New Orleans Literature
Innovative bookstore events, lively literary festivals, a variety of writing groups, and free workshops spotlight a local writing community like there hasn't been in years.
Something exciting is happening in New Orleans. It's a literary renaissance, where the opportunities for writers and the literature being created is unlike anything we've seen in some time.
Historically, the city has been an important literary center with many significant writers born or working here, writing seminal works within the Greater New Orleans area. Peggy Scott Laborde's WYES documentary Literary New Orleans offers a detailed look at the role the city has played in the lives of writers such as Kate Chopin, Lafcadio Hearn, William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams, Walker Percy, and John Kennedy Toole, to name a few. But after that time, New Orleans' literary scene seemed to become smaller, quieter, for many reasons—until now.
"Right now, New Orleans very much feels like Paris in the '20s or New York during the Harlem Renaissance," said Maurice Carlos Ruffins, author of The American Daughters. "There is such a variety of writers active down here now. Hardly a week passes without an amazing event, and, some nights, there are multiple events going on simultaneously."
There's an incredible energy in the air whenever writers are together. The community is growing, and it's open to anyone who's interested in working on their own writing, talking with other writers, or being in a literary space where writers read their work or give workshops. Writing groups including Third Lantern Lit and LMNL are welcoming spaces for writers to gather and meet. Founded and led by New Orleans writers and artists, educators and scholars, editors and designers, LMNL is dedicated to giving creatives the means to connect with one another, exchange ideas, and grow as professionals. Both organizations offer opportunities for writers to sit in coffee shops or bars and work on their latest novel or poem or to share their work at a fiction or poetry reading.
Third Lantern Lit's Director of Community Outreach Daphne Armbruster said, "We work to lower the barrier of entry to the writing and publishing industry for local writers through free workshops, generative writing sessions, and a live reading series with a focus on building community."
Another organization is the New Orleans Writing Marathon led by Richard Louth and Tracy Cunningham, which offers writers fun days in the French Quarter while writing, walking, eating, drinking, and sharing their work. New Orleans writer Chris Romaguera said of the Writing Marathon, "When I was new to town, the New Orleans Writers Marathon gave me a home to be a writer and a New Orleanian. Now it allows me to create and write and be in community with so many new and old friends in the city we all love."
Independent bookstores have also grown and flourished. For instance, Octavia Bookstore has expanded their space and created a cozy author reading section, and Garden District Books now has a cocktail bar and offers lots of interesting events. On any given week, there are likely several bookstore happenings that include author readings and signings, book launches, and community gatherings. Rayna Nielsen, event coordinator and bookseller at Blue Cypress Books, said, "It takes a village to create a thriving literary scene like New Orleans has, and we are honored to be part of it."
New Orleans Literary Festivals
Local literary festivals offering opportunities for readers and writers include the Tennessee Williams and the New Orleans Literary Festival, the Words and Music Festival, the New Orleans Book Festival, and the New Orleans Poetry Festival.
In its 39th year, the Tennessee Williams and New Orleans Literary Festival (TWFest) highlights New Orleans writers and will take place March 26-30. It also offers a wide range of programming including a virtual writing retreat in January and monthly Coffee and Craft sessions in partnership with Baldwin & Co. Coffee and Bookstore, where authors offer free craft classes and generative writing opportunities for aspiring and experienced writers. Additional TWFest programming includes the Saints and Sinners LGBTQ+ Literary Festival and Last Bohemia, also running in March.
Tracy Cunningham, managing director of the TWFest, said, "Twenty years from now, we're going to look back at the literary landscape of New Orleans and be amazed by how many writers emerged, got published, won awards, and found success during this period."
Benefitting New Orleans Authors
This literary renaissance is not just for established, published writers. Those who are at the beginning of their writing career or want to explore have many opportunities.
Long-time resident Vanessa Spinazola, who is working on a YA novel, said, "I get the sense that the community really wants writers to succeed, particularly by hosting spaces where we can create and celebrate successes together. I could easily participate in a writing-inspired event on a weekly basis and replenish my spirit."
New Orleans offers a bounty of literary resources available to writers such as UNO's creative writing program and Gold Room readings, the Splice Poetry Series, writing workshops at the Jefferson Parish and New Orleans libraries, and litwire.org, a site with literary events around town. One Book One New Orleans highlights a book each year and has several events throughout the year to celebrate it.
Jess Armstrong, USA Today bestselling author of the Ruby Vaughn Mysteries, said, "There is so much innovation happening here. There must be something about this place that calls to creatives. But to me, what makes the New Orleans writing scene so vibrant right now is how diverse it is both in the authors themselves and the genres that are being written. Folks are writing historical, dystopian, poetry, crime, romance—if you can imagine it, it's being written right here in the city. And that's truly magic."
Whatever magic is happening in New Orleans right now will hopefully continue. For writers who want it, there are a multitude of opportunities to find space, support, and community. And with all of this creative energy within our city limits, there's bound to be some truly wonderful writing coming out for everyone to enjoy.
