Writers Guild Initiative

04/30/2026

WGI Board Member and Mentor Carla Briscoe is performing in NYC!

We are thrilled to announce that she is starring in Theatre East's presentation of An Ordinary Afternoon in 1974. Written by Daniel Maclvor and directed by Judson Jones, you can catch a performance through May 23 at Theatre East's Court Square Theater.

Act fast to use this promo code for discounted tickets: OA1974

Head to the link in our bio & stories for tickets and more info!

We are thrilled to share that our very own Carla Briscoe is starring in Theatre East’s presentation of An Ordinary Afternoon in 1974! Written by Daniel Maclvor and directed by Judson Jones, you can catch a performance through May 23 at Theatre East’s Court Square Theater. Click here to learn mor...

04/29/2026

It’s Writing Prompt 268! We offer these prompts to encourage you to spend some time writing every week. Happy Writing!

Write a story with a character who meets their long-lost relative.

Write a story with a character who meets their long-lost relative. We offer these prompts to encourage you to spend some time writing every week. Happy Writing!

04/22/2026

It’s Writing Prompt 267! We offer these prompts to encourage you to spend some time writing every week. Happy Writing!

Write a poem that celebrates the arrival of spring.

Write a poem that celebrates the arrival of spring. We offer these prompts to encourage you to spend some time writing every week. Happy Writing!

04/17/2026

Our 2026 WGI Gala was a hit! Thank you so much to all who attended and supported this year's event, There Oughta Be a Law.

Congratulations to all our talented WGI Writers who had their work featured!

If you weren’t able to join us, you can still support our mission by donating on our website! All contributions go toward continuing our workshops with underserved communities.

Our 2026 WGI Gala was a hit! Thank you so much to all who attended and supported this year’s event, There Oughta Be a Law. Congratulations to all our talented WGI Writers who had their work featured! If you weren’t able to join us, you can still support our mission by donating below! All contrib...

04/15/2026

Thank you so much to the WGF for teaming up with us again for this prompt! Stay tuned for our next collaboration!

Write a story where a character leaves behind their old life for a new one.

Happy Writing!

You can find out more about the Writers Guild Foundation on their site: https://www.wgfoundation.org/

We’re excited to share a new writing prompt in collaboration with the Writers Guild Initiative!

Whether you are looking for a creative exercise as a warm-up before diving into your work, wrestling with writer's block and looking for a path forward, or hoping to spark new ideas, we hope this prompt helps you put pen to page.

Hungry for more writing prompts? Check out Writers Guild Initiative's weekly series. Until next time, happy writing!

04/14/2026

Itching for a new read? We are proud to debut our collaboration with the Tom Fontana Presents Substack, featuring work from our talented Writers Guild Initiative Writers!

Tom is the President Emeritus of WGI, and has agreed to feature select works from the WGI cohorts. First up is Wounded Warrior Project! They are our oldest partnership, and we have hosted over a dozen writing workshops with their veterans and caregivers.

Head over to Tom Fontana Presents within the link below to read and listen to the following works from our WWP writers, and stay tuned for our next cohort's selection of works!

Featured Works:
- "Two Year Grace Period" by JoAnne Parisi, U.S. Army Veteran (read by Carla Briscoe)
- "Guile" by J.L. Gang, U.S. Navy Veteran (read by John Doman)
- "Mary Cried and So Did I" by Liz Katherine Hensel, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran (read by Chiara Montalto-Giannini)

Itching for a new read? We are proud to debut our collaboration with the Tom Fontana Presents Substack, featuring work from our talented Writers Guild Initiative Writers! Tom is the President Emeritus of WGI, and has agreed to feature select works from the WGI cohorts. First up is Wounded Warrior Pr...

04/03/2026

Congratulations to Alexandra Chadwick, who has been selected as the 2025-2026 recipient of the Michael Collyer Memorial Fellowship in Screenwriting in our partnership with The Black List!

Alexandra’s project DUCK SKIN was selected for this year’s Fellowship and she was able to attend the WGI Gala in New York City this past weekend! As a part of the Collyer Fellowship, Alex will receive a $10,000 stipend to support the development of a NEW original screenplay. Alexandra will also receive mentorship and support from the WGI throughout the entire Collyer Fellowship year.

Here’s a bit more about Alex: “Alexandra Chadwick is a Los Angeles-based screenwriter with a passion for coming-of-age stories told from the perspectives of quiet but strong-willed protagonists. Alexandra grew up in the suburbs of Matthews, North Carolina, where she discovered her love for storytelling at a young age. She is currently pursuing her MFA in Screenwriting at the American Film Institute Conservatory. Her first screenplay, DUCK SKIN, became a Black List Recommended project after receiving two 8+ evaluations from industry readers.”

Cheers to you, Alexandra!

Headshot Credit: Jo Choi

Congratulations to Alexandra Chadwick, who has been selected as the 2025-2026 recipient of the Michael Collyer Memorial Fellowship in Screenwriting in our partnership with The Black List! Alexandra’s project DUCK SKIN was selected for this year’s Fellowship and she was able to attend the WGI Gal...

03/31/2026

03/30/2026

Are you seeing stars? ⭐️ Tonight our WGI Gala will be filled with them! Thank you so much to the talented cast who will perform the pieces from our WGI Writers.

Full There Oughta Be a Law Cast:
Zoë Chao
David Cross
Peter Jacobson
Susan Pourfar
Lois Smith
Tramell Tillman

Can’t join us? Head to the link in our bio to show your support and learn more about our programs!

03/27/2026

We are happy to share yet another submission from our 2025 WGI Invite to Write Challenge!

Last summer, we asked our talented cohorts to create a piece on this prompt: Write a story where the end is also the beginning.

Next up, we are sharing Mark Haviland’s piece entitled, “Straight Line Winds.” He participated in our workshops with those affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Stay tuned, as we will continue posting the submissions! Click the link below to read the piece on our website.

We are happy to share yet another submission from our 2025 WGI Invite to Write Challenge!  Last summer, we asked our talented cohorts to create a piece on this prompt: Write a story where the end is also the beginning. Next up, we are sharing Mark Haviland’s piece entitled, “Straight Line Wind...

03/25/2026

It’s Writing Prompt 266! We offer these prompts to encourage you to spend some time writing every week. Happy Writing!

Open a book to any page. Rewrite that scene.

Open a book to any page. Rewrite that scene. We offer these prompts to encourage you to spend some time writing every week. Happy Writing!