OUR MISSION: Writers Read is a not-for-profit literary forum promoting established and emerging writers through curated live and digital performances celebrating the spoken word.
Writers Read features true personal stories—two pages, five minutes, and 650 words long—read aloud by the writer. Learn more at WritersRead.org
Our editorial committee places a strong emphasis on the craft of writing—word choices, sentence structures, the arc of the narrative—and our submission-based shows and events are developed around broad themes that invite a wide range of expression.
We may edit accepted pieces for clarity and length. Individual readings are recorded and promoted in e-blasts, podcasts, and printed anthologies. Writers retain the rights to their work and have unrestricted access to their recordings.
In the digital arena, people are far more available for spoken word than ever before, and in a publishing environment with a shrinking number of opportunities to showcase new voices, Writers Read is a high quality platform for aspiring and established writers alike. If you love language and craft and enjoy a good story, you’ve come to the right place.
Please note that there is a $5.00 fee to submit electronically per reading period. We accept PayPal and all major credit cards.
TERMS: I verify that the piece I’m submitting is my original work, authored by me, and that I retain the copyright and/or have permission to perform it for Writers Read. I consent to editing of my work, and I am willing to have photos, videos, and audio recordings of my performance available for the public on the Writers Read website and YouTube channel, as well as in podcasts and radio broadcasts. I also grant permission for my work to be excerpted for promotional purposes, and for it to be included in printed form in Writers Read’s themed anthologies.
We want to feature your short personal true story on our stage and in our podcast. The maximum length of 650 words translates to a five-minute spoken word piece. In 650 or fewer words, these narratives are powerful stories about meaningful life experiences, big or small. They can express our fears, hopes, and joys and can help us make sense of the world and our place in it. The pieces can be original, or can be excerpted or adapted from your own earlier work. Submissions are evaluated by an editorial committee of professional writer/editors for presentation on stage, in podcasts, broadcasts, YouTube, and in printed anthologies. The work remains yours to publish again elsewhere if you choose.
TOPIC: Between the Lines
Writers Read is interested in short, personal meditations about any aspect of writing and the writing life for the “Between the Lines” segment of our podcast.
Do you have some thoughts, observations, or hard-earned wisdom to share about writing -- or about not writing, and the many ways you've found to procrastinate? About developing your writer voice? Maybe some sage advice you received from a mentor, or your struggle to have something published? Why do you write? How do you write? And why does writing matter?
Here are some examples of "BTL" essays we've featured in our podcast:
https://writersread.org/blog-4/between-the-lines-8xyjg
In 650 or fewer words, share your thoughts about some aspect of your writing life.
If your piece is selected for the podcast, we’ll help you create a quality audio recording of your performance using your smartphone.