Take some time for your writing this fall with a series of virtual and in person write-ins hosted by the Grotto. Led by one the Grotto's many talented and accomplished writers, each of the sessions below provides 60 minutes of space and guidance in which to get your creative energy flowing, generate new material, bring old material up to snuff, and just make contact with the community of writers that is the Grotto, our teachers, and our students.

Choose one or more of the sessions below, and show up for generative exercises designed to help instill confidence in your writing, shift your focus and get you out of a rut, document the emotions and experience of challenging times, and more. Writing prompts, craft tips, timed exercises, accountability—you'll encounter any or all of these as you write in community with your fellow narrative artists and learn from our writers about what has worked for them. Finish a story you’ve started or free-write your way to something new. Find inspiration and energy writing in virtual community!

Write-ins are held on a variety of days and times to give our students the opportunity to choose a write-in that works best for their schedule. All class times listed are in Pacific Standard Time.

To learn more about the particular write-in you're interested in, please select that session's 'show details' in the details section.

For virtual events, please contact the instructor directly for Zoom login information. Their contact details can be found under 'show details'.

In person class sessions will take place at 1663 Mission St., Ste. 602, San Francisco, CA, 94103 (classes to take place either in the Mezzanine level or in Suite 602; building access and parking details will be sent to registered students prior to class start date). Proof of vaccination and masking will be required, and all San Francisco health mandates will be followed. Please note that this class may be moved to a virtual format closer to the start date depending on the public health situation.

Questions and information: classes@writersgrotto.org

Course fee: $25/session

Dates and Times:

Nov. 8th, 12 - 1 pm with Sabina Khan-Ibarra via Zoom

Nov. 15th, 6 - 7 pm with Sabina Khan-Ibarra via Zoom

Nov. 19th, 11am - 12 pm with Doug Henderson via Zoom

Nov. 29th, 12 - 1 pm with Sarita Sarvate via Zoom

Dec. 6th, 12 - 1 pm with Sarita Sarvate via Zoom

Dec. 13th, 12 - 1 pm with Sarita Sarvate via Zoom

About our instructors:

Sabina Khan-Ibarra is a Pashtun American writer and an educator. She is a recent San Francisco State University Graduate with an MFA in Creative Writing. She is a member of the San Francisco Writers’ Grotto. Sabina’s poems, short stories and creative non fiction have been published in various journals and anthologies, including the upcoming anthology (due be published in September 2022 by Whitehall Press)
“Nonwhite and Woman: 131 Micro Essays on Being in the World”. She is currently working in her poetry collection, “Moving Mountains” and novel “The Poppy Flower.” She currently resides in Northern California with her husband, two children, six chickens, four rabbits, and two cats. Pronouns: she/her.

Doug Henderson is the author of a romantic comedy about queer nerds, The Cleveland Heights LGBTQ Sci-Fi and Fantasy Role Playing Club, and a winner of the PEN/Dau prize for emerging writers. Originally from Cleveland, he received his MFA from the University of San Francisco. He lives in the Castro District with his husband and their two children.

Sarita Sarvate was born and raised in India. Her award-winning columns have been published in the Los Angeles Times, the Oakland Tribune, the San Jose Mercury News, and other outlets. Her topics range from dowries to nuclear tests. She has written for Salon.com and been syndicated by the New America Media. Her commentaries have aired on NPR and its San Francisco affiliate, KQED FM. Her Last Word column was published in India Currents for twenty-five years. For the last three years, she has won the SF Press Club award for commentary. She is currently at work on a memoir.