Saturday Night Special
Saturday Night Special, a Virtual Open Mic, is a monthly literary reading series hosted by Hollie Hardy. For a decade, SNS made its home at Nick’s Lounge in Berkeley, but since April of 2020, we’ve gathered virtually and nationally via Zoom on the last Saturday of every month from 8pm-10pm Central Time.
Sign up here to read at the open mic.
Join the monthly SNS Write-In Workshop for inspiration, support, accountability, and community, one week in advance of each month's open mic.
History
SNS began in July of 2011 and quickly acquired a huge following and a reputation for being diverse, loud, gritty, sexy, inclusive, and loaded with local talent. Loudness has since turned to quiet intimacy online, as Zoom has fostered a well-attended, supportive space for sharing work, and local talent has spread to include writers across the coast and across the ocean. Each month SNS features one or two talented writers and 20-30 open mic slots, as well as an optional writing theme. The new theme is announced in advance and posted here as an event and on the Facebook page.
Some themes we’ve had in the past include: “the body,” “juicy,” “bloody,” “disobedient” "ekphrastic," “secrets,” “scars,” “change,” “surreal,” “tenderness,” "reflection," "roots," "fairytales," "the burning," "opposites," and "transformation."
UPCOMING SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL EVENT
Want to read at SNS?
We'd love to hear your (three-minute) poems, stories, comedic sketches and occasional songs on our optional theme (or any topic).
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Click below to sign up for the next open mic!
The first 30 readers will be added to the list automatically; additional readers will be added to the wait list.
Please don’t sign up more than once per month.
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Each open mic reader will have 3 minutes maximum. For prose writers, this is about one and a half double-spaced pages. Please time yourself in advance.
The theme is optional, but racist, sexist, ablest, homophobic, transphobic, graphically violent or hateful subjects are not welcome.Swearing and sex are fine. We’re writers!
Please offer trigger warnings if your piece is about sexual assault, trauma, suicide, or you feel it might be triggering to some listeners. -
Practice reading your work out loud in advance (I like to call my mom for this)
Time yourself to be sure your reading is under 3 minutes, including any banter.Be on time and ready.
When it’s your turn to read, unmute, say hello, and begin.
After your reading, check the chat for comments and favorite lines posted by listeners. Feel heard and loved. Glow.
Be respectful of the other readers—stick around and listen; post your favorite lines in the chat instead of clapping or verbal praise.