It’s just about the middle of November, which means thousands of writers worldwide are nearly halfway through a ridiculous and admirable pursuit. National Novel Writing Month — or NaNoWriMo to get it all into one breath — is an annual month-long challenge during which writers attempt to write 50,000 words in 30 days. The emphasis is quantity over quality, to simply get the words out and onto the screen instead of nitpicking sentence structure or mulling over plot points. more ›

We’re having trouble dragging ourselves out of this wintertime rut, which means we’re also having trouble motivating ourselves to write much. It’s seems like it’s always raining these days, and we’d much rather complain about the weather than crack open our MacBooks and type away. So maybe the solution is getting out of the city for some writerly inspiration. Here are some out-of-town opportunities to kick start your writing. more ›

Writing the next great American novel during the summer can be tricky. We’ll admit our own writing regimen has already suffered due to all the awesometown events, festivals and outdoor drinking happening left and right. If you think it might be challenging to keep your laptop open over the next few months, we don’t recommend missing all the fun. But you can at least try to dedicate a few days to focus on writing. Here are a few events that might help you do that. more ›

Kevin Pang can now take "award-eligible writer for the Tribune" off his title. The newly minted "Cheap Eater" columnist for the World's Smallest Broadsheet won a James Beard Award last night for his work on "The Cheeseburger Show." more ›

Spring means lots of things. One of them is the end of winter writing workshops and the start of new ones. If you've been meaning to write more, but just need a little extra nudge in the right direction, a writing workshop is a great way to stay on track, meet fellow writers, and benefit from the guidance from a more experienced teacher. more ›

Portland, Oregon writer Kevin Sampsell has a knack for naming his books. Their titles inhabit the twilight zone between titillating, creepy, and whimsical. Just peruse his bibliography and you'll see what we mean. Creamy Bullets. Beautiful Blemish. How to Lose Your Mind with the Lights On. Head. more ›

SXSW is more than just music. Granted, Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot [Ed. note: and, ahem, Lizz Kannenberg] are probably having the time of their lives traipsing across the 1,800 odd bands scattered amongst Austin, Texas, but you’ll have just as much fun reading NPR’s All Songs Considered twitter feeds, right? more ›

So, you think you can write? Prove it by entering The Parlor Reading Series’ second annual call for emerging writers. Now’s your chance to unleash your 3,000 to 5,000 word short work of fiction or non-fiction upon the world by submitting it via email by the end of today. more ›

Break out your college-lined notebook and your frilly pink pen, StoryStudio Chicago is hosting its fourth annual In-Town Writers Retreat. StoryStudio bills itself as a “growing community of writers building Chicago’s premier center for writing and related arts.” This translates to classes on everything from blogging to screenplays, to the ambiguously titled “LifeWriting” course and the less ambiguously titled session, “Writing Sex.” more ›

To say writer Nami Mun has led an interesting life would be a gross understatement. Mun was born in Seoul, South Korea and moved to the states with her family when she was young, growing up in the Bronx. A teen runaway, her jobs have included being a bartender, a photojournalist, a street vendor, an Avon Lady, and a criminal investigator. After getting her bachelors from UC Berkeley, she got her MFA form the University of Michigan, where she won a Hopwood Award for fiction and the Farrar Prize for Drama (she's also won a Pushcart Prize and earned several fellowships). Her work has appeared in The Iowa Review, Tin House, and the Evergreen Review. more ›

It’s November 1, which means it’s National Novel Writing Month, celebrating it’s 10th year this year. National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, encourages anyone who wants to participate to finish a novel in the course of 30 days. In other words, 175 pages of prose equalling 50,000 words. more ›

We've always wanted to have a Russian Writers Party, wherein everyone has a typewriter, a shot glass, and a bottle of vodka. We still think it's a good idea, but have decided it's best left unrealized. more ›