The Sackett Street Writers’ Workshop was founded in 2002, and what began as eight writers meeting in the cramped kitchen of a Brooklyn brownstone has developed into a creative home for over 1500 short-story writers, novelists, memoirists and essayists.

After graduating from The Iowa Writers’ Workshop and teaching creative writing at multiple universities, Julia Fierro found herself looking for a community of writers outside academia. Weary of overcrowded New York City writing workshops, and disappointed by the lack of emphasis on craft in university creative writing classes, she placed an ad on Craigslist, accepted eight writers and The Sackett Street Writers’ Workshop was born.

Each week, huddled around Julia’s small kitchen table, the writers discussed not only what makes fiction engaging, but how to incorporate these successes into their own work. As word of the workshop quickly spread, more writers applied and Julia assembled a faculty of instructors with an equal passion for teaching.

Sackett Street instructors are professional writers, teachers and editors, who have earned MFA degrees from prestigious writing programs and have taught at major universities. Just like that first workshop in Julia’s kitchen, all Sackett Street workshops are taught in the comfort of instructor’s homes and are limited to eight writers to insure individual attention.

Today, Sackett Street writers live in all boroughs of New York City and more than half return to the workshops for multiple sessions. Alumni have been accepted at top MFA Creative Writing programs and writing conferences, have won fellowships and awards, and have completed and published short fiction collections, novels, and memoirs.