I’m keeping this post short, since Thanksgiving is on our doorstep, and I know you have things to do. Including, if you’re doing NaNoWriMo, managing to add words to your novel over the holidays.

One thing every writer needs is a place to write. And one close to me is the Fairfield County Story Lab, which has been closed for over a year, first because of the pandemic and then because of some construction. They are now ready to re-open on December 1 with a full calendar of events for writers, plus their beautiful writing spaces that offer writers a place to write in peace and quiet, as well as a café space where you can help yourself to free cookies and coffee and hang out with your peers. In-person writing memberships start at $125 per month, or you can attend all online events for $100 per month.

Among the many events they offer there’s Just Hit Send on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month (2:45-4 pm) – this is a submission group that will help you research, get advice and submit on the spot via Submittable. They run three write-ins per week, on Wednesdays (9-10:30am); Sundays, (3-4:30pm) and Monday nights, from 10-11:30pm EST. Write-ins are a wonderful way to commit to getting your writing done. First Friday, First Page takes place on the first Friday of each month, from Noon to 1:30pm, bring the first page of your chapter, query, story, etc. and read it aloud and get feedback from other writers. ​Writing to Prompts/Fiction happens every Tuesday from 2-3pm. The leader gives you a prompt. You write like mad for 15 minutes. And then do it again and again. Stay longer and share your work if you want to. Or keep it to yourself and add it to your collection of interesting stuff for later. On the second Wednesday of the month, (12:30-2pm) memoir writers, personal essayists, and more can share their work, their ideas, challenges, and lunch in an informal, writer-led gathering. For fiction writers needing some help with their plot, Plotters, from 12-1:30pm on the second Tuesday of each month, can help. Brainstorm with your fellow fiction writers as you eat the lunch you brought. ​Just for fun, try FCWS’ Literary Game Night (third Thursday of each month. 7-9pm. Your host, Evan Pagano, presents a rousing evening of trivia, charades, and more — all centered around all things books and authors, from classics to contemporary. Hilarious and fun. ​The suggested purchase price for each event is $20. And if you enjoy attending the Lab events each month, you can buyan All You Can Write monthly pass for $100, and avoid paying à la carte fees per event. Sign up info here. And check their website for all the details.

In other holiday news, the Westport Writers Workshop is hosting an in-person evening of readings on Wednesday, December 15, from 7-8:30pm at their new location:25 Sylvan Road South, Suite J, in Westport, CT. The $25 ticket for this evening of inspiring and festive readings will help raise funds for their service workshops for 2022. Register here.

In the meantime, Have a good Thanksgiving!

And keep writing, of course…