Dearest readers, Deadline: Registration will close on Thursday, 7/10, at 3:00pm ET, and the class will take place that same night from 6:00 – 8:00 pm ET via Zoom. Can't make the date? We'll send you the recording! Tuition: General admission is $50, and financial aid pricing is $30. Applying for aid is quick and painless, with instant results. Payment plans are available upon check out. |
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Description: What makes a novel impossible to put down? How does a novelist create momentum from the opening page? In this this craft seminar, students will study opening passages from authors like Gabe Habash, Raven Leilani, Sarah Thankam Mathews, Imogen Binnie, Charles Yu, and others to learn how novel beginnings convey the arc of the book to follow. As readers, we will focus on tone, setting, characterization, and plot to get a sense of what the writer has done to draw the reader into the world of the novel. Topics covered will include world-building, character development, shifting points-of-view, nontraditional form, unreliable narration, and dialogue. The attention to both introductory and advanced craft elements will make this course suitable for writers at every level. Instructor: Isle McElroy is the author of The Atmospherians and People Collide, named a best book of 2023 by Vulture, NPR, Them, and the New York Times Critics. Their essays appear in The New York Times, The Cut, The Atlantic, and elsewhere. In 2025, they will serve as a Shearing Fellow at the Black Mountain Institute. They currently teach in the MFA Program at Sarah Lawrence College. |
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One more thing: Did you know that writers are 73% more likely to enjoy ice cream than the general population? That's probably because I am lying. Either way, you should buy a $2 raffle ticket to win $50 of ice cream from our friends at Milk Jawn. |
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In solidarity, Julian Shendelman
Co-Director P.S. Looking for more local literary connections? Check out our community calendar and resource pages. |
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- Wednesday, 7/9, 3:30 – 5:30 pm ET: Creative Coworking. Stop by for a few minutes or stay for the whole session — it’s totally up to you. Write, edit, read, daydream, or do whatever best serves your literary life. (FREE/VIRTUAL)
- Thursday, 7/17, 4:00 – 5:00 pm ET: Thursdays on the Stoop presents Getting Started in Literary Translation with Transversal. 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. (FREE/VIRTUAL)
- Tuesday, 7/22, 6:00 – 8:00 pm ET: I Can't Remember How to Do This — Writing Memory in Fiction and Nonfiction: A Masterclass with Rebecca Makkai. Let's talk about how to avoid the pitfalls of transitioning into and out of memory, flashback, or narrative backstory; learn how to represent memory accurately, and how not to write yourself into a flashback corner ($30–50/VIRTUAL)
- Saturday, 7/26, 6:30 – 8:00 pm ET: Give Them Flowers. Join Blue Stoop for a reading and celebration of the Jennifer Weiner fellows at Head House Books. We'll hear from the cohort — Reema Rao, Tori Lee, Colette Walker, Alexandra Naughton, Liz Moorhead, and Larissa Pahomov — and Jennifer Weiner herself. (FREE/IN-PERSON)
- Tuesday, 7/29, 6:30 – 7:30 pm ET: Poetry Club. A peer-led poetry reading & discussion group, powered by Blue Stoop volunteers. Poems will be emailed out in advance of each meeting. (FREE/VIRTUAL)
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Got an event, organization, business, or book to promote? |
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~~~~~~~~~ Event title Scribes on South: The 2nd Annual Scribes Gala Start time 7/11/2025 6:00pm Location Tattooed Mom Description SCRIBES GALA IS COMING TO @tmoms ONE NIGHT ONLY. FOR THE SECOND ANNUAL SCRIBES GALA WE WILL DRESS OUR MOST EXTRA. OUR POEMS WILL BE BOMBASTIC & OUR EXPRESSION WILL BE FREE. DRESS CODE WILL BE ANNOUNCED SEPARATELY. THE SCRIBES GALA FEATURES: -ALL OF U DRESSING EXTRA -FOUR FEATURED READERS (ANNOUNCING SOON) -AN OPEN MIC FOR POETS -LOCAL PRESSES TABLING -A LONGER EVENT THAN THE USUAL SCRIBES STANDARD SCRIBES GROUNDRULES APPLY Link Contact info https://www.instagram.com/scribesonsouth/ Cost $0 ~~~~~~~~~ Event title An Evening at H&H Books with Dave & Ilyssa Kyu of "Campfire Stories" Start time 7/15/2025 7:00pm Location The Head & The Hand, 2230 Frankford Ave Description The Adirondacks, Cape Cod, and Chesapeake Bay: Tales and Travel Companion are part story collection, part travel guide. Each book begins with an anthology of campfire stories: classic passages, original poetry, historical excerpts, fresh perspectives, treasured folk songs, and local myths. These tales are followed by a mini-guide to the area, featuring community-sourced recommendations for outdoor activities, cultural landmarks, and historical points of interest, as well as tips on traveling lightly and respectfully through these public lands.During their cozy evening event at H&H Books, Dave and Ilyssa will read short excerpts from their books, share more about their new series, and talk about how this project came to be. Books will be available for purchase, and a Q&A and book signing will follow.Registration is free and highly encouraged, as space is limited. Link Contact info events@theheadandthehand.com Cost Free ~~~~~~~~~ |
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1315 Walnut Street, Suite 300
Philadelphia, PA 19107, United States |
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