James McSherry is a writer, filmmaker, educator, and creative mentor based in New York. His work spans memoir, fiction, short film, and teaching — always grounded in honesty, grit, and a deep respect for human stories.
Early Life and Inspiration
Born and raised in the Bronx during the 1960s and 1970s, James’s early years were shaped by hardship, resilience, and a longing for escape through language and art. His family confronted economic instability, mental illness, and profound loss. Yet amid the chaos, young James clung to creativity, poetry, and the possibility of a different life. His mother’s struggles and his father’s absence were heavy burdens, but they also became fuel for his voice — a voice that refused to be silenced.
Education & Training
James went on to earn an MFA in Writing from Columbia University’s School of the Arts (1989).
While at Columbia, he received multiple writing fellowships and began to sharpen his craft in narrative, poetry, and dramatic forms. His academic training gave him tools — mastery of structure, voice, editing — but his real lessons came from life itself.
Writing & Publications
A Clean Street’s a Happy Street: A Bronx Memoir
In 2004, James published A Clean Street’s a Happy Street: A Bronx Memoir, a raw and luminous account of his upbringing in the Bronx. The book has been praised for avoiding sentimentality while illuminating pain, survival, and redemption. The narrative unfolds in vignettes — quiet moments, heartbreaks, small triumphs. It has been included in the New York Public Library’s Young Adult collection and used in NYC public school curricula.
Critics have noted:
“Eschewing sappiness in favor of sparse but vivid prose… McSherry documents his first few decades with four siblings, very little money, and two parents whose respective mental illnesses intensified as the years progress.” Kirkus Reviews
Short Works & Essays
James’s essay “Lips” appears in Sequestrum literary magazine. His piece “American Boy” was published in Columbia Journal, drawing from personal memory and familial complexity.
He has also been the subject of a Contributor Spotlight on Sequestrum, where he reflects on his journey, struggles, and voice.
Film & Screen Work
James translates his stories into visual media. On FilmFreeway, he is listed as a filmmaker whose memoir has been adapted (or is in adaptation).
His short film “Poetry Man”, inspired by real events, starred Peter Greene and earned the Audience Award at the Manhattan Film Festival. It also screened at the Cannes Short Film Corner, bringing his Bronx-rooted vision to an international audience.
James is currently writing a television series focused on New York City public schools.
Teaching, Mentoring & Community Work
For decades, James has taught writing and film to inner-city high school and college students.
He has been a visiting writer for the New York Public Library’s “Around the Neighborhood” series, where local authors lead workshops for youth.
He was featured in the Five Boro Story Project, an initiative elevating local writers in NYC communities.
He is a recipient of BRIO Awards (Bronx Recognizes Its Own) in recognition of his contributions to arts and literature in his borough.
Recent Projects & Recognition
- His chapter “American Boy” from his latest memoir We Will Never Be Here Again was a finalist in Columbia Journal’s Print Nonfiction Contest.
- He is contributing writer for MovieMaker Magazine and has completed a novel All the Lovely Dead, which he plans to adapt for film.
Philosophy & Vision
James believes that stories hold power: to heal, provoke, connect. His writing seeks to give voice to the marginalized, to explore family legacies, mental health, memory, place, and resilience. He taps into his own life — the Bronx streets, childhood grief, survival — not for sensationalism, but to speak with clarity, empathy, and truth.
He views teaching not just as instruction, but as co-journeying with students, helping them find their own voices. In film or prose, his goal is always the same: to tell stories that resonate long after the page is closed.
James McSherry 