Famous for attracting writers and infamous for exorbitant rents, New York City has more writers' rooms than any other American city. The Writers Room forged the model when it opened in Manhattan in 1978, and similar spaces have sprung up in the city and around the country since then, offering space and community to the city's many writers.
Following are the writers rooms I've discovered in NYC. If I've missed one, please get in touch. And if you're looking for a space in another city, see "Top Writers Spaces".
Brooklyn Creative League
© 2009 Ginny Wiehardt
Located on the top floor of a renovated sweater factory on the border of Park Slope and Gowanus, Brooklyn Creative League (BCL) is a dream-come-true for area writers who've longed for their very own loft space.
Brooklyn Writers Space
This Park Slope location offers a "professional, respectful, and warm environment" -- and 2,000 square feet, consisting of shared writing space with partitioned desks, a lounge/kitchen area, and a private roof deck. Brooklyn Writers Space provides writers the option of enrolling as a full-time member ($310/quarter; 24 hr access) or as a part-time member ($180/quarter, night and weekends).Tel: 718-788-2697, 58 Garfield Place, Brooklyn, NY.
Ditmas Workspace
© Liena Zagare
Ditmas Workspace offers South Brooklyn writers and freelancers full-time and part-time access to a quiet place to work with all the amenities of an office -- desk, chair, wireless Internet, printer/scanner/copier/fax, as well as tea and coffee.
Paragraph
Founded by graduates of New School University's creative writing program desperate for a place to write and find community, Paragraph is a 2,500-square-foot loft space with a writing room (with 38 partitioned desks), kitchen, and lounge area. High-speed wireless internet access is available throughout the space. Memberships are available on a part-time or full-time basis. $510 for a part-time, semi-annual membership and $762 for full-time. (Quarterly memberships also available.)Tel: 646-216-8407, info@paragraphny.com, 35 W. 14th St., 3rd Fl, NY, NY 10011.
The Writers Room
Begun in 1978 to provide emerging and established writers with affordable workspace in New York City, the Writers Room includes a large loft with 39 partitioned desks, a separate typing room with four desks, and a library with approximately 1,000 reference books and internet access that includes LexisNexis. Cost: $475.00 to $700.00 per half year.212-254-6995, writersroom@writersroom.org, 740 Broadway, 12th Fl, NY, NY 10003.
The Writers' Studio at the Mercantile Library Center for Fiction
© 2007 The Mercantile Library Center for Fiction
Having served writers from Edgar Allan Poe to Jonathan Franzen, the Mercantile offers writers not only a quiet, sky-lit place to work in Midtown, but a connection to a rich literary history. In addition, the Center provides material necessities such as lockers, a reference library, electrical outlets for computers, wireless internet, and a refreshment lounge. All writers also receive a Library membership and discounts on courses. Memberships start at $100/month.
Tel: 212-755-6710, 17 East 47th Street, NY, NY 10017.
Tel: 212-755-6710, 17 East 47th Street, NY, NY 10017.