It is a truth universally acknowledged that a writer in possession of a finished piece must be in want of a community.
How many of us have agonized over our drafts restlessly and endlessly, wondering who to read it to and what to do with it? We, at the Irony Club, believe that every piece of writing deserves an audience, if possible, a close and attentive one.
What kind of an Ironist are You?
With this in mind, we kickstarted the very first Prose Open Mic this January at the beautiful Mayil Coffee on College Street. It turned out to be quite theatrical as the Toronto snow came down with its usual gusto.
And yet.
Despite the heavy snows of January 21, a gathering of warm, literarily-inclined, determined souls made their way through the flurry. There is something heroic and literally romantic about arriving at a reading through a snowstorm. It sets a tone.
We heard sharp and searching essays, both fiction and non-fiction, poetry and vignettes, followed by animated discussions about writing, life, and irony as our guest and writer for the Ironist, Peter Scotchmer, gave us a masterclass on the latter.
Writers and readers discovered fellow writers and readers. Strangers discovered friends which is what gave us the push to go ahead with this tradition. So, with little hesitation and much delight,
The Irony Club & Mayil Coffee present the Second Edition of the Prose Open Mic on March 25 at 5 PM.
The address remains the same – 870 College Street, Toronto – but we suspect the atmosphere will be warmer, meteorologically, at least. Mayil Coffee, with its intimate charm, once again becomes our salon for the evening.
If you joined us in January, you know what to expect: writers, readers, friends and listeners, prose or poetry- all welcome. This time, we have extended the reading time for each writer from five to ten minutes. If you didn’t discover our event on Eventbrite or Luma yet, consider this your formal invitation and here are the links:
https://proseopenmic.eventbrite.ca/
Bring your essays, short stories, poems, verses, or even the unfinished pieces that are waiting to see the light of day. The Irony Club will welcome you.
And if you do not wish to read, that’s all right as well. Literary communities are not built solely by those at the mic but equally by those who are generous enough to lend their time and appreciation for those who attempt the art of writing.
Entry, as before, is PWYC (Pay What You Can). We keep it this way so we can estimate attendance and coordinate the evening, but the spirit of the event remains open.
Rehashing the event details:
– 10 minutes per writer
– Sign-ups at the venue welcome
– Prose & poetry both welcome
– Expect conversation before and after
And yes, there will be a video recap for those who want to see themselves speak. If you’re curious what the first evening looked like, you can find a glimpse on our Instagram.
In a world that encourages constant broadcasting, we forget the power of the small room. The Prose Open Mic is our modest attempt to carve out such a community in Toronto.
So, mark your calendars for March 25! We promise you will meet at least one person you did not know before. Excited to see you!
After all, it is a truth universally acknowledged that a writer in possession of a finished piece must be in want of a community. And we suspect that community is in want of you.
