Writing the Best and Worst of Summer - An Outdoor Workshop

An In-Person Outdoor Writing Workshop at Takoma Bev in Takoma Park

Don't stop writing just because its summer. Take your notebook outdoors, joining veteran teachers (and best pals) Sarah Pleydell and Michaele Weissman at their writing workshop celebrating the best and the commemorating the worst of summer.

This in-person class takes place under the pergola at Takoma Bev, Takoma Park's coolest hangout, with food and drink and the chance (if you like) to read your work. Pleydell and Weissman's playful approach, their smart and sassy prompts and their understanding of the writing process help writers at every level begin to find their voices.

One Tuesday: June 23 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. IN PERSON at Takoma Bev Co.

Rain Date: Tuesday, July 14

A complimentary beverage (glass of wine, beer or coffee) is included in the ticket price. Food and additional drinks are available for purchase.

By registering for this class, students agree they will follow these terms:

• Abide by our “Code of Conduct” while attending the class
• Will not share overtly obscene, hateful, or objectionable content.
• Will not share content that students do not have the rights to.

Any work that perpetuates violence, inappropriate sexual conduct, racism, or negative stereotypes will not receive edits by the instructor or be circulated in the class.

Code of Conduct:

Politics and Prose Bookstore is devoted to cultivating community and strengthening the common good through books, author talks, literary programs, and respectful dialogue. We strive to foster a safe, welcoming, inclusive environment for all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, or ability. In that spirit, we ask everyone in this shared, communal space to treat each other equally, fairly, and thoughtfully; honor different voices, life experiences, and points of view; and celebrate the diversity that makes our community richer and stronger. Hate, discrimination, and disrespect have no place at P&P; kindness, patience, and tolerance always do.

About the Instructors:

Sarah Pleydell MFA was the recipient of a 2025 individual artist fellowship from the DC Commission for the Arts and Humanities and a resident fellow at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts this past fall. She recently completed a memoir, Well. She debuted her solo ‘tiny house play’, “The Power Behind the Comb”, in Washington, D.C. in 2021. She is the author of two other books: The Dramatic Difference, which won the American Association for Theatre Educators' book of the year award, and the critically acclaimed novel, Cologne, which was a staff pick at Politics and Prose and selected for the Oxford Literary Festival. A graduate of Oxford and London Universities, she was a senior lecturer in University Honors at the University of Maryland, College Park for thirty years. ()

Michaele Weissman is a writer and teacher and the author of four books including the memoir, The Rye Bread Marriage, published by Algonquin. Her coffee narrative, God in a Cup, for which she followed three young coffee buyers around the world, is considered a must read for coffee lovers and coffee professionals. Her articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Lit Hub and scores of other print and online publications. For more about Michaele and her writing, visit and @michaeleweissman on Instagram.

REFUND POLICY: Please note that we can issue ticket refunds up until seven (7) days before the event.

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