D.C. | A Jane Austen Writing Salon

Join Lit Society for an intimate evening of reading, discussion, and writing held in a private residence. You will receive residence address in your order confirmation email. Hosted by Dr. Maria Frawley, Austen scholar and Professor of English at George Washington University, the salon will explore Jane Austen’s writing life and her remarkable ability to transform the rituals, conversations, and “important nothings” of everyday life into literature. Wine and light bites will be served as we celebrate Austen’s craft. Through Austen’s letters and excerpts from Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and Northanger Abbey, we’ll consider the place of writing in women’s lives during Austen’s era and the forms through which they recorded their experiences—from private letters and annotations to commonplace books filled with favorite passages, observations, poems, and ideas. We’ll also look closely at Austen’s own techniques, including her mastery of dialogue, sharp observations of everyday life, and the bits of wisdom embedded throughout her fiction. Each guest will receive a set of Bond & Grace pocket journals to use throughout the evening as their own Austen-inspired commonplace book. Through guided exercises in letter writing, dialogue, observation, and annotation, guests will fill its pages with language, ideas, and inspiration—and leave with a creative practice they can continue long after the salon. This event is for writers, readers, Austen lovers, and curious minds interested in discovering how paying closer attention to the ordinary can enrich their own creative practice. Please note by attending this event, you consent to being photographed and filmed for commercial purposes. These materials may be used by the event organizers for future promotional, marketing, and media channels.