NonfictioNOW
November 1 - 3, 2018
Exploring the past, present, and future of nonfiction
In November 2018, the Piper Center proudly hosted NonfictioNOW, a gathering of over 400 writers from all around the world to explore the past, present, and future of nonfiction.
Neither a conventional academic conference nor a writers’ festival, NonfictioNOW is a conversation among peers on the intricate challenges and intriguing delights of writing and reading nonfiction. Panels and readings highlight the myriad forms of nonfiction, from the video essay and graphic essays, to the memoir, lyric essay, and literary journalism.
The keynote speakers for 2018 included Stephanie Elizondo Griest, Gretel Ehrlich, and Francisco Cantú. Other keynote speakers have included Karl Ove Knausgård, Maggie Nelson, Aisha Sabatini Sloan, Alison Bechdel, Rebecca Solnit, and more. The conference was founded by Robin Hemley at the University of Iowa in 2005.
To learn more about NonfictioNOW, keep reading. You can also learn more about the Desert Nights, Rising Stars Writers Conference or view our calendar to find upcoming events.
Meet Our Keynotes
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Danez SmithDanez Smith is a Black, Queer, Poz writer & performer from St. Paul, MN. Smith is the author of Don’t Call Us Dead (Graywolf Press, 2017), winner of the Forward Prize for Best Collection, the Midwest Booksellers Choice Award, and a finalist for the National Book Award; they also wrote [insert] boy (YesYes Books, 2014), winner of the Kate Tufts Discovery Award and the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Poetry. They are the recipient of fellowships from the Poetry Foundation, the McKnight Foundation, the Montalvo Arts Center, Cave Canem, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Smith's work has been featured widely, appearing on platforms such as Buzzfeed, The New York Times, PBS NewsHour, Best American Poetry, Poetry Magazine, and on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Smith is a member of the Dark Noise Collective and is the co-host of VS with Franny Choi, a podcast sponsored by the Poetry Foundation and Postloudness. Smith’s third collection, Homie, will be published by Graywolf in Spring 2020. Find more at www.danezsmithpoet.com Learn more about Danez Smith |