StoryStudio Chicago

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StoryStudio Chicago

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We are a nonprofit literary arts organization focused on building a writing community. We help writers hone their craft and express their creativity.
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With classes covering a wide variety of topics, genres, and levels, we have something for everyone here. StoryStudio Chicago is part of the Stories Matter Foundation, a 501c3 charitable non-profit whose mission is to build communities of storytellers trained to question, explore, celebrate, and change their worlds using the power of story. Established in 2016 by by StoryStudio Founder Jill Pollack, the Stories Matter Foundation now includes StoryStudio Chicago, the Chicago Review of Books, the Chicago Stories Project, and a variety of ongoing events, festivals, and initiatives. StoryStudio welcomes more than 1,200 writers each year. OUR MISSION
We build communities of storytellers trained to question, explore, celebrate, and change their worlds using the power of story. No matter the class you choose, you’ll find stimulating discussion, a creative space where your writing life can flourish, and committed and talented instructors who bring their expertise and experience as working writers to the classroom. In addition to courses and workshops, we offer a variety of scholarship programs to promising writers and increase the access of writing workshops to underserved communities through the Chicago Stories Project. To learn more about our initiatives visit https://www.storystudiochicago.org/donate/

10/19/2026

Good news! We have two additional spots now available for the previously full Breakfast & Book Club event with Justin Torres, this Friday morning at 9:30 am. The event takes place at the home of one of our Board members -- and you'll get details about location when you register.

With a limited attendance capacity, this will be a rare opportunity to chat with Justin about his work, as well as get to know fellow fans and readers in Chicago. You are welcome to bring copies of your books to the event, and copies will also be for sale on-site.

Claim your spot now: https://www.storystudiochicago.org/classes/tickets/breakfast-book-club-with-justin-torres/

10/16/2026

Happy Friday writers!

Claim your spot in the hottest new club -- November Write Club! 🪩✍️

Join instructor Ines Bellina for five Mondays of inspiration and accountability. The weekly sessions will include tips, writing prompts, and some thoughts on craft to get you motivated. This accountability group will not require any reading of or feedback on peer work, but you are welcome to set those up outside of the class with your peers. We hope you’ll make connections you can carry with you longterm.

Register now here: https://www.storystudiochicago.org/classes/classes/november-2026-write-club-with-ines-bellina/

10/15/2026

Instructor Julia Fine recently announced Celadon snapped up her new novel Futures, a mash-up of Practical Magic and Succession. And we're so here for it!

Want to spend six months with Julia as your personal writing mentor? Julia's next Intensive Coaching Cohort begins December 1! This six-month online program is designed for writers who are actively putting words on the page (or want to be), and have the time and desire to spend six months writing, revising, and getting personalized feedback and plans for their work-in-progress.

There's no application for this program -- read more about it at the link in the first comment, and then register when ready!

10/14/2026

Here we have beloved instructor James Klise laying it all on the line for Young Adult at this year's StoryBall Battle of the Genres. 😁

With a calculating combination of quick wit and charming humor, James emerged victorious! 🤩

Wouldn't you want to spend a year studying with this year's champion?!

James's Novel In A Year: Young Adult and Middle Grade cohort is now open for application.

Make 2027 the year you write your novel. Applications for this online program -- and four other Book In A Year programs -- are due November 13.

Apply now! https://www.storystudiochicago.org/advanced-writing-programs-at-storystudio-chicago/novel-in-a-year-ya-middle-grade-with-jame-klise/

10/13/2026

...and now for something completely original.

Check out this cool Online Master Class coming up on November 9 with José Olivarez: Pro Wrestling and the Performance of Self.

Though pro wrestling is ridiculed by some as fake, or trashy, it continues to capture the attention of audiences all over the world. Poetry, on the other hand, carries a public reputation as an esoteric art, one that is just as likely to frustrate and alienate readers as it is to inspire them. What does the performance art of professional wrestling, an art form where people engage in combative (and collaborative) choreography while wearing tights or other ridiculous attire, have to teach writers about the creation of self and winning over audiences?

Intrigued? Register now at the link in the first comment.

10/09/2026

The National Book Award Finalists were announced earlier this week (huge congrats to previous Writers on Writing guest Edwidge Danticat for her novel Dèy), so we wanted to take to this opportunity to remind you of our upcoming Writers on Writing event with 2023 National Book Award winner Justin Torres!

We're so excited to welcome Justin to Chicago on October 22 for our Writers on Writing event in partnership with the Newberry Library. Justin will be in conversation with our Artistic Director Rebecca Makkai (herself, a National Book Award Finalist in 2018 for The Great Believers).

This is a free event (but you do need to register), and in-person only this time.

Register here: https://www.storystudiochicago.org/writers-on-writing-at-the-newberry-library/

10/08/2026

The photographer titled this photo "Mystery Forest Light" and we kind of love that. So here's today's writing prompt: Jimmy woke up under a pile of leaves in the middle of this gorgeous idyllic fall scene. What powers has the mystery forest light imbued Jimmy with and what will he do next? 😁👻😅

But for real, we're just dropping in to your feeds now to tell you that we're in the thick of our fall term. And we have soooooooo many fantastic multi-session creative writing workshops starting soon, both on Zoom and person.

Check 'em out:
✍️Plan and Build Your Novel with Blair Hurley 2026, 12 sessions, online, starts TONIGHT!

✍️ Creative Writing Essentials with Bess Winter Kosinec, 8 sessions, online, starts Oct. 13

✍️The Sentence Alive: Four Lessons on Memoir Through Sound, Body, and Form with Paul Lisicky, 4 sessions, online, starts Oct. 14

✍️ Distraction and Attention: Developing an Intentional Writing Practice with JP Solheim, 4 sessions, in person, starts Oct 15.

✍️ Creative Writing Essentials with Kathryn Kruse, 8 sessions, in person, starts Oct. 26

✍️ What I Mean to Say: Honesty and Transformation in the First-Person Story with Connor Shiosh*ta Pickett, 4 sessions, in person, starts Oct. 27

✍️ Fiction Bootcamp with Joseph Scapellato, 4 sessions, online, starts Oct. 28

✍️ Exploring Visual Elements of Writing Prose with Aram Mrjoian, 4 sessions, online, starts Oct. 29

Grab your spot in one or several of these workshops now: https://www.storystudiochicago.org/classes/

10/08/2026

Get ready to be spooked! Our next StoryStudio Student Reading is two weeks from today -- Wednesday, October 21st at 6:30 pm CT at The Book Cellar.

We have seven terrific readers scheduled, each of whom will scare and entertain you in equal measure. The list of readers for the evening includes:

👻 Elli Wade
👻 Trina Young
👻 Ryn Wernsman
👻 Micah Giddens
👻 Maria Williams
👻 Nikki Mammano
👻 Alicia Wala

This is a free event and no registration is required. Just show up reading to be spooked! We'll see you on the 21st at The Book Cellar.

10/06/2026

ANNOUNCING: Applications are now open for our five 2027 Book In A Year programs. Each of these online programs is specifically designed to give you the support, encouragement, and accountability you need to write that book!

The five cohorts now open for application are:

✍️ Novel in a Year: First Draft with Juan Martinez
✍️ Novel in a Year: First Draft with Sheree L. Greer
✍️ Novel in a Year: Young Adult & Middle Grade with James Klise
✍️ Novel in a Year: Revise and Launch with Abby Geni
✍️ Short Story Collection in a Year with Peter Mountford

There's no fee to apply for these programs, and the super-easy application takes only about 15 minutes. Just tell us about your project and upload a sample. That's it!

Applications are due Nov. 13.

Apply now: https://www.storystudiochicago.org/advanced-writing-programs-at-storystudio-chicago/in-a-year-book-programs-at-storystudio-chicago/

Address

4043 N Ravenswood Avenue
Chicago, IL
60613

Telephone

(773) 477-7710

Website

http://www.storystudiochicago.org/

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