Courtesy of the Loft
Milkweed Editions at Open Book
If you haven't picked up a book since high school, know that F. Scott Fitzgerald isn't the only notable Minnesota author. The North has fostered Fitzgerald-caliber writers for years. Our state has been home to Marlon James, Kate DiCamillo, Tim O’Brien, Anne Tyler, Marjory Stoneman Douglas... the list goes on. There's something about Minnesota that nurtures a literary mindset, and we can thank the local writing center The Loft for fostering the next generation of Minnesota writers.
The newest addition to their library? Wordsmith, an upcoming event this weekend for writers of all levels. It caters to aspiring and established authors alike with agents and editors taking pitches, plus writing workshops and seminars for those with budding stories. The event includes authors like Hanif Abdurraqib, Courtney Maum, and Ibi Zoboi, and their talks will share expertise and career guidance, rather than a reader-oriented discussion of their work.
The Loft Literary Center hosted its first Wordplay festival in May of this year, and has announced the dates for Wordplay 2020. That event is for readers and writers alike. Last year, they featured a mix of prominent national and local authors, and headliner Stephen King spoke at length about his craft.
St. Paul-based historical author Jack El-Hai credits The Loft for much of his early literary success. The Loft student-turned-teacher-turned-board-member says The Loft “led me to look at my writing career kind of critically, instead of just floating along.”
The Minneapolis literary organization is unparalleled nationally as the largest of its kind, offering grant programs, classes for writers and readers, and lectures from established authors. “There’s really nothing like it in the country, and other organizations in other places look up to The Loft,” says El-Hai. “My whole experience with The Loft as a student and as a participant in programs has helped me keep my thinking straight on what I want writing to do for me and what I want to do for my writing.”
November 1-3, McNamara Alumni Center, University of Minnesota, 200 SE Oak St., Ste. 100, Mpls., 612-624-9831, loft.org/wordsmith
