Description
Setting as Character – Writing About Place
Open writing circle with Alexander Cheves
How do you describe a place without overexplaining it, passing judgement on it, or assuming too much of your reader? Many Berlin writers write about Berlin places in ways that make sense to locals but leave everyone else lost. In this session, we’ll explore how setting can become a character in its own right, in a way that works even for readers who have never been there. Using a selection of essays that strike this balance well, we’ll look at how other writers do it, then try it ourselves.
Words and stories reside within all of us, waiting to be discovered.
• Our monthly Open Writing Circle invites people with all levels of writing experience to explore their creativity and imagination.
In each session, one of Berlin’s many exceptional writers, poets, artists, or curators will create a vibrant and collective learning experience.
• Whether you’re interested in fiction, memoir, non-fiction, or poetry, this supportive space encourages you to uncover the words within you. We’ll draw upon techniques used in writing workshops to unleash your innate talent in a collaborative environment that will allow for a dynamic exchange of ideas and insights.
• This workshop aims to create an affirming, playful and empowering space for queer people to explore, express and celebrate their identities as well as to provide a platform for the stories of the LGBTQIA+ community to be shared, heard and valued.
Alexander Cheves (b. 1992) is an American author, essayist, and editor based in Berlin. Working between memoir and reporting, he examines culture, sex, and masculinity in all its forms. His debut book, My Love Is a Beast: Confessions (Unbound Edition Press, 2021), is a memoir told in erotic, meditative essays. It won the 2022 Geoff Mains Nonfiction Prize from NLA International, was an Amazon bestseller, and held the top bestselling spot at Small Press Distribution for over a year. Because of the book and Cheves’ ongoing work in legacy LGBTQ media, Out Magazine named him to the 2022 OUT100, its list of the 100 most influential queer people. His writing appears in The Guardian, Out, The Advocate, and many other publications. In fall of 2026, Unbound Edition Press will publish an expanded anniversary edition of his debut book, with his second book following in 2027. He is the founding editor of Hinterhaus, a Berlin magazine about nightlife and culture, and a member of the Berlin Queer Writers Circle.
General information
We also invite all writers to consider leading a future session—please contact us for more information
Level: No previous experience is necessary.
Language: while the group is primarily conducted in English, you are welcome to write in any language you feel comfortable with.
Cost: free event with registration
** This event is part of the we are village program ‘Belonging versus Lonelliness‘, with the support of the LADS.
Learn more about the program here.
