#3 Berlin Literary Events 1 March–1 April 2025

springing into lit...*last updated 12.03.

I am back with the third issue of Berlin-based English language literary events. All terms are loosely defined.

I’ve noticed that many events fill up quickly, whether due to popularity, space limitations, or by design. So, I will shift the focus out further from publication to give everyone time to register and decide amidst the options.

Events with * were added after initial publication and/or were corrected.

You can sign up for free here:

And if you have a new event, Submit here via Google Form: https://forms.gle/STZGp2GZXiVJj3qr5

For now, these are the categories of primarily English-language literary and other interesting events that I have identified. They are listed by date, with a few exceptions.

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—Call for Submissions: The Kinbaku Society of Berlin Magazine
Deadline Friday, 28 February for the Spring issue on the theme of Female Figures.
They accept fiction, documentary text, research articles, poetry, and visual arts (with drawings preferred over photography) that reflect the topics of kink/BDSM/Japan.

—*Reading: Hopscotch Reading Room and Ugly Duckling Press host readings from Ayaz Muratoglu, Zahra Rashid, and Chad Young
Saturday 1 March 19:30pm AGIT Nansenstrasse 2 12047 Berlin

—Writing Class - still has spots available! Speed III: Short Story Edition with Sheila Armstrong Cost 75 Euro
Sunday, 2 March 10:30–16:30 Lettrétage, Veteranenstraße 21 Berlin 10119

—Meetup: THE SUNDAY WRITERS | your weekly, communal 90 mins cosy writing time
Sunday, 2 March 13:00 -15:15. Pret a Manger, Sony Center, Potsdamer Str. 2, 10785 Sign up via MeetUp. Fills up fast, limited spots.

Note: It’s worth searching MeetUp for writing groups, as there are several in Berlin and I haven’t listed all here. With Eventbrite it is similar. Events get posted on short notice that are literature/writing adjacent.

—Writer’s Session, with feedback. DNA ArtClub
Monday, 3 March (every Monday) 16:00-18:00 DNA. ART HOUSE Wrangelstraße 25 10997 Berlin 5 Euro for non-members, sign up beforehand via website.

—Panel/Talk: Ayad Akhtar & Daniel Kehlmann: Art, AI and The Stories We Tell. A conversation moderated by Jeffrey Goldberg. 15 Euro. The American Academy in Berlin event.
Tuesday, 4 March 20:00-21:30 Deutsches Theater Schumannstraße 13A 10117 Berlin

—*Book Launch/Discussion: Book Launch and Discussion: War, Migration, Memory (Viktoriya Sereda, ed.)
Tuesday, 4 March 18:00–20:00 Berliner Landeszentrale für politische Bildung, Hardenbergstraße 22–24, 10623 Berlin. Free entry with registration.

—Poetry Reading/Art Show: Immaterial Indignities: Desire, a Catalyst – Mary Katharine Tramontana
Wednesday, 5 March 19:00 Uhr Ballhaus Prinzenallee - Studio Prinzenallee 33, 13359 Berlin. Tickets 15 Euro

—*Reading and discussion by Svetlana Lavochkina, ariel rosé and Karolina Golimowska.
Wednesday, 5 March 19:30 buch|bund Berlin-Neukölln Sanderstr. 8
Entry: 5 euros In English, Polish and German

—Stammtisch/Meetup: Netzwerk Freie Literatureszene Berlin (NFLB)
Wendesday, 5 March ab 18:30 Kunsthaus KuLe Auguststr. 10, Mitte FREE, DE/EN
Although mostly a German Verein, many people speak English and they are a welcoming crowd. I am a member of the NFLB myself, as they lobby, agitate, and liaise on behalf of the literary scene in Berlin. Go meet them—even join them!

“The Netzwerk freie Literaturszene Berlin (NFLB e.V.) represents the interests of Berlin's approximately 10,000 authors, translators, independent literary organizers and independent publishers vis-à-vis state politics and the public.”

—Salon/Show: Kinbaku Salon #13 “Spring” Kinbaku Japanese rope bondage live demonstration, Q&A, and the underground magazine Berlin Kinbaku Society No. I-24 will be available for perusal and purchase. Full disclosure, I have an essay in issue number I-24.
Friday, 7 March. Doors open 19:30 and start 20:00 The Fool: Skalitzer Str. 43, 10997 Berlin, Donation Based: €10 – €20, 2x €5 Social Ticket.

—*Open Mic: Berlin Spoken Word or Insta
6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th March - All year, no breaks! Weekly theme changes.
Each Thursday at 19:00, doors and performer sign-ups open at 19:00 (get there early, I’ve seen it fill up crazy fast) Bar Das Gift, Donaustraße 119, 12043 Berlin
Entry via donation: 2-10 €
”BSW Open Mic invites but is not limited to spoken word artists, poets, musicians, singer-songwriters, rappers & storytellers. The show is hosted in English, but ALL LANGUAGES WELCOME! The theme is suggested but not mandatory.”

—Film/screenwriting workshop: Authentic Storytelling Workshop taster session taught by filmmaker Candice Onyeama.
Saturday, 8 and also 22 March 12:30-14:30 in Kreuzberg, Berlin. Fee 25 Euros. Book via Eventbrite.

—Meetup: Monday Genre Writers Meetup - Mondays, 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th March 19:00-21:00, every Monday. Free and open to all. Riemannstraße 7, 10961 Berlin. Join their WhatsApp group for more info.

—Writing Meetup: Writing Club for Everyone
Sunday, 9 March. Repeats every Sunday. Fee 11,83 Euros. Social 6,51 Euros via Eventbrite.
KARUNA, Beteiligungscafé Boxhagener Platz Gärtnerstraße 10245 Berlin

—Writing/Editing Meetup: Read Wedding-Editing: Monthly Writers Meetup
Monday, 10 March 19:00-21:00
Vagabund Brauerei Kesselhaus Oudenarder Str. 16-20, 13347 Berlin. Free.

—Book Club MeetUp: American Literature Bookclub, Book: James Agee: A Death in the Family
Tuesday, 11 March 19:00–21:00. Do not be late. 2 Euro donation.
Tipperary Irish Pub Berlin Triftstraße 58, 13353 Berlin

—Lecture by Ken Krimstein “Why Graphic Narratives (Comics) Are No Joke”
Thursday, 13 March 19:30–21:00
American Academy in Berlin Am Sandwerder 17-19 14109 Berlin-Wannsee
Signup online early for their in-person events. I have heard great things about the events, plus that they have snacks!

—Reading/Conversation: "What Remains: the Collected Poems of Hannah Arendt" with translator Samantha Rose Hill
Thursday, 13 March. 20:00 Curious Fox, Lausitzer Platz 17, 10997, Berlin-Kreuzberg

—Presentation: PARATAXE presentation mit Karen Margolis und Ginés Olivares
Ein mehrsprachiges, zumeist deutsches Programm mit englischen und spanischen Anteilen! Eintritt 5/erm. 3,- € (nur Abendkasse).
Friday, 14 March 20:00 Kunsthaus KuLe Auguststr. 10, 10117 Berlin

—Open Mic Storytelling: SmutSlam Berlin.
Berlin’s only community dirty storytelling open mic is back, with this month's theme of "The Birds and the Bees."
Monday, 17 March at Crack Bellmer, Revaler Str 99, Berlin Tickets: €15-20 sliding scale donation per person (adv purchase), or €20 cash at the door. Covid test required. Advance tickets available at Eventbrite.

—*Writing Meetup: Writing to music from...(various soundtracks)
Mondays 17th, 24, 31 March 19:00–21:00 at Another Country - Bookshop Riemannstraße 7 10961 “Join a small group of geeky writers while we work downstairs in the sci-fi section of a bookshop called Another Country! We'll keep the lights low and spend roughly 1 hour 30 minutes in deep focus writing our short story/novel/comic book/screenplay/etc. Drinks are available!” FREE but reserve a spot via Eventbrite.

—Book Klub Write: Weaving Celtic Stories
Join us at Klub Write for an evening of sharing words inspired by Celtic stories and mythology. FLINTA only.
Wednesday, 19 March 19:00 -21:00 Another Country-Bookshop Riemannstraße 7 10961 Berlin 17,17 Euro on Eventbrite

—Meetup for Women: Meetings of the Books Around the World Club
Wednesday, 19 March 2025 19:00
Contact joanna@beelingotheka.com Meetings of the Books Around the World Club are part of the Berlin project SprachCafé im Ohr and are held in English at SprachCafé Polnisch, Gotenstr. 45, 10829 Berlin. Free admission, buy a drink.

—*Reading, Talk: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Dream Count, Moderated by Enuma Okoro .SOLD OUT!
Wednesday, 19 March 19:00 – 20:30 Humboldt Forum Hall 1 Schlossplatz, 10178 Berlin. Tickets 28 € / 14 € reduced

—Open Mic: Kinky Soul Reading Night is an open stage that provides an inclusive space for kinky self-expression through literature and performance. Register as a reader beforehand.
Thursday, 20 March 20:00 Womanizer&Co, Torstr 161, 10115 Berlin
Contribution: Reader 10€/ Master.ess 15€ / Sugar 20€

—Book Club: https://curiousfoxbooks.com/bookclub
3rd Thursday, 20 March, 19:30 Curious Fox, Lausitzer Platz 17, 10997, Berlin-Kreuzberg

—Storytelling: THE BEAR presents THAW - stories of softening
Friday, 21 March 20:00-10:30, doors open 7:30 PM Theatersaal im Danzigerstr. 50, 10435 Berlin (follow signs, on first floor) TICKET DONATION: 12.50 Euros General; €10.00 reduced I; 2 volunteers gratis tickets

—*Open Mic: Read Wedding Open Mic #27
Monday, 24 March 19:00-10:00 Hank Chinaski, Koloniestraße 32, 13359 Berlin
Whether you're poetry-curious or a seasoned performer, join us for our monthly open mic night at Hank Chinaski (not the Brauerei anymore). Share your work (or that of writers you admire) & meet fellow enthusiasts. All written works & languages are welcome. RSVP via Meetup, Eventbrite, or just show up. Online RSVPs DO NOT save performance spots Sign up at the door between 19:00-19:30. Free.

—*Writing Workshop: Writing Tempelhofer Feld - Writing Workshop + Fundraiser for A4THF
Tuesday, 25 March 18:30 - 20:30 Optionsraum 3 Wilhelmine-Gemberg-Weg 14 10179
Writer Demi Anter presents a workshop in support of Architects for Tempelhofer Feld's efforts to preserve this unique urban landscape.
Tickets via Eventbrite 15 Euro Student, 25 Euro regular or more

—Open Mic: European Writers Salon in Berlin SOLD OUT!
Thursday, 27 March 19:30 Lettrétage in der Veteranenstraße 21, Admission free/donation basis

—*Writing Workshop: Writing Workshop: Walking, Walls and Writing led by poet/scholar David Grundy.
Thursday, 27 March 14:00–16:00 Lettrétage in der Veteranenstraße 21
Tickets £22.38 via Eventbrite
”European Writers Salon is delighted to partner with The Berlin Writers Workshop to bring you a fantastic opportuity to explore and write about Berlin. Join this generative writing workshop which includes a walk around Rosa Luxemburg Platz, a particularly rich space of historic. memory.”

—The Body Slam: a poetry competition about the Body
Friday, March 28th, 19:00-23:00 Tristeza Pannierstraße 5 12047 Berlin. Tickets 11,83 Euros on Eventbrite.
”8 Poets. 3 rounds. 1 winner! The Body Slam features queer artists with a special live performance by the stripper collective, Slut Riot.”

—Book Presentation/Discussion: What Can Be Done about Semantic Perversion? With Robert Harvey and Sverre Raffnsøe.
Thursday, 27 March 19:00 Institute for Cultural Inquiry. Christinenstr. 18/19, Haus 8 10119 Berlin Livestream available, in person: Registration required
”Today’s communication produces an incredible amount of what could be described as ‘semantic perversion’. Moreover, it seems that the critical faculties of too many people have been dulled, dried up, and withered. These conditions make people particularly susceptible to demagoguery, to enslavement by perverse power. The discussion, based on the book The Rhetoric of Manipulation by Robert Harvey, centres on a frank exposure of vicious discursive practices and the gullibility that accompanies them; it aims to address the damage already done, to help reverse the trend and improve the current situation in view of a far more ethical immediate future.”

—Playwriting Workshop: 1-Act Plays
Saturday–Sunday: 29-30 March 11:00- 16:00 BAU - BAR AM UFER Kiehlufer 121 12059 Berlin. Cost 60 Euro/45 Reduced.
”Join us for a fun and interactive writing workshop where you'll learn how to craft your own short plays from start to finish”

—*Writing Meetup: Shut Up and Write Berlin 10th Anniversary Mega meetup with reading
Saturday, 29 March, 19:00 – 22:00 Haus Zwingli, Rudolfstraße 14, 10245 Berlin
The largest and most active chapter in the world, we bring together creative members of Berlin’s diverse community to write nearly every day of the week, all over the city and for free. In March 2025, the Berlin chapter has run for ten years and will reach 4,000 members, and we want to celebrate. Typically, no one reads what they write. It’s all about getting the words down, not out. But for this celebration, we’ll have readings from the wide variety of our community and invite you to join us to hear what the group has been up to for the past ten years. If you want to read, sign up here. All readers are welcome, but we will prioritise regular attendees.
Whether you’re a regular attendee, an occasional drop-in, or have never attended a meetup but are interested in discovering more, you are welcome!
5 Euro tickets, includes a free drink, purchase here.

posted in error: see entry above for 24. March
—Open Mic: Read Wedding Open Mic #27
Monday, 31 March 19:00 to 21:00 PM Vagabund Brauerei Kesselhaus Oudenarder Str. 16-20, 13347 Berlin. Free admission.

—Reading: Handbook for a Future Revolution: A Novel in Progress
Tuesday, 1 April 19:30-21:00 American Academy in Berlin Am Sandwerder 17-19, 14109 Berlin-Wannsee
”Award-winning writer Brian Evenson reads from his novel-in-progress “Handbook for a Future Revolution,” which focuses on the relationship between a schizophrenic man and his Mormon (but doubting) uncle.”

—Book Reading/Reading: Calls May Be Recorded for Training and Monitoring Purposes
Tuesday, 1 April 20:00 Lettrétage in der Veteranenstraße 21, 10119 Berlin. 10 Euro
The Indigo Press, MÄRZ Verlag and Katharina Volckmer invite you to a special evening celebrating the book launch.

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-Writing Courses-

The Reader classes

Berlin Writer’s Workshop, Creative Writing I (Online)
Wed, 5 Feb, 2025 7:00 PM Wed, Mar 26, 2025 10:00 PM
taught by Kannan Mahadevan

Writing Migration and Movement
This 7-week intensive course is open to writers of any genre and of any experience level. There are 12 places available. One place is fully funded and reserved for a writer with a refugee background.
Course tutor: Dženana Vucic
When: Tuesday evenings, 19:00-21:00
Begins: March 11, 2025 Lohmühlenstr. 12435. 7 weeks/7 sessions. Cost: €250
Email hello@thereaderberlin.com to sign up

The Active Workshop
Course tutor: Candelaria Saenz Valiente
When: Thursday afternoons, 18:00-20:00
Begins: March 27, 2025 Where: Kopenickerstr. 31, Studio 6, Kreuzberg
Number of sessions: 9 Cost: €270
The active workshop is a space of meaningful discussion and creative growth. It is open to writers of all levels and genres who would like feedback on their work.

First Novel Workshop
Course tutor: Celina Basra
When: Tuesday evenings, 19:00-20:30
Begins: April 1, 2025 Mundo Azul (Chorinerstr. 49, 10435)
Number of sessions: 6 Cost: €260
This workshop is open to writers of all genres and all levels of experiences – non-native English speakers are very welcome. Places are limited.

Writing + Pitching Serialized TV
Course tutor: Will Buckingham
When: Tuesday evenings, 19:00-21:00
Begins: April 1, 2025 Where: Another Country Bookshop (Riemannstraße 7, 10961 Berlin)
Number of sessions: 8 Cost: €225
So, you have an idea for a TV series. Or, you’ve already written a TV pilot. What comes next?

Berlin Writer’s Workshop Classes

Fiction I with Rebecca Rukeyser

Start date: March 4th, 2025 - End date: April 29th, 2025 Tuesdays, 19:00 -21:00
Instructor: Rebecca Rukeyser Location: Rathaus Neukölln Cost: 350€

Poetry I with Rebekah Smith
Start date: March 4th, 2025 - End date: April 29th, 2025 Wednesdays, 19:00 -21:00
Instructor: Rebekah Smith Location: Neukölln, Berlin Tuition: 350€

Nonfiction I
Start date: March 11, 2025 - End date: April 29th, 2025 Tuesdays, 19:00 -21:00
Instructor: Caitlin Chandler Location: Kreuzberg, Berlin Tuition: 350€

Expanded Creative Writing I with Roxie Perkins
Start date: March 11th, 2025 - End date: April 29th, 2025 Tuesdays, 19:00 -21:00
Instructor: Roxie Perkins Location: Bartleby & Co, Kreuzberg, Berlin Tuition: 350€

Bookmaking for Writers with Rebekah Smith
Saturday, March 15th 12:00-4:30 PM with a break
Instructor: Rebekah Smith Location: Neukölln, Berlin Tuition: 120€

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*Submission call: Leipzig-based initiative seeking fiction from women writers for anthology “Where Connections Lead”. Deadline 31 March.

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Please spread the word about this Substack. Tell your writer friends, your poetry pals and your literary-adjacent acquaintances. Tell them to subscribe. Encourage them to share or send me their events: bettinarolyn@gmail.com or here. Feedback and event tips are welcome!

The next issue is planned for the end of March.

All good things,

Bettina

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