Writers Guild at Bloomington

04/10/2026

04/01/2026

Come out and join us at our events throughout April! First Sunday Prose is dark this month as it falls on Easter, but this program will return in May. Other programs are as follows:

Thursday 4/9 at Backspace Gallery
Spoken Word Series featuring The New Silence: A Poem For The New Climate, voiced by Brian Price and Joan Hawkins with live foley by Tony Brewer. Musical accompaniment from Kyle Quass and Julian Douglas.

Friday 4/17 at Runcible Spoon
Book launch reading for John Sherman’s new book “Fussing A Bit: Poems of my Lives.” Q&A and open mic to follow!

Sunday 4/26 at Morganstern’s Bookstore
Last Sunday Poetry featuring readings from Susan Michele Coronel and Doris Jean Lynch. Open mic to follow!

See you there! 🌸🐇🪺

03/01/2026

March into spring with these Writers Guild at Bloomington events!

Sunday 3/1 at Juniper Art Gallery and Café
First Sunday Prose featuring readings from Ryan Null and Anjelica Wren. Open mic to follow!

Thursday 3/12 at Backspace Gallery
Spoken Word Series featuring Eric Rensberger’s book launch for “Notes to Self.” Hosted by Joan Hawkins, with poet Tony Brewer and music from Matt Lundquist. Open mic to follow!

Sunday 3/29 at Morgansterns
Last Sunday Poetry featuring readings from Barbara J. Schwegmann and Mary Peckham. Open mic to follow!

Hope to see you there! ⛅️🍀🌼

02/06/2026

As chair of the Writers Guild at Bloomington, I am also the publisher of the Guild's newsletter. The publication of regular monthly issues has resumed today.

WG@B members! I encourage you to send me news about your recent publications and other achievements, reading series and writing conferences you are hosting, and calls for submissions to publications you are editing.

I look forward to reviewing your news items for possible inclusion in forthcoming newsletter issues.

--Hiromi Yoshida

02/04/2026

Join us for our first Writers Guild at Bloomington Business Meeting of 2026 at 3-4:30 PM (EST) on 7 February (SAT) in Rm. 214 at the Monroe County Public Library.

You'll get to meet and greet the new board members, and contribute toward major decision-making for the Guild. These decisions involve programming, fundraising, and personnel.

If you are interested in being considered for the vacant website coordinator position, you'll definitely want to show up!

Virtual meeting option available.

Photo source: Freepik (accessed 2.3.2026)

01/29/2026

January was quiet but we’re back in action for February! Join the Writers Guild at Bloomington for next month’s events and open mics, the first of which will be happening this Sunday ⛅️

Sunday 2/1 - First Sunday Prose
4-5:30pm at Juniper Art Gallery and Café
Featured readings by Jennifer Huston Shaeffer and Brenda Gleeden. Open mic to follow!

Thursday 2/12 - Spoken Word Series
6-8pm at Backspace Gallery
Featuring poets S.J. Ghaus, M.J. Arcangelini, and B. Harlan Deemer. Beer and wine available to purchase, open mic to follow!

Sunday 2/22 - Last Sunday Poetry
7-8:30pm at Morganstern’s Bookstore
Featuring poets Mary Ardery and Cassie Neville. Open mic to follow!

Mark your calendars, we hope to see you there!
❄️💘📖

01/23/2026

Last Sunday Poetry has been cancelled this weekend due to the impending weather!

Stay safe and warm, everyone!
❄️🌨️🧊

01/10/2026

The Writers Guild at Bloomington is seeking a webpage coordinator. This volunteer position involves maintaining and updating content, while enhancing that content's presentation for: https://writersguildbloomington.com/.

Photo source: Robert Half (accessed 1.10.2026)

01/05/2026

Every January, the Writers Guild at Bloomington holds its annual fundraising drive. The purpose of this drive is to ask Guild members to help fund the Guild's programs.

Contributions help support the Guild's regular reading series: First Sunday Prose, Second Thursday Spoken Word, and Last Sunday Poetry, together with other special programs that the Guild presents throughout the year.

The Guild suggests a donation starting at $20. Donations determine the Guild's annual budget, while enabling it to prove that it has a reliable source of revenue when applying for grants.

Donations are tax deductible, and can be sent in these ways:

- PayPal "Donate" link on the main page of the Guild's website:
https://writersguildbloomington.com/
- Mailing a check to: Writers Guild at Bloomington, P.O. Box 3445,
Bloomington IN 47402

You can also support the Guild by directing non-member writers whom you think might be interested in the benefits of joining our organization!

Benefits of membership include:

Eligibility to participate in monthly Business Meetings: We will brainstorm and strategize new directions for programming and fundraising.

Free Promotion: If you have a forthcoming book, or book launch event, you can email the Guild to request that the information, together with your website URL, be announced on the Guild's website in the Member News section; the Guild's newsletter; and on social media.

Monthly Newsletter: Our newsletter highlights important events in the Bloomington arts community, member news, publishing/workshop opportunities, volunteer opportunities, and other special news items.

Annual Picnic: The Guild's annual picnic (or summer potluck) provides a great opportunity to meet and greet board members over shared food and beverages. Always a great time, and the chance to know more about the Guild, and to share your work during the open mic segment of this much beloved program!

Annual Meeting and Election: The Guild's annual meeting is yet another great meet and greet event. The Guild's annual reports, highlighting its achievements for the year, are presented over potluck food and beverages. You also have the opportunity to vote for the Guild's board members (chair, secretary, treasurer) whose service starts or continues in January of the following year.

So, consider donating, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

--Hiromi Yoshida, Chair, Writers Guild at Bloomington

Photo source: Smart Charity (accessed 01.05.26)

12/20/2025

Every January, the Writers Guild at Bloomington holds its annual fundraising drive. The purpose of this drive is to ask Guild members to help fund the Guild's programs. But since this holiday season is also a season of giving, member contributions are particularly welcome.

Contributions help support the Guild's regular reading series: First Sunday Prose, Second Thursday Spoken Word, and Last Sunday Poetry, together with other special programs that the Guild presents throughout the year.

The Guild suggests a donation starting at $20. Donations determine the Guild's annual budget, while enabling it to prove that it has a reliable source of revenue when applying for grants.

Donations are tax deductible, and can be sent in these ways:

- PayPal "Donate" link on the main page of the Guild's website:
https://writersguildbloomington.com/

- Mailing a check to: Writers Guild at Bloomington, P.O. Box 3445,
Bloomington IN 47402

You can also support the Guild by directing non-member writers whom you think might be interested in the benefits of joining our organization!

Benefits of membership include:

Eligibility to participate in monthly Business Meetings: We will brainstorm and strategize new directions for programming and fundraising.

Free Promotion: If you have a forthcoming book, or book launch event, you can email the Guild to request that the information, together with your website URL, be announced on the Guild's website in the Member News section; the Guild's newsletter; and on social media.

Monthly Newsletter: Our newsletter highlights important events in the Bloomington arts community, member news, publishing/workshop opportunities, volunteer opportunities, and other special news items.

Annual Picnic: The Guild's annual picnic (or summer potluck) provides a great opportunity to meet and greet board members over shared food and beverages. Always a great time, and the chance to know more about the Guild, and to share your work during the open mic segment of this much beloved program!

Annual Meeting and Election: The Guild's annual meeting is yet another great meet and greet event. The Guild's annual reports, highlighting its achievements for the year, are presented over potluck food and beverages. You also have the opportunity to vote for the Guild's board members (chair, secretary, treasurer) whose service starts or continues in January of the following year.

So, consider donating, and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Photo sources: Wild Apricot; the Square (accessed 12.20.25)