Writing Under
the Influence
NYC
Join us for community, commiseration, collaboration and a lot of laughter.
The Prompts
June 2, 2026
We update these weekly, so you always have a fresh start.
Prompt 1
- I lay in bed hungry but somehow unable to move … (Thanks to WUTI member Adina Eaton!)
Prompt 2
- You’re in the middle of getting a haircut and suddenly the stylist starts to do the opposite of what you want. You try to speak up but they threaten you with their scissors (and they give you the shortest baby bangs ever). What do you do? Write your inner monologue. (Thanks to WUTI member Charlotte Leinbach!)
Prompt 3
- Pretend you are a salamander who had always stayed peacefully undiscovered but are suddenly discovered. Detail your emotions toward the scientist who has doomed you to be endlessly studied. (Thanks to WUTI member Zack Stein!)
How it works
We write together in 20-minute sprints, starting at 7:30 p.m. Between sprints, we take 20-minute breaks to relax, drink and meet other writers. Running late? No worries — there are agendas at each table that can guide you on which phase of the evening you're arriving to.
Where to go
Contact
Jon Rose, Cici Betsill & Nicole Graney. Contact us via direct message at @writingundertheinfluencenyc on Instagram or on meetup.com