Registration now closed

The Terry Club - a writing workshop

Bring stories. Leave with craft, community, and confidence.

A year-long writing program at MLK Library, meeting monthly on Saturdays.

The Terry Club: a writing workshop

Bring your stories. Leave with craft, community, and confidence.

Saturdays, 3:30 to 5:30 PM · Fourth Floor, MLK Library (room posted at the front desk)

What it is

A year-long writing program at MLK Library. Across twelve monthly sessions, we walk through one story-structure method, one step at a time. Each session pairs a short craft lesson with a workshop hour, where writers hear their work read aloud and discussed by the group.

Who it’s for

New to a novel? Use the year’s structure to draft one from the ground up.
Already have a draft? Use the sessions and the workshop to revise it.
Writing short stories? Come for craft, community, and feedback, without the year-long arc.
Just want to write? Come, listen, and join the exercises. You never have to share your own work.

November 14 and December 12 are joint sessions with Lagos Library Club, MLK’s monthly reading series: a Friendsgiving edition in November and a holiday edition in December.

How each session runs

3:30: Welcome, icebreaker, and a recap of last session
3:55: Craft lesson: this session’s step, applied to your own work
4:15: Workshop: writers’ pieces read and discussed (5 to 15 minutes each, depending on how many are reading)
5:15: Next session’s theme and deadlines
5:30: Close

Want your work read? Here’s how it works

Registering puts you in a fair queue, in the order you signed up. Send your piece by the deadline below. A few days later, it goes out to the group, so everyone has time to read it before the session.

Nov 14, 2026: send by Oct 28, goes out by Oct 31
Dec 12, 2026: send by Nov 25, goes out by Nov 28
Jan 9, 2027: send by Dec 23, goes out by Dec 26
Feb 6, 2027: send by Jan 20, goes out by Jan 23
Mar 6, 2027: send by Feb 17, goes out by Feb 20
Apr 3, 2027: send by Mar 17, goes out by Mar 20
May 1, 2027: send by Apr 14, goes out by Apr 17
Jun 12, 2027: send by May 19, goes out by May 22
Jul 10, 2027: send by Jun 23, goes out by Jun 26
Aug 7, 2027: send by Jul 21, goes out by Jul 24
Sep 4, 2027: send by Aug 18, goes out by Aug 21

The full year

Oct 3, 2026: Opening Image & Theme Stated · Introduction
Nov 14, 2026: Set-Up · Thanksgiving
Dec 12, 2026: Catalyst & Debate · Winter celebrations
Jan 9, 2027: Break into Two · New Year
Feb 6, 2027: B Story · Valentine’s Day
Mar 6, 2027: Fun and Games · Spring
Apr 3, 2027: Midpoint · Spring celebrations
May 1, 2027: Bad Guys Close In · International Workers’ Day
Jun 12, 2027: All Is Lost · Juneteenth and the summer solstice
Jul 10, 2027: Dark Night of the Soul · Bastille Day
Aug 7, 2027: Break into Three & Finale · Back to school
Sep 4, 2027: Final Image · Year One celebration

Stay in the loop

Registering adds you to the group’s email list for updates and room changes. Questions? Email MLKLibrary@dc.gov with the subject line “Terry Club”.

Upcoming events