parking is available, as well as a garage on Lombard and 3rd Street.
The Jennifer Weiner Fellowship is a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to nurturing and empowering woman-identified emerging prose writers. Established through the generous support of acclaimed author Jennifer Weiner, in partnership with Blue Stoop, the fellowship aims to elevate voices that often go unheard in the literary world. Nearly 1000 writers applied for this unique opportunity. The final six fellows benefited from financial support, professional mentorship, networking opportunities, educational resources, and the camaraderie of their cohort.
Founded in 2018, Blue Stoop provides high quality classes, inspiring events, and transformative professional opportunities to creative writers in the greater Philadelphia area. Blue Stoop envisions a radically inclusive literary community where Philadelphia readers and writers are thriving and supported. Blue Stoop is a fiscally sponsored 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization through CultureTrust Greater Philadelphia. Learn more about their work here.
Creative Coworking (Virtual)
Drop-in, creative co-working with peers over Zoom.
Stop by for a few minutes or stay for the whole session — it’s totally up to you. You can use this time to write, edit, read, daydream, or whatever best serves your literary life.
We will open and close the session with 10 minutes to check-in about our writing goals, obstacles, and accomplishments. Mics will stay off during the silent working portion of the event (3:40-5:20 pm ET).
Note: we do not workshop or read our work aloud to the group.
This event is free and open to all.
I Can't Remember How to Do This — Writing Memory in Fiction and Nonfiction: A Masterclass with Rebecca Makkai
Registration for the live session will close on Tuesday, July 22, at 3:00pm ET.
Thursdays on the Stoop: Getting Started in Literary Translation
Thursdays on the Stoop is a series of free, virtual writing workshops led for and by our community members. With topics ranging from generative prompts to editing strategies, these informal workshops are sure to shake up your Thursday routine. RSVP below to get the link.
Translating literature into another language builds bridges and amplifies voices through shared stories. It's also a challenging but highly rewarding creative practice that draws on skills like knowledge of multiple languages and cultures, close reading and research, and problem solving. In this panel discussion and Q&A, members of Philadelphia's Transversal collective will present an overview of the literary translation landscape, discuss pathways into the field, and share excerpts from current works in progress. They'll also answer questions and share resources for those interested in learning more. Panelists include: Sean Gasper Bye (translates from Polish), Marianna Suleymanova (Russian), and Emily Hunsberger (Spanish).
Transversal is a grassroots collective of established and aspiring literary translators in Philadelphia. It was born as a virtual space during the pandemic and has since evolved to emphasize in-person connections. Our recent gatherings have included co-working sessions, mini peer workshops, and purely social hangs.
Featured panelists
Emily Hunsberger translates literature written in Spanish by authors from all across the Americas, including the United States. Her translation of Wonderland: Crónicas of Belonging in América, a collection of essays by Melanie Márquez Adams, was recently published by Mouthfeel Press. Her translations of shorter works have appeared in Latin American Literature Today, The Southern Review, PRISM international, The Common, Southwest Review, and forthcoming in Grist. She holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in Spanish and has a professional background in the fields of immigrant rights, international sustainable development, and education. She lives with her family in Philadelphia.
Sean Gasper Bye is a translator of Polish literature. He focuses on contemporary fiction and reportage, and also works with historical texts, theater and video games. His translations of Małgorzata Szejnert, Szczepan Twardoch, Mikołaj Grynberg and others have won the EBRD Literary Prize and the Asymptote Close Approximations Prize; and been shortlisted for the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation, a National Jewish Book Award, the Sami Rohr Prize and the National Translation Award. He has been a National Endowment for the Arts Translation Fellow and Translator-in-Residence at Princeton University, and also mentors emerging translators through the National Centre for Writing and the Yiddish Book Center.
Marianna Suleymanova is a literary translator from Tashkent, Uzbekistan, currently living in Philadelphia. She is a contributing translator to ROAR (Russian Oppositional Arts Review) Magazine, an anti-war publication founded by the writer Linor Goralik. She enjoys rendering the voices of contemporary feminist and queer Russian-language writers in English and is committed to amplifying suppressed narratives and dissident voices. She is the winner of the 2024 Words Without Borders Momentum Grant. Her translations are out or forthcoming in Washington Square Review, Words Without Borders, The Offing, The Kenyon Review and Khōréō. Her work has received support from Words Without Borders, Bread Loaf Translators' Conference, and the American Literary Translators Association.
Creative Coworking (Virtual)
Drop-in, creative co-working with peers over Zoom.
Stop by for a few minutes or stay for the whole session — it’s totally up to you. You can use this time to write, edit, read, daydream, or whatever best serves your literary life.
We will open and close the session with 10 minutes to check-in about our writing goals, obstacles, and accomplishments. Mics will stay off during the silent working portion of the event (3:40-5:20 pm ET).
Note: we do not workshop or read our work aloud to the group.
This event is free and open to all.
Creative Coworking (Virtual)
Drop-in, creative co-working with peers over Zoom.
Stop by for a few minutes or stay for the whole session — it’s totally up to you. You can use this time to write, edit, read, daydream, or whatever best serves your literary life.
We will open and close the session with 10 minutes to check-in about our writing goals, obstacles, and accomplishments. Mics will stay off during the silent working portion of the event (3:40-5:20 pm ET).
Note: we do not workshop or read our work aloud to the group.
This event is free and open to all.
Thursdays on the Stoop: Miracle Workers & Porch Prophets — Myth in Poetry
Thursdays on the Stoop is a series of free, virtual writing workshops led for and by our community members. With topics ranging from generative prompts to editing strategies, these informal workshops are sure to shake up your Thursday routine. RSVP below to get the link.
For better or for worse, myths have taught cultures across time what to value, what to aspire to, and what to avoid. In this free hour-long workshop, we'll use poetry to explore how myths continue to shape the modern world — from the personal to the social to the political. After unpacking myths' power to both oppress and liberate, we'll analyze Nikki Giovanni's poem, "Ego Tripping" and begin to write our own personal mythologies.
Michael J. Ivory, Jr. is a writer from Miami, FL raised by street-side sages, porch-front poets, and off-hand oracles. The queer son of two Pentecostal preachers, Michael began writing to find out who he was outside of the confines of harmful theology. Michael’s writing spans genres. He has performed as a featured poet at venues across the country. He has published narrative nonfiction work with O, Miami Press. He is also a fiction writer and is currently querying his debut novel. Thematically, Michael is always trying to reveal the magic in the mundane and the beauty in the everyday. In his poems, his loved ones become epic heroes. In his stories, conjure is as common as a cold. He holds an MFA from North Carolina State University and currently lives in Philadelphia, PA. When not writing, he is probably laughing way too loudly, napping, or being a nerd.
Creative Coworking (Virtual)
Drop-in, creative co-working with peers over Zoom.
Stop by for a few minutes or stay for the whole session — it’s totally up to you. You can use this time to write, edit, read, daydream, or whatever best serves your literary life.
We will open and close the session with 10 minutes to check-in about our writing goals, obstacles, and accomplishments. Mics will stay off during the silent working portion of the event (3:40-5:20 pm ET).
Note: we do not workshop or read our work aloud to the group.
This event is free and open to all.
Blue Stoop Happy Hour
Join us on Thursday, 6/26, from 5:00-7:00pm at The Post bar & restaurant for a happy hour with Blue Stoop community members and friends. RSVP requested.
Useful details
There will not be a reserved seating area — consider wearing something blue to make it easier for people to find us.
This is an ADA accessible venue. Restrooms are available on site.
No purchase required. If you would like to buy something, drinks start at $4, and food ranges from $6-16. Here's the menu.
This is an air-conditioned environment. Masks are not required.
Feel free to arrive early and/or stay late — karaoke starts at 8:00pm!
Creative Coworking (Virtual)
Drop-in, creative co-working with peers over Zoom.
Stop by for a few minutes or stay for the whole session — it’s totally up to you. You can use this time to write, edit, read, daydream, or whatever best serves your literary life.
We will open and close the session with 10 minutes to check-in about our writing goals, obstacles, and accomplishments. Mics will stay off during the silent working portion of the event (3:40-5:20 pm ET).
Note: we do not workshop or read our work aloud to the group.
This event is free and open to all.
Poetry Club
A peer-led poetry reading & discussion group, powered by Blue Stoop volunteers. Sign up for 1, 2, or all 3 sessions! This is a free public program.
Poetry Club meets monthly over zoom to discuss a selection of poems. The meetings will be facilitated but informal, focused primarily on fostering community around a shared love of poetry and a mutual interest in learning.
This month, we’re reading the May 2025 issue of Poetry Magazine, which is available for free online. Don’t worry if you can’t finish reading the whole thing; just explore and see what sticks with you.
Poetry Club is a space to shake loose from the idea that poetry is too academic or inaccessible, and is an opportunity to celebrate the beating heart of this art form with peers. Each meeting will close with short, optional writing prompts and ways to carry the spirit of these poems into the world with you.
If you'd like to sustain community programs like these, consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Blue Stoop: bluestoop.org/donate
Creative Coworking (Virtual)
Drop-in, creative co-working with peers over Zoom.
Stop by for a few minutes or stay for the whole session — it’s totally up to you. You can use this time to write, edit, read, daydream, or whatever best serves your literary life.
We will open and close the session with 10 minutes to check-in about our writing goals, obstacles, and accomplishments. Mics will stay off during the silent working portion of the event (3:40-5:20 pm ET).
Note: we do not workshop or read our work aloud to the group.
This event is free and open to all.
Creative Coworking (Virtual)
Drop-in, creative co-working with peers over Zoom.
Stop by for a few minutes or stay for the whole session — it’s totally up to you. You can use this time to write, edit, read, daydream, or whatever best serves your literary life.
We will open and close the session with 10 minutes to check-in about our writing goals, obstacles, and accomplishments. Mics will stay off during the silent working portion of the event (3:40-5:20 pm ET).
Note: we do not workshop or read our work aloud to the group.
This event is free and open to all.
Creative Coworking (Virtual)
Drop-in, creative co-working with peers over Zoom.
Stop by for a few minutes or stay for the whole session — it’s totally up to you. You can use this time to write, edit, read, daydream, or whatever best serves your literary life.
We will open and close the session with 10 minutes to check-in about our writing goals, obstacles, and accomplishments. Mics will stay off during the silent working portion of the event (3:40-5:20 pm ET).
Note: we do not workshop or read our work aloud to the group.
This event is free and open to all.
Creative Coworking (Virtual)
Drop-in, creative co-working with peers over Zoom.
Stop by for a few minutes or stay for the whole session — it’s totally up to you. You can use this time to write, edit, read, daydream, or whatever best serves your literary life.
We will open and close the session with 10 minutes to check-in about our writing goals, obstacles, and accomplishments. Mics will stay off during the silent working portion of the event (3:40-5:20 pm ET).
Note: we do not workshop or read our work aloud to the group.
This event is free and open to all.
Office Hours with Julian Shendelman
Got questions about Thursdays on the Stoop proposals? Join this brief Q&A session with Blue Stoop co-director Julian Shendelman. BIPOC writers and those based in our service area (Philadelphia, Delaware County, Chester County, Montgomery County, Bucks County, Camden County) are highly encouraged to pitch a session.