Save the Date: 2025 Emerging Writers Festival

Wednesday, April 2 - Friday, April 4

2024 Emerging Writers Festival

The 2024 Emerging Writers Festival featured poets Maggie Millner and Michale Torres, nonfiction writer Sarah Perry and fiction writer Ada Zhang. The student organizing committee included seniors Emma Campbell, Grace Celi, Louisa Esposito, Gyana Guity, Isabel Hoin, Jayden LaCoe, Sarah Nicell, Olivia Schmid, Rohail Spear and Ryan Squires. We chatted with some of the students behind the College's 22nd Emerging Writers Festival. Discover their favorite authors and genres and why they chose to attend F&M.

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Championing the Work of Rising Writers

Each spring, the English department at Franklin & Marshall College hosts its annual Emerging Writers Festival, dedicated to championing the work of writers early in their careers. Generously supported by Edna Hausman P'85 and Richard D. Hausman '50, P'85 and the Philadelphia Alumni Writers House, the Emerging Writers Festival is a marquee event in F&M’s literary year.

A Hallmark Literary Tradition

Since its inception in 2002, the Festival has been a collaborative effort between students and faculty, bringing people together across the campus community and beyond for readings, workshops, and the opportunity to mix, formally and informally, with some of the country’s most exciting new literary talents.

Readings

Readings offer the opportunity for you to join our emerging writers as they give readings of their works. You can also engage with the writers during a Q&A session.

Craft Talks

Get a peek behind the curtain and discuss writing techniques, processes, and more with our emerging writers. Craft talks offer the opportunity to practice and get feedback on your own craft as you work side-by-side with our emerging writers through writing prompts and exercises. 

Panel Discussion & Closing Events

The EWF wraps up with a panel discussion with all emerging writers. ​​A Bye Bye BBQ celebrating the end of the festival begins immediately after the conclusion of the panel.

Student Organizing Committee

An Emerging Writers Festival student organizing committee is formed each year, offering students hands-on experience in bringing a literary festival to life. Two students are assigned as "shadows" for each writer, tasked with coordinating visits and handling audience introductions prior to readings.

“EWF was one of the main reasons why I decided to attend F&M.”

"EWF was one of the main reasons why I decided to attend F&M back when I was just a high schooler trying to decide which college was a good fit for me. I loved the idea of EWF, an event to celebrate talented writers, and allowing F&M students and Lancaster locals to hear their stories and the reasons why they love to write. So when I was selected to join the 2024 EWF Committee, I felt so honored. This spring, I now have the opportunity to work alongside amazing students who share the same deep appreciation and love for storytelling, and I am so excited to bring this year's EWF festival to life with my peers and F&M faculty to give every attendee a rewarding and fun experience!"

— Gyana Guity ’24, 2023-2024 EWF Student Organizing Committee

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to help plan an event of this caliber that will bring together creatives, writers, students, faculty, and Lancasterians alike in such a special way.”

"By being a part of the EWF planning committee, I’m most excited to be in a community dedicated to all things writing and language. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to help plan an event of this caliber that will bring together creatives, writers, students, faculty, and Lancasterians alike in such a special way. It’s a dream being able to learn from brilliant emerging writers, and to work alongside my peers in order to do so."

— Olivia Schmid '24, 2023-2024 EWF Student Organizing Committee

“Learning advanced skills of planning, designing, collaborating, as well as shadowing prominent writers will allow me to personally grow as a student of fine arts.”

"Being selected to participate on the EWF planning committee is such an honor, as it allows me to further immerse myself into a new, though equally educational aspect, of the creative writing world. Learning advanced skills of planning, designing, collaborating, as well as shadowing prominent writers will allow me to personally grow as a student of fine arts."

— Isabel Hoin '24, 2023-2024 EWF Student Organizing Committee