In the Inspiration Issue we present our sixteenth annual roundup of ten of the year’s best debut poets; a rare glimpse into the writing notebooks of eight acclaimed authors, including Juan Felipe Herrera, Terrance Hayes, and Aimee Nezhukumatathil; an interview with the Nation’s poetry editor, Kaveh Akbar; Kate Meadows on the magic of sitting down to play; Michael Bourne on the nitty-gritty of requesting permissions; plus writing prompts, contest deadlines, and more.