Welcome.
At StoryStudio Chicago, one of our main goals is building a community – both in-person and virtually – where writers and literary folks can come together to learn, share, and grow in the creative arts. Writing can be a solitary act, but we know how much more pleasant it is when you have a network of people and groups to keep you focused.
Think of StoryStudio not just for awesome, inspiring classes, but also as a place to build your own writer’s network.
Join us for Open Houses, Write-ins, panel discussions, special events, retreats, and parties (yes, sometimes we just like to party). These are great opportunities to expand your writers circle, meet up with old friends, and get some writing done.
The best way to stay up to date on these offerings is to subscribe to our newsletter, and follow our social media.
Interested in volunteering with Stories Matter Foundation? Join our Associate Board, the Ministry of Lit! The Ministry of Lit (MOL) meets bi-monthly to support Stories Matter Foundation through fundraising and community outreach. To learn more, email jen@storystudiochicago.org.
Whether you live near or far, you’re still part of the StoryStudio family. Listen to the Chicago Writers Podcast, hosted by longtime StoryStudio student Dan Finnen. It features monthly interviews with authors, storytellers, literary professionals, and more about the craft and business of writing. And check out the reviews and interviews of our publication the Chicago Review of Books.
You can join our monthly write-ins, both virtual and in-person. These are free, and though the goal is to spend time writing, our hope is that you connect with those that show up and continue the writing conversation and activities outside of the scheduled write-ins.
Our Geek-Out Book Club is shaping up to be a quarterly event with a hybrid format. We’ll host the event in-person with a virtual screening option so you can read and discuss with us wherever you are.
Our Writers Room is open for reservations during the week. Our Studio space is largely empty during the days, so we’ve opened the doors for writers to have a place to write, edit, or just work from a fresh location. (Sorry, Starbucks, we have better character.)
We host quarterly Student/Instructor readings at indie bookstores around the city. If you’ve taken a class with us, your instructor may nominate you to read at one of these events. It’s a great time to share your work, meet other writers, and feel supported.
We welcome you to get involved in all of these, plus our annual events like the Writers Festival, our virtual publishing intensive Pub Crawl, the CHIRBy Awards, our annual fundraising gala, and any of our special events at libraries and other fun locations.
