Upcoming Creative Writing Events, Workshops & Conferences at ASU
Make It, Take It
Tuesdays | September 23, October 7, 21 & 28 @ 10:00 am - 2:00 pm Phoenix Time
Join us for these drop-in events occurring on alternate Wednesdays when the historic Piper Writers House is open for visitors. Make It, Take It events offer snacks and quick, hands-on activities led by CantoMundo, the newest program of the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing. No reservations necessary, and participation is optional. Bring a friend, relax, and awaken your creative side.
Piper Presents: Perspective and Voice in the Stories We Tell
Wednesdays | September 23, October 7 & 21, November 4 & 18, December 2 & 16, January 6 & 20, February 3 & 17, March 3 & 17, April 7 @ 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm Phoenix Time
Join Daniel Pereyra and guest teachers Marieke Davis, Ryan Files, Tiffany Meuret, Liz Agans, Winslow Schmelling and others as they explore what perspective and voice mean in their writing, and yours! This year, our workshops are genre inclusive--so memoirists, poets, novelists, essayists and more; we're bringing everyone together! All sessions are drop in, but we highly encourage you to commit to attending the entire series for the most well-rounded experience.
We'll meet from late September 2026 through early April 2027, with new topics to explore at each gathering and culminating in a celebratory, participant showcase held in-person at the Piper Writer's House. Attendees will share the work they've completed since September and celebrate with community, including family and friends!
Writers of all experiences and genres welcome and encouraged! Workshops are free and drop-in; your RSVP helps us better prepare, thank you! Snacks will be provided during each gathering. If you can't make the entire series, please participate at the level you can. Reach out to [email protected] with questions.
Veteran's Writing Circle
Online Tuesdays | October 6 & 20, November 3 & 17 @ 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm Phoenix Time
The Veteran’s Writing Circle is a group of veterans who meet twice per month to workshop and develop their writing. Though all participants are veterans, prompts and themes do not necessarily include their time in the service as inspiration. Gatherings have included generative writing, workshopping participant writing, and discussing craft in all genres.
- Virtual workshops twice per month
- Register to receive the Zoom information
- Annual celebration takes place in November
Skills for Writers - Jaime Glasser, Discovering Your Unique Voice
Wednesday | October 7 @ 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Phoenix Time
In this one-hour mindfulness and writing session, participants will learn a simple practice to quiet the mind, center attention, and prepare to write. Through a generative guided exercise, writers will explore the qualities, rhythms, and perspectives that make their voices uniquely their own. Participants will leave with a physical reminder and a practical tool for reconnecting with their own voice and writing from a place of greater presence, confidence, and self-trust.
Free and open to the public.
Desert Owl Book Club
Thursdays | October 8, November 12, and December 3 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm Phoenix Time
Join us this fall as we continue Desert Owl Book Club at the Piper Center—an evening for readers to gather, reflect, and connect after the sun goes down.
- September 17 - James by Percival Everett
- October 8 - Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor
- November 12 - The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
- December 3 - The Cemetery of Untold Stories by Julia Alvarez
Enjoy a book exchange (bring a book, take a book) after each discussion!
Distinguished Visiting Writers Series | A Reading with Kim Addonizio and Tracey Knapp
Tuesday | October 27 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm Phoenix Time
Join us for a reading and conversation with Kim Addonizio and Tracey Knapp at Changing Hands Tempe: 6428 S McClintock Dr, Tempe, AZ 85283
Free and open to the public.
Past Events
Summers at Piper Center
Summers at Piper provides free creative writing programming to support creative writing students and the broader community by providing access to arts-education and professional development. There is no cost to participate. All genres and skill levels are welcome. Join us for regular programming with our Professional Development Series, Story Starters, and Special Topics Workshops.
MFA Agents & Editors Panel: Navigating the Literary Marketplace
Learn to work with agents and editors and secrets for navigating the literary marketplace with Jessica Friedman, agent at Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc. and Leslie Shipman of The Shipman Agency, moderated by ASU Professor Sally Ball, associate director of Four Way Books. Free and open to the public.
Poetry Out Loud Central Region Semi-Final Competition
Poetry Out Loud is a national poetry recitation competition for high school students beginning in the classroom and culminating in the National Finals in Washington, D.C. The program cultivates an appreciation of poetry that goes beyond the page and offers an opportunity to win over $50,000 in scholarships and school stipends. The Central Region Competition determines who will move on to the State Competition, held in Tucson, Arizona in March 2026. This event is open to the public. Attend in person or watch the livestream!
Outspoken: Community Open Mic @ Cafetal Coffee
This event is free and open to the public. Write your words, speak your truth!
Poetry at Piper Writers House
Join us for an evening of poetry and conversation featuring two acclaimed voices in contemporary poetry speaking on vision, place, and possibility. Moderated by Isabel Lanzetta.
Jami Macarty, author of The Long Now Conditions Permit (2023 Test Site Poetry Prize) and The Minuses (2020 NM/AZ Book Award), writes from and between the deserts of Tucson and the rain coast of Vancouver.
Geoffrey Babbitt, author of A Grain of Sand in Lambeth (2023 Betsy Joiner Flanagan Prize in Poetry), is Editor of Seneca Review and founder of the Deborah Tall Lyric Essay Book Prize.
Celebrate National Poetry Month with us in the historic Piper Writers House! Light refreshments will be provided.
Skills for Writers
Free and open to the public, this panel focuses on applying to writing residences.
- "Applying to Writers Retreats and Residencies" with Shipra Agarwal
- "Social Media for Writers" with Ofelia Montelongo
- "Building Your Author Brand" with Shipra Agarwal
- "Spreadsheets for Writers: Making and Tracking a Submission Plan" with Cecilia Savala
ASU Community Open Mic
Free and open to the public, highlighting ASU community creative writing voices. Light refreshments are provided. Will be held on the back patio if the weather permits.
Drop-In Writing Hour
Join us for a cozy hour of writing in the Piper Writers House living room. All genres welcome.
Applying for Retreats, Workshops, and Residencies
Virtual with Shipra Agarwal
If you're baffled about how and when to apply for a writer's retreat, workshop, or residency, this online session presented by CantoMundo will help. Shipra Agarwal brings her considerable knowledge to this Saturday class to demystify the process. Enroll today!
About Shipra Agarwal:
Shipra Agarwal is a doctor-turned-brand-manager-turned-writer from India, pursuing an MFA in fiction from Arizona State University (ASU). Her work is published in Witness and The Rumpus. She was nominated for the PEN/Dau Prize and the Pushcart Prize, and shortlisted for the First Pages Prize and the Iron Horse Long Story Prize. She's received support to attend the Tin House Summer Workshop, Kenyon Review Writers Workshop, Sundress Academy for the Arts, and the Authentic Voices Program. Shipra is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Best of the Net, and is currently working on a novel and a collection of stories.
Piper Teaching Artist Open Mic
Join us in supporting our local teaching artists as they share their work! Grab a seat, enjoy a NA drink, and enjoy a night of poetry and prose.