Support our local literary arts:
Thank you for joining us for our 2025 Creative Writing Festival!
Thank you to those who joined us for the Astoria Creative Writing Festival: The Power of People, featuring Keynote speaker Oregon Poet Laureate Ellen Waterston. We were thrilled to offer additional workshops by regional authors Laura Stanfill, Scott Korb, Bob Balmer, Cliff Taylor, and Lara Messersmith-Glavin. Our weekend was full of craft workshops, author readings, and inspiration-fueled time to write with our community alongside the beautiful Columbia River.
2024 October Conference Highlight
Karl Marlantes, a renowned author and decorated Vietnam War veteran, recently headlined the Astoria Writers Guild October Creative Writing Festival. Marlantes, known for his critically acclaimed novels such as Matterhorn and Deep River, captivated the audience with a keynote reading, workshop, and an engaging conversation.
During his presentation, he shared insights into his writing process, the historical and cultural contexts of his works, and the profound themes of class, race, labor, and capitalism that permeate his storytelling. He sat down in conversation with Guild founder, Marianne Monson, for an in-depth conversation about his writing process and work. We’re indebted to KMUN for the recording.
