Pencil In is a writers’ group created to provide a supportive environment for writers to write alone, together! We at 421 love the idea of body-doubling (working near or around someone to help stay focused and engaged) when we are working, writing, and creating.

In these communal writing sessions, we invite you to polish your writing skills while receiving valuable feedback from experienced peer reviewers in English and/or Arabic, having active conversations with other like-minded writers, and enjoying a safe space to share personal texts and works.  Take part to enhance your skills as a writer, or just to write alone with little to no interruptions or judgments. Pencil In will be mentored by an artist or writer from the community.

These sessions are designed for writers to practice their craft without the pressures of producing a final outcome. Drop-ins are welcome.

Each session includes a free cup of coffee from Auro cafe for participating writers.

Open to ages 18 and above.

No prior experience is required, just a love for the written word!

About your peer reviewer:

Fatima AlJarman is a writer and researcher based between the UAE and New York City. She has her poetry, essays, and short stories published in Wasafiri, Jara Collective, and Post Script Magazine. The founding editor-in-chief of Unootha and program director of Bayt AlMamzar’s writing residency, Fatima is pursuing her undergraduate degree in English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University.