Updated 11/7/22
There are many great literary events around Indiana. Looking for something to do? Below are just a few ideas.
Many events are virtual. Please confirm with the venue for scheduled events listed here.
To be featured in our “Literary Events Around Indiana” monthly events blog, email the details to mail@indianawriters.org.
Butler Visiting Writers Series: Viet Thang Nguyen
Author, critic-at-large for The Los Angeles Times, and recipient of a MacArthur “Genius” Grant, Viet Thanh Nguyen is professor of English, American Studies and Ethnicity, and Comparative Literature at the University of Southern California. His debut novel, The Sympathizer, won the Pulitzer Prize, was a Dayton Literary Peace Prize winner, and made the finalist list for the PEN/Faulkner award.
Nguyen and his family came to the United States as refugees during the Vietnam War in 1975. As he grew up in America, he noticed that most movies and books about the war focused on Americans, while the Vietnamese were silenced and erased. He was inspired by this lack of representation to write about the war from a Vietnamese perspective. The Committed, published in 2021, has been called “a masterwork” and “revelatory.” Nguyen’s book, Nothing Ever Dies: Vietnam and the Memory of War, was a finalist for the National Book Award. His collection of short stories, The Refugees, explored questions of immigration, identity, love, and family. In 2018, Nguyen called on 17 fellow refugee writers from across the globe to shed light on their experiences, and the result was The Displaced.
Our event is free to the public. No tickets are required. Visit our website for additional information.
VonnegutFest
Every November 11th, we hold VonnegutFest to celebrate Kurt’s birthday and Armistice Day. We host a variety of programs and events and offer free admission to the museum all day. November 11, 2022 is Vonnegut’s 100th birthday! Details on how we’ll celebrate during VonnegutFest 2022 coming soon.
Donald Platt Swansdown Book Release
Join us to celebrate the launch of Donald Platt’s latest book of poetry, Swansdown. He will read from the book, with a short Q&A to follow.
In Swansdown, we see Platt at his most vulnerable, navigating the inevitable slowdowns of aging—illnesses, nostalgias, and the impossible loss of family and friends. All the while, these elegant poems render the world in bountiful technicolor, finding beauty everywhere: in sparrows doing their busywork, the resilience of star magnolias, and Joan Miró’s surrealism. “What have I to show for six decades,” the poet asks and answers with the immaculate imagery and sonorousness that have always been hallmarks of his work. Swansdown is as much a testament to Platt’s humanism as it is to his brilliance in verse.
— Adrian Matejka, author of Somebody Else Sold the World
Second Flight Books, 2200 Elmwood Ave. Suite D-7, Lafayette
The Testimony Service (part of the Spirit & Place Festival)
Sat, November 12, 2022, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM EST
Broadway United Methodist Church 609 East 29th Street Indianapolis, IN 46205
The Testimony Service: I Made It. You Made It. We Made It, Together
To identify means to recognize the existence of a thing. This event, which is rooted in the testimony tradition of the Black church, invites the public to identify the ways they have experienced triumph in their lives.
Using interactive writing activities followed by a live musical performance and storytelling from a group of community “testifiers,” this event welcomes everyone to celebrate and share in life’s joys.
Hear from pre-selected community testifiers (and then perhaps share your own story!), make art, listen to music, sit down to a community meal, and join in fellowship with others who want to share what’s good in the world right now. Although rooted in a specific religious tradition, this event eagerly welcomes all!
This event is presented in partnership with The Learning Tree and Broadway United Methodist Church as part of the Spirit & Place Festival.
ABOUT SPIRIT & PLACE: The Spirit & Place Festival (Nov. 3-13) celebrates the powerful role the arts, humanities, and religion play in community life and is housed in the IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI. Learn more at spiritandplace.org.
Frank Basile Emerging Stories Premiere featuring Portia Sholar Jackson and Book Launch
Nov 13 4:00 – 5:30
Join Portia Sholar Jackson as she premieres “A Celebration of Family, Unity, Faith, and Love.” In this story, Sholar Jackson will share her experiences as an African American growing up in Indiana and experiencing the joys of the Indy 500, visiting the L.S. Ayres Tea Room, riding the train at Christmas, and camping at Monroe Reservoir. Often, she was very aware of being the only Black family there, especially on trips to The Children’s Museum and Indiana State Museum with her grandmother.
Immediately following the performance, we will host a launch party for our latest book, “From Stage to Page: Stories from the Frank Basile Emerging Stories Fellowship.” Eighteen storytellers contributed their stories for the book. Many of them will be there to autograph your book.
Coffee with Friends: Angela Jackson-Brown
Join us for a conversation with Angela Jackson-Brown, an award-winning writer, poet, and playwright who serves as an Associate Professor in the Creative Writing program at Indiana University. Jackson-Brown’s play, Trailer Park Love Story, will debut in Birmingham, AL in spring 2023. Her other plays have appeared at various theatres throughout Indiana, including the Indiana Repertory Theatre, The Indyfringe Theatre, Storefront Theatre, and Muncie Civic Theatre. She is the author of Drinking From a Bitter Cup, House Repairs, When Stars Rain Down, and The Light Always Breaks. Recently, she was awarded the Alabama Library Association Prize in Poetry, was named a finalist for the David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Historical Fiction, and was shortlisted for the Indiana Author’s Award in Fiction. All ages.
A Night with Busman’s Holiday & Ross Gay
Busman’s Holiday and Ross Gay team up to deliver the night of your life. Busman’s Holiday, local brother duo bring their work of good humor and thoughtful lyrics to the Indiana theater; from busking to the Buskirk! Busman’s Holiday and their 7-piece band will perform their wonderful music to celebrate their new album, Good Songs. Ross Gay, New York Times bestselling local poet, will read his beautiful works to celebrate his new book, Inciting Joy. Both of them will celebrate each other and may even do something special together. You’ll have to be there to find out!
November 13 @ 7:00 – 9:00 pm at Buskirk-Chumley Theater, $15
Blue Like Me: Identity Exploration with Siona Benjamin and Rabbi Sandy Sasso
Ann Katz Festival November 13; 2 – 4 pm FREE
Through performance art, conversation, and Q&A, attendees will explore sacred stories of identity, challenge, and transformation during this creative and thought-provoking event featuring Indian Jewish artist Siona Benjamin and Rabbi Sandy Sasso.
Arabic Poetry Night
Mon Nov 14th 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Morgenstern Books, 849 S Auto Mall Rd, Bloomington, IN 47401, USA map
The tradition and history of poetry in the Arab World is brought to life through the IU Arabic Flagship Program’s annual Arabic Poetry Night. Encouraging students of Arabic to explore and recite Arabic poems, as well as take on the challenge of writing their own, not only furthers their understanding of culture, but also serves as a creative and important opportunity in their language-learning journey.
Author Talk: Michael Martone
Tue Nov 15th 5:30pm – 6:30pm The Orbit Room, 107 N College Ave, Bloomington, IN 47404 map
MICHAEL MARTONE is one of America’s most prolific and important contemporary authors. This evening we’ll talk with Michael about his life, career and two of his recent books, The Complete Writings of Art Smith, the Bird Boy of Fort Wayne and Plain Air: Sketches from Winesburg, Indiana, Edited by Michael Martone which will be available for purchase and signing after the talk.
Visit the Facebook event page or check out Morgenstern’s event page
As I Recall Storytelling Guild
Nov 15, 7:00 – 8:30 PM
Everybody has a story to tell! This is your chance to recall a moment from your life, try out a new story with an audience, or just listen to others share. All are welcome. This event is free.
We are hosting the As I Recall Storytelling Guild meeting via Zoom. The video conference is limited to 15 people. If you want to join us, send an email to Ellen@storytellingarts.org and she will send you an invitation link. This is a welcoming place for storytellers of all skill levels.
“I Love to Write” Day, 20th anniversary
I Love To Write Day Celebrates the 20th Anniversary
“The 20th anniversary of I Love To Write Day, a grassroots campaign to have people of all ages spend time writing every November 15th, is an important milestone,” said Founder John Riddle, a Delaware freelance writer, author and ghostwriter.
“My goal for I Love To Write Day remains the same as it did the day I launched it,” said Riddle. “People of all ages are encouraged to write something: a poem, a letter to the editor, an essay, start a novel, finish a novel…the possibilities are endless!”
As part of the 20th anniversary, Riddle will be publishing the “I Love To Write Day Creative Writing Journal,” which will be available on Amazon on Nov. 1st. It features 30 creative challenges, plus tips on how to be creative from over 80 writers, authors, artists, musicians, actors and even a few pirates from all around the globe. For more information about I Love To Write Day, visit ilovetowriteday.com
Indy Story Slam
November 16, 2022, 7 – 8:30 p.m.
In Collaboration with Freetown Village Media Sponsor: WFYI
Hosted at The Garage Food Hall, near Great Legs Wine Bar
906 Carrollton Avenue/Indianapolis, IN 46202
Questions? Email Ellen@storytellingarts.org
Indy Story Slam is a fun night of storytelling, designed as an after-work event to relax and unwind. Storytellers of every skill level will have up to five minutes to tell a true story based on the monthly theme. The theme for November is “Friends and Strangers.”
The rules of #IndyStorySlam are as follows: Stories must be no longer than five minutes, true, told in first person, and based on the theme, which can be interpreted narrowly or broadly. We just ask tellers not to use props or read from the page. Prizes will be awarded to the top three tellers, as determined by our judges. Note: Parts or all of your story may be posted on our social media or YouTube channel.
New Words: The Poetics of Witnessing Joy
Wednesday, Nov 16 6:30 – 8:30 PM at Marian University.
This poetry workshop focuses on the craft of poetry and practice the act of witnessing in poems by looking at the work of poets like Ross Gay, Lucille Clifton, Franny Choi, and more to ultimately lead us toward new ways to explore about how we witness joy in our own lives.
~
We need new words for what this is, this hunger entering our loneliness like birds, stunning our eyes into rays of hope. We need the flutter that can save us, something that will swirl across the face of what we have become and bring us grace. – Lucille Clifton
Inspired by Lucille Clifton’s quote above, Indiana Writers Center and UnLearn Arts have collaborated to create a 3-workshop series, focusing on dreaming, joy, and wellness that will inspire its participants to dream of new worlds through poetry in Indianapolis.
“Opening Hank” performed at Cat Theater in Carmel
November 18 – 20
The Cat 254 Veterans Way Carmel, IN 46032
Hillbilly singer Hank Williams was found dead in the back seat of his Cadillac on the morning of Jan. 1, 1953, in Oak Hill, W. Va. In “Opening Hank” a scheming undertaker on his way back to Alabama for the star’s funeral tries to talk two service station attendants into displaying the corpse and charging admission (for which he will receive a kickback).
Writers Helping Writers
Hancock County Public Library has a writing group that meets on the third Wednesday of each month. Join us!
Brick Street Poetry
Off the Bricks, a Poetry on Brick Street Podcast
Poetry on Brick Street Series
We meet the first Thursday of every month at 7:00 pm at Sullivan Munce Cultural Center, 225 West Hawthorne Street, Zionsville, IN 46077.
The next month’s Guest Poet: Poets from the Haiku for Hikers anthology reading with accompanying PowerPoint.
Irving Theater Weekly Poetry Open Mic
Every Thursday night
7:00p – 9:00 PM EST
LOCAL POETS * ORIGINAL POETRY * COME READ OR LISTEN]
A completely nonjudgmental and safe space to share poetry! Every Thursday on the deck at the Irving Theater in the Summer, inside all Winter. Performances are broadcast live on our Facebook page (link below). Come enjoy original poetry and readings from local and regional artists, or present your own poetry.
This event is free.
FACEBOOK LIVE LINK
For more information, visit the Irving Theater’s website
Books & Brews Open Mic
9402 Uptown Dr Suite 1400
Indianapolis, IN 46256
phone: (317) 288-5136
mothership@booksnbrews.com