The clubhouse
A 1943 bungalow in Rosedale. Wooden desks for deep focus, round tables for discussion, windows onto a garden of tropical plants.
Membership
Ten dollars a day, everything included.
Everything included. Everyone accepted, not enrolled. Less than a desk downtown, but nothing like one.
What the dues cover
04
The pantry
Coffee, wine, beer, liquor and snacks, stocked continuously and never billed. Great work runs on good fuel.
The calendar
Every ATX Writing Club event, every workshop, every author conversation — included, not ticketed.
The company
Direct access to people working at the top of film, advertising, startups, newsletters, law, design and publishing.
The honest comparison
Cheaper than a desk downtown.
The difference is not the furniture. It is who applied to sit next to you.
| What is being compared | Coworking in Austin | Rosedale |
|---|---|---|
| Who is in the clubhouse | Anyone who paid | Accepted by application only |
| What they do | Mostly software and sales | Film, advertising, startups, newsletters, design, books |
| Coffee and drinks | Extra, or absent | Stocked continuously, never billed |
| Events and workshops | Ticketed separately | All of them included |
| Video calls | Constant | Not permitted, by design |
| Who you meet | Someone new, once | The same faces, week after week |
| Cost | $1,500 – $2,250 | $900 |
The Rosedale Society is $900 a quarter, or $3,000 paid annually.
01 / 03Rule one
No phone or video calls.
The rule people ask about most. This is a creative space, not an office. If you need to take a call, you step outside like everyone else.
02 / 03Rule two
No monitor set-ups.
No second screens, no docking stations, no desk you have quietly colonised. The clubhouse stays a clubhouse.
03 / 03Rule three
No guests.
Membership is the point. The reason you can speak freely here is that everyone in earshot was vetted.
The house rules
04No phone or video calls
The single rule people ask about most. This is a creative space, not an office. If you need to take a call, you step outside like everyone else.
No monitor set-ups
No second screens, no docking stations, no desk you have quietly colonised. The clubhouse stays a clubhouse.
No guests
Membership is the point. The reason you can speak freely here is that everyone present was vetted.
Your code is yours
Every member gets a unique door code and 24/7 access. It is not shared, and it does not expire.
Where the work happens
12
Who it is for
Serious about the work, and about the company.
Accepted based on their intellectual integrity.
Devoted to thoughtful dialogue and creative production.
Seeking a quiet work environment free from distractions.
Novelists, painters, founders, journalists, composers — the discipline is beside the point.
| 24/7 access to the clubhouseWhat a dedicated desk at WeWork costs for a year | $6,000 |
| ATX Writing Club membershipThe full annual membership, included with yours | $1,396 |
| Workshops and author conversationsTicketed to the public; free to members | $ 900 |
| Quarterly merchandiseFour pieces a year, made for members only | $ 260 |
| Coffee, wine, beer, spirits and snacksStocked continuously, never billed | $ 700 |
| Total value | $9,256 |
| Annual dues | $3,000 |
A year of working alone costs nothing, and produces nothing.
In their words
“I’m part of a whole community of people who care about writing and care about me.”
“The Rosedale Society puts the right people in the right space at the right time.”
“Being a member of such a highly accomplished group motivates me to meet what once felt like unrealistic goals. It's as though I'm back in graduate school, but it's self-directed.”
“There’s a lot to love about The Rosedale community, but I think it’s all summed up by the dinners. Everybody brings something, and we drag all the chairs and tables into one big room. Then the wine and conversation flow until the candles burn down to almost nothing.”
“Joining the Rosedale Society has given me incredible opportunities to share ideas with creators who take their work seriously and aren’t afraid to ask hard questions.”
The door is open. The clubhouse is vetted.
The next application review is one week from today.