Philadelphia-Area Resources for Writers
Philadelphia is a city rich with resources for writers. Below is a sampling of these resources, courtesy of Literary Philly (http://literaryphilly.org), a joint project of Blue Stoop, a home for Philly writers, and the 215 Festival, Philadelphia’s literary arts festival.
Literary Magazines
Philadelphia Bookstores
Philadelphia Suburb Bookstores
Presses
Creative Writing Programs
Festivals / Conferences
Writing Workshops
Other (arts orgs, literacy programs, podcasts, etc.)
LITERARY MAGAZINES
Apiary (work with a Philadelphia connection, all genres)
http://www.apiarymagazine.com/
Apiary celebrates Philadelphia as a great literary city on the page, stage, and in the street. Its mission is to connect and inspire Philadelphians through the power of their own words.
Atticus Review (poetry, fiction, CNF)
Atticus Review is a daily online journal that publishes fiction, poems, and creative nonfiction, as well as graphic art and mixed media.
Barrelhouse (high brow & low brow, all genres)
https://www.barrelhousemag.com/
Barrelhouse is an independent nonprofit literary organization looking for quality writing with an edge and a sense of humor.
Bedfellows (all genres, writing pertaining to sex/desire/intimacy)
https://www.bedfellowsmagazine.com/
Bedfellows is a Philadelphia-based literary magazine that seeks to catalog contemporary discussions of desire & intimacy (including their lack), with a particular focus on underrepresented & marginalized voices.
Bookends Review (fiction, CNF, poetry, interviews, book reviews & art)
Founded in 2012, The Bookends Review is an independent creative arts journal dedicated to publishing the best original fiction, nonfiction, poetry, interviews, essays, book reviews, and visual/musical works from around the world.
Cleaver (poetry, fiction, CNF, art, graphic novel, comics, book reviews & interviews)
https://www.cleavermagazine.com/
Cleaver is a Philadelphia-based online magazine that provides a platform for underrepresented writers and artists.
Eclipse Lit (poetry, prose, art; focus on healing from trauma)
Our mission is to give an outlet for writers to heal through art while benefiting organizations dedicated to helping people with trauma.
Glassworks Magazine (fiction, poetry, CNF, art, & flash)
https://www.rowanglassworks.org/
Glassworks magazine is a publication of Rowan University’s Master of Arts in Writing program.
Green Blotter (fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, and visual art by undergraduates)
http://wordpress.lvc.edu/wordpress/greenblotter/
Green Blotter is published annually by the Green Blotter Literary Society of Lebanon Valley College in Annville, PA, and features poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and art submitted by undergraduate student writers everywhere.
Hippocampus Magazine (Creative Nonfiction)
https://hippocampusmagazine.com/
Hippocampus is an online publication set out to entertain, educate and engage writers and readers of creative nonfiction. They also have a books division and bring our mission to life with an annual writing conference.
Jacket2 (commentary on modern and contemporary poetry and poetics)
Jacket2 offers commentary on modern and contemporary poetry and poetics. They publish articles, reviews, interviews, discussions and collaborative responses, archival documents, podcasts, and descriptions of poetry symposia and projects.
Meet Me at 19th Street (fiction)
http://www.archstreetpress.org/meet-me-19th-street-submission/
Meet Me @ 19th Street’s fourth quarter competition invites writers to submit the first chapter of a novel grounded in transition or evolution, the subtlest shifts or the most colossal of transformations.
Night Heron Barks (poetry)
The Night Heron Barks is an online poetry journal that runs seasonal issues in the fall and the spring. Each one is built like a book. Separate from their seasonal work, they also publish book reviews, essays on poetry, and a blog for poems that are driven by current events.
Nightblock (poetry, short fiction, nonfiction, comics, short films)
NightBlock publishes poetry, short fiction, nonfiction, comics, short films, art & art criticism.
North of Oxford (poetry, reviews, commentary, essays)
https://northofoxford.wordpress.com/
Brought to you by the publishers of The Fox Chase Review, (2008-2015), North of Oxford is located north of the Oxford Circle @ Roosevelt Boulevard in Northeast Philadelphia and publishes poetry, book reviews, commentary and essays.
OC87 Recovery Diaries (online mental health nonfiction stories)
https://oc87recoverydiaries.org/
OC87 Recovery Diaries is an interactive website that features stories of mental health, empowerment and change, created by and for those whose journeys of recovery speak to audiences from all walks of life.
ONE ART (poetry)
ONE ART aims to publish poetry that adds value to the life of our readers. A poem must not only be good, it must be lasting.
Painted Bride Quarterly (all genres)
Painted Bride Quarterly, established in Philadelphia in 1973, is one of the country’s longest running literary magazines. PBQ is a community-based, independent, non-profit literary magazine published quarterly online and annually in print.
Paper Dragon (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, visual art; focus on underrepresented communities)
https://drexelpaperdragon.com/
Paper Dragon is the literary journal of Drexel University’s MFA in Creative Writing program. It is managed and edited by MFA students and published with help from the Drexel Publishing Group.
Permission to Write (quarterly magazine discusses craft, career, and creativity for Black writers)
https://www.permissiontowrite.com/
Permission to Write’s goal is to cultivate the craft of independent Black writers and writers of color, give them space to create, a platform to amplify their voices, and a community to support their journey.
Philadelphia Stories (fiction, poetry, CNF, interviews from writers based in Philadelphia & Delaware Valley)
Philadelphia Stories is a 501c3 that has been serving the writing, reading, and art community of the Greater Delaware Valley since 2004. Its mission is to cultivate a community of writers, artists, and readers in the Greater Philadelphia Area through publications, professional development, and promotion of area writers.
Prolit (all genres)
Prolit Magazine is a journal that sets out to recognize, interrogate, and resist capitalism’s influence on contemporary art and literature, and to create a space for people to both discuss the realities of its oppression and to imagine better futures in its wake.
Rathalla Review (fiction, flash fiction, CNF, poetry, interviews, art)
https://www.rathallareview.org/
Rathalla Review is the literary magazine for Rosemont College’s Creative Writing MFA program.
Root Quarterly (art, ideas, criticism, fiction, poetry)
https://www.rootquarterly.com/
RQ is one part magazine, one part collaborative art project, and one part social experiment. They offer insightful and provocative essays, profiles of regional makers and artists, cultural criticism, fiction, poetry, and carefully-curated recommendations for getting the most out of life in Pennsylvania.
Rhythm & Bones (small press & magazine featuring trauma-inspired writing)
Rhythm & Bones Press is a small independent press and literary magazine founded by Tianna G. Hansen that is dedicated to dynamic and inspiring authors. They specialize in authors who write with personal emotion and those with trauma to portray to the world
River Heron Review (poetry)
https://www.riverheronreview.com/
A free-access poetry journal first envisioned in the river town of New Hope, Pennsylvania by Robbin Farr and Judith Lagana to serve the literary arts community through publication, readings, workshops, and bringing the written word to life in as many ways as possible.
Schuylkill Valley Journal (fiction, CNF, poetry, interviews, art)
The Schuylkill Valley Journal publishes poetry, fiction, and essays. They also host monthly literary events at the MRAC.
The Shoutflower (journal of art and literature)
https://www.theshoutflower.com/
The Shoutflower is a vision of gritty romance. They celebrate those who walk the world with all the fearlessness and delirium of someone dreaming.
Sortes (prose and poetry)
SORTES is an oddball grabbag wunderkammer mixtape of a spinning collection of stories, poems, songs, and illustrations to help while away the wintery June nights.
Split Lip Magazine (poetry, fiction, CNF, art, music writing, film writing)
Split Lip Magazine is a literary journal that’s totally bonkers-in-love with voice-driven writing, pop culture, and the kind of honesty that gets you right in the kidneys.
StoryQuarterly (short fiction, based at Rutgers-Camden)
https://storyquarterly.camden.rutgers.edu/
Founded in 1975, StoryQuarterly has been publishing emerging and established writers for over 30 years. Originally an independent quarterly based in Illinois, its contributors’ work has been selected for inclusion in many renowned annual collections. Among the acclaimed writers who have written for the journal are Margaret Atwood, T.C. Boyle, Lydia Davis, Mark Doty, Jhumpa Lahiri, Elizabeth McCracken and Joyce Carol Oates.
Tilde Lit Journal (poems, fiction, and nonfiction work from writers across the world)
https://www.thirtywestph.com/tildelit/
Tilde accepts unpublished work in fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and visual art for the cover. The editors are open to many themes, styles, and forms..
The Tiny (poetry)
Founded in 2005, the tiny is a biannual online poetry journal edited by Gabriella Torres and Gina Myers.
Title Magazine (art reviews, criticism, projects, poetry & prose by local writers)
http://www.title-magazine.com/
Since 2012, Title seeks to create a generative environment for engagement with arts and culture and to provide a platform for ambitious, experimental visual and written forms
Underground Pool (featuring writing from UArts students)
https://www.uarts.edu/liberal-arts/underground-pool
Underground Pool, the student literary magazine of University of the Arts, is published each spring by the Creative Writing program.
Voicemail Poems (online magazine)
Voicemail Poems is an online magazine that highlights the intimate and raw voices of new and established writers of all styles. Poets submit to the magazine by reading their work to a voicemail box. The editors’ favorites are picked seasonally and published on their website.
INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES
PHILADELPHIA BOOKSTORES
Amalgam Comics, Kensington
Amalgam Comics & Coffeehouse is a comic book store and coffee shop hybrid located in the Kensington section of North Philadelphia.
Book Corner, Fairmount (Bookstore — used books)
https://www.librarything.com/venue/4900/Friends-of-the-Free-Library-Book-Corner
Operated by the nonprofit Friends of the Free Library in Philadelphia, the Book Corner sells books donated by the community. Profits go to support and advocate for the libraries in Philadelphia
The Book Trader, Old City
http://www.phillybooktrader.com/
The Book Trader is a second-hand bookstore located in Philadelphia’s historic Old City.
Books & Stuff, Germantown
https://www.booksandstuff.info/
Books & Stuff sells multicultural, Afrocentric, books and gifts online with the goal of promoting the enjoyment of reading, particularly to children of color.
The Big Blue Marble, Mount Airy
https://www.bigbluemarblebooks.com/
The Big Blue Marble is an independent bookstore full of diverse books for diverse readers.
Bindlestiff’s, Cedar Park
https://bindlestiffbooks.wordpress.com/
Bindlestiff Books is a volunteer-run neighborhood bookstore in West Philadelphia, with a carefully selected array of new and discounted (but still new) books.
Brickbat Books, Queen Village
https://brickbatbooks.blogspot.com/
Brickbat Books offers new and used books and records in Queen Village, Philadelphia.
Frenchtown Bookshop, Frenchtown, NJ
https://frenchtownbookshop.com/
Frenchtown Bookshop, a family-owned independent bookstore, is committed to selling worthwhile books carefully chosen to inspire curiosity, connection, and compassion.
Giovanni’s Room, Washington Square West
Giovanni’s Room is the oldest LGBTQ and feminist bookstore in the country.
Head House Books, Queen Village
https://www.headhousebooks.com/
Head House Books was founded in 2005 on the belief that no community is complete without the inspiration and exchange of ideas that only a locally owned, independent bookstore can provide.
Hakim’s Bookstore, West Philly
Hakim’s Bookstore is Philadelphia’s oldest Black-owned bookstore.
Harriett’s Bookshop, Fishtown
https://www.oursisterbookshops.com/
Harriett’s Bookshop is an independent bookshop and writing space celebrating female writers, activists, and artists.
The Head & The Hand, East Kensington
https://www.theheadandthehand.com/bookstore
The Head & The Hand is a community-focused bookstore that provides curated fiction, local lit, and children’s/middle grade books to the neighborhood and beyond.
House of Our Own, University City
https://www.facebook.com/HouseOfOurOwnBooks/
House of Our Own offers a large stock of general and scholarly new and used books, located in a quiet, comfortable Victorian house on the UPenn campus.
Making Worlds Bookstore, Spruce Hill
https://www.facebook.com/makingworldsbooks/
Nonprofit collectively-run bookstore for abolition, autonomy, ecological self-determination, and affirmation of worlds imagined and made by Black, Brown, Indigenous liberation.
Molly’s Books & Records, Queen Village
https://www.facebook.com/mollysbooksandrecords/
Molly’s buys, sells, and trades used books, records, CDs.
Mostly Books, South Street
Mostly Books sells books and more at 529 Bainbridge Street in Philadelphia.
A Novel Idea, East Passyunk, South Philly
A Novel Idea is an independent bookstore and event space that reflects and supports the community.
Shakespeare & Co, Rittenhouse Square
Shakespeare & Co. is an iconic Manhattan bookstore founded in 1983 located at 1632 Walnut Street in Philadelphia.
Spiral Bookcase, Manayunk
Founded 11 years ago, The Spiral Bookcase thrives on all things strange and unusual, whether that’s stories from just off the beaten path or tales told from the clutches of otherworldly creatures.
Ulises, Fishtown
Ulises is a bookshop and project space dedicated to artists’ books and independent art publications that explores the relationship between publics and publications.
Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books, Germantown
Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books is a Coffee Shop and Bookstore located in the heart of the Germantown section of Philadelphia. Founded by Marc Lamont Hill in 2017, Uncle Bobbie’s was created to provide underserved communities with access to books and a space where everyone feels valued.
Wooden Shoe Books, South Street
http://woodenshoebooks.org/home.html
The Wooden Shoe is an all-volunteer collectively-run Infoshop located in Philadelphia that seeks to embody the principles of anarchism and other movements for social justice.
PHILADELPHIA SUBURB BOOKSTORES
Baldwin’s Book Barn, West Chester
The Book Barn was built in 1822 and is a five-story building which exudes bookish charm with its cozy nooks, stone walls, friendly atmosphere, wood-burning stove, and shelf upon shelf of books, maps, and prints. B
Children’s Book Work, Haverford
http://childrensbookworld.net/
Children’s Book World is an independent, full-service children’s bookstore featuring a comprehensive inventory, knowledgeable staff, and exciting events.
Doylestown Bookshop, Doylestown
https://www.doylestownbookshop.com/
The Doylestown and Lahaska Bookshops are locally owned and operated bookstores dedicated to preserving the heritage and traditions of independent bookstore ideals.
Farley’s Bookshop, New Hope
https://www.farleysbookshop.com/home
Situated on the main street of the historic Delaware Riverfront town of New Hope, Pennsylvania, Farley’s Bookshop and its knowledgeable, experienced staff have endeavored to satisfy the literary tastes of the area inhabitants for over forty years.
Main Point Books, Wayne
https://www.mainpointbooks.com/
Main Point Books was born in the summer of 2013. Their goal is simple: to provide a forum to talk about, discover and promote great books.
Narberth Bookshop, Narberth
http://www.narberthbookshop.com
A community of readers, writers, and lifelong learners.
Open Book Bookstore, Elkins Park
Open Book Bookstore is an independent bookstore in Elkins Park. Their mission is to curate a quality collection of books to bring to the attention of readers.
PRESSES
Arch Street Press (nonfiction, fiction)
http://www.archstreetpress.org/
Arch Street Press’s mission is to publish the work of talented writers and leading changemakers.
Camino Books (nonfiction books of regional interest)
Camino Books was founded in 1987 for the purpose of publishing quality nonfiction books of regional interest to people in the Middle Atlantic states. Titles cover cooking, travel, gardening, history, biographies, local reference books, and books concerning parenting and important health issues.
Frayed Edge Press (edgy, fiction, poetry, history, politics)
https://www.frayededgepress.com/
Frayed Edge Press is an independent press located in Philadelphia that specializes in publishing marginalized voices, overlooked literature in translation, and works that wrestle with important questions impacting contemporary society.
The Head & The Hand Press (novels, poetry, stories, almanacs)
https://www.theheadandthehand.com/
As a nonprofit arts organization, Head & The Hand is committed to serving as a launchpad for the next generation of local writers and growing as our neighborhood’s sole independent bookstore and publisher duo.
Hidden River Arts (outsider fiction and nonfiction)
http://www.hiddenriverarts.com/
Hidden River Arts is “Dedicated to Serving the Unserved Artist” and is committed to the “Outsider Artist,” in every possible way that an artist might be an outsider.
Lanternfish Press (short fiction, novels, novella, CNF)
Lanternfish Press, founded in Philadelphia in 2013, publishes literature of the rare and strange. They seek the grotesque, the alien made familiar, the “I don’t know what this is—but I love it.”
Moonstone Press (poetry anthologies & chapbooks)
https://moonstoneartscenter.org/category/moonstone-press/
Moonstone began in 1981 on the second floor of Robin’s Book Store, where Sandy Robin developed a series of Saturday morning children’s programs and Larry Robin presented poets and authors. Incorporated as a 501©3 non-profit corporation in February 1983, Moonstone Inc. was established to manifest the Robins’ belief that learning is a life-long activity and that art stimulates both cognitive and affective learning at all ages.
New Door Books (innovative book-length fiction)
New Door Books publishes original, innovative, book-length literature, mostly fiction.
Paul Dry Books (fiction, biography, memoirs, history, & essays)
Paul Dry Books publishes fiction, both novels and short stories, and nonfiction—biography, memoirs, history, and essays, covering subjects from Homer to Chekhov, bird watching to jazz music, New York City to shogunate Japan.
Quirk Books (bold, unconventional, trend, & YA)
Founded in 2002, Quirk Books publishes a highly curated list of entertaining, enlightening, and strikingly unconventional books for adults and children in a number of genres and categories.
Radiator Press (poetry)
https://www.radiatorpress.com/
Radiator Press is based in Philadelphia, rooted in poetry of refusal and imagination. They publish books that make readers think deeply about social conditions imposed by capitalism and the experiences and instances of solidarity that point toward better ways of life.
Ragged Sky Press (poetry)
Ragged Sky is a small, highly selective cooperative press. Ragged Sky Press has historically focused on mature voices, overlooked poets, and women’s perspectives.
Recenter Press (spiritual prose and poetry)
https://www.recenterpress.com/
Recenter Press is a Philadelphia-based publisher dedicated to sharing work that documents personal transformation, that speaks to the need for the revolutionary transformation of society, and captures our deep communion with the world.
Rhythm & Bones Press (CNF/memoirs, short story/flash fiction, and poetry)
https://www.rhythmnbone.com/books
Rhythm & Bones Press is a small independent press and literary magazine founded by Tianna G. Hansen that is dedicated to dynamic and inspiring authors, whose work deserves to be shared and acknowledged.
Running Press (commercial fiction, adult nonfiction, YA, & children’s)
Running Press is a member of the Hachette Book Group, a leading US trade publisher and a division of the third largest trade and educational book publisher in the world, Hachette Livre. The publisher’s offices are located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Saturnalia Books (poetry)
Saturnalia Books’s mission is to publish poetry of high merit, by new and established writers and to encourage the publication of literature of a non-commercial and challenging nature.
Split/Lip Press (poetry, short fiction collections, novellas, anthologies, memoirs, essay collections, & novels)
https://www.splitlippress.com/
Split/Lip Press is dedicated to publishing boundary-breaking fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid books, lifting the transition boards that prevent fluidity and smashing those we cannot pry up.
Temple University Press (scholarly & anthologies)
Founded in 1969, Temple University Press chose as its inspiration Russell Conwell’s vision of the university as a place of educational opportunity for the urban working class. The Press is perhaps best known as a publisher of books in the social sciences and the humanities, as well as books about Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley region.
Thirty West Publishing House (handmade poetry chapbooks)
Thirty West was founded as a passion project when our founder was an undergraduate at Temple University. They publish primarily poetry, literary fiction and nonfiction manuscripts, and our imprint literary journals..
Tursulowe Press (under-told stories, odd books on odd topics for adults and children)
https://www.tursulowepress.com/
Tursulowe Press in Philadelphia publishes under-told stories and republishes under-read classics. l.
University of Pennsylvania Press (scholarly & education)
https://www.upenn.edu/pennpress/about/index.html
The University of Pennsylvania Press exists to publish meritorious works that advance scholarly research and educational objectives.
West Philly Press (poetry, erotica, fiction, memoir, & essays)
West Philly Press publishes works by select Philadelphia and Philly-area authors. The core of our catalog focuses on poetry, short stories, and erotica, but if it interests us we’ll give it a try.
CREATIVE WRITING PROGRAMS
Arcadia (MFA low-residency, MA publishing)
https://www.arcadia.edu/academics/programs/creative-writing-mfa
Arcadia University’s low-residency M.F.A. program in Creative Writing is distinctive in that it incorporates both a dynamic online environment and a study abroad experience.
Drexel (MFA low-residency, teaching assistantships)
Drexel University’s two-year, low-residency MFA in Creative Writing is designed with the university’s commitment to experiential and career-focused education in mind.
Rosemont (MFA partial funding)
https://www.rosemont.edu/academics/graduate/creative-writing/
The MFA in Creative Writing program at Rosemont College offers tracks in both poetry and prose, and in prose. Students can choose concentrations in creative nonfiction, short fiction, writing for children and adults, novel writing, and dramatic writing.
Rutgers-Camden (MFA full funding)
https://mfa.camden.rutgers.edu/
The Rutgers University–Camden Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing is a 39-credit terminal degree in the theory and practice of writing.
Temple (MFA partial funding)
https://www.temple.edu/academics/degree-programs/creative-writing-mfa-la-crwr-mfa
The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing in the College of Liberal Arts at Temple University seeks to develop individual voice and techniques, define your aesthetics, and gain the critical skills needed to realize your creative vision.
FESTIVALS / CONFERENCES
215 Festival (annual literary arts festival founded in 2001)
The 215 (two-one-five) Festival showcases the vibrant talent of the literary community in Philadelphia.
Bucks County Book Festival (books, author events, small presses)
The Bucks County Book Festival celebrates literacy, sparks imagination, and inspires people of all ages by connecting authors and readers.
Caesura Poetry Festival (festival and retreat for poets)
http://www.montcopoet.org/caesura-2020/
Caesura features workshops and readings with incredibly talented poets from the tri-state area and beyond, and offers an opportunity to spend time with members of the poetry community.
Collingswood Book Festival (books, author events, small presses)
https://www.collingswoodbookfestival.com/
The Collingswood Book Festival is an annual festival that presents more than 60 presenting authors and an additional 275 authors and exhibitors, plus music, food, and literary games and activities.
HippoCamp (writers of Creative Nonfiction, Lancaster, PA)
https://hippocampusmagazine.com/conference/
HippoCamp: A Conference for Creative Nonfiction Writers is an in-the-flesh extension of their online publication’s goal to entertain, educate, and engage writers and readers of creative nonfiction. that three-fold mission.
LitLife Poetry Festival (panel events)
https://philadelphiastories.org/litlife-poetry-festival/
This poetry conference from Rosemont College, the Montgomery County Poet Laureate Program, and Philadelphia Stories brings together poets and poetry lovers to celebrate and discuss the art. Features a keynote, panels, workshops, and master classes.
Philadelphia Poetry Festival (annual poetry festival)
http://www.madpoetssociety.com/philly-poetry-festival-1/
The Philly Poetry Festival takes place once a year in April at The Rotunda in West Philadelphia. It boasts readers from organizations and reading series from the entire Great Philadelphia Area.
Philadelphia Writers Conference (panel events, agent meetings)
The Philadelphia Writers’ Conference is America’s longest running, open-registration writers conference.
Phililalia (Handmade poetry & book arts festival)
https://www.facebook.com/philalalia/
PHILALALIA is a regional three-day small press fair which will bring together poets, artists, publishers, and creative enthusiasts in a vibrant arts venue to share ideas, expertise, and performances, showcase their art, & offer their wares to the public.
Push to Publish Conference (panel events, business skill building, agent meetings)
https://philadelphiastories.org/push-to-publish/
Since 2009, this annual one-day publishing conference has become a popular networking opportunity for writers of all experience levels. Whether you are an established writer or just getting started, this one-day workshop will provide valuable resources you can use to get your work in print and online.
WRITING WORKSHOPS
Alison Hicks’ Greater Philadelphia Wordshop Studio (Delaware County/Center City)
https://www.philawordshop.com/
Writing workshops led by Alison Hicks, MFA, following the Amherst Writers & Artists method. Private Consultation/Coaching also available—contact Alison to discuss your project and needs.
Blue Stoop (8 week classes, 6-12 students, fiction, poetry, essays, memoir, novel, YA, food writing)
https://www.bluestoop.org/classes
Blue Stoop nurtures an inclusive literary community by creating pathways to access writing education, inspiration, and professional support, and celebrating Philadelphia’s rich writing tradition.
Cooper Street Writing Workshops (4 week classes & one day intensives in fiction & poetry taught by Rutgers-Camden MFA grads & local instructors)
https://writershouse.camden.rutgers.edu/programs/cooper-street/
Cooper Street is for everyone, whether you’re just beginning to explore a genre or have been writing for years. Their workshops are taught by published and award-winning authors, seasoned teachers, and professional editors.
Drexel Writers Room (interactive writing workshops no preparation necessary, free & open to all)
https://www.writersroomdrexel.org/
Writers Room is a university-community literary arts program engaged in creative placemaking and art for social justice.
Drexel Storylab (8 week fiction & nonfiction classes for adults)
https://drexel.edu/coas/academics/Storylab/
Drexel Storylab is designed for adult learners who want to explore careers as writers. The program offers creative writing workshops and study abroad retreats geared towards non-traditional students – including working professionals, Drexel alumni and other community members.
Green Street Poetry (monthly poetry workshop group in Fairmount)
https://www.greenstreetpoetry.com/
Green Street Poetry is an organization dedicated to fostering a rich, diverse, accessible community of writers that allows us to create and grow together.
Janet Benton’s The Word Studio (offers small workshops and private manuscript consultations)
Janet Benton helps writers craft and sell their stories.
Lansdowne Writers’ Workshop
http://www.feline-friendlyfreelance.com/lansdownewritersworkshop.html
Whether you’ve been writing for years, just want to get started, or are ready to reboot your writing practice, the Lansdowne Writers’ Workshop provides support and focused, quiet time to access your authentic voice and write your deepest, most honest, stories.
Liz Moore’s Palumbo Park Writing Workshops (5 week courses in fiction & nonfiction at area bookstores)
https://www.palumboparkwritingworkshop.com/
The Palumbo Park Writing Workshop serves prose writers in the Greater Philadelphia area by partnering with local independent bookstores to provide ongoing in-store workshops, offering individual manuscript and MFA-application consulting services, and hosting daylong or weekend-long seminars on aspects of the writing and publishing process.
Mount Airy Learning Tree (short classes for beginners)
https://mtairylearningtree.org/
The mission of the Mount Airy Learning Tree is to strengthen and enrich the diverse community of Northwest Philadelphia by providing opportunities for individuals to come together in educational and recreational activities.
Philadelphia Stories Master Classes (3 week online classes)
https://philadelphiastories.org/
Each master class is led by a Philadelphia Stories editor, who will offer a deep dive into topics to help you grow as a creative writer. All proceeds will support Philadelphia Stories.
Philadelphia Writers Workshop (Flourtown, PA)
The Philadelphia Writers Workshop provides a fun, structured way to write fiction, poetry, non-fiction, memoir, essays, plays, and screenplays in the company of other writers.
River Heron Review Classes (online & on-site Lahaska, PA)
https://www.riverheronreview.com/workshop-info/
River Heron offers writers in all genres opportunities to further enhance their creative writing skills through our structured and generative workshops.
Rosemont Writers Studio (6 week classes, Rosemont, PA)
https://www.rosemont.edu/academics/graduate/creative-writing/rosemont-writers-studio/
The Writers’ Studio courses are non-credit offerings of Rosemont College’s MFA Program. Our mission is to offer MFA graduates, from any program, and other members of the larger Philadelphia writing community an opportunity to take focused writing and publishing workshops at a reasonable cost.
OTHER (arts orgs, literacy programs, podcasts, etc.)
Asian Arts Initiative (author events, workshops)
https://asianartsinitiative.org/
Connecting cultural expression and social change, Asian Arts Initiative uses art as a vehicle to explore the diverse experiences of all communities which include Asian Americans.
Athenaeum of Philadelphia (literary society, book awards, a writer in residence)
Athenaeum is an historic, Philadelphia-centered and member-supported circulating library, research archive, and cultural forum dedicated to harnessing our resources.
Black Writers Museum (museum celebrating Black writing)
https://www.blackwritersmuseum.com/
The mission of the Black Writers Museum is to provide a venue and forum for the public to explore, celebrate, and experience the wonders of writing and reading through the exhibition and study of Black Literature.
Blue Stoop (happy hours, networking, resources)
Blue Stoop nurtures an inclusive literary community by creating pathways to access writing education, inspiration, and professional support, and celebrating Philadelphia’s rich writing tradition.
Book Fight (podcast)
Book Fight is a weekly podcast that is, in a nutshell, writers talking about writing.
Broadside Literary (literary publicity w/Philadelphia ties)
The projects Broadside partners with promote regularly hit bestseller lists, win landmark prizes, shape the literary landscape, and catalyze social movements.
Center for the Book (workshops, events on bookmaking, artbooks)
http://www.philadelphiacenterforthebook.org/
Collaborating with public and private book-collecting institutions throughout the city, Philadelphia Center for the Book brings together book artists, librarians, educators, and the public to appreciate the book as a contemporary art form within the context of its historical antecedents.
Center for Literacy (adult literacy advocacy organization)
Beyond Literacy offers hybrid and in-person classes to our adult learners.
First Person Arts (story slam events, workshops)
First Person Arts pushes the boundaries of memoir and documentary art by helping people shape true personal stories into art for the stage, page, on-air and online.
Kelly Writers House (writers house at the University of Pennsylvania)
Founded in 1995 by a group of students, faculty, staff and alumni, the Kelly Writers House is a 13-room house at 3805 Locust Walk on Penn’s campus that serves as a center for writers of all kinds from Penn and the Philadelphia region at large.
Leeway Foundation (grants for women & trans artists, artist support programming)
The Leeway Foundation supports women and trans artists and cultural producers working in communities at the intersection of art, culture, and social change.
The Library Company of Philadelphia (nation’s oldest cultural institution and research library)
The Library Company of Philadelphia is an independent research library concentrating on American society and culture from the 17th through the 19th centuries.
Mighty Writers (youth writing programs)
Mighty Writers teaches more than 3,500 kids to write with clarity annually. They serve children and families in and around Philadelphia, PA and in Camden, Atlantic City and Newark, NJ.
Moonstone Arts Center (poetry events, community programming)
https://moonstoneartscenter.org/
Moonstone began in 1981 on the second floor of Robin’s Book Store, where Sandy Robin developed a series of Saturday morning children’s programs and Larry Robin presented poets and authors.
No River Twice (poetry)
No River Twice is an experiment in how to bring playfulness, surprise and communal participation into the realm of poetry readings.
Overdue (podcast)
Join Andrew and Craig each week as they tackle a new title from their backlog. Classic literature, obscure plays, goofy children’s books: they’ll read it all, one overdue book at a time.
Paul Robeson House (writing groups, programs pertaining to African American culture & history)
https://www.paulrobesonhouse.org/
The Paul Robeson House and Museum in Philadelphia is owned by the West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance.
Pen & Pencil Club (nation’s oldest press club, private bar)
The Pen & Pencil Club is one of the oldest surviving press clubs in the country.
Permission to Write (quarterly magazine, meet-ups, writing classes, and blog for and by Black writers with Philly ties)
https://www.permissiontowrite.com/
An online and in-person community providing resources to cultivate and amplify the voices of Black writers and writers of color.
Philadelphia Art Alliance (now part of University of the Arts)
https://www.uarts.edu/centers/artalliance
The University of the Arts is committed to inspiring, educating and preparing innovative artists and creative leaders for the arts of the twenty-first century.
Philadelphia Contemporary (visual art, performance art, and spoken word)
https://philadelphiacontemporary.org/
Founded in 2016, Philadelphia Contemporary is a contemporary art organization whose mission is to connect the people and places of Philadelphia through art and partnership.
Philadelphia Folklore Project (folklore, oral storytelling)
https://www.folkloreproject.org/
The Philadelphia Folklore Project works to sustain vital and diverse living cultural heritage in communities in our region through collaborative projects, research, documentation and education, prioritizing folk and traditional arts in service of social change.
Philadelphia Young Playwrights (youth playwriting resources)
https://www.phillyyoungplaywrights.org/
Since 1987, Philadelphia Young Playwrights has partnered with educators to bring the transformative power of playwriting into classrooms and community settings across Greater Philadelphia.
The Philly Liars Club Oddcast (podcast)
https://theliarscluboddcast.libsyn.com/
Join The Liars Club for a lively round of lies and exaggerations featuring everyone from NY Times Bestselling authors to National Book Award finalists to debut novelists, screenwriters, actors and more.
PlayPenn (playwriting craft hub)
PlayPenn nurtures the creative impulses of artists and dedicates their work to the developmental process in its purest form.
The Rosenbach (events, short writing classes, special events)
The Rosenbach offers exhibits, programs, and tours showcasing rare books, manuscripts, and art.
Scribe Video Center (digital storytelling workshops)
Scribe Video Center seeks to explore, develop, and advance the use of electronic media. Including video and audio, as an artistic media and as tools for progressive social change.
Smith Publicity (book publicity & marketing)
https://www.smithpublicity.com/
Smith Publicity works with thousands of authors and publishers, as well as entrepreneurs, consultants, publicly-held companies, and businesses in many industries.
Tree House Books (literacy non-profit & children’s bookstore)
https://www.treehousebooks.org/
At Tree House Books, our vision is that every child in Philadelphia has access to books, and every opportunity to pursue their dreams.
Tell Me A Story (storytelling workshops)
https://www.tellmeastory.info/
Tell Me A Story trains multi-passionate entrepreneurs, mission-driven leaders, and committed changemakers how to find their voice and share their unique story with honesty and passion.
Warrior Writers (support for writers who are veterans)
https://www.warriorwriters.org/
Warrior Writers is a national non-profit. Their mission is to create a culture that articulates veterans’ experiences, build a collaborative community for artistic expression, and bear witness to war and the full range of military experiences.
Write Now Philly (reviews and interviews of Philly-based writers)
Write Now Philly is an online magazine devoted to writing, books, literature, publishing, and the literary community, with a focus on the Philadelphia area. Write Now Philly is run and staffed by Drexel University faculty and students.
Writers House at Rutgers-Camden (writers house with community programming)
https://writershouse.camden.rutgers.edu/
The Writers House celebrates writing across diverse disciplines, communities, and media and is open to both the Rutgers community and the general public.