Massachusetts Writing Groups, Workshops, and Creative Writing Classes
Here you’ll find a collection of resources for writers in Massachusetts, from conferences to local critique groups, workshops, and creative writing classes. If you’re looking for writing groups near you, a workshop or class, a place to connect with other writers, or somewhere to submit your work, these Massachusetts writing resources are worth checking out.
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Writing Organizations & Groups
A nonprofit writing and tutoring organization offering free creative writing workshops, publishing projects, after-school programs, in-school writers’ rooms, and other literary opportunities for students from kindergarten through high school. (Boston)
A nonprofit writing organization built around the AWA Method, a supportive workshop approach emphasizing experimentation, craft, and respect for writers at all levels. AWA offers workshops, memberships, publication opportunities, retreats, and a network of affiliated workshop leaders. (Amherst)
A special-interest group of Boston Mensa offering monthly writing-group meetings and additional support for members working on fiction, nonfiction, and other projects. (Greater Boston)
Founded at Harvard University in 2008, the Cambridge Writers’ Workshop is a creative writing community offering workshops, craft seminars, publishing instruction, and writing retreats for emerging and established poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers. (Cambridge)
A nonprofit literary organization offering writing groups, workshops, networking events, publishing seminars, youth programs, and an annual multi-day writers conference for writers throughout Cape Cod and beyond. (Cape Cod)
A literary center offering writing and discussion groups, classes, craft workshops, readings, lectures, and other programs for writers and readers on Cape Ann. (Gloucester / Cape Ann)
One of the country’s leading independent creative writing centers, GrubStreet offers hundreds of classes and workshops (in-person and online) in fiction, nonfiction, memoir, poetry, screenwriting, and other forms, along with fellowships, youth programs, writing groups, events, and publishing-focused programs. (Boston)
A statewide poetry organization offering workshops, readings, educational programs, youth initiatives, professional development, and the Massachusetts Poetry Festival, along with other programs designed to connect poets and readers across the state. (Statewide)
A Greater Boston writing community offering prompt-based workshops and day retreats designed to generate new work, strengthen craft, and connect writers across genres and experience levels. (Nahant / Greater Boston)
A nonprofit literary organization supporting writers throughout western Massachusetts with craft workshops, open mics, conferences, residencies, mentorship, fellowships, and other opportunities for writers at different stages of their careers. (Western Massachusetts)
A free monthly writing group welcoming writers of all genres and experience levels, with in-person meetings, extensive email-based critique and discussion, publishing and marketing resources, and annual collaborative publications. (Sutton / Blackstone Valley)
A literary arts studio founded in 1992 offering small-group writing workshops, manuscript intensives, mentoring, and other programs emphasizing craft, feedback, accountability, and community. Workshops are offered both in person and online. (Florence / Pioneer Valley)
A nonprofit writing community providing members with a quiet downtown workspace open around the clock, along with writing groups, feedback opportunities, workshops, readings, fellowships, and community events. (Boston)
Conferences, Retreats & Residencies
Alan Andres Writer-in-Residence Program
A year-long residency for an emerging writer of children’s or young adult literature, providing a substantial stipend, office space at the Boston Public Library, editorial support, and opportunities to connect with writers, publishers, and the broader literary community. (Boston)
New England’s largest literary festival brings authors and readers together for free talks, panels, workshops, book signings, exhibits, children’s programming, and other events in Copley Square. (Boston)
Edith Wharton Writing Residency
A residency program at The Mount, Edith Wharton’s historic home, offering writers dedicated time and space to work while living and writing in the Berkshires. (Lenox / Berkshires)
One of the country’s most prominent artist residency programs, the Fine Arts Work Center offers seven-month fellowships for emerging poets and fiction writers, along with intensive summer workshops, online classes, readings, and other literary programming. (Provincetown)
Juniper Summer Writing Institute
An annual week-long program at UMass Amherst offering intensive workshops in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, along with craft sessions, manuscript consultations, readings, and other literary events. (Amherst)
Literary Magazines & Publishers
Based at Boston University, AGNI publishes fiction, poetry, essays, translation, interviews, reviews, and visual art in twice-yearly print issues and online. The journal maintains regular open submission periods and has published both emerging and internationally recognized writers. (Boston)
An independent literary press publishing poetry and other contemporary literature with an emphasis on distinctive, adventurous work. Black Ocean periodically opens to unsolicited manuscripts, though it is currently closed to submissions. (Boston)
An independent nonprofit magazine of politics, ideas, and culture publishing long-form essays, book reviews, interviews, literary criticism, and other work of broad public interest. Boston Review accepts unsolicited essays and book reviews through its online submission portal. (Cambridge)
Based at Amherst College, The Common publishes fiction, essays, poetry, translations, and other work with a strong sense of place, with regular reading periods and year-round opportunities for selected submission categories. (Amherst)
Published by Harvard University, Harvard Review features short fiction, poetry, essays, and book reviews and regularly accepts submissions from writers at all stages of their careers. (Cambridge)
Based at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, The Massachusetts Review publishes fiction, poetry, nonfiction, translation, criticism, and other literary work by emerging and established writers. (Amherst)
Founded in 1971 and based at Emerson College, Ploughshares is one of the country’s leading literary journals, publishing fiction, poetry, nonfiction, essays, and long-form work by emerging and established writers. It maintains regular open submission periods and an annual Emerging Writers Contest. (Boston)
Published at Boston College, Post Road is a nationally recognized literary journal featuring fiction, nonfiction, poetry, theater, criticism, and other work by emerging and established writers. The magazine maintains recurring open submission periods and also publishes work online. (Chestnut Hill)
Founded in 1992, Salamander publishes poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and translation by emerging and established writers. After two decades at Suffolk University, the magazine is currently seeking new institutional support and has paused new submissions. (Boston)
An independent nonprofit literary press publishing poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and translation. Tupelo offers recurring open reading periods, contests, prizes, and direct submission opportunities for selected genres. (North Adams / Berkshires)
Help us add to this list, Massachusetts writers! Do you know of writing groups near you, writing workshops near you, creative writing classes near you, or a Massachusetts literary journal or publisher we should be aware of? Let us know here. We periodically review these listings for broken links and outdated information.