Dearest readers, I don't know about you, but this week's news cycle is kicking my butt a little harder than usual. This is, of course, a grave understatement. How do we make sense of the good against the nightmarish backdrop? And what do we do with the overwhelming helplessness? One of our summer instructors, Alexander Chee, grapples with these questions in his recent newsletter: “I write and I teach in a life I never dreamed of. I feel at times that I have passed outside of my fate, who knows, and it is at least a relief at least not to disappoint my dreams or fulfill them, but instead to just do my work and wake up with my husband holding me. The best part of every day, no matter what else is happening. Something this government has tried to prevent in ways large and small my whole life.” (From “How Can I Write At A Time Like This?”) Make no mistake: Chee isn't saying that love is enough on its own. He donates money, he raises awareness — “I do all of this so I am not just staring in horror at the screen. Which I still catch myself doing.” Much like the concept of self-care, “joy as resistance” has been defanged and decontextualized in all kinds of harmful ways. And yet, we can't live in a perpetual state of despair or rage. There has to be an intermission, a moment of respite and refueling so we can endure the long fight. The answer, as always, is in the gray area. All of that is to say: Even when it feels absurd to continue onward, our work at Blue Stoop persists, despite the horrors. If you need a momentary break from the headlines, pop into a free Creative Coworking or Thursdays on the Stoop session. I encourage you to keep chasing that elusive balance between wanting to do everything and doing nothing at all. Keep writing. Keep reading. Keep loving. Keep trying. |
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A few quick updates: Summer masterclass recordings (see above) are available to rent online through the end of August. They are $50 each for general audiences, and $30 each for low-income people in our service area. Fall classes will launch in early-to-mid September. We'll let you know here and on social media when they're open for enrollment. Expect a variety of genres, class lengths, and formats. Fall's lineup of Thursdays on the Stoop sessions will be announced ASAP. Transparently, I am behind schedule with this, and I appreciate your patience. I blame society. Proposals for 2026 classes will open soon; we're just hammering out a few final details before releasing the application. Start dreaming now! In solidarity, Julian Shendelman
Co-Director |
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- Wednesday, 8/13, 3:30 – 5:30 pm ET: Creative Coworking. Drop-in coworking with peers over Zoom. Write, edit, read, daydream, or whatever best serves your literary life. (FREE/VIRTUAL)
- Thursday, 8/14, 4:00 – 5:00 pm ET: Thursdays on the Stoop: Who Let the Dogs Out? Writing About Pets, with Yasmine Ameli. 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. (FREE/VIRTUAL)
- Wednesday, 8/20, 5:00 – 8:00 pm ET: Pours + Prose: Happy Hour & Creative Coworking at the W Hotel. Join us for a happy hour and coworking session with the Blue Stoop community members and friends. (FREE/IN-PERSON)
- Tuesday, 8/26, 6:30 – 7:30pm ET: Poetry Club. A peer-led poetry reading & discussion group, powered by Blue Stoop volunteers. This month's featured writer is Andrea Gibson, and a short packet of poems will be emailed to all registrants soon. Is this your last chance to join Poetry Club? Only time will tell! (FREE/VIRTUAL)
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Got an event, organization, business, or book to promote? |
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~~~~~~~~~ Event title Adult Writing Club Start time 8/16/2025 12:00pm Location Walnut Street West Library, 201 South 40th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 Description Join us for a weekly drop in writing club for adults. For writers, authors and poets and any background or genre. Come bring your work and write alongside other writers or chat about your inspiration and struggles. LGBTQ+, BIPOC and Neurodivergent friendly! Link Contact info 215-685-7671 Cost Free ~~~~~~~~~ Event title Wild Indigo Philly Poet Showcase Start time 8/17/2025 5:00pm Location Young American Cider, 6350 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia Description Join us as we close out Year One of Wild Indigo with a gorgeous showcase of Philly poets! Featuring: Pheralyn Dove, Mary Mance, Victoria Huggins Peurifoy, Lorraine Rice, and Allison Whittenberg. Plus, you on the open mic and Mike Albrecht on the guitar to open the program. $5 suggested donation - more if you can. Delish cider, NA drinks, light fare for sale from our partner venue Young American. Wheelchair accessible. Link Contact info wildindigo.poetry@gmail.com Cost $5 suggested donation - more if you can! ~~~~~~~~~ Event title Tom McAllister in conversation with Sheil Kapadia Start time 8/19/2025 7:00pm Location Bookish Notions bookstore, 11 E. State St., Media PA 19063 Description Local author Tom McAllister reads from his new book "It All Felt Impossible" and is in conversation with The Ringer's Sheil Kapadia, followed by audience QA. Contact info tom.mcallister8@gmail.com Cost $0-5 ($5 is a deposit on a pre-order of the book) ~~~~~~~~~ |
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1315 Walnut Street, Suite 300
Philadelphia, PA 19107, United States |
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