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!

Attic Institute: SPRING Online: So You Wanna Be a Writer Workshop w Wayne Gregory

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

“Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” ~ E. L. Doctorow You have a thousand stories inside your head. You dabble on the page but rarely if ever finish anything, much less share with others. “Is my work good enough?” you wonder.  “Do I have something original and interesting to say? What makes me think I can be a writer?”  The biggest obstacle for emerging writers is not lack of time nor lack of skill nor lack of things to write about. It’s a lack of self-confidence. This workshop is designed for those who want to be writers, but are not sure they can be. …

$215 – $242

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

How to Get a Literary Agent

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

Sarah Bowlin, Aevitas Creative Kirby Kim, Janklow and Nesbit Renée Jarvis, Triangle House Literary agents are the publishing professionals whose job is to be in an author’s corner, to champion their work and find it the best home and negotiate the strongest deals. So, how do you research hundreds of agents to find ones who would be the best fit for your creative visions? How do you query them to demonstrate that you are a perfect addition to their list? Once you’ve signed with an agent, what will your professional relationship look like? What are the reasons an author-agent relationship might end, and what should you do next? Join our panel of seasoned literary agents to learn about all about the process, from the early…

$10

Confronting Toxic Productivity

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

In this iteration of their extremely popular training Toxic Productivity and the Creative Cycle, Marina Martinez-Bateman is bringing healing from toxic productivity into the workplace. New exercises, new skills, and new outcomes tailored to toxic productivity in the working world. If you are an employee, a freelancer or in a leadership position, Avoid Toxic Productivity and Revolutionize Your Workflow will help you achieve your professional goals without sacrificing your life and values. By the end of the workshop, participants will have a start on their own journey away from toxic productivity, as well as several tools and prompts to help them change their working habits and outlooks. *FREE* Register here Materials needed: paper and pen for note taking Learn about Marina at: marinaforhire.com — Digital Adventures with Sunday Parkways & the IPRC! This workshop is part of  Portland Sunday…

Free

Writing the Non-Fiction Book Proposal

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

Writing a book proposal is the best first step to writing a nonfiction book for both adults and young readers. An excellent proposal helps you organize your ideas, understand the competition, and can help you land a publishing contract even before you write the book. This six-week class will take you step-by-step through the major parts of the nonfiction book proposal: the query letter, overview, competitive analysis, marketing and promotion, author background, outline and sample chapter. Bring an idea, and be ready to write. The class includes extensive handouts and questionnaires to guide your work. Class outcomes: By the end of this six week workshop, students will leave with a rough draft of a nonfiction book proposal. More information: Download 10 Reasons to Write a…

$285

Build Your Own Publicity Plan

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

Many authors shy away from self-promotion, but a strong public persona and publicity plan is one of the best investments you can make in your forthcoming book. This class takes the guesswork out of promotion and guides you to develop a sustainable plan, wherever you are in the publication process. We’ll cover timelines, target markets, tools, and industry expectations, as well as how to collaborate with your press, and when (or whether) to hire an outside publicist. Access Program We want our writing classes to be accessible to everyone, regardless of income and background. We understand that our tuition structure can present obstacles for some people. Our Access Program offers writing class registrations at a reduced rate. The access program for writing classes covers 60%…

$195

Attic Institute: FALL Online: A Writer’s Toolkit: How to Get Started As A Writer Workshop w Wayne Gregory

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

“Learn the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist.” ~ Pablo Picasso You have a story to tell, but you’re not sure how to get started. The Writer’s Toolkit is the class for you.  In this workshop, you will discover how to transform your ideas from imagination to a cohesive and compelling story that engages readers and keeps them turning the pages for more. You will learn some of the basic conventions for good writing that successful writers use: how to develop plot, how to create compelling characters, how to build dynamic scenes, and how to show rather than tell. You will learn by doing and will take away a wealth of writing tools and resources to keep honing your…

$215 – $242

Pitch Roulette

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

What goes through an editor’s mind when they read a pitch? What turns them off, and what grabs their interest? One of our most popular salons is back with a twist: Editor-in-Chief Denne Michele Norris and Executive Director Halimah Marcus will review your anonymous pitches, submitted just for this event. They will read each pitch for the first time live on screen, sharing their immediate reactions as they go. Your pitch may even be commissioned for Electric Lit! Submission instructions: You can find the link to submit in the chat, on the right hand side of the event page. (Please note, you will only see the chat if you are registered for the event.) If you are unable to find the submission portal or have questions…

$10

Band of Submitting Writers & Artists

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

Band of Submitting Writers & Artists with Katie Collins Guinn WHAT: A two week online creative lab on sending work to literary publications WHEN: Wednesdays, October 13th, & October 20th @4:30-6:30pm PT ACCESS: $100 :: Payment plans always available—contact Daniel at registration@corporealwriting.com Where: The Corporeal Writing Zoom Room :: A Zoom link will be provided. SCHOLARSHIPS: Scholarships are available please click here to apply. So, you’ve written something and/or created some visual art and want to get it out into the world of literary publications, now what? The process of sending out work can be overwhelming, whether you’re just beginning to think about it, or returning to the process, and doing it alone can seem even more daunting. Where do we begin? Who do we…

$100

The Trauma-Informed Creative Writing Classroom

Online N/A, Portland, OR, United States

The creative writing classroom is not an explicitly healing space—yet writers regularly bring their stories of trauma into workshops. What are our obligations to these students as instructors? What are the best practices for managing workshop discussions about potentially triggering material? In this 6-hour intensive, learn when writing heals and harms, discuss syllabus disclaimers and content warnings, identify craft issues common to trauma writing, consider how feedback lands in an activated nervous system, and assess your own self-regulation skills. This class is limited to 15 students. October 23 and 24, 2021 Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (two sessions) Online via Zoom Katherine Standefer Katherine Standefer is the author of Lightning Flowers: My Journey To Uncover the Cost of Saving a Life, which…

$145