UNA Writers' Series

The ��AV Writers' Series began in 1984 as the ��AV Writers' Conference. From its inception, the focus of the Series has been to provide the University's students (along with area residents) with interests in writing and contemporary literature an opportunity to share those interests with each other and with professional writers from a variety of genres. The Series is designed to stimulate and encourage those people who teach writing, who write professionally, or who write as a hobby. To this end, the Series provides these individuals with opportunities to meet and to discuss concerns with writing and publishing among themselves and with professional writers.

Throughout the years, the Series has attracted a wide variety of gifted writers. Past participants have included Al Young, Russell Banks, Vicki Covington, Ellen Gilchrist, Marilynne Robinson, Kaye Gibbons, Larry Brown, Dori Sanders, Rodney Jones, David Bottoms, Barry Hannah, Miller Williams, Brendan Galvin, Allen Wier, Jon Silkin, James Whitehead, Tim McLaurin, Peter Jenkins, Edward Hirsch, J. California Cooper, Lex Wiliford, Charles McNair, Robert Olen Butler, Carolyn Kizer, James Seay, Lewis Nordon, and Michael Lee West.

The Writers’ Series is held in spring semesters. Generally, our authors talk about the art of writing and read selectively from their works with a brief question and answer period at the end of the session. Oftentimes, the author offers a book-signing after the speaking engagement.

Watch our most recent addition to the series with Amanda Gunn reading selections from her debut collection, Things I Didn't Do With This Body, followed by a brief Q&A with her audience.