Past Poets & Writers Live Events

Debut Poets Virtual Reading

February 1, 2023

Join Poets & Writers Magazine associate editor India Lena González for a celebration of the ten debut poets featured in “The Beauty of Being: Our Eighteenth Annual Look at Debut Poets.” The virtual event, which will take place over two evenings, will include readings from the poets and conversation about their debut books, their influences and inspirations, and their individual paths to publication.

5 Over 50 Virtual Reading

December 8, 2022

Join Poets & Writers editor in chief Kevin Larimer for a celebration of our latest cohort of “5 Over 50” debut authors. The virtual event will feature readings from the authors and a conversation about their individual paths to publication.

Anatomy of a Scene With Kristen Arnett

July 14, 2021

Join novelist Kristen Arnett for a craft-focused event on Wednesday, July 14, at 7 PM EDT. In conversation with Spencer Quong, the assistant editor of Poets & Writers Magazine, the author will walk through the revision process of select scenes from her latest novel, With Teeth, out now from Riverhead Books.

Demystifying the Agent Search

July 10, 2021

Join Michael Bourne, a contributing editor of Poets & Writers Magazine, on Saturday, July 10, at 3PM ET for “Demystifying the Agent Search,” a ninety-minute online class designed for writers who are ready to approach agents for representation. In this session we’ll drill deep on how literary agencies work, how to get on gatekeepers’ radar, how to craft a query, and how to find an agent who is right for you, with plenty of time to field your questions.

San Francisco: Inspiration

January 14, 2017

In January 2017, Poets & Writers Live offered two days of sound advice, practical information, and inspiration at the San Francisco Institute of Art. This sold out event was a celebration of creativity that included readings, lectures, multimedia presentations, panel discussions, and workshops exploring the literary imagination, innovation on the page, and uncommon sources of inspiration.

Austin, Texas: Inspiration

January 9, 2016

The seventh Poets & Writers Live event featured readings, lectures, multimedia presentations, panel discussions, workshops, and other interactive performances exploring inspiration. Award-winning authors, editors, and agents joined the editors of Poets & Writers Magazine to present this celebration of creativity at the Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas in Austin.

Portland, Oregon: Independent Publishing

October 17, 2015

The sixth Poets & Writers Live event was held at the Pacific Northwest College of Art's Mediatheque theater on October 17, 2015. The editors of many of the area's most exciting presses and literary magazines joined the editors of Poets & Writers Magazine to explore the art of writing and the business of independent publishing.

Chicago: Agents & Editors

June 20, 2015

The fifth Poets & Writers Live event was held at Chicago's Instituto Cervantes on June 20, 2015. The program explored the writer's journey from inspiration to publication and featured a "poetry keynote" by acclaimed poet Li-Young Lee, followed by panel discussions on resources for writers in Chicago; how to prepare the perfect pitch to agents, editors, and other publishing professionals; tips for savvy self-publishing; and the ins and outs of the editor-author relationship; craft talks; live-lit performance; and much more. A highlight of the program was a reading and discussion with Chicago literary icons Stuart Dybek and Marc Kelly Smith.

San Francisco: Inspiration

January 10, 2015

The fourth Poets & Writers Live event was held on January 10, 2015, at San Francisco's Brava Theater Center. The program featured a "poetry keynote" by Pulitzer Prize–winner and former U.S. poet laureate Kay Ryan; a conversation with award-winning poets and writers about why we write; a "quarrel" between David Shields and Caleb Powell over the age-old debate of life vs. art; a multigenre, multimedia “inspiration experiment” featuring acclaimed author Joyce Carol Oates; and much more.

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