I spent almost a month researching various resources available for New York writers. Here is what I came up with. You ask, ‘Why are you sharing?’ Well, I figured why should everyone struggle and reinvent the wheel when its hard enough being an artist. So…
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Check Out These Free and Inexpensive Resources for New York Writers!
General Writer Resources
- NY Writers Workshop
- NY Writers Coalition
- Academy of American Poets
- The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers
- Asian American’s Writers Workshops
- Bronx Council on the Arts
- PEN American Center
Who Needs an MFA When You Have Free or Inexpensive Workshops
- Gotham Writers Workshops
- 92nd Street Y
- The Afrikan Poetry Theatre, Inc.
- The Writers Studio
- Teen Ink’s NYC Summer Writing Program
- Free Programs (For under-represented groups)
New York Book & Literature Festivals
- The Fort Greene Park Summer Literary Festival
- Jackson Heights Poetry Festival
- New York Book Festival
- Brooklyn Book Festival
- New York Time Arts & Leisure Weekend
Places to Jam & Listen
- KGB Bar
- The Nuyorican Poets Café (Short for New York Puerto Rican)
- The Bowery Poetry Club
- The Creek
- Billy’s Black
- Follow on Twitter Open Mic NY
Places to Meet NYC Writers
When Membership Pays
- Author’s Guild (sliding scale based on your writing salary) Note: Once you are a member you receive invitations to panels and programs throughout the year. NETWORKING!!
- Writing Rooms (Rent 24hour accesses spaces to write by yourself or with others)
Ok, Maybe You Do Want To Get Your MFA
Need a Space to Write?
Most of us have no choice but to write wherever and whenever we can. And should we be lucky enough to find a little free time and a secluded spot, life still has a habit of interfering. Now I’ve seen it all, desktop computers with full 22 inch monitors in a busy Starbucks, to textbooks, bags and papers laid out across small spaces alienating both customers and café owners. In the end, finding a good spot to write takes exploration, consideration, good etiquette and thinking outside of the box.
You should be looking for:
- Location (Near transportation)
- Service (Laid back with inexpensive but good food)
- Atmosphere (Ample lighting and good seating)
- Wi-Fi & Electrical Outlets
- Extended hours of operation
- Amount of Traffic: (You don’t want to take up space and potential revenue for long periods of time, so find the best places and times to go to a particular café to avoid these kinds of issues)
FREE (Wi-Fi & Seating)
- Poets House
- All NYC Libraries: Recommend: New York Public Library’s Schwartzman Building
- Parks: Highline, Bryant Park
- NYC Parks (With Free Wi-Fi)
- The David Rubenstein Atrium Lincoln Center
SPENDING $4-$6 For the Space, Outlet, and Wi-Fi
- Housing Works Bookstore/ Café (SOHO)
- Max Café (Near Columbia)
- Communitea (Queens)
- Panorama Cafe (Queens)
- Angelika Café
- Aroma Espresso Bar on Houston (corner of Greene) is nice. Good coffee. Free WIFI expect during peak hours. Often crowded, but open 24 hours.
- Blue Stockings Bookstore
- Starbucks (Sorry to say, it’s time and tested, unless they plugged up the outlets
) - Most Major Hotel Lobbies: (The key with this is to walk in like you belong. Again use good judgment when using the space. Most places do not mind visitors and use of their space, especially if they have a café inside (but be prepared to buy something if they do)
SPENDING $10-$25
- New York Historical Society Library (State of the art library across from Central Park and Museum of Natural History)
- Le Pain Quotidien (LPQ) (Great communal seating, A little expensive & Waiter service)
- All major Museums: Recommended *Metropolitan Museum of Art Atrium (Free WIFI but not outlets)
$400 and Up
- Writing Rooms (Rent space to write by yourself or with others)
General Hot Spots
