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!

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

Oregon BIPOC Writers Publishing Event

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

Literary Arts, Ooligan Press, and Portland State University’s English Department partner to present the Oregon BIPOC Writers Publishing Event. This event is designed to connect Oregon’s most talented, diverse writers to the publishers and authors seeking to hear their voices. Pitching a Book 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM (PST) Distilling the important elements of a book into a concise and gripping pitch is a true art. In this presentation, seasoned literary agent Fiona Kenshole lays out the fundamentals of good pitching. This webinar is intended to aid writers in preparing for a pitching session with a publisher or agent later on in the day. Demystifying Book Publishing Panel 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM (PST) So much of the process of getting published, finding an agent,…

Free

Persistence: What It Takes to Publish a Book, featuring Ellen Michaelson, Joanna Rose, and Suzy Vitello

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

We are thrilled to present (virtually) on Monday, June 7th, at 5 PM PST a multi-author reading and in-conversation with local Portland authors Ellen Michaelson, Joanna Rose, and Suzy Vitello discussing the topic “Persistence: What it Takes to Publish a Book.” Each of these authors had rather long and winding paths toward the publication of their novels. They also were all students of Tom Spanbauer in his original Dangerous Writing group. This event is free but does require preregistration at this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_K44ozcbDS1ysmlmXQ1KJhA Ellen Michaelson is a physician in Portland and an MFA graduate from Pacific University. Currently an assistant professor of Medicine at OHSU and vice president of the board of the NW Narrative Medicine Collaborative, she was an NEH Fellow in Medical Humanities…

Free

Transmit Culture: Diversity and Inclusion in the Children’s Publishing Workspace

PSU - Fariborz Maseeh Hall 1855 SW Broadway, Portland, OR, United States

A conversation on how the children's publishing industry handles diversity and representation through their employees and authorship. With guest speaker Nakita Simpson, Designer and Art Director for Portland-based company A Kids Company About. Moderated by the publisher, author, and illustrator Brian Parker from Believe In Wonder. Nakita is an art director, designer, and illustrator—someone who draws words for a living. She's a now Portland-based Creative by way of Georgia, Florida, and Toronto (her hometown) who works as an Art Director at A Kids Company About. She's a lifelong learner who loves to explore creativity through work, travel, crafts, and cooking. The conversation will be moderated by PSU's very own Brian Parker. Brian is the current adjunct instructor for Children’s Book Publishing. In 2015, Brian started an…

Free

Transmit Culture: Entrepreneurship in the Book Business

Portland State University - Fariborz Maseeh Hall 1855 SW Broadway, Portland, OR, United States

Ninety-nine percent of all businesses in the US are small businesses. From freelance publishing services (marketing, design, editing, etc.) to independent publishers and bookstores, entrepreneurs and the businesses they start are the heart of the publishing industry. In this panel of book publishing entrepreneurs, the presenters will discuss how they forged their own paths, built book businesses on their own terms, acquired capital, developed business plans, and overcame entrepreneurial challenges. FMH 204

Free

Transmit Culture: Entrepreneurship in the Book Business

PSU - Fariborz Maseeh Hall 1855 SW Broadway, Portland, OR, United States

Ninety-nine percent of all businesses in the US are small businesses. From freelance publishing services (marketing, design, editing, etc.) to independent publishers and bookstores, entrepreneurs and the businesses they start are the heart of the publishing industry. In this panel of book publishing entrepreneurs, the presenters will discuss how they forged their own paths, built book businesses on their own terms, acquired capital, developed business plans, and overcame entrepreneurial challenges. FMH 204

Free