Name: People Reading Prose in Bars
Start: 2026-01-11T17:00:00-06:00
End: 2026-01-11T20:00:00-06:00
Location: Mayawell Bar

Let's kick off the 2026 by sharing our prose in bars! Is there really any better way?
Prose writers: This is your chance to read your ORIGINAL works of fiction or nonfiction to a crowd of friendly listeners in a bar. We want to hear you read your essays, flash fiction, dribbles, drabbles, short stories, a chapter of your next best-seller, narrative nonfiction, and the like.
THIS IS NOT STORYTELLING! This is reading prose preferably from paper like poets do, only it's prose.
Come when the doors open to sign up. When it's time for the readings, names will be drawn out of a hat. When you're called to the mic, you can read for 5 MINUTES ONLY or risk the gong. And there will be a real life, honest to goodness gong. That's why we strongly recommend you practice reading your story for time before you come.
We also encourage you to read your work for content as well as time. Please make sure that your work does not include hate speech, tired tropes, societal stereotypes, or insouciant inappropriateness. Trigger warnings are appreciated and expected.
There has been such awesome turnout that the readings will now last for an hour and a half so more people will have a chance to read. We'll draw as many names as we can during that time.
We welcome all prose writers in all genres to participate. And we welcome all listeners who will attend with open minds and open hearts, especially those who can clap really loudly and/or whistle with their fingers in their mouth because we want to cheer on the brave readers who throw their name in the hat. There will be no judging (literally or figuratively), and we are not handing out prizes. We're just reading for the pure joy of sharing our work.
Special thanks to Mayawell Bar for donating the space for People Reading Prose in Bars and for supporting the work of Birmingham's writers and creatives.
And special thanks as well to The Alabama Writers' Forum for their generous sponsorship of this event and for their work to promote our state's literary culture.
There will be a cash bar. Mayawell offers a variety of delicious alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks, as well as beer. Please tip often and as generously as you can! And if you want to bring in FOOD from the outside or have FOOD delivered, Mayawell welcomes you to do so. Just don't bring your own dranks...