The Writers Guild at Bloomington is an association of writers committed to mutual support and the professional development of their craft. Its mission is to foster interaction among writers as well as other artists, educators, and the Monroe County public, thereby enhancing the vibrancy of the arts and the writing community in the greater Bloomington area.

Events Calendar

Dec
15
Sun
Three WFIU special “Jenny” Poets Weave episodes
Dec 15 2024 – May 30 2025 all-day

WFIU is doing a series of broad/podcasts celebrating Jenny Kander with three special “Jenny” Poets Weave episodes.

The first was December 15 (listen to here: https://indianapublicmedia.org/poetsweave/jelly-donuts.php).

Upcoming episodes will air March 30 and May 11.

Apr
25
Fri
Polkadots: The Cool Kids Musical @ The John & Linda Whikehart Auditorium | Waldron Arts Center
Apr 25 @ 1:00 pm – May 11 @ 1:00 pm

Constellation for Kids presents:

Polkadots: The Cool Kids Musical

On stage April 25 – May 11 at the Waldron Auditorium in downtown Bloomington.

In a town full of squares, one dot makes a difference! 8-year-old Lily Polkadot just moved to the small, “Squares Only” town of Rockaway. As the first Polkadot in an all Square school, Lily faces an almost impossible task of gaining acceptance from her peers. Lily’s quest seems hopeless until she meets Sky, a shy Square boy whose curiosity for her polkadot skin blooms into an unexpected friendship. Inspired by the events of The Little Rock 9, Polkadots serves as a colorful history lesson that reminds us that our individual differences are what make us cool.

*Sensory-Friendly Performance on Sunday, May 11 at 1:00pm*

For showtimes, tickets, and more information, visit https://seeconstellation.org/kids/polkadots

Apr
27
Sun
Last Sunday Poetry & Open Mic featuring Tracy Mishkin and Joseph Kerschbaum @ Morgenstern's Bookstore & Café
Apr 27 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

The Writers Guild at Bloomington presents

Last Sunday Poetry & Open Mic

featuring Tracy Mishkin and Joseph Kerschbaum

The Writers Guild at Bloomington celebrates National Poetry Month by presenting Last Sunday Poetry, featuring Tracy Mishkin and Joseph Kerschbaum.

TRACY MISHKIN‘s first full-length poetry book is The Way The Salt Falls (Main Street Rag Press, 2024). Holder of an MFA degree in Creative Writing from Butler University, she has also published three chapbooks: I Almost Didn’t Make It to McDonald’s, The Night I Quit Flossing, and This is Still Life. She lives in Indianapolis with her family and fewer than ten cats and dogs.

JOSEPH KERSCHBAUM’s publications include Midnight Sunrise (Main Street Rag Press, 2024), Mirror Box (Main St Rag Press, 2020), and Distant Shores of a Split Second (Louisiana Literature Press, 2018). His recent work has appeared in Reunion: The Dallas Review, Hamilton Stone Review, The Inflectionist Review, and Main Street Rag. Joseph is a poetry reader for Flying Island Journal. He lives in Bloomington, Indiana with his family.

7-8:30 PM (EST) 27 April 2025
Morgenstern Books & Cafe (849 S Auto Mall Rd, Bloomington IN 47401)

May
4
Sun
First Sunday Prose Reading featuring PDVNCH and Shayne Laughter @ The Juniper Art Gallery and Cafe
May 4 @ 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm

Join the Writers Guild for the First Sunday Prose Reading:

Writers PDVNCH and Shayne Laughter

Shayne Laughter is a five-time Bloomerang, who has lived in Seattle and New York, and has spent quality time in Spain and India. She has won honors for her screenplays, short stories, and first novel, and has been a radio voice at WFHB Community Radio and WFIU Public Radio.

 

 

 

🎨PDVNCH👌🏾 [pee-dove-inch]
is a spoken wordsmith and dramatic prophetic poetic storyteller, who uses rainbows, painting pictures, creating vivid images, with words, from multiple perspectives, giving voice to the unheard, with vocal tones, that are rhythmic.

As an inventor/originator, most known, globally, for his original iconic hair designs ‘Beads by DVNCH’, fabulous frames and his phenomenal passion for fashion.

A Bloomingtonian, and Director Of Creative-Arts Productions for !ℵṧ℘!Իḙ-!ℵṧ℘!Իᾰт!✺ℵ-!ℵ!т!ᾰт!ṽḙ @ !3 studios. Through collaboration, his desire is to Inspire inspiration, and “Always be on Purpose”!

First Sunday Prose Reading – Open Mic to follow!

Sunday, May 4, 2025

The Juniper Art Gallery and Cafe

615 W. Kirkwood Avenue

May
16
Fri
Umami Book Launch Reading & Open Mic @ Runcible Spoon Restaurant & Café
May 16 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

The Writers Guild at Bloomington presents

The launch reading of Hiromi Yoshida’s 5th poetry chapbook Umami (Alien Buddha Press, 26 March 2025)

“Hiromi Yoshida offers up a delectable assortment of poems with Umami. Taste is the thing and getting at the intangible yet discernable vibe of these dishes is what’s on the menu. Lighter fare than Yoshida is typically known for, these poems entice with clear observant details and careful surveys of the palate. Here we are treated to dishes both traditional and modern, ethnic and monocultural. Childhood memories conjure up TV dinners in America or sticky hands in Taipei. And of course, Icarus remains, reduced by now to name-dropped specter. Salad fork, not centerpiece. A distant speck: “floating signifier like that solitary / cheese that couldn’t stand / alone, grilled for his stupidity.” Hiromi Yoshida’s Umami is a feast for the poetic senses.”

—Tony Brewer, 2024 Indiana Literary Champion

Also Featured: April Ridge, Writers Guild at Bloomington chair, and author of Monstrous (Pure Sleeze Press, 2024).

Join us for an umami-filled evening of poetry and food!

Open mic to follow readings.

5.16.25 (6-8 PM)
Runcible Spoon Restaurant & Café, 412 E 6th St, Bloomington, IN 47408
May
25
Sun
Last Sunday Poetry & Open Mic featuring featuring John Dorsey and Jonathan S Baker @ Morgenstern's Bookstore & Café
May 25 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

The Writers Guild at Bloomington presents

Last Sunday Poetry & Open Mic

featuring John Dorsey and Jonathan S Baker

 

JOHN DORSEY is the author of over ninety collections of poetry. Former Poet Laureate of Belle, Missouri, he is the recipient of the 2019 Terry Award, given at Poetry Rendezvous. He is also a founder and co-editor of the Gasconade Review, with Jason Ryberg, and River Dog Press, with Victor Clevenger. Dorsey is known for his prolific writing career as a poet, and as a major influence on small press, grassroots poetry movements in the U.S. Since 1992, his poems have been published in more than 2000 literary magazines and anthologies.

JONATHAN S BAKER is primarily composed of the stuff of dead stars and suffers from the same insecurities as everyone else. They are the author of Cock of the Walk (Laughing Ronin Press, 2022), Long Nights in Stoplight City (Between the Shadows Press, 2023) and Pressure (Two Key Customs, 2023). They are also co-editor at The Grind Stone and editor-in-chief at Pure Sleeze Press.

Emerging poets who need a supportive audience, and established poets who want to promote published works: Come 20-50 min. before the 7pm program start time so you can sign up for open mic! Your words are precious. (2-3 min. per open mic participant)

7-8:30 PM (EST) 25 April 2025
Morgenstern Books & Cafe (849 S Auto Mall Rd, Bloomington IN 47401)

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