Project Write Now

Last night was one for the books!

The Columbus Club was packed Wednesday evening as Shanda McManus read from "Brother Epistles: A Sister's Memoir," and the room felt every word.

A full house of readers, writers, and community members gathered to hear Shanda read her moving series of letters to her late brother Monir, followed by an engaging conversation with Jennifer Gaites.

If you missed it, do yourself a favor: Grab your copy at your local independent bookstore or wherever books are sold. And don't forget to leave a review!

And if last night made you want to write — or write more — book inc is our literary community for writers at every stage.

Come find your people at bookinc.org

Our community is doing the thing. 📝

The June edition of Ink & Achievement is here, and it's packed with wins — debut memoirs, MFA graduations, chapbook releases, semifinalist plays, flash publications, poetry rankings, and so much more.

From Shanda McManus's debut memoir "Brother Epistles" to Bill Clark's upcoming book on Asbury Park to Anndee Hochman's "Parent Trip" — our writers are showing up on the page and in the world.

This is what writing community looks like.

Read the full roundup at "The Imprint" here: https://projectwritenow.substack.com/p/ink-and-achievement-june-edition

And congratulations to everyone featured this month. 🎉

Ink & Achievement, June Edition Celebrating Our Writers' Recent Wins

Last week at Shore House, The Heart Space NJ guided us through a visual meditation before we jumped into reading Chen Chen's "i love you to the moon &" poem.

We wrote about love—what we love, what love is like, where love lives, what love means ...

After sharing, the members surprised instructor Lisa Christina Hartsgrove with a little party to send her off for her wedding. There was so much LOVE on this day! ❤️

➮ Your support keeps our expressive programs thriving for people who need them most—creating spaces like this, where stories are shared, voices are heard, and healing happens.

🔗 Donate today: https://projectwritenow.org/donate/

We're so excited to welcome Jackie Domenus (she/they) to the PWN teaching roster this summer! 🎉

Jackie is the author of No Offense: A Memoir in Essays — a Publishing Triangle Award finalist and a Literary Hub notable small press book of 2025 — and the host of the Q***r & Trans Nonfiction Podcast. In our latest Imprint Q&A, they talk about writing through fear, why memoir isn't just for famous people, and how stories find their own form.

Their six-week Memoir class starts July 14 — Tuesdays, 7 to 9 p.m. ET / 4 to 6 p.m. PT, on Zoom. Writers of all levels are welcome.

Read the interview and register at pwnwriters.org. 🔗

Meet Jackie Domenus, PWN’s Newest Memoir Instructor We’re so excited to welcome Jackie Domenus (she/they) to the PWN teaching roster this summer.

We are proud to celebrate Juneteenth each year, commemorating resilience, endurance, freedom, and the continued pursuit of equality.

Join us in the celebration with some writing introspection today. Think deeply—What does freedom really mean to you? Write it out!

Happy Juneteenth! ❤️💛💚

Pull up a chair 🪑 grab a warm drink ☕️ and cozy up with words this July! ✍️

Join us for our next Teen Café Open Mic—a comfortable, low-pressure space to share your voice and listen to others. Bring an original poem, song, short story, something you made five minutes before you walked in—anything goes.* Or just come to listen and vibe.

📍 The Art of the Bean and Leaf
🗓️ Wednesday, July 14
⏰ starting at 5:30 p.m.

If you plan to read during this event, please be sure to arrive on time. We will have a sign-in sheet for readers at the door.

All genres and experience levels are welcome. The open mic is for teens, but all are welcome to join our supportive audience, too. The Art of the Bean and Leaf is open to the public during this event and light bites & beverages are available for purchase.

🔗 Register: https://pwnwriters.org/course/pwn-teen-cafe-open-mic

Your story matters and we want to hear it! 🫰🫰🫰

Join us and River Road Books on Wednesday, June 24, for a BOOK TALK & SIGNING WITH SHANDA MCMANUS, celebrating her debut memoir, "Brother Epistles: A Sister's Memoir."

Written as a series of letters to her brother Monir, killed in a drive-by shooting when she was a first-year medical student, Brother Epistles traces his life and unflinchingly confronts the realities facing young Black men in America. Praised by Jacqueline Woodson, Deesha Philyaw, and Kirkus Reviews, this is a book about grief, memory, and unconquerable joy.

Shanda will read from the memoir and sit down with fellow writer Jennifer Gallo Gaites for a conversation on writing across grief. Light refreshments and a book signing to follow.

📍 The Columbus Club, 200 Fair Haven Rd, Fair Haven, NJ
🕖 7 to 9 p.m. ET
🎟️ Advance ticket required (includes a copy of the book)
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Learn more at https://pwnwriters.org/course/book-talk-signing-with-shanda-mcmanus/
Come support your hometown author and friend. 💙