sign in sign up
<<
Home , Chronic City, Dissident Gardens, Kelly Link, Literary Death Match

2016 AWP Conference Schedule

Thursday, March 31, 2016

12:00 pm to 1:15 pm R198. Writers Editing Writers Room 515 B, LA Convention Center, Meeting Room Level ( Brigid Hughes, April Wolfe, Yiyun Li, John Haskell, Vanessa Hutchinson) Editing is perhaps one of the least glamorous but most necessary aspects of the writing process, and an author’s relationship with their editor is one of the most valuable ones they can cultivate. This panel brings together two A Public Space Emerging Writer Fellows to discuss their own processes with their respective mentors, both established authors and A Public Space contributors.

1:30 pm to 2:45 pm R203. The Literary Genius of Kendrick Lamar Diamond Salon 6&7, JW Marriott LA, 3rd Floor (Rion Scott, Mensah Demary, Nathaniel Marshall, Kiese Laymon, Natalie Graham) Hip-hop and literature have always intersected, but the genres find an even greater connection in the work of Compton, California’s Kendrick Lamar, who has released three albums that rival the greatest works of fiction and creative nonfiction in depth of theme, imagery, and storytelling complexity. In this panel, writers influenced by Lamar's work discuss what writers can learn about storytelling from the rapper's albums, which are novelistic in both scope and structure.

3:00 pm to 4:15 pm R243. The Changing Face(s) of Publishing Room 403 A, LA Convention Center, Meeting Room Level (Jane Friedman, Erin Belieu, Daniel José Older, Roberto Tejada, Kevin Prufer) Digital innovation, the VIDA count, #WeNeedDiverseBooks, a seeming explosion of translations—the face of publishing, tools for publishing, and reasons for being a publisher are all changing at a disorienting speed. In this panel, editors and contributors to the recently released Literary Publishing in the 21st Century debate and interrogate issues of success, power, diversity, and politics (among others) as literary publishing—and authors—look to the next thirty years.

4:30 pm to 5:45 pm R270. The Print Journal in a Digital Age Salon 3, JW Marriott LA, 1st Floor (Michael Dumanis, John Freeman, Brigid Hughes, Uzoamaka Maduka, Wayne Miller) Five editors of print literary journals founded in the past ten years discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by print publishing in an era when internet publishing may seem a less risky choice due to its low cost and universal distribution. Why make a commitment to print in the 21st century? Has the role of the magazine changed? Who still reads print journals these days, and why? How can print literary culture be reinvigorated? Might this be a favorable time for a print renaissance?

Friday, April 1, 2016

10:30 am to 11:45 am F161. Small Beer Press: 15th Anniversary Reading Room 513, LA Convention Center, Meeting Room Level (Sofia Samatar, Ayize Jama-Everett, , Maureen McHugh, Juan Martinez) Fifteen years after Small Beer Press was founded to publish works that cross genre definitions, traditional bookstore shelving options, and academic course descriptions, four authors from different parts of the USA who now all live in California read from their books and then discuss the spaces their books were published into with Small Beer Press publisher and cofounder Gavin J. Grant.

1:30 pm to 2:45 pm F203A. A Reading and Conversation with Jonathan Franzen and Elizabeth McKenzie, Sponsored by the Center for Fiction Concourse Hall, LA Convention Center, Exhibit Hall Level One (Elizabeth McKenzie, Jonathan Franzen) Jonathan Franzen is the author of Purity and four other novels, including Freedom and The Corrections, and five works of nonfiction and translation, including The Kraus Project and Farther Away. Elizabeth McKenzie is the author of the novel The Portable Veblen, a collection, Stop That Girl, shortlisted for the Story Prize, and the novel MacGregor Tells the World, a Tribune, Chronicle, and School Library Journal Best Book of the Year. Her work has appeared in , The Atlantic, Best American Nonrequired Reading, and the Pushcart Prize anthology, and has been recorded for NPR's Selected Shorts.

F211. Current Trends in Literary Publishing Room 406 AB, LA Convention Center, Meeting Room Level (Jeffrey Lependorf, Christopher Fischbach, Neal Thompson, Tyson Cornell, Jane Friedman) A panel of industry experts shaping independent literary publishing discuss how publishers are addressing current challenges and hurdles, as well as creating new opportunities. Hear these literary leaders of publishing, bookselling, and reader engagement reveal how they reimagine traditional forms of publishing while integrating innovative new trends.

F213. The Author as Entrepreneur: How to Build Your Writing Business Room 408 A, LA Convention Center, Meeting Room Level (Mary Rasenberger, Janis Nelson, Lauren Cerand, Michelle Richmond) A successful writing career demands more than writing books. Every author, whether self-published or traditionally published, increasingly takes on the role of small business owner, making more decisions at each step of the publishing and marketing process, from contract negotiation to reading tour. This panel, presented by the Authors Guild, explores what authors need to know about contracts, taxes, marketing, and publicity to succeed in an ever more competitive publishing marketplace.

F228. Writing (and Editing) Sex Room 515 A, LA Convention Center, Meeting Room Level (Dani Shapiro, David Means, Christine Schutt, Sabina Murray) Writers and editors discuss sex in literature—the good, the bad, and the ugly—and look at ideas of craft when it comes to depicting and editing sex.

3:00 pm to 4:15 pm F233. Pitch Perfect: How to Write and Successfully Pitch Freelance Articles to Magazine Editors Gold Salon 3, JW Marriott LA, 1st Floor (Christine Lee, Mark Armstrong, Doree Shafrir, Rachel Riederer, Marie Myung-Ok Lee) Five writers and editors with extensive backgrounds in print and digital periodicals discuss the tenets of pitching nonfiction work. How do you catch an editor’s eye? How can you make your pitch stand out? The diverse panel of prominent editors and writers with a track record of pitching success details and provides insights into what it takes to get freelance work accepted at a journal or magazine, while exploring topics of professional etiquette, and how to nurture business relationships.

F236. A Reading and Conversation with Geoff Dyer, Leslie Jamison, and Maggie Nelson, Sponsored by Graywolf Press Concourse Hall, LA Convention Center, Exhibit Hall Level One (Fiona McCrae, Geoff Dyer, Leslie Jamison, Maggie Nelson) Join three remarkable writers whose works challenge and invigorate new nonfiction with wit, empathy, intelligence, and style. Geoff Dyer received the National Book Critics Circle Award in criticism for Otherwise Known as the Human Condition. Leslie Jamison is the author of the essay collection The Empathy Exams, a New York Times best seller. Maggie Nelson is the award-winning author of the innovative works The Argonauts and The Red Parts. Introduced by Graywolf publisher Fiona McCrae.

3:15 pm to 5:00 pm Is Editors Necessary? A Review of Books Panel Casey's Irish Pub 613 S. Grand Ave. , CA 90017 Cost: Free Panelists will discuss the constantly transforming but age-old and highly traditional art of editing. Moderated by LRB editor at large Christian Lorentzen With: Uzoamaka Maduka (American Reader) Michael Miller (Bookforum) Joanna Yas (Open City) James Yeh (Vice) *Free food and drinks* 4:30 pm to 5:45 pm F271. Kelly Link, Emily St. John Mandel, and Ruth Ozeki: A Reading and Conversation, Sponsored by Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau Concourse Hall, LA Convention Center, Exhibit Hall Level One (Emily St. John Mandel, Ruth Ozeki, Kelly Link) This event brings together three brilliant contemporary female writers—Kelly Link, Emily St. John Mandel, and Ruth Ozeki—to read and discuss their craft and experiences as genre-bending authors. Kelly Link is the recipient of an NEA grant and is the author of Get in Trouble. Emily St. John Mandel is the author of Station Eleven, a finalist for the 2014 National Book Award. Ruth Ozeki is the author of A Tale for the Time Being, which was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm The Rumpus and Rare Bird Present "Pick Your Poison" Lethal Amounts, 1226 W. 7th St., Los Angeles, CA Cost: $5 Url: https://www.facebook.com/events/1048690055189902/ The Rumpus and Rare Bird proudly present PICK YOUR POISON. With readings from Cornelius Eady, Rich Ferguson, Ashley C. Ford, Erika Krause, Anna March, and J. Ryan Stradal. Doors open at 7 p.m., and readings will begin at 7:30 p.m. The evening will be emceed by Antonia Crane.

8:00 pm to 9:45 pm Literary Death Match 10-Year Anniversary Spectacular The Theatre at Ace Hotel, 929 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90015 Cost: $30 ($20 for first 100 tickets) Url: http://www.literarydeathmatch.com/upcoming-events/april-1-theatre-at-ace-hotel.html To celebrate our 10-Year Anniversary, we aim to blow the doors clean off every other event we've ever done with our Super-Spectacular at the gorgeous Theatre at Ace Hotel. Featuring actor Adam Scott (Parks & Rec), Martin Starr (Silicon Valley), actress/writer Lena Waithe (Master of None) and authors Susan Orlean, Chris Abani, Danez Smith and more to come! Followed by an Ace Hotel after-party.

8:00 pm to 11:00 pm The Beautiful & The Damned The Palm Court Ballroom at the Alexandria Hotel, 501 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013 Cost: Free Url: https://www.facebook.com/events/1707445929469094/ Set in an era of intoxicating excitement and ruinous excess, changing manners, and challenged morals…" The Beautiful & The Damned will feature champagne toasts to Emerging Voices Fellowship Alumni, Literary Hub Partners, and National Book Critics Circle finalists and award winners, as well as a photo booth, cash bar, dancing, and a few surprises you won't want to miss! R.S.V.P. on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1707445929469094/

8:30 pm to 10:00 pm F311. Eula Biss and : A Reading and Conversation, Sponsored by USC Dornsife English & PhD in Creative Writing and Literature Petree Hall, LA Convention Center, Exhibit Hall Level One (Eula Biss, Jonathan Lethem, Geoff Dyer) Join us for a reading and discussion with two of contemporary literature’s brightest stars, Eula Biss and Jonathan Lethem. Eula Biss is the author of three books: On Immunity: An Inoculation, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for nonfiction; Notes from No Man’s Land: American Essays, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for criticism; and a collection of poetry, The Balloonists. Her work has been supported by a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Howard Foundation Fellowship, an NEA Literature Fellowship, and a Jaffe Writers’ Award. Jonathan Lethem is the author of over a dozen books—including the much-lauded novels and The Fortress of Solitude—and the winner of a MacArthur Foundation Grant. Other novels include , selected for ’ “The 10 Best Books of 2009” list; You Don’t Love Me Yet; and , a New York Times notable book of 2013. These acclaimed authors read from their work and discuss their creative process and their plans for continued future success.

10:00 pm to 12:00 am F312. AWP Public Reception & Dance Party Diamond Salon 1 - 4, JW Marriott LA, 3rd Floor A dance party with music by DJ Neza. Free beer and wine from 10:00 - 11:00 pm. Cash bar from 11:00 pm to midnight. Saturday, April 2, 2016

9:00 am to 10:15 am S132. Without Representation: Authors Who Sold Their Literary Debuts Without an Agent Room 518, LA Convention Center, Meeting Room Level (Cari Luna, Will Chancellor, Wendy C. Ortiz, Chelsea Hodson) A literary agent can be a writer's closest ally in the publishing business, but is your career sunk if you don't have one? Four authors who sold their literary debuts to traditional publishers on their own, and then went on to sign with agents, discuss their publishing experiences with and without representation.

10:30 am to 11:45 am S148. The Odd Couple: Literature and Commerce Room 408 A, LA Convention Center, Meeting Room Level (Manjula Martin, Kima Jones, Ayesha Pande, Karolina Waclawiak) Is literature an art, or is it a business? Every working writer is in a constant state of negotiation between creativity and commerce, life and work, love and money. This panel explores how literary authors navigate such seemingly opposing aspects of their work. Join writers and publishing industry professionals as we share strategies for balancing the “writing life” with real life—and creating a sustainable career in the process.

12:00 pm to 1:15 pm S167. The Business of Publishing Your First Novel: Author and Publisher Perspectives Gold Salon 2, JW Marriott LA, 1st Floor (Dennis Johnson, Catie Disabato, Edan Lepucki, Kirk Lynn, Maxwell Neely-Cohen) Melville House co-publisher and co-founder Dennis Johnson leads a practical discussion of the publishing process with three authors in various stages of their literary careers. Topics include acquisitions, editing, big-house versus independent publishers, publicity, marketing, tours, social networking, and the changing role of the author.

1:30 pm to 2:45 pm S228. Social Justice in Speculative and Fantastical Fiction for Young Readers Room 512, LA Convention Center, Meeting Room Level (Anne Ursu, Justina Ireland, Daniel José Older, William Alexander, Tananarive Due) for young readers is a serious business. By presenting parallel worlds and heightened realities, speculative and fantastical fictions can explore issues of power, personal responsibility, and justice, and can entice kids and teens to think critically about their own world. Panelists discuss how they use the tools of SFF to illuminate injustice, confront the monstrous, and communicate crucial ideas about race, class, and gender—while giving kids the great stories they crave.

3:00 pm to 4:15 pm S255. Wealth Gap in the Literary Landscape: Representations of the Poor and Working Class Room 502 B, LA Convention Center, Meeting Room Level (Sarah Smarsh, Luis Rodriguez, Karolina Waclawiak, Kyle Dargan) How and by whom are low-income Americans represented—or not—in contemporary literature? Writers and editors of varied race, ethnicity, and locale, but shared personal history of poverty and labor, discuss class issues in books, magazines, and publishing offices. With backgrounds as writing instructors and activists in poor areas, panelists celebrate the difficult role of socioeconomic-border-crossers in the industry and challenge all of us to consider class at a time of historic wealth inequality.

4:30 pm to 5:45 pm S271. Writing the Personal with Helen Macdonald, Rabih Alameddine, and Francisco Goldman, Sponsored by Grove Atlantic Press Petree Hall, LA Convention Center, Exhibit Hall Level One (Francisco Goldman, Helen Macdonald, Rabih Alameddine, John Freeman) Join award-winning and bestselling Grove Atlantic authors Helen Macdonald, Rabih Alameddine, and Francisco Goldman as they discuss the ways in which real life enters their literary work and to what critical and personal effects. As fiction and memoir writers from three different countries and cultural backgrounds, they discuss, among other things, how reactions to the personal in their work differ across genres, if at all.

S289. Launching Your Passion Project Room 511, LA Convention Center, Meeting Room Level (Rachel Fershleiser, Amanda Bullock, Maris Kreizman, Colin Dickey, Allison Devers) How can writers bring their passion projects to life? This panel investigates the practical and creative ways in which a collection of esteemed writers launched zines, marathon readings, anthologies, literary websites, and more—all while remaining focused on both their day jobs and their larger artistic visions.