In literature and mythology, the phoenix is known for being reborn by rising from the ashes. The Lexington Writer’s Room – a coworking and networking space for Lexington’s community of writers – embodies the spirit of the phoenix, having recently risen from the ashes both metaphorically and literally. Located on East High Street in the space that previously housed Common Grounds Coffee Shop, the organization’s new home – its third location since its founding in December 2019 – is the perfect spot for this dedicated group, which has faced several challenges these past few years.
The idea for the Lexington Writer’s Room started among local authors Gwenda Bond and Lisa Haneberg (pictured above left-right, alongside community manager Samar Johnson), and Christopher Rowe, with some inspiration from coworking spaces in the corporate world. Neither Bond nor Rowe, a husband-and-wife team who have published both independently and together, knew Haneberg before meeting her to discuss the concept, but the three quickly discovered a common passion for creating ways for writers to connect.
“We were inspired by seeing what was going on in the business sector in terms of coworking spaces and how they build community in an informal way,” Haneberg explained. “Writers deserve this kind of productive, collaborative, coworking-type space, particularly because the default is working by yourself.”
She continued, “It was something great for the community, but most writers – even successful ones with book contracts – can’t afford $500 a month for office space. So it was clear from the beginning that it would need to be a nonprofit organization.”
The group found its first space at downtown coworking space Base110, hosting a soft launch during the first week of March 2020.
“It was the week, which you might remember, when everything changed,” said Bond, with a laugh.
Three days into the launch, the state was essentially shut down, said Haneberg. “We’d hosted one social event before we had to stop.”
But while the group’s momentum was quickly halted, proof-of-concept had been established, with 13 members signed up within that first week.
“We were very lucky that [Base110] worked with us over the course of the pandemic. We were given very favorable terms, and that’s the reason we were able to exist,’” she said. “But we realized when the vaccine was on the horizon that we needed to move somewhere that would be less expensive in the long term because we needed more space for social distancing.”
The group started looking for new space in March 2021, settling into a second home in a 200-year-old building on the corner of Second and Upper streets.
“It was a quirky old building,” Bond said. “We had several rooms that were funky and bright, with good desks and chairs, efficient equipment, and great Wi-Fi. We filled it with art and plants and made it a place that wasn’t sterile but warm and inviting.”
While physically closed for most of the first year, the group suspended membership fees and tried to keep its initial members as engaged as possible through email and online communications. Upon reopening, the organization quickly jumped to 57 members. But after a year in their new home, disaster struck.
On March 31, 2022, the building at Second and Upper suffered a devastating fire, with the Lexington Writer’s Room losing all its furniture, art, equipment and books. But like the proverbial phoenix, the board and membership of the Writer’s Room didn’t let a fire stop them.
“We were lucky that everyone was immediately ready to move on and figure out what was next,” said Haneberg.
What ended up being next was the former coffee shop at the corner of East High Street and Grand Boulevard. Once known as a haven for spoken word poets as the home of Common Grounds Coffee Shop, the space had been vacant for about a year.
“We had a lot of community support, and not just from the local community here, but from all across the country,” Bond said. “We also had a lot of people buy or donate items when we were moving in here – furniture and things – so that we could focus on what we really needed to buy.”
The current space has turned out to be a perfect home for the Lexington Writer’s Room. As part of membership, writers are allowed 24/7 access to the space and its equipment, which includes printers and monitors. The organization also stocks the space with snacks, beverages and magazine subscriptions, and a library of books is available for to check out.
With both traditional desks, larger tables and comfortable seating options, members can settle into the space and write in whatever way they find most effective.
Colorful art adorns the walls, including a mural depicting the phoenix by local artist Wylie Caudill. Plants – a few of which survived the fire – make the space feel cozy and alive, and patio space provides outdoor seating for writing or networking in the warmer months of the year.
“We’ve got comfy chairs for when you’re sick of sitting at a desk. We have red pens. We have highlighters,” Haneberg explained. “And it’s all part of the membership, because the idea is we want to remove as many self-imposed barriers as possible.”
Lexington Writer’s Room members pay monthly fee to utilize the organization’s space and resources, which also includes a kitchen space, library of books and magazines geared toward writers and more. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
Other extras writers need are also offered, like professional headshots, promotion of members’ achievements via email and social media, and access to the space for book groups, book launches and signings, and other literary-related events and networking opportunities. Plus, everyone involved is committed to providing access at a price that writers can afford.
Grants and donations allow the organization to provide open desk memberships for $50 a month, and the organization features programs to help cover fees for underrepresented writers with financial need.
“We also have a $20 membership that provides limited access to the space but includes all the other benefits, and that’s great for writers who can’t come here to work often, like those who live farther away or writers with other jobs who don’t have as much time to spend in the space,” Bond said.
The setbacks it has experienced aside, the Lexington Writer’s Room continues to move forward. Now with 86 members and a nine-member board, the organization has recently hired its first staff member, community manager Samar Johnson, who runs the day-to-day operations of the space. Current plans include more opportunities for writers to connect with each other and with the community as a whole. With partnerships with groups like the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning and the Kentucky Black Writers Collaborative, the organization is committed to being a welcoming and open space for all writers.
According to Haneberg, the organization’s only requirement for membership is that members must be active writers.
“We’re genre agnostic. We’re publishing-method agnostic,” she said. “There’s no snobbery. We aren’t trying to judge who is a ‘real’ writer.”
“As a literary nonprofit, we’re a bit unique in that we aren’t necessarily about the performance; we’re more about the moment of creation,” said Bond.
“We want all writers,” she continued. “We have members who have published a million times, and others who are just at the beginning. This space is fun to work in, but, more importantly, you’re spending time with other writers. Everyone can learn from everyone, and instead of competition, we want to build a sense of community among writers.”
“When we started, we thought if we got 20 or 25 members, that would be a success,” Haneberg added. “We didn’t know if it would work. But it has exceeded our wildest dreams.”
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Photo by Emily Giancarlo
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Following the fire last year that destroyed its second location, the Lexington Writer’s Room has settled into its new home, in the High Street building that formerly housed Common Grounds. The non-profit organization provides space and resources for the local writers community. Photo by Emily Giancarlo