We are thrilled to bring you the latest in literary events and writings that have caught our attention. These events encompass a range of free and ticketed registration and are not affiliated with AWP. All times are in ET.

• Anthony Doerr, Richard Powers and Lauren Groff are among this year’s nominees on the National Book Awards' fiction longlist, which also includes Honorée Fanonne Jeffers' epic debut novel The Love Songs of W. E. B. Du Bois. A full list of nominees can be found on the National Book Awards website.
• The Writer critique program is expanding! Starting Friday, October 1, they will offer both a 5,000-word and 10,000-word critique option. (If you’ve been working on a 4,000-word manuscript, submit it by September 30 to receive the current 4,000-word rate.) Submit on their website.
• The virtual Writing for Health and Healing Retreat begins on Saturday, October 2. This free, two-day virtual writing retreat will explore how to connect while writing across distances, languages, and experiences. Registered nurses can apply to earn five continuing education units (CEU) for attending the retreat.
• Books Are Magic will host Tabitha Brown in celebration of her recently released book Feeding the Soul (Because It's My Business) on Wednesday, September 29, at 7 p.m.
• Prospectus: A Literary Offering welcomes Brittany Ackerman, author of The Brittanys, on Friday, October 1, at 7 p.m. for the second event in their Emerging Authors Series.
• Don’t miss the Brooklyn Indie Book Fest on Friday, October 1, at 7:30 p.m.! Greenlight once again partners with CLMP, as well as some of Brooklyn’s best independent book and magazine publishers, to throw a (virtual) Brooklyn-sized party celebrating the spirit of literary independence in Brooklyn. Register and learn more on their website.
• Improv and creative writing teacher Aretha Sills will lead “Improvisation for Writers,” a virtual workshop for jumpstarting new creative writings, on Saturday, October 2, at 10:30 a.m. Be sure to register in advance—spaces are limited.
• Join Books Are Magic for an unforgettable evening on Monday, October 4, with luminaries Colson Whitehead and Kevin Young, who will each present from their new book in conversation with one another. 7 p.m., tickets available on Eventbrite.*
• Left Bank Books welcome nationally recognized trainer and consultant Kristin Henning, who will discuss her new book, The Rage of Innocence: How America Criminalizes Black Youth, on their Facebook Live page at 8 p.m. on Monday, October 4.
• Renowned author Lidia Yuknavitch will lead “A Master Class on Characters Being Unlikeable On Purpose” on Tuesday, October 5, at 8 p.m. through StoryStudio’s Pajama Seminar series. Register on their website.
• Seeds Bursting Open in Fire" is a free virtual event on Wednesday, October 6, featuring poets Aimee Nezhukumatathil (World of Wonders), Tamiko Beyer (Last Days), and Gabrielle Civil (( ghost gestures )), who will be reading from their most recent collections of poetry. These poets will be joined by community organizers and artists from Power Shift Network, Tsuru for Solidarity, and Urban Bush Women for a conversation at the intersection of literature, climate justice, racial justice, and abolition. ASL interpretation and close captioning will be available. 7 p.m.
• Acclaimed poet Jacob Saenz will read from his book Throwing the Crown and be joined in conversation on writing craft with Waubonsee English faculty member Dan Portincaso on Wednesday, October 6, at 7 p.m. Q&A to follow.
• Left Bank Books welcomes "author to watch" Jayne Allen, who will discuss her debut novel, Black Girls Must Die Exhausted, on their Facebook Live page on Tuesday, October 5, at 8 p.m.
• The Poetry Foundation will host a special reading for young people with poet and educator Kwame Alexander on Saturday, October 9, at 2 p.m.
• Revision Season is a virtual master class in novel revision led by award-winning author Elana K. Arnold. Each week includes a video lecture followed by a series of assignments designed to help you put the lessons into practice. The fall 2021 session of Revision Season will run October 10–November 28. Enrollment now open.

*in-person event