LitPDX seeks to amplify marginalized voices, and welcomes all, their ideas, their events, and their words.

For details regarding specific events please contact the organizers or venues. If you are an organizer or venue and would like to reach out to us please feel free to contact us or submit an event using our submission form. We’d love to hear from you!

Drink and Write Tuesdays: Drop in Writer’s Workshop

Rose City Book Pub 1329 NE Fremont, Portland, OR, United States

Drop in between 5:30 and 7:30 pm on Tuesdays and spend your happy hour writing. Hosted by Jeanne Faulkner who provides prompts, tips, coaching, and community. Your bring your computer and notebook, buy your drinks at the bar, and get started. $10 optional contribution to the host.

Free

Write to Publish Conference

PSU - Smith Memorial Student Union 1825 SW Broadway, Portland, OR, United States

Write to Publish is an annual publishing conference hosted by Portland State University’s graduate program in Book Publishing. It is the largest fundraising event for both the program and the student-run general trade publisher, Ooligan Press. This event serves as an open house for people interested in the publishing program, while also being a great networking event for local publishers and writers. Every year, we hold panels, workshops, and seminars about the latest trends in publishing, making it a great conference for writers and industry professionals alike.

$20 – $65

Intro to Risograph Printing

IPRC (Independent Publishing Resource Center) 318 SE Main Street #175, Portland, OR, United States

Intro to Risograph Printing In this 4-hour introductory course, participants will learn the basics of risograph (riso) printing and will leave with an understanding of how to use this print technology to create zines, fliers, posters, or other printed matter. While this technology is not new, riso printing has recently become one of the most exciting developments in independent printing and publishing because of its cost-effectiveness for print runs between 25 and 1,000. Workshop participants will learn how to best maximize the many quirks of riso printing to achieve striking results. Participants are also encouraged to bring files of artwork that they’d like to print (files should be 100% grayscale, letter or tabloid size). For more information on riso printing and the modern riso resurgence,…

$100 – $200

Winter Poetry Festival

Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) 511 Northwest Broadway St, Portland, OR, United States

Portland’s second Winter Poetry Festival is a joyful gathering of poets and poetry lovers. Winter is a magical time where the beauty of language burns brightly in the darkness. The festival will feature a marketplace where you can support poets by buying from them directly, inspiring workshops for poets of all levels of experience, innovative performances and craft-talks from top-notch poets, a guest-screening from Seattle’s Cadence: Video Poetry Festival, and the “Poet’s Playground” an ephemeral pop-up of poetic challenges and collaborations. The Festival will be housed in the beautiful PNCA. ADA accessible. Centrally-located, near many major transit lines.

Free

The League of Exceptional Writers

Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd, Beaverton, OR, United States

In “From ‘Ahoy, Matey’ to ‘Howdy, Pardner,’” author Dawn Babb Prochovnic teaches how to create vivid characters by giving each one a unique voice. Hosted by Rosanne Parry, the League of Exceptional Writers is a monthly workshop where authors and illustrators share their knowledge with kids, ages 8 to 18 years old, who are interested in creating books. Join us!

Free

The Work Poetry Workshop: Monday Night Edition

Angst Gallery 1015 Main St, Vancouver, WA, United States

Join us on Monday, January 13 & 27 for The Work, a poetry writing workshop at Angst Gallery led by Christopher Luna. “Well, while I’m here I’ll do the work — and what’s the work? To ease the pain of living. Everything else, drunken dumbshow.” ― Allen Ginsberg, “Memory Gardens” (Fall of America, City Lights) The Work is a drop-in poetry writing workshop for beginners as well as more experienced writers. Poetry encourages empathy and compassion, and sparks the shifts in consciousness which can lead to healing, personal growth, and an interest in fighting for progressive social change. The Monday Night Edition of The Work takes place at Angst Gallery (1015 Main Street, Vancouver) from 6-8:30 pm on the second and fourth Monday of each…

Free – $20

Collisions: Short Story Workshop

Literary Arts 925 SW Washington Street, Portland, OR, United States

In this fiction workshop, we will explore how to use all manner of combustible collisions, both small and large, as generative fuel. Have a slew of disparate ideas stewing in your brain? We’ll investigate the power of unexpected pairings—how colliding seemingly unrelated images or ideas can spark something entirely original and point your work forward. You will build your own stories and receive the focused attention of a workshop environment. All levels Josha Nathan is a 2017 Oregon Literary Fellowship recipient. He earned his MFA at the University of Oregon and has taught at several institutions, including Portland Community College. January 14–February 18, 2020 Tuesdays, 7:00–9:00 p.m. (six sessions) Instructor: Josha Nathan For writers at all levels

$275

Write Around Portland 10-Week Workshop

Powell's City of Books 1005 W Burnside Street, Portland, OR, United States

Based on their acclaimed community writing model, "Prompt" is a generative workshop that offers exercises to inspire the writing life. Workshop fee ($300) includes snacks, access to the “bowels of Powell’s,” and helps to fund workshops for low-income youth and adults. This workshop takes place on Wednesdays, January 15-March 18. To register or for more information, visit writearound.org.

$300

Risograph Basics at Outlet!

Outlet 2500 Northeast Sandy Boulevard, Portland, OR, United States

Welcome to the Risograph Basics, Collage Experimentation and Mark Making Extravaganza! Come and get to know Outlet's Barbara the Risograph and her sisters Lil' Tina, Corita, and Janet!  About the Workshop: Want to learn what Risograph printing is? Want to meet others who do too? Come and learn all about the basics of the Risograph in our two-color introduction workshop. The workshop will kick off with a Show & Tell of exactly what a Risograph can do with a printing demo, print and zine samples and a general exploration of how we can get the best results from this amazing printing machine. Participants will take home and edition of 2-color 8.5x11 prints of your own design plus one print from all of the workshop participants (your own…

$60 – $75

The Work Poetry Workshop: Saturday Edition

Niche Wine Bar 1013 Main St, Vancouver, WA, United States

“Well, while I’m here I’ll do the work — and what’s the work? To ease the pain of living. Everything else, drunken dumbshow.” ― Allen Ginsberg, “Memory Gardens” (Fall of America, City Lights) Join us on Saturday, January 18 for The Work, a monthly poetry writing workshop at Niche Wine Bar led by Christopher Luna. Poetry encourages empathy and compassion, and sparks the shifts in consciousness which can lead to healing, personal growth, and an interest in fighting for progressive social change. I look forward to sharing my passion for poetry with you. The Work is a drop-in poetry writing workshop for beginners as well as more experienced writers. We will read and discuss poetry, and write several new poems together from 11:30-2:00. Doors open…

Free – $20