Hello again,
Today, we’re writing to you from two places: Francisco is in San Juan, Puerto Rico, returning from a swim in the ocean, and Nicole is suffering from frostbite at her kitchen table in Brooklyn, New York.
This distance is new. Francisco moved to San Juan at the top of 2022, and with the move came a reimagining. For the first time, we gave ourselves space to think about how we wanted to work and live our lives.
This year, we surrendered to moving slowly.
We made plans with intention rather than habit. We abandoned our content calendar for intimate connections. When we needed help, we asked for it. We checked in often to say hi, catch up, and spill a little tea. We celebrated the big things (new jobs, new homes) and the small things (Francisco’s new refrigerator and Nicole’s adopted cats). We grew in our craft and in our friendship. We met Danialie, a lifelong collaborator and an eternal friend.
And we got to spend time with you. Our favorite part.
We marked the seasons quietly with small moments of community. In the winter months, we gathered for cozy, virtual events and when the summer came, we were that outside. Our moods changed with the weather… and we let it happen.
Winter
We met the winter with workshops that kept us warm and fuzzy. In January, Willa of Highly Human helped us build a sacred space in their "Designing Your Dream Space" workshop. During peak cuffing season, Annika Hansteen-Izora led “Reimagining Love Letters," a Valentine’s Day workshop that brought over 150 of you together to celebrate the tender possibilities of love. Before we knew it, the snow started to melt and the sun returned.
Spring
While the city was warming up, we met with Danialie and Jenika from Bedstuy Book Club. Nicole read “Happy Hour” by Marlowe Granados and we realized we had to host a happy hour to discuss “Happy Hour” (so meta). So, we gathered with friends, new and old, at Brown Butter Cafe on Tompkins Avenue in Bedstuy, Brooklyn. We poured a little sparkling cider and spent the evening together. Oh, and we gave out some fun gifts too!
Summer
As the summer heat settled in, Tivali Thomas taught us how to dive into surrealism in her workshop, “The Afterworld: Surreal Transcendence.”
Then, Danialie introduced us to Lucille Clifton’s “Water Sign Woman” and, together, we created “Carrying Water.” All summer long, we met bi-weekly to build a steady, creative practice. We waded through the work of writers who came before us. We shared space in Danialie and Arti’s backyard. We explored what our hearts desired—time, archiving, memory, movement—and were drawn, again and again, to the magic and mystery of water.
Autumn
In September, we came together IRL again. This time at Dear Friend Books for a community open mic and reading to end “Carrying Water.” It was a celebration of a summer spent outdoors, of the changing seasons, and of the community that keeps bringing us together. It was also a moment to honor our work with Bedstuy Book Club, who keeps us inspired and hopeful and excited about the future.
In October, we hosted virtual co-working hours to make time for the things we loved. Members joined to work on everything from job applications and manuscripts to personal projects and doodles. Some of us simply held space.
And now, Winter has arrived again.
As 2022 ends, we’re excited for another year of chances to connect and write with you. In January, we’re launching “A Meal Between Us,” a recipe-sharing project designed by Crystal. There will be other things too but, as we learned this year, we’re not in a rush to find out.
As we usher in the new year, we are reminded that storytelling is an active pursuit open to all artists and we’re here to meet you where you are. So if you're interested in helping us create a workshop or plan an event in your city, shoot us a note at writersclubny@gmail.com.
Thank you for three years together.
We look forward to many more.
Happy 2023!
Francisco + Nicole + You
A Writers Club Year in Review
This was a beautiful little recap <3 I'm so happy to have found this community when I did, and I'm excited for all that is to come in 2023!