Boston's Best Resources For Aspiring Writers
Boston-area residents are in as good a place as any to launch a writing career. After all, novelists like Louisa May Alcott and Nathaniel Hawthorne blazed that trail long ago and the literary community in Boston still thrives. Whether writers are looking for a place to sit quietly, research or get great lessons in technique, publishing and the other aspects of modern writing, there is a place in Boston for it. So, do not hide in a basement or home office plucking away; get out there and write the next great American novel.
162 Boylston St., 5th Floor
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 695-0075
www.grubstreet.org
Grub Street is an absolutely amazing resource for area writers. It has classes, workshops, parties, lectures and much more. Offerings at Grub Street are often catered to a specific group to make the experience more beneficial. For example, there are youth writing services, novel writing workshops, technical writing lectures and many more in between. Anyone from seasoned writers to people who are putting their first efforts on paper or screen can find something at Grub Street.
Boston Center for Adult Education
122 Arlington St.
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 267-4430
www.bcae.org
The Boston Center for Adult Education offers a broad variety of classes for adults seeking to further their education. Among these classes are language, blogging, poetry, business writing, publishing, freelance, short story, grammar and creative writing. As a resource for adult writers in the area, it is among the best. A person could quite easily fill many months learning at the Boston Center for Adult Education and apply those skills to compositions for a lifetime.
Boston Public Library
The McKim Building
700 Boylston St.
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 536-5400
www.bpl.org
Libraries are among the best places in the world for writers to relax, write in a quiet environment and have a wealth of resources at their fingertips. Sure, the internet offers some resources, but nothing is quite like being able to access books, and there is no better place to do that in Boston than the central library of the Boston Public Library system. The McKim Building is gorgeous, has several rooms in which writers can work, has great research materials and gives visitors internet access.
Related: Boston's Best Local Coffee Shops
338 Newbury St.
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 267-8688
www.tridentbookscafe.com
Those writers who enjoy a bite to eat, something to drink and the bustle of a cafe while they write will enjoy Trident Booksellers & Cafe. The WiFi is free and the menu has a great selection of coffee and tea, which writers do stereotypically appreciate. This is not the kind of cafe where writing patrons will suffer the glares of bored baristas. This is a writer-friendly eating establishment that doubles as a bookstore, so it is always possible that the guy sitting in the corner in sweatpants furiously tapping away on his computer will one day grace the shelves of the store. Anything can happen.
Pavement Coffee House
286 Newbury St.
Boston Ma 02115
(617) 859-9515
www.pavementcoffeehouse.com
With its spacious arrangement, subtle lighting, WiFi and cozy seating, the Pavement Coffee House, which has replaced the very popular Espresso Royale coffee chain, is a relaxing place to get some work done. It serves Counter Culture coffee and espresso from the ever-changing menu. It also serves baked goods and some lunch items. So, those who like to snack while they write will find everything they need at Pavement Coffee House.
Related: Boston's Best Independent Bookstores
Shelly Barclay is a professional freelance writer and amateur author. She writes on a variety of topics from food to mysteries. She loves to share the culture and rich history of her birthplace and home, Boston, with the rest of the world. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
