Keuka Writes was founded as PY Writes in 2015 by Alex Andrasik and Bethany Snyder. Their vision was to bring together local writers, connect to the creative heart of the Penn Yan community, and to provide a space for aspiring writers to hone their craft. In 2018, they expanded their reach to the whole of Keuka Lake and every community it touches, and rebranded as Keuka Writes.
Alex is originally from Fredonia, New York. In Yates County, he is active in LGBTQ advocacy, the promotion of literacy and the arts, and political and civic action. As Director of Adult Services at the Penn Yan Public Library, he facilitates public programs that entertain, educate, and inform.
Bethany loves the sea and semi-colons. She is a published fiction writer, a voice-over artist, a cookie connoisseur, a Maine enthusiast, and a pop-culture junkie. Born and raised in Penn Yan, she received her bachelor’s in Creative Writing from Bradford College, and works as a Senior Editor in the Communications department at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
Keuka Writes hosts writing events and workshops, discussions, readings, and lectures, and proudly publishes Bluff & Vine, the literary magazine of the Finger Lakes.
The Keuka Writes mission is to encourage creativity and expression through the written word throughout the Keuka Lake area.