Why OTWC Is Going on Summer Break

We’ve got one last rooftop party and open mic this Sunday evening to close out the season. RSVP here.

At last Sunday’s Olive Tree Writing Club, I shared that it would be our final session before we take a break for the summer.

Even though we built OTWC to be sustainable with a repeatable playbook and shared hosting duties. Over time, it still takes a toll.

For a while now, I’ve been heading to Verci every Saturday afternoon to place our coffee order. I can’t stay out late on Saturdays because I’m up by 7:30 a.m. Sunday to get to the venue. Hosting also means I don’t make any Sunday plans.

And when I check the Verci calendar and see there’s a party the night before, I brace myself. One time, I showed up 45 minutes before OTWC to find the place a total mess. I had less than an hour to turn it around. I’ve never cleaned so fast in my life. And that wasn’t the only time it happened.

And that’s just for our regular sessions. It doesn’t include the extra effort that goes into special events.

Sometimes, during the event itself, I’m so tuned in to making sure everyone else is having a great time that I forget to enjoy it myself.

That said, I genuinely love doing this. It’s been a blessing to host this space. I get to see my writing friends every week. I’ve met hundreds of writers through OTWC. It brings me so much joy, and it’s become part of how people know me.

But man am I looking forward to taking a break.

I’m sure I’ll start missing it soon enough. And when that happens, It’ll be exciting to bring it back.