Events

Pen & Pier is a society of writers who support each other’s creative efforts. We do that by hosting different kinds of regular events.

July 2025

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
		1 SJ Write-in	2 Short Critique	3	4 SLO Write-in, Accountability Check-in	5
6	7 Writing Prompt	8 SJ Write-in	9 Read-aloud	10	11 SLO Write-in, Accountability Check-in	12
13	14 Writing Prompt	15 SJ Write-in	16 Long Critique	17	18 SLO Write-in, Accountability Check-in	19
20	21 Writing Prompt	22 SJ Write-in	23	24	25 SLO Write-in, Accountability Check-in	26
27	28 Writing Prompt	29 SJ Write-in	30	31

August 2025

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
					1 SLO Write-in, Accountability Check-in	2
3	4 Writing Prompt	5 SJ Write-in	6 Short Critique	7	8 SLO Write-in, Accountability Check-in	9
10	11 Writing Prompt	12 SJ Write-in	13 Read-aloud	14	15 SLO Write-in, Accountability Check-in	16
17	18 Writing Prompt	19 SJ Write-in	20 Long Critique	21	22 SLO Write-in, Accountability Check-in	23
24	25 Writing Prompt	26 SJ Write-in	27	28	29 SLO Write-in, Accountability Check-in	30
31

Fridays: This is dedicated time for writers with busy lives to, y’know, write. Settle in and grab a bite while making progress on your creative projects. We also bounce ideas around and sometimes have word sprints.

9am Tuesday at Panera, 5110 Cherry Ave, San Jose, CA 95118. Organized by Ute.

Every other Saturday: Parents who write know that balancing life and creative time can get a little one-sided. This isn’t about involving children with your writing; it’s a chance for parents to write together while minding the kiddos in a common space. 10:30am alternating Saturdays at Nova Coffee, 1156 E Grand Ave, Arroyo Grande.

Critiques

1st and 3rd Wednesdays: We gather online to give each other critiques on short works (flash fiction, short stories, chapters, scenes, etc — up to 3,000 words). Submit yours or read one in advance to contribute while improving your critical thinking skills.

8:30pm on the first Wednesday of the month via Discord.

4th & 5th Wednesdays: Other mid-week meetings are for social time and general writing discussion. No agenda, just casual shop talk.

8:30pm on other Wednesdays of the month via Discord, organized by Katie.

Fridays: Accountability check-ins are a great way to mark your progress … or commiserate with those who didn’t quite reach their goals for the week. Whether you have specific word count or just need a reminder, ask Michelle to join the list for a friendly end-of-the-week check.

Friday evenings via Discord, organized by Michelle.

Mondays: Start the week by responding to a question, challenge, or statement to inspire your creative side.

Online via Discord, organized by Brittany.