The Hellbender Gathering of Poets
Poets gather in Black Mountain, North Carolina, to reflect on our climate-changed world.
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Article Archive
Articles from Poet & Writers Magazine include material from the print edition plus exclusive online-only material.
A Poetry Prize Without Borders
New Directions, Fitzcarraldo Editions, and Giramondo partner for a new translated poetry prize, connecting literary communities across the globe.
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The Closure of CCA
As the California College of the Arts prepares to shut down in spring 2027, students and faculty at the state’s oldest private arts school are left in the lurch.
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Me vs. the Machines: How to Spot a Phishing Scheme
As the onslaught of scams and schemes targeting the writing community continues, one writer who nearly fell for an e-mail scam herself offers advice and a step-by-step guide to avoid falling prey to the bots.
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A Clanker of a Creator: Anthropic’s Frankensteinian Fair Use
The author of Best Copy Available takes a close look at the Anthropic copyright settlement and unpacks the ruling of fair use after the company amassed a library of over seven million books to build and train its large language model.
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The Debut Phenomenon: Literary Agents and the Making of American Fiction
The author of Middlemen: Literary Agents and the Making of American Fiction reveals how every debut author’s dream of landing an agent is matched by the hunger of every young agent to land a successful debut and establish themselves.
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Page One: Where New and Noteworthy Books Begin
The first lines of a dozen noteworthy books, including Hungered by Amanda Rizkalla and I Was Bonnie & Clyde by Laura Kasischke.
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Contest Index: Forty Reasons to Feel Inspired
A quick guide to forty of the most inspiring prizes for short work, environmental writing, work by older writers, and works-in-progress.
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Personal Victories: Writers’ Stories of the Wins That Mean the Most
Writers including CJ Hauser, Nancy Jooyoun Kim, Uttama Patel, and Ethan Rutherford reflect on the quieter wins that have affirmed them as writers, with or without a medal or trophy.
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Staying the Course: Contests That Support Long-Term Projects
On the long road to finishing a book-length manuscript, the affirmation and practical support of these eleven prizes for works-in-progress can give writers an invaluable boost.
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A Win Right on Time: Contests for Older Writers
The author of Dreamt I Found You talks to editors and writers about a growing number of prizes honoring debuts at age 50, 60, 70, or beyond, recognizing that there is no one timeline for being a writer.
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A Toast to the Short and Sweet: Contests That Shine a Light on Short Forms
The author of How to Submit: Getting Your Writing Published With Literary Magazines and Small Presses offers a guide to great prizes for poems, stories, and essays, where editors celebrate the artistry that goes into shaping these small gem of poetry and prose.
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Celebrating the Earth That Lifts Us Up: Contests Honoring Environmental Writing
A unique field of awards recognizes the capacity of writers to tell the Earth’s stories with wonder and to advocate for its protection.
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Agents & Editors: Alia Hanna Habib
Alia Hanna Habib of the Gernert Company talks about taking the pressure off first conversations with writers, the similarities between agenting and dating, and knowledgeably breaking the unspoken rules of the book industry.
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The Wildness and the Mystery: A Profile of Julia Alvarez
For over forty years Julia Alvarez has told stories that have established hers among the biggest names in contemporary literature. A new book, Visitations, offers a personal, poignant look back while proving she’s nowhere near finished.
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Ten Questions for Soham Patel
“In truth, I am still writing The Daughter Industry and likely won’t stop.” —Soham Patel, author of The Daughter Industry
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You Are Your Most Important Reader: On Trust, Listening, and Pleasure in Writing
The author of Unstuck: A Writer’s Guide (Tin House, April 2026) encourages writers to write without an outside reader in mind.
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Ten Questions for Rachel Khong
“I strive to write very weekday, at least a little bit, though the way I write changes through the years; I try to stay open to those changes.” —Rachel Khong, author of My Dear You
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Ten Questions for Adrian Matejka
“I’m a constant reviser. My reading copies are marked up with edits and additions.” —Adrian Matejka, author of Be Easy: New and Selected Poems
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How to Write Ethically About Those You Love, and Don’t Love Anymore
The author of Pulse (Omnidawn, 2026) offers insight on how to approach writing sensitively about one’s most intimate relationships.
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Too Good to Be True: How to Avoid Scams Targeting Writers
A poet who nearly fell for an e-mail scam warns writers about what to look out for, including offers that arrive out of the blue and sound too good to be true.
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Ten Questions for Siew Hii
“Being gentle may not make it better, but it rarely makes it worse.” —Siew Hii, author of Entered Some Aliens
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Ethical Rage: How Metaphor Transforms Anger Into a Higher Truth
The author of Pulse (Omnidawn, 2026) considers how metaphor can help metabolize anger.
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Ten Questions for Tara Menon
“Don’t rush the writing, and enjoy it for itself.” —Tara Menon, author of Under Water
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Lie Well: How to Fib Ethically in Your Poems
The author of Pulse (Omnidawn, 2026) considers how one can morally bend the truth in poetry.
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