AWP is kicking off in Tampa, Florida and we are bummed that we won’t be there this year. It’s always such a wonderful opportunity to see old and new literary friends. There are so many awesome panels, but here are a few we would definitely be attending if we were there. Let us know how they are, guys! We hope to catch you at next year’s conference in our hometown of Portland, Oregon.
Learning Curve: The Challenge of Building Inclusive Communities
VIDA: Women in Literary Arts will host this important panel about how teachers, writers, and editors across the literary community can better address social issues relating to gender, sexual assault, privilege, and authorship. Don’t miss this one.
Panelists: Lynn Melnick, Hafizah Geter, Amy King, Hector Ramirez, Katherine Sullivan
Time: Thursday; 10:30 am – 11:45 am
Location: Grand Salon C, Marriott Waterside, Second Floor
Writing the Body in the 21st Century
Graywolf Press is organizing this panel of fiction writers and poets who all write about the body in their own ways. It includes a reading and a discussion. Plus Carmen Maria Machado is one of the panelists!
Panelists: Steph Burt, Tarfia Faizullah, Carmen Maria Machado, Danez Smith, Steve Woodward
Time: Thursday; 12:00 pm – 1:15 pm
Location: Room 18 & 19, Tampa Convention Center, First Floor
Stranger and Truthier Than Truth: Fiction in the Age of Trump
We know that this is going to be a full room. In this panel, authors such as Kelly Link and Manuel Gonzales will talk about how writing with unreal elements can reveal important truths about our politically turbulent world. We are truly kicking ourselves for missing this one.
Panelists: Marie-Helene Bertino, Manuel Gonzales, Toni Jensen, Kelly Link, Helen Phillips
Time: Thursday; 4:30 pm – 5:45 pm
Location: Ballroom A, Tampa Convention Center, First Floor
The Ecstasy and the Laundry: Gender, Families, and the Writing Life
Sometimes, you just want to talk about the nitty gritty of the writing life, which includes how writing fits into your life. This panel focuses on how to balance creative space with domestic duties while avoiding outdated gender roles.
Panelists: Elizabeth Kadetsky, Imad Rahman, Jess Row, Emily Raboteau, Kate Tuttle
Time: Friday; 12:00 pm – 1:15 pm
Location: Room 16, Tampa Convention Center, First Floor