Civic News

Technical.ly’s Philadelphia newsroom is host to a new shared space for writers

Author-literary agent Eric Smith and Technical.ly CEO Chris Wink have launched Co.Author, a writers coworking community within the historic Curtis Building.

Technical.ly CEO Chris Wink and author-agent Eric Smith have opened a coworking community in the Technical.ly newsroom. (Courtesy Chris Wink)

In the wholesome early 2010s of social networking in Philadelphia, the Technical.ly newsroom had a faux rivalry with much beloved, now-defunct culture blog Geekadelphia.

We trolled each other on Twitter and at each other’s events and thoroughly confused several well-meaning PR people. The punchline was that we were all friends and collaborators. A decade later, one of the blog’s founders, Eric Smith, is an established YA author, literary agent and cheerleader of Philly’s fiction community — plus one of my closest friends. Now as Technical.ly CEO-publisher, I try to stay connected to Philadelphia’s community of independent journalists, freelance marketers, remote software devs and other creatives who write for a living.

Eric and I are creating a space to bring these groups together.

Since formally going remote, the Technical.ly newsroom has sat underused on the top floor of the historic Curtis Building, once home to a publishing powerhouse on Philadelphia’s Washington Square Park. With a year left on the lease, I wanted to do something with the space for the few teammates who do use it (including myself). This summer, Eric and I started inviting friends to join us in the space, and over time we found we had a small community of writers working and collaborating there. After a lowkey Friendsgiving in the space this month, we decided it was time to welcome others.

This week, Eric and I announced Co.Author, a shared space for writers and other creatives. At present, we’re opening the doors Tuesdays and Thursdays (although some members are using the space more frequently), and offering a quiet, cozy space with great natural light, hot coffee and good friends.

Here’s how we’re planning this phase:

  • $25 for day passes
  • $50 a month to join us three times a month
  • $100 a month to join us twice weekly (8-10 times a month)
  • $200 a month (with a six-month commitment) for full 24/7 access
  • $500 a month (with a six-month commitment) for full 24/7 access for up to three teammates

We’d love if you join us. Find all the details here and a few photos of the space below.

Companies: Technical.ly

Before you go...

Please consider supporting Technical.ly to keep our independent journalism strong. Unlike most business-focused media outlets, we don’t have a paywall. Instead, we count on your personal and organizational support.

Our services Preferred partners The journalism fund
Engagement

Join our growing Slack community

Join 5,000 tech professionals and entrepreneurs in our community Slack today!

Trending

Trump may kill the CHIPS and Science Act. Here’s what that means for your community.

A week before Election Day, some Philly city employees question unexpected website change

How Philly officials keep your vote secure — and stop dead people from casting a ballot

A Pennsylvania voter’s guide to tech policy on the ballot in the 2024 election

Technically Media