Franklin & Marshall College will host its annual Emerging Writers Festival from April 2-4, 2025 – bringing five of the nation’s most promising literary voices to campus for three days of readings, craft talks, workshops, and community engagement. Since its start in 2002, the festival has maintained its commitment to highlighting diverse voices at pivotal moments in their careers. Many past participants have gone on to win major literary awards and critical recognition. Now in its 23rd year, the festival has become a cornerstone of F&M’s literary tradition, allowing students and community members to interact with acclaimed early-career authors across multiple genres.
The English Department faculty will be in attendance throughout the festival, with professors sometimes incorporating the events into their spring semester curriculum or offering extra credit opportunities for attending the festival. Students from various English classes–including Introduction to Creative Writing, Advanced Poetry Workshop, and Contemporary American Literature–will attend as part of their coursework, engaging directly with the writers and reflecting on the experience in their academic assignments. Several professors have designed special projects around the visiting authors’ works, creating a deeper connection between classroom learning and the live literary experience.
This year’s featured writers include Katie Moulton, author of the audio memoir “Dead Dad Club: On Grief and Tom Petty”; poet Kelan Nee, whose debut collection “Felling” won the 2023 Vassar Miller Prize in Poetry; creative nonfiction writer Jamila Osman, recipient of the Brunel International African Poetry Prize; poet Leslie Sainz, whose “Have You Been Long Enough at Table” won the 2024 Audre Lorde Award; and Lauren K. Watel, a multi-genre writer whose “Book of Potions” won the 2023 Kathryn A. Morton Prize in Poetry.
The festival opens Wednesday evening with readings by Moulton, Nee, and Osman at the Green Room Theatre. Thursday features craft talks at the Philadelphia Alumni Writers House, followed by evening readings from Sainz and Watel. The event concludes Friday with additional craft talks, a panel discussion featuring all five writers, and the traditional “Bye Bye Barbecue” celebration.
The student organizing committee for the Emerging Writers Festival plays a crucial role in the festival’s success, with members serving as “shadows” for each writer – coordinating campus visits, facilitating workshops, and introducing authors at readings.
The Emerging Writers Festival is free and open to the public, with all events available via Zoom for those unable to attend in person. The festival is made possible through the generous support of Edna Hausman P’85 and Richard D. Hausman ’50, P’85, and the Philadelphia Alumni Writers House.
First-Year Ashley Witkowski is the Campus Life Editor. Her email is awitkows@fandm.edu.