Literary Cleveland

08/29/2026

THIS SUNDAY we kick off Cleveland Book Fest with our first ever Pop-Up Book Fair at The Arcade downtown!

Join Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards Literary Cleveland GLAAWC ✨ Cleveland Public Library Cuyahoga County Public Library Lake Erie Ink Writers in Residence The City Club of Cleveland plus bookstores and more to be surrounded by books and art deco beauty.

Stop by Sunday, August 30 between 1-5pm.

Spread the word. Tag a friend. See you there.

08/26/2026

Show off your bookish style at this year and you could win a prize!

YES, we’re trying something and new this year at Inkubator. Spread the word! Come dressed in your best literary-related outfit (Lit Fit): from a book dress or paper tie to a full Edgar Allan Poe outfit complete with a live raven.

𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗟𝗜𝗧 𝗙𝗜𝗧 𝗣𝗛𝗢𝗧𝗢𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗛𝗘𝗗
Our partner & photographer Kenneth Cody is bringing his portrait skills to Inkubator to capture your best Lit Fit. He’ll be there both days, Sept. 11–12, 10 AM–4 PM.

𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗟𝗜𝗧 𝗙𝗜𝗧
At the end of the conference, we’ll vote online for the best Lit Fits, and the winners will receive a free portrait session, Literary Cleveland membership, and more.

Think you’ve got the look? 🤩 Bring it!

08/25/2026

Your very real story demands real . Our free nonfiction workshops and craft talks give you the tools to tell your story well! ⬇️

❤️‍🔥 (in-person) 𝗜 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲, 𝗜 𝗛𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗕𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 — with Mallory Donoghue Mallory Donoghue
Use list-making as an inventive way to spark reflection, observation, and new approaches to nonfiction.

❤️‍🔥 (in-person) 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆: 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘆 & 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 — with Charisse Bailey Charisse Bailey
Draw on personal memories and the perspectives of others to uncover new ways into your stories.

❤️‍🔥 (in-person) 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗳𝗳, 𝗢𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀: 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗡𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗢𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 — with Hattie Fletcher hattiefletcher
Use everyday objects as springboards for stories about relationships, love, loss, memory, and more.

❤️‍🔥 (in-person) 𝗥𝗮𝗰𝗲 & 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿𝘀 — with Desiree Cooper
Explore how race has shaped experiences of outdoor spaces and write your own histories of place, resistance, and joy. Desiree Cooper

❤️‍🔥 (in-person) 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 — with Rachel Jamison Webster Rachel Jamison Webster
Explore the stories of your ancestors through research, imagination, and writing while considering the ethics of telling family histories.

❤️‍🔥 (in-person) 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁: 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀 & 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗮𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 — with Wilbert L. Cooper
Learn practical tools for reconnecting with your own memories, family stories, and community history.

❤️‍🔥 (in-person) 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴
Hear short nonfiction readings from Charisse Bailey, Mallory Donoghue, Desiree Cooper, Wilbert Cooper, Hattie Fletcher, and Rachel Jamison Webster.

NOTE: Most conference sessions are full, but we still encourage you to sign up. Priority is given to those registered for each event, but you’re welcome to join a session if there is space on the day.

LINK IN BIO 🔗 https://inkubator.litcleveland.org/

08/23/2026

ONE WEEK FROM TODAY: We're taking over the Arcade with a pop up book fair! Don't miss it!

Cleveland Book Fest is just around the corner!

Join all Cleveland Book Fest partners and over 20 bookstores and community organizations on August 30 at The Arcade as we kick off a month filled with literary programming, author conversations, and more.

This free event is open to book lovers of all ages!

Learn more at https://www.clevelandbookfest.org

08/21/2026

THANK YOU to everyone who came out to Hingetown for a Saturday morning of excellent company and some of Cleveland’s poets doing their absolute best! Hingetown | Ohio City Enclave

And a BIG thank you to our writers for sharing your work with us:

• Raja Belle Freeman Raja Belle Freeman
• Emma Klunzinger Emma Nicole Klunzinger
• Angelo Maneage Angelo Maneage
• Jenna Martínez Jenna Martínez
• Samuel Oguntoyinbo
• Melissa Vincel Melissa Warren Vincel

And of course, thank you to our host, Substance Demetria McCulloh, for keeping us in good hands 🙌🏽

We love a summer Saturday, but we love one with poetry even more❤️

08/21/2026

Got a poem in you? Maybe you want to write about.. *x, , ? Weird bodies? The places you call home? Join us September 11–12 for FREE workshops led by award winning poets ⤵️

❤️‍🔥 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 ~ with Paula J. Lambert
Your poem might be about s*x. Or birds. Or your ex. But what is it really about? Play with metaphor, surprise yourself, and figure out how to say the thing without… well, saying the thing.

❤️‍🔥 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗲𝗺𝘀 & 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 ~ with CHIMI x MATTMATT
Love poems, but make them liberatory. Write toward freedom, fall in love with your own voice, and make some room for joy in a pretty chaotic world.

❤️‍🔥 “𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲”: 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗲𝘁𝗿𝘆 ~ with Hannah V. Warren
Let’s talk about the weird, gross, unsettling stuff. Scars. Bodies. Contamination. Things that make you look away. Then let’s figure out how to turn all of that into poetry.

❤️‍🔥 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗮𝗽: 𝗣𝗼𝗲𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 ~ with Sara Moore Wagner
Ohio has a history. You have a history. And honestly, they’re probably more connected than you think. Read poems about the past, then write your way into Ohio’s stories and see what comes up.

❤️‍🔥 𝗣𝗼𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 ~ with Stephanie Ginese
Not every place needs to be “revitalized.” Sometimes we just want to keep the places, people, stories, and weird little things that make a community feel like home. Write about the places you love and why they matter.

❤️‍🔥 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝟯𝟭𝟯: 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 ~ with jessica Care moore + Kamau Ayubbi
Bring your journal. Wear comfortable clothes. Cute socks encouraged. This writing + movement workshop is about imagination, healing, community, and writing the future you want to live in.

❤️‍🔥 𝗣𝗼𝗲𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴
Need a little poetry in your life without having to write any yourself? This is that!

🔗 REGISTRATION LINK IN BIO: bit.ly/cleink26

08/19/2026

LOOK, we can’t promise you’ll come out of Inkubator writing like 🤷🏼‍♀️ But we WILL hook you up with these workshops & craft talks that may get you closer, and will definitely help you develop your own unique voice:

❤️‍🔥 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗲: “𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀-𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲”: 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 & 𝗡𝗼𝘄 — with Willow Campbell & Benvolio Nichols

❤️‍🔥 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁: 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗢𝘂𝘁 — with Joseph Celizic

❤️‍🔥 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁-𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹 — with Caren Beilin, Jon Conley, & Semyon Khokhlov

❤️‍🔥 𝗕𝗮𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁𝘀: 𝗢𝗻 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲 — with Maggie Su

❤️‍🔥 𝗨𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗱: 𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗲 & 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 — with Hillary Behrman

❤️‍🔥 𝗧𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀: 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 — with Danielle Evans

❤️‍🔥 𝗙𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 — featuring Hillary Behrman, Caren Beilin, Willow Campbell, Joseph Celizic, Danielle Evans, Semyon Khokhlov, Lincoln Michel, & Benvolio Nichols

NOTE: Some of the sessions at the conference are full, but we still encourage you to sign up. Priority is given to those who registered for each event, but you are welcome to join a session if there is space on the day. Plus! We still have room in our two biggest breakout sessions most days, so don’t wait: register now!

🔗 LINK IN BIO
https://inkubator.litcleveland.org/

08/18/2026

🙌🏼 5 days left to by Sunday April 23rd end of day.

🚨 Just a few sentences is enough to be awarded a SCHOLARSHIP for a free Literary Cleveland writing class!

👩🏽‍💻 Virtual + in-person classes available in , ,

Reminder: Don’t reject yourself. Don’t hold back from applying because you feel someone else might need it more. Take the step, let us handle the rest! Scholarships are here to support writers who:

• May have limited discretionary funds
• Need to budget carefully
• This opportunity is for YOU.
• Apply now: Link in bio!

https://www.litcleveland.org/events-programs/word-for-word-scholarships

08/17/2026

Can’t make it to Cleveland in person? No stress. Join Inkubator free writing conference ONLINE on WED SEPT 9 7:00-8:30PM EST.

🛜 This conference kicks off with a FREE virtual panel featuring six nationally renowned authors who have written introductions to the new editions of Toni Morrison’s novels:

• Julia Alvarez — National Medal of Arts awardee (How the García Girls Lost Their Accents) Julia Alvarez

• Sasha Bonét — NPR’s 10 Best Memoirs of 2025 honoree (The Waterbearers: A Memoir of Mothers and Daughters) S A S H A B O N É T

• Honorée Fanonne Jeffers — National Book Award finalist (Misbehaving at the Crossroads) Honorée Fanonne Jeffers

• Dr. Imani Perry — Harvard professor and MacArthur Fellow (Black in Blues) Imani Perry

• Danzy Senna — 2025 American Book Award winner (Colored Television) Danzy M Senna

• Kevin Young — The New Yorker’s poetry editor and 2026 Griffin Poetry Prize winner (Night Watch)

🔗 REGISTRATION LINK IN BIO: bit.ly/cleink26

• • • • • • •

🔥 𝟱𝟬 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦
75 hours of programming packed with workshops, readings, conversations, and community.

🔥 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗪𝗛𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗
Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner headlines this year’s conference with a keynote reading. (*squeals)

🔥 𝟰𝟬 𝗜𝗡-𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗣𝗦 + 𝗖𝗥𝗔𝗙𝗧 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦
Join us at Cleveland Public Library for workshops in every genre, craft talks, literary agents, panel discussions, and more.

🔥 𝗜𝗡𝗞𝗨𝗕𝗔𝗧𝗢𝗥 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗥
Meet independent , literary journals, publishers, presses, writing groups, and literary organizations from across the region.

🔥 𝗙𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗥𝗦
Hear from jessica Care moore, Danielle Evans, Lincoln Michel, Maggie Su, Rachel Jamison Webster, Wilbert L. Cooper, Kevin Young, and dozens more writers and literary .

🔥 𝗟𝗜𝗧 𝗙𝗜𝗧𝗦
Come dressed as your best literary self—from a book dress or paper tie to a full Edgar Allen Poe outfit complete with a live raven. Kenneth Cody will be the best looks, with prizes for the winners.

🔗 REGISTRATION LINK IN BIO: bit.ly/cleink26

08/14/2026

🎉 This year’s theme, “Freedom is a Community,” is all about what happens when people decide to collectivize around shared values, missions and visions. And this year, community is showing up in some ways beyond the panels and workshops.

From showing off your to writing a collaborative poems on a typewriter, finding a quiet place to get some words down, and picking up free books at the West Side Market, there’s plenty to get into:

•••

Community Projects | Sept. 11–12 & 20

❤️‍🔥 NEW Lit Fits: For the first time, Literary Cleveland is partnering with photographer Kenneth Cody to launch the festival’s first-ever bookish style showcase! Come dressed in your best literary-related outfit, from a book dress or paper tie to a full Edgar Allan Poe look. Get your photo taken by Kenneth Cody, then vote for your favorite Lit Fits at the end of the conference. Winners will receive a free literary portrait session, membership, and more.

❤️‍🔥 Poetry Free Cleveland: Visit Poetry Free Cleveland’s typewriter station in the Reading Garden during lunch on Friday and Saturday to add lines to collaborative poems inspired by Toni Morrison. Each typewriter will host a different poem beginning with a line from Morrison’s work. Add a line to one or multiple poems, then return throughout the weekend to watch them develop.

❤️‍🔥 NEW Kenyon Review Writing Room: Inspired by the conference and want a quiet place to write? Need to clear your head, draft some ideas, or make progress on your project? Stop by the Kenyon Review Writing Room from 1:30–4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12. Staff and associates from the legendary Kenyon Review will provide prompts, snacks, writing materials, and space to outline, write, or revise. Join anytime and leave anytime. The Writing Room is here for you.

❤️‍🔥 Books at the Market: Books at the Market returns Sunday, Sept. 20, distributing free books and comics at the West Side Market with partners including Cleveland Public Library, Rust Belt Humanities Lab, Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards, and more.

🔗 Register for FREE at Inkubator.litcleveland.org