Announcing the 2025 Rooted & Written Symposium and Interim Programming! This will consist of a weekend online symposium, a write-in series, and reading panels composed of alumni. the 2025 Rooted & Written events are only for Rooted & Written alumni and are free. Registration is required to secure your place for the classes. You can register only through the link that will be sent directly to your email. Please make sure you include rootedwritten(at)gmail.com in your contact list.

We’re turning 30, and it’s time to party! Join us for a night of fun, nostalgia, and community as we celebrate three decades of creativity, connection, and incredible storytelling. Bring your friends and family—this is an all-ages celebration, and we want everyone to be part of the fun! Click below to learn more.

Check out our upcoming classes and events in this newsletter.

Please join us in welcoming Margaret Juhae Lee, Brad Balukjian, Leslie Kirk Campbell & Paul S. Flores for a reading and short Q&A. Refreshments will be provided.

Look for a meaningful gift for a special someone, or want to find the perfect read to take a break from holiday happenings? Check out The Writer's Grotto Gift Guide!

Flash fiction, screenwriting, set your writing goals for 2025, and more! Plus attend our Dec. 11th virtual open house for our upcoming classes and receive advice on what classes best suit your writing needs. Check out our full schedule below.

Please join me in welcoming 17 new members to The Grotto who will be treated to excerpts from November book releases by Maw Shein Win (Percussing the Thinking Jar), Dominic Lim (Karaoke Queen), Terry Tierney (Why Trees Stay Outside) and Eleanor Vincent (Disconnected). Readings will be followed by a lively discussion. Brad Balukjian will introduce new members and welcome them to the community. As always, refreshments will be provided. Please join us for this fabulous event!

Donate today to help us reach our goal of raising $30,000 for thirty years of literary excellence.

Lisa, Britta, and Stephanie will each explain their paths to publishing books in the children’s literature field, including their most surprising and most challenging discoveries. They will describe the children’s publishing landscape, how the field has changed, books that have inspired their own work, and each will read from one of their books. Finally, they will offer tips for aspiring kid lit authors and conclude with time for audience questions.

Join us for an evening of readings on climate writing by The Writers Grotto Members Nina Schuyler, Julia Scheeres, Lindsey J. Smith, and TK Rex, hosted by Heather June Gibbons. All are welcome.

Rooted & Written is the first fully funded, tuition-free premiere professional writing conference offered for writers of color in the country, if not the world. Forty Rooted & Written Fellows will be selected for seven days of classes/workshops, and mentoring, plus the opportunity to participate in “Conversations” with featured literary luminaries. Apply now!

Grotto Nights is a monthly series at the Library featuring The Writers Grotto members who will showcase and discuss their writing around a theme of their choice. This month features Eleanor Vincent, Audrey Ferber, Sabina Khan-Ibarra, and moderator Sophia Raday writing about marriage. The authors will discuss their work and take questions from the audience.

Deadline extended to Sept. 15th! The Rin Kelly Scholarship for Fiction is now accepting applications. Founded in honor of The Writers Grotto student and author of "Into the Laughing Gas World" Rin Kelly, the Rin Kelly Scholarship for Fiction offers three $350 scholarships to emerging fiction writers with a focus on speculative, imaginative and critical/satirical works. Please click the link for submission guidelines and to learn more.

Join us for our next Reading + Meeting and special new member welcome on August 16th. This month will feature Danielle Svetcov in conversation with Bonnie Tsui as they discuss navigating the literary landscape as agent and author. All are welcome!

New classes and Write-Ins plus an upcoming scholarship opportunity!

Please join us for a special Reading + Meeting on Friday July 19 from 5 - 7PM with award-winning journalists Laura McClure, Carly Stern, and Christopher D. Cook who will read from their latest work and discuss journalism during a critical election season, ongoing culture wars, and disinformation, moderated by Terry Tierney.

Register for our summer classes today!

Ready to level up your writing game? Our June newsletter is packed with exciting classes and events!

The poetry of science, funding your writing project, connecting with your writer's voice, and more this summer! Check out our latest newsletter to see all of our upcoming summer classes.

Are you interested in learning more about writing children's books? Come and join us for this special event. Our experts Maxine Rose Schur , Stephanie Wildman , Lisa Lerner and Rachel Levin will first read short excerpts from their wide-ranging body of work. This will be followed by a panel discussion on the craft and business of writing children’s books, moderated by Doug Henderson. They will talk about how the industry has changed over the years, how to get started and the intricacies of writing stories and nonfiction for kids. Our authors will also have some books to sell - they make great gifts!

Read the latest news and happenings at The Writers Grotto!

We have nineteen new accomplished members who have joined! We will be celebrating with a special Reading and Meeting on April 19 from 5PM - 7PM. We will be featuring four authors - Doug Henderson, Shikha Malaviya, Lenore Weiss and Moazzam Sheikh for Reading and Meeting.

Our spring classes are here! From Plotting Your Novel to the Business of Freelancing to screenwriting classes to our next Write-In series, we have it all! Check out our full lineup today.

Join four Grotto members releasing books in March - Caroline Paul (Tough Broad), Grace Prasad (The Translator's Daughter), Karla Brundage (Blood Lies: Race Trait(or)) and Katie Flynn (Island Rule). Please come out and support them as they read and discuss their work. Emceed by Maury Zeff.

Join us this Thursday for ‘Words & Stories’ - A reading series showcasing the newest literary creations penned by award-winning authors from The Writers Grotto. This month-long series of live readings will be held at Barebottle, in TJPA’s Salesforce Park, located in the Main Plaza at 425 Mission St., San Francisco. The readings will take place on Thursdays throughout February from 5:00 to 6:00 pm.

This month-long series of live readings will be held at Barebottle, in TJPA’s Salesforce Park, located in the Main Plaza at 425 Mission St., San Francisco. The readings will take place on Thursdays throughout February from 5:00 to 6:00 pm. Readers this week are Samz R. Nesh, Christopher Cook, T.K. Rex, and Giovanna Lomanto, curated by Sabina Khan-Ibarra.

Check out our latest newsletter for upcoming classes and events.

Join The Writers Grotto every Thursday in February for our Words & Stories series. This date features readers Pia Chatterjee, Leigh Lucas, and Terry Tierney, curated by Sabina Khan-Ibarra.

Carol was an internationally-bestselling novelist and Bridget an adjunct prof in art history and freelancer when she found Carol’s phone number (landline) listed in a 1998 issue of Poets & Writers and gave her a (cold) call. Bridget was looking for help with a novel manuscript; Carol supplied much more: essential craft instruction, generous mentorship, and twenty-five years of friendship. They’ll discuss the myriad ways they’ve navigated their work and the rest of life: the perils and payoffs, the stresses and rewards, what it means to each of them to be a literary citizen, and, finally, coming to terms with your own unique path. Join us on Friday, Feb. 16th, for a conversation with Carol Edgarian with Bridget Quinn.

Check out all of the upcoming talks, panels, readings, and more hosted by The Writers Grotto members at this year's AWP!

Join us for the launch of the latest art installation at The Writser Grotto featuring linocuts by Patricia Miye Wakida.

Read about our 2023 accomplishments and how you can support our mission going forward.

Sign up early to save on your registration.

The Writers Grotto is a community of working writers and narrative artists who connect in physical and virtual space, pooling our talents to support each other, mentor and teach others, and engage the wider world. The Grotto fosters a literary culture that is generous in spirit and deeply inclusive, elevating writers of all backgrounds. Please consider supporting The Writers Grotto in its mission this Giving Tuesday.

Join us on Friday 11/17 for our last Reading and Meeting of 2023! We will have Rebecca Black, who will read excerpts from her memoir, Heather June Gibbons, Kate Bussato and last year's Rooted and Written fellow Roopa Ramamoorthi. Emceed by Saila Kariat. Followed by happy hour with our amazing spread (with a few surprises).

Our 2023 Rooted & Written Conference is underway! Rooted & Written is the first fully funded, tuition-free premiere professional writing conference offered for Writers of Color in the country, if not the world. Please visit the Rooted & Written website linked below to learn more and view our keynote speeches and student readings.

Congratulations to the Rin Kelly Scholarship for Fiction Winners! Please click below to learn more.

Applications are now open for Rooted & Written 2023, the Bay Area's free conference for writers of color from November 4th - 12th. Application deadline is midnight October 21st.

Catch up on our past Reading + Meeting events on our Youtube channel, and subscribe to get the latest videos from us.

Join us for our next Reading + Meeting on Friday, Sept. 22nds, from 5-7pm at The Writers Grotto. It will be emceed by Susan Ito and features Beth Winegarner, Lee Ann Prescott, Tara Dorabji and T.K. Rex. Followed by our customary happy hour. Please mark your calendars!

Check out our latest classes and write-ins, including the new yearlong class and Craft & Career: The Writers Grotto Lecture Series. Click below to see our full line-up of classes and events!

Join us for our virtual open house this Wednesday, August 23rd, from 7-8pm to learn about our upcoming fall quarter classes! You can join our Zoom call at any time during this hour.

Do you yearn to hear great work, have a nice glass of wine and some hors d'oeuvres on a Friday evening? Join us for Reading and Meeting! Our fabulous readers are Sarita Sarvate, Pia Chatterjee, Elizabeth Svoboda and Doug Henderson. Emceed by our beautiful poet Heather Bourbeau. Event to take place on the Mezzanine level.

The family of Rin Kelly is offering three $350 scholarships to emerging fiction writers with a focus on speculative, imaginative and critical/satirical works. Scholarships are awarded through The Writers Grotto, and are eligible for use toward enrollment in The Writers Grotto fiction classes during the period of November 1, 2023, through May 31, 2024. Please check out the link to learn more about eligibility and the application process. Applications are due September 1, 2023. Works produced during scholarship-funded classes at The Writers Grotto are also eligible for expedited editorial review, feedback, and consideration for publication by the editors of The Fabulist Magazine.

On August 8, San Francisco Public Library will once again host Grotto Nights, when Writers Grotto members will showcase and discuss their writing (via zoom) around a theme of their choice. This month features Terry Tierney, Pia Chatterjee, and Sophia Raday on Why We Love Mysteries: The Genre and Motif of Discovery.

Summer classes are just heating up at The Writers Grotto

Writers Grotto: July 2023: Reading+Writing on July 21! + a whole lot more!

Writers Grotto: June 2023: 2 huge book launches, tons of events, and more write-ins!

Playing with Words & Images, Cracking the Revision Code, Writing with AI, and More!

Writers Grotto: May 2023: More Reading & Writing at the Grotto and around the Bay Area

Spring classes with The Writers Grotto - find your Bay Area Literary Community, Story Craft, and much more!

Writers Grotto: April 2023: Reading & Meeting, More Events, More Classes

Check out our spring classes!

Join us for our next Reading + Meeting featuring Dominic Lim, Celeste Chan, Gustavo Barahona-Lopez and Susan Gubernaut. Emceed by Louise Nayer.

Take your writing on a journey this summer with our upcoming writing classes.

Reading and Meeting with fabulous authors Shanthi Sekaran, Jenny Bitner, Rachel Chalmers and Terry Tierney. Emceed by Sabina Khan-Ibarra. Please come out, hear their latest work, gain insight through an informal discussion and enjoy happy hour afterwards!

The Writers Grotto is pleased to announce the launch of our Writing Services. With a mix of bespoke and flat fee services, clients can find the perfect fit for their writing needs. Visit our classes and event page to see the full list of writing services currently offered. More writing services will be added throughout the year, so check back often, or contact us at classes(at)writersgrotto.org to request a writing service to fit your needs.

The Writers Grotto is pleased to announce that Jenny Bitner's class "Autofiction: Combining Memoir and Fiction" has been named one of Reedsy's best of 2023! Congratulations to Jenny Bitner - we're thrilled to have you teach with The Writers Grotto!

We have an exciting Reading and Meeting lined up for May 19th with Rita Chang-Eppig, Maxine Rose Schur, Karla Brundage, and Audrey Ferber, emcee'd by Terry Tierney. Stay for happy hour and meet up with fellow Grotto members and other creatives. We hope to see you there!

Our mezzanine space is available for sublease. This space is perfect for organizations that are looking for convenient conference or event space. Click the link below to learn more, or contact us at classes(at)writersgrotto(dot)org.

We have an exciting Reading and Meeting lined up for April 21st with Rowen Leong Singer, Laird Harrison, Saila Kariat, and Heather Bourbeau, emcee'd by Laurie Ann Doyle. Stay for happy hour and meet up with fellow Grotto members and other creatives. Register today to secure your spot!

Click the below link to read our March 2023 newsletter.

Click the below link to learn more about our upcoming classes and Write-Ins.

Click the below link to read our February 2023 newsletter.

Click the below link to learn more about our upcoming classes and Write-Ins.

Click the below link to read our January 2023 newsletter.

Check out our latest newsletter to see our new spring classes and write-ins! Plus join us for a virtual open house on Monday, March 20th, to learn more about our classes program.

Join the many Grotto members for their talks, panels, and events at AWP!

This event will focus on the burning question lodged in the back of every writer’s mind: how do I get published? This robust panel — comprised of a literary agent, an acquisitions editor and two authors — will help you crack the code. We’ll discuss the latest developments in the publishing industry and share success stories and tips for making your submission stand out. The panel will be followed by a Q & A and a mixer.

Grotto Nights is a monthly virtual series with the San Francisco Public Library featuring The Writers Grotto members who will showcase and discuss their writing around a theme of their choice. This month features Rita Chang-Eppig, Susan Ito and Grace Loh Prasad, all writing about regional and family histories in fiction and nonfiction. The authors will discuss their work and invite the audience to participate in an activity related to the theme.

Join us on Thursdays throughout February at Salesforce Park for an evening of poetry! This event is free and open to the public. Our next event is on March 2nd at 5pm.

We have an exciting Reading and Meeting lined up for Feb 17, with Louise Nayer, Doug Henderson, Jenny Qi and Rooted and Written fellow Christl Rikka Perkins. Please mark your calendars! Please RSVP using the link below, and spread the word! We will be putting flyers in bookstores, libraries and coffee shops. Stay for happy hour and meet up with fellow Grotts and other creatives. We hope to see you there!

On January 29th there will be an artist's reception from 2-5pm with an artist's talk and reading at 3:30. Leah is also a writer and memoirist. We have a new artist-in-residence at the Grotto, Leah Korican, and her work is now displayed throughout the 6th floor as well as the Mezzanine. Please come to the Grotto to check it out, and especially to our artists’ reception on Sunday, January 29th! The title of her exhibit at the Grotto is “Normalize the Incredible.” In addition to the art opening, Leah will be collaborating with Write-Ins and other forms of ekphrastic (art inspired) writing, and hands-on art carving workshop.

Grotto Nights is a new monthly series at the Library featuring The Writers Grotto members who will showcase and discuss their writing around a theme of their choice. This month features Lee Kravetz author of The Last Confessions of Sylvia P. and Jenny Bitner author of Here Is A Game We Could Play in conversation about mental health in fiction. The authors will discuss their work and invite the audience to participate in an activity related to the theme.

The Writers Grotto winter class catalog is now launched! Check out our newsletter to see upcoming classes and write-ins, including our new season pass for write-ins!

December newsletter: updates, events, and upcoming classes

Drop-in college essay help, imagery intensive, and write-ins.

Welcome to our new website!

Support The Writers Grotto this Giving Tuesday!

Click the link to check out November 1st newsletter!

Join the Writers Grotto for a special Reading and Meeting on Friday, November 18th, from 5-7pm at 1663 Mission St. Writers Grotto members featured include Kathy Seligman, Sabina Khan-Ibarra, Christopher Cook, Louise Nayer, and Dominic Lim, with Ethel Rohan MCing the event. Refreshments and appetizers will be provided.

The Writers Grotto is pleased to feature work by artists Leah Korican and Simo Neri in our mezzanine space. To learn more about their art, please visit www.leahkorican.com and simoneri.com

World-building and write-ins - sign up for your August class now! Plus our fall lineup of classes & write-ins and scholarship opportunity!