COLLECTIVE LIT: AN OPEN COMMUNITY OF WRITERS FROM PHILADELPHIA AND BEYOND
In 2019, long before I started my current job at Blue Stoop, I created an informal writing group called Collective Lit, a.k.a. Sit & Write. One year later, the pandemic hit, shifting our in-person meetings to an online format. Over the years, I’ve experimented with an array of supplemental offerings, including a sharing circle, office hours, a speculative/dystopian book club, and a platonic matchmaking initiative called “Literary Yenta.”
Collective Lit’s primary projects are ongoing: Saturday co-writing sessions and an Instagram account that reposts fliers** for local readings. I also send out a weekly newsletter, which may or may not contain writing advice and personal anecdotes, depending on the week.
**For a more skimmable list of local literary events, try Blue Stoop’s Community Calendar.
FAQ: Sit & Write
WHAT IS SIT & WRITE?
Sit & Write is a drop-in generative co-working group for creative writers. We meet most Saturdays from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm ET via Zoom.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Links to the meeting are published weekly in my newsletter. Reading the newsletter is the only way to access Collective Lit events.
Our agenda:
11:00 am – 11:15 am ET: Check-in
11:15 am – 1:45 pm ET: Silent working
1:45 pm – 2:00 pm ET: Check-out
After check-out, the floor is open for unstructured conversation about writing.
What are the rules?
Be kind to others, behave “appropriately” when on camera/microphone, and keep your mic off during silent writing time (11:15 am – 1:45 pm ET) as to not distract others. Sit & Write is not a writing workshop. If you connect with someone, you're welcome to exchange feedback at a later time.
WHAT DOES IT COST? DO I NEED TO MAKE A COMMITMENT?
There's no cost to participate, and no need to register. You can join us once, or a hundred times. You can stay for all 3 hours, or you can drop in and out at your leisure.
WHY IS IT FREE? IS THERE A CATCH?
No catch! Sit & Write is free because these meetings are an important part of my own writing practice. I accept tips and paid subscriptions, but there’s no expectation. Links to these sessions are never hidden behind paywalls.
WHO’S GONNA BE THERE?
We typically have 5-15 attendees, depending on the day. Participants are diverse in identity, educational background, preferred genre, and level of literary "experience." Adults only, please.
WILL I FEEL COMFORTABLE ATTENDING AS A MARGINALIZED PERSON?
I work hard to foster a welcoming environment for those historically excluded from the U.S. publishing industry, including but not limited to: people of color, Indigenous people, queer and trans people, women (trans and cis), disabled people, immigrants, low-income individuals, and those at the intersections of these identities and experiences. I sincerely welcome feedback about how to better serve and center these demographics.
Simultaneously, I encourage participants from backgrounds that have long been centered in publishing (white/male, etc.) to be mindful of this exclusionary history when participating in group discussions. I will try my best to do the same.
What if I'm late, or if I need to leave early?
I truly don’t mind. Sit & Write is a drop-in event. Just make sure your mic is off during silent co-working time.
Do I have to write? Could I work on other stuff, like math homework?
I won't micromanage. However, this group centers creative writing, and our discussions will focus on that topic.
What if I need more than one session a week?
Check out "Creative Co-working" with Blue Stoop. It's free and virtual, and takes place most Wednesdays from 3:30 – 5:30 pm ET. Or, book a 1:1 co-writing session with me.
What if I DOn’T WANNA DO THIS ONLINE?
If you’re in Philly, check out The Writing Room at Iffy Books, or Shut Up And Write (rotating locations). Shut Up and Write also has chapters throughout the world!