Novel Seminar with Michael Cunningham

March 23, 2006

Please join us on Wednesday, April 5th for a seminar for aspiring adult writers on Writing and Publishing the Novel. We have an amazing panel pulled together that includes novelists Michael Cunningham (The Hours), Sam Lipsyte (Homeland), and Christopher Sorrentino (Trance) as well as some of the industry's leading editors and agents. For more information, see here. We hope you all come.

The 826NYC Review Now Available on Amazon

March 22, 2006

If you don't have a copy of Issue 1 yet, now's your chance. The 826NYC Review is finally available on Amazon! One of the most entertaining reads of 2005—now available to the masses. If you're still on the fence, take a look at The 826NYC Interview with Brendan, Creator of "Utencil Boy" here. Or read all about the book here.

And again, buy it here.

"Lucy is a World Famous Scuba Diving Instructor"

March 20, 2006

Sunday drop-in has reached a good pace. It was previously known as the "wild card" of the drop-in sessions. All bets were off on who we were to expect. Now we have a strong crew of Sunday regulars who come in for a little homework help and stay for the ambience.

We're taking advantage of Sunday's low-key vibe by developing some great writing activities. Take for instance Lucy and Diana's "Memory" game, it is similar to the old game where pairs of matching cards are scrambled and placed face down on a table. However, instead of cards that feauture matching pictures, the pairs are identical sentences. Turn over a card and it may read: "Do not pity the starfish named Oscar" or "Lucy is a world famous scuba diving instructor". The sentences may or may not be true.

826NYC On the Air and in Manhattan

March 15, 2006

On Monday—one snowstorm, several subway jams, one family vacation, a few baseball practices, and two months after the start of the Make Your Own Radio Story (It's Just Like TV, Except Different) workshop—Leanne, Phoebe, Ian, and Nicholas finally made it to WBAI to put some finishing touches on their Prospect Park Zoo piece. The students recorded their piece, sang "The Star-Spangled Banner," and invented a rap about 826NYC before spilling out onto Wall Street with the rest of the rush-hour crowd. Stay tuned for the finished product, soon to appear in our writing gallery, alongside other 826NYC On the Air favorites, "Heroes or Villains" and "Superhero Academy."

A Roaring Reception in Williamsburgh

March 13, 2006

Last Tuesday we celebrated our new tutoring annex in the Williamsburgh Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library with an opening reception. Ginnie Cooper, Executive Director of the Brooklyn Public Library (shown right leading the attendees in a raucous, unstereotypical librarian cheer), hosted the ceremony, which included words from 826NYC board members Dave Eggers and Sarah Vowell, as well as our own Executive Director, Scott Seeley. The Annex is open for tutoring Monday through Thursday, so if you're in the neighborhood, stop on by and say hello—and if you have homework to do, we can help you with that, too.