Traverse City National Writers Series

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Traverse City National Writers Series The National Writers Series is a nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging world-renowned writers in meaningful conversations in the Traverse City area.

We also have Raising Writers programs, offering free writing classes to area youth. The National Writers Series in Traverse City, Michigan, is a year-round book festival and a destination for conversations with today’s finest authors. We want to move our audiences toward an understanding of issues and communities that exist outside of our rural boundaries. And we want them to connect with each oth

er inside the confines of the historic and beautiful City Opera House. Hundreds of people attend our author events, and tens of thousands more listen to the conversations on a subsequent broadcast aired on Interlochen Public Radio and on community television. Since founding our Writers Series in 2009, we’ve spread our wings to support young readers and writers in all kinds of ways:

We have awarded $60,000 in scholarships to college-bound seniors and juniors. Winning a scholarship gives the recipient a better chance of gaining entry into one of the country’s prestigious universities. In 2012, we developed a high school creative writing program in partnership with the public school district to provide a home for passionate writers. Now located at the Career Tech Center, Front Street Writers draws students from a five-county area—gifted writers who, in many cases, have no creative writing class in their rural home district. The students are treated to visits and master classes by a bestselling author who later appears on the NWS stage. Students also publish their best work in the NWS Literary Journal and recite their work on the Opera House stage. In addition to the certified teacher, NWS hires a teaching fellow whose experience as a professional writer adds depth to the classroom experience. We host a Battle of the Books competition, which involves some 200 fourth and fifth graders in Grand Traverse County. The program is not just loads of fun: students also learn teamwork and how to closely read books in a wide range of genres. A best-selling author arrives on the day of the “battle” finale to serve as a master of ceremonies and to describe their path and process of writing books for youth. We also host creative writing workshops and poetry workshops throughout the year, because we believe it’s important for children to learn how to creatively use their voices to express their feelings. A heartfelt thank you goes to our many supporters, grantors, donors, and volunteers. We couldn’t do any of this without you!

11/08/2026

Checkout this heartwarming segment on Anne's retirement on UpNorthLive.

Taste it, then meet the minds behind it (or the other way around)! Next week the Cookbook Dinner Series is teaming up wi...
11/08/2026

Taste it, then meet the minds behind it (or the other way around)! Next week the Cookbook Dinner Series is teaming up with the National Writers Series and making an unprecedented summer appearance! We'll be featuring a four-course tasting menu August 17-23 with recipes pulled straight from Ruth Reichl's My Kitchen Year and Martin Sorge's Great Bakes; so you've got plenty of chances to swing by before or after their events! Catch Ruth Reichl at The Open Space on August 20 and Martin Sorge at Artemis Books on August 21.

Dinner reservations available at: https://www.amical.com/ftb

Tickets to A Conversation with Ruth Reichl available at: https://tickets.traversecityfoodandwine.com/events/2026/national-writers-series-a-conversation-with-ruth-reichel

Tickets to A Conversation with Martin Sorge available at: https://tickets.traversecityfoodandwine.com/events/2026/national-writers-series-a-conversation-with-martin-sorge

At our 12th annual Summer Gala, Mayor Amy Shamroe presented Executive Director Anne Stanton with a key to Traverse City ...
11/08/2026

At our 12th annual Summer Gala, Mayor Amy Shamroe presented Executive Director Anne Stanton with a key to Traverse City to honor the incredible work she's accomplished throughout her time with the National Writers Series. Anne will be retiring in September and "turning the page" to our Deputy Director Hanna Lee-Kleb.

✍️ If you’re interested in donating to the Pen & Promise fund in honor of Anne to ensure the long term success of the National Writers Series, please donate here: https://nationalwritersseries.org/donate/

🌻 Thank you to our Gala Sponsors!
Presenting Sponsor: Louise McDermott
Gold Sponsor: Prout Financial Design
Bronze Sponsors: Michael & Joanie Jackson, Sera & Rick Thompson, Terry Carrithers, Mary & Ward Gillett, Ed & Laura Ness, Jodi Thompson, Lisa Genesen & David Tabolt, Copy Central/Traverse Repro, Robert & Anne Tucker

11/08/2026
Happy Book Lovers Day! 📚 From the young readers to the wise readers, we are so grateful to bring inspiring writers to Tr...
09/08/2026

Happy Book Lovers Day! 📚 From the young readers to the wise readers, we are so grateful to bring inspiring writers to Traverse City.

What are you reading right now? Besides this post...

No one wants to say goodbye to summer, but we can say hello to these incredible FREE fall writing classes for students. ...
06/08/2026

No one wants to say goodbye to summer, but we can say hello to these incredible FREE fall writing classes for students. We have a variety of topics

🎃 Make Your Own Holiday
🔥 Tending to Your Own Creative Fire
🌏 Creating an Adventure Travel Story
+ Novel writing is back for 16+ folks!

Did you know guardians pay up to $300 an hour for 1-on-1 college application coaching? If you know a high school junior or senior, let them know that we offer this service for FREE.

Learn more about our classes here: nationalwritersseries.org/raising-writers/writing-classes/

Michiganders value our nature fiercely — last night's conversation with Marc Berman only confirmed how much we need to p...
03/08/2026

Michiganders value our nature fiercely — last night's conversation with Marc Berman only confirmed how much we need to protect it, and how much we need to be present in it.

He closed the night with a reminder that "cities aren't bad," but posed a bigger question: how do we shift the narrative of nature from an amenity to a necessity? Marc's research digs into exactly that — how much humans benefit from nature, even when it shows up in an urban environment.

03/08/2026

From award-winning bakes to Midwest-inspired recipes, Martin Sorge brings heart, humor, and plenty of butter to the table. 🥐

Join the 2023 Great American Baking Show winner for an engaging conversation with TASTE founding editor Matthew Rodbard as they discuss Martin's path from home baker to champion, his debut cookbook Great Bakes, and the stories behind the recipes.

🎟️ Click here to purchase tickets: https://bit.ly/4az0tDt

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