Write at CPL: Building Stories from Moments

Join other aspiring authors this fall for Write at CPL, a series of workshops presented by our partners at Story Studio. This workshop will focus on building Moments from Stories and is led by James Stuart III. A story can begin with a single memory, image, conversation, or moment. In this beginner-friendly fiction workshop, we’ll explore how small moments can grow into larger stories. Participants will try short writing exercises focused on scene, memory, character, and structure, with an emphasis on experimentation and discovering what a story might become. James Stewart III is a Black writer and arts organizer from Chicago whose work explores working-class life, race, and family in the contemporary Midwest. His debut novel, Defiant Acts, is a Chicago Magazine “Required Reading” selection and winner of the 2025 Foreword INDIES Bronze Award for Multicultural Fiction, as well as a 2025 Friends of American Writers Literature Award recipient. He was named to Newcity’s 2025 Lit 50 and the Guild Literary Complex’s 2026 “35 Writers to Watch.” His writing appears in Lampblack, The Forge, and Midwest Review. He co-founded the reading series/artist collective, Exhibit B, and teaches in Northwestern University's SPS MA/MFA program. Due to limited space, registration is required. Accessibility Need sign language interpretation or other accessibility assistance for this event? Please call (312) 747-8184 or email access@chipublib.org to request accommodations. Requests must be made at least 14 business days before the event. Photo credit: courtesy of the author